6640--RNA Sequencing Supplies

Active

Contract Opportunity

Sources Sought Notice (SSN)

Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Network Contracting Office 16 (NCO16)

This SSN is for market research and planning purposes only and shall not be considered an Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Task Execution Plan, Request for Quotation (RFQ), or a Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described in this SSN. Your response to this SSN will be treated only as information for the Government to consider. You will not be entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs that you incur in responding to this SSN. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter negotiations to award a contract. No funds
have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this SSN.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 334516 with a size standard of 1,000 employees and Product Service Code (PSC) of 6640.

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

Title of Project: Purchase of GeneStudio S5 Plus Sequencing Supplies for RNA biospecimens from Gulf War Veterans with PTSD.

Background:
The Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory (PAL) is a research laboratory located at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR. PAL serves as a high-quality state-of-the art genomics laboratory for basic and translational research studies performed by the VA Cooperative Studies Program, VA-affiliated investigators, and non-VA investigators. The goal of PAL is to advance the healthcare of veterans using personalized medicine. A secondary goal of PAL is to conduct NIH or other funded research to improve healthcare.

The Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory (VAMC Little Rock) purchased a high-throughput next-generation sequencer (i.e. GeneStudio S5 Plus) that can multiplex up to 16 samples per Ion Chip with Sequencing reads from 60-80 million per sample and read lengths (outputs) of 200 bp (with >99% aligned or measured accuracy). By investing in this technology, we have a completely automated workflow (without external water or nitrogen gas requirements) to complete next-generation projects with multiple VA hospitals.
Scope of Work: Contractor will deliver sequencing kits to the Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory (PAL) based upon mutually agreed delivery dates between the Laboratory Manager and the Sales Department of Vendor.

Period of Performance: The period of performance (POP) shall be one (1) year. The POP will begin with the latter: either the date of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval or the date of award.

Type of Contract: new sole-source Contract.

Package shall include:

.
Catalog #
Description
Quantity
11754050
SUPERSCRIPT VILO CDNA SYNTHESIS KIT-50 RXN
3 EA
A31446, Kit for Ion Chef library construction.
ION AMPLISEQ TXOME CHEF KIT 32 REACTION
Ion Ampliseq Transcriptome Human Gene Expression Kit for Ion Chef library construction
5 EA
A30011
ION 540 KIT-CHEF (2/INIT) 8 RXNS
3 EA
A27765
ION 540 CHIP KIT 4 PACK EACH
5 EA
Place of Performance: The Contractor shall support this effort by delivering sequencing kits to the Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 16, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS), Pharmacogenomics Analysis Laboratory (GC128), 4300 West 7th Street, Little Rock, AR 72205 as directed by the Contracting Officer s Representative (COR) and mutually agreed to by the Contractor and Laboratory.

Initial Destination (Warehouse for both Little Rock & North Little Rock VAMCs):
Chief, Logistics Service
Eugene J. Towbin HealthCare Center
2200 Fort Roots Drive / Bldg. 182
North Little Rock, AR 72114-1706

Final Destination
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
Research Service
Lab GC128 (Pharmacogenomics Analysis Lab)
Attn: Angie Stone
4300 West 7th Street
Little Rock, AR 72205
Ph: 501-257-5178

Warranty and Support: The kits have expiration dates; therefore, shipment must be coordinated with receiving laboratory in quantities that can be utilized efficiently within the year.

B. SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES

Task 1: Communication
Vendor s Administrative contact will communicate with PAL Director about an incremental shipment plan of sequencing kits. Communication will occur prior to each shipment.
Deliverable 1 Development of incremental shipping plan.

