B--Non-Personal Services RNA Sequencing

This contract solicits non-personal services for RNA sequencing and data analysis under a firm-fixed-price arrangement, specifically for the preparation of Illumina RNA libraries using 3'Tag-Seq with poly A enrichment and subsequent sequencing on the NovaSeq 6000 platform generating PE150 data at a rate of 1 gigabase per sample (6 million reads per library). The work involves RNA extraction from fixative-preserved samples, rigorous quality control at every stage—RNA input, library prep, and sequencing—and delivery of FASTQ files via a secure web repository, with a strict turnaround of 60 days from sample receipt. Minimum sequencing output is set at 3–4 million single-end reads per sample, and performance must align with the Statement of Work dated April 9, 2026, while adhering to Buy American requirements and SCLS wage determinations from 2015-6123 Rev 2. The contract is a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 541380 with a $19 million size standard, and only small businesses are eligible to respond, with their size status verified through current SAM registration and binding representations. The procurement follows a lowest priced technically acceptable (LPTA) evaluation methodology, where technical acceptability is a pass/fail threshold and price is the sole deciding factor among qualified bidders. All proposals must be submitted electronically with technical and pricing components clearly delineated, and successful vendors are required to use the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) for all payment submissions. Delivery of physical samples and data occurs at the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and Milford, Connecticut, respectively, under FOB Destination terms. The contract incorporates numerous FAR and agency-specific clauses including whistleblower protections, anti-trafficking policies, affirmative action for workers with disabilities, service contract wage requirements, and AI data sharing mandates, all governed by the NOAA Acquisition Manual. Amendments to the solicitation, including responses to RFI inquiries, extend the deadline to April 27, 2026, with the contracting officer, Charles M. Kendall, overseeing performance from the Seattle office, while no COR, COTR, or PCO details are yet assigned. No packaging, marking, or bar-coding requirements are specified beyond reference to product code B526, and no contract value or pricing data is provided in the solicitation, indicating final pricing will be determined through competitive responses.