Next Generation Sequencing Product

This is a Sources Sought Notice (SSN) ONLY. The U.S. Government currently intends to award a contract for Next Generation Sequencing on a SOLE SOURCE basis but is seeking vendors that may be able to provide this requirement to support a competitive procurement. Accordingly, this SSN. In addition, small businesses, in all socioeconomic categories (including, 8(a) Business Development Program, Small Disadvantage Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, and Women-Owned Small Business concerns), must describe their identifying capabilities in meeting the requirements at a fair market price, to include any other information which may help support a set-aside. The proposed sole source Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract will be to Wolfram Research, Inc. for its automation software product that can review the current existing entire next generation manual sequencing process in place and convert the manual operation to an automated application utilizing the Wolfram Mathematica Cloud Application. The statutory authority for the sole source procurement is 10 United States Code 41 U.S.C. 1901 implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), whereby contracting officers may solicit from one source if they determine that only one source is reasonably available due to circumstances of the contract action. These circumstances may include urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name, or industrial mobilization. This notice does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the U.S. Government is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this SSN. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. However, if a competitive solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the GPE for additional information pertaining to this requirement. The anticipated NAICS code(s) is 513210, Software Publishers, and the code has a small business size standard of $47M. In your opinion, does this NAICS code fit this requirement? If not, which NAICS code would you suggest and why? A continuing need is anticipated for the service. Attached is the draft Statement of Work (SOW). For your information, the contract number and name of the incumbent contractor is as follows: - Contract Number: W9124J-20-P-0016 - Extent of Competition: Unrestricted, Sole-Sourced - Contract Name/Info: Wolfram Research, Inc. (UEI: LUT2X4EPSK11 / CAGE Code: 1CLJ4) - Contract Total Firm Fixed Price: $210,173.89 This requirement under consideration is being looked at as a four (4) year effort, which would include a one (1) year base period and three (3) year option periods. In response to this SSN, please provide: - Identify any condition or action that may be having the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition with respect to this acquisition and identify alternatives or solution solutions. Also contact the MICC Advocate for Competition, Scott Kukes, at scott.d.kukes@army.mil or 210- 466-3015, if you believe that this action is unreasonably restricting competition. Include the subject of the acquisition, this announcement, and the MICC POC information from the SSN. Provide the specific aspects that unreasonably restrict competition and the rationale for such conclusion. - If, after reviewing the draft SOW, you feel that your firm can provide the support needed, please provide the name of the firm, point of contact, phone number, email address, UEI number, CAGE code, identify business size (large business or a small business), and if applicable, a statement regarding small business status (including small business type(s)/certifications(s) such as SDB, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.) and the corresponding NAICS code. - Identify whether your firm is interested in competing for this requirement as a prime contractor or not. Identify subcontracting, joint ventures or teaming arrangement that will be pursued, if any. - Please provide information in sufficient detail regarding any relevant previous experience (indicate whether as a prime contractor or subcontractor) on similar requirements (include size, scope, complexity, timeframe, government or commercial), pertinent certifications, etc., that will facilitate making a capability determination. - Information to help determine if the requirement (item or service) is commercially available, including pricing information, basis for the pricing information (e.g., market pricing, catalog pricing), delivery schedules, customary terms and conditions, warranties, etc. - Identify how the Army can best structure these contract requirements to facilitate competition, including competition among small business concerns. - Recommendations to improve the Army's approach/specifications/draft PWS/PRS to acquiring the identified items/services. - Upon receipt of responses, the Government will request from our Customer an assessment regarding each firm's potential to fulfil our requirements as depicted in the draft PWS. - Questions for this SSN shall be submitted on or before 12:00PM CST on 15 February 2024. Government Response will be provided within 3 business days after receipt of all questions. - Responses to this SSN shall be submitted on or before 12:00 PM CST on 23 February 2024 via email to Osvaldo Vela, Contract Specialist at osvaldo.c.vela.civ@army.mil and Shemekia R. McMillan, Contracting Officer at shemekia.r.mcmillan.civ@army.mil. The Government will not return any information submitted in response to this notice. All questions MUST be in writing. In all responses, please reference W9124J-24-Q-WOLF. Verbal questions will not be accepted. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. No telephonic responses will be accepted. No solicitation currently exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in www.sam.gov. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Primary Point of Contact: Secondary Point of Contact: Osvaldo Vela Shemekia R. McMillan Contract Specialist Contracting Officer Email: Osvaldo.c.vela.civ@army.mil Email: Shemekia.r.mcmillan.civ@army.mil