NextSeq 1000

The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity is pursuing a sole-source acquisition under FAR 12.102(a) for the NextSeq 1000 Sequencing System from ILLUMINA, INC, as it is the only source capable of meeting the mission-critical requirements of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System DNA Operations at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The system must deliver an integrated DNA-to-analysis workflow capable of rapid sequencing of targeted panels, whole mitochondrial genomes, and SNP analysis in a single run, with performance benchmarks including at least 90% of bases at Q30 quality, 2x300 bp read lengths, up to 120 Gb per run, and run times between 8 and 42 hours. The procurement includes the instrument with 288 GB RAM and 3.8 TB SSD, onboard Linux CentOS software, initial XLEAP-SBS reagent kits, a three-year Silver Support Plan commencing after the initial one-year manufacturer warranty, and full installation with Installation and Operational Qualification per manufacturer standards. The system must also integrate with the AFMES Laboratory Information Management System for seamless .txt worklist import and data export, maintain backward compatibility with current forensic assays, and provide a documented upgrade path to the NextSeq 2000 platform. This acquisition is conducted under simplified acquisition procedures with no set-aside restrictions and falls under NAICS code 334516, which has a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The contract requires total vendor accountability for shipping, handling, and insurance of the system to Dover AFB, with no specific packaging, preservation, or labeling standards defined beyond the requirement for RFID tracking of consumables. Technical capability statements, including detailed cost information, must be submitted by July 13, 2026, at 9:00 AM EST via email in PDF, Word, or Excel format to the designated point of contact. While the presolicitation notice identifies Illumina as the only technically acceptable provider, any responses received will be evaluated to determine whether competition is warranted, though the government retains full discretion in deciding whether to proceed without competition. No formal contract type, pricing, or clauses have been finalized, as this phase remains informational and preparatory, with award contingent on vendor submissions and government determination of sole-source justification.