Task 2: Shipping Notification
Orders department at Vendor will send shipping notification prior to shipping goods. Notification will contain part numbers and quantities of supplies shipped, tracking information for shipment, vendor order number and VA purchase order.
Deliverable 2 Shipping notification by Orders Department

Task 3: Quality Assurance
The contractor will have a quality control plan that covers all aspects of the shipping of sequencing kits to the VA. The quality control plan will include the following:
Shipment of deliverables will be at recommended temperatures for reagents and chips.
Shipment of deliverables will contain the necessary ice blocks or dry ice to maintain temperatures of contents for an additional day if shipment is delayed.
Shipment of deliverables will be overnight by courier.
Deliverable 3 Communicate quality control plan for shipping sequencing kits to VA.

C. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

See Attachment A on page 6 below.

D. QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed, reports and deliverables will occur at the place of delivery designated by the COR. Final approval and acceptance of documentation required herein shall be by letter of approval and acceptance by COR. The Contractor shall not construe any letter of acknowledgment of receipt of material as a waiver of review, or as an acknowledgment that the material is in conformance with this SOW.
TASKS
Deliverable
Standard
AQL
Method(s) of Surveillance
Task 1: Communication
Deliverable 1 Communication by Vendor s Administrative Contact with PAL Laboratory Director about an incremental shipment plan of sequencing kits
Email or Phone

Email response
Task 2: Shipping Notification
Deliverable 2 - Shipping notification by Orders Department to PAL Lab Director prior to sending product

Email

Email receipt
Task 3: Quality Assurance
Deliverable 3 Communicate quality control plan for shipping sequencing kits to VA
Email shipping warranty and qc plan to PAL

Email notification and shipping documents to PAL

The Government will monitor performance and review deliverables utilizing solicited and unsolicited feedback from all applicable resources as follows:

Month 1: CO or COR will consult with PAL Lab Director to ensure that vendor has provided administrative contact(s) after receiving award.

Month 1: Vendor will consult with PAL Lab Director about quantity of kits per task order and date of shipment.

E. CHANGES TO STATEMENT OF WORK

Any changes to this SOW shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the CO. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the CO shall be borne by the contractor.

F. GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

N/A

G. TASK ORDER TERMINATION

N/A

H. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION:

Notwithstanding the Contractor's responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract, the administration of the contract will require maximum coordination between the Government and the Contractor. The following individuals will be the Government's points of contact during the performance of this contract:

1. Contracting Officer: Arlene Blade
Contract Specialist: Carmyn E Williams

2. Contracting Officer s Technical Representative (COR): To be designated at time of contract award.

The COR shall be designated on the authority of the Contracting Officer at the time of contract award to monitor all technical aspects of the contract. In no event is the COR empowered to change any of the terms and conditions of the contract. Changes in any section of this contract shall be made only by the Contracting Officer pursuant to a properly executed modification. The types of actions within the purview of the COR s authority are to ensure that the Contractor performs the technical requirements of the contract, and to notify both the Contractor and the Contracting Officer of any deficiencies observed. A memorandum of designation shall be issued to the COR and a copy shall be sent to the Contractor at the time of contract award setting forth in full the responsibilities and limitations of the COR

I. Information Systems Officer, Information ProtectionÂ

N/A. Contract is for expendable kits and does not involve the services of a contractor at our facility.
J. Privacy Officer

N/A. Contract is for expendable kits and does not involve the services of a contractor at our facility.
RECORDS MANAGER:
N/A. Contract is for expendable kits and does not involve the services of a contractor at our facility.


Attachment A

Schedule of Deliverables

DELIVERABLE NUMBER
ITEM
QUANTITY
DELIVERY DATE
1
Task 1: Communication by Vendor s Administrative Contact with PAL Laboratory Director about incremental shipping plan for year of award.
1 planning meeting (email or Teams chat)
Within 7 days of contract award
2
Task 2: Vendor will ship a set of sequencing kits to PAL based upon incremental shipping plan. Email with shipment tracking will be sent prior to execution of task order.

1 email per task order
Email sent on or before date of shipment
3
Task 3: Communicate quality control plan for shipping sequencing kits to VA: Plan developed based upon temperature control of kits for shipping and storage at final destination (i.e. PAL).
1 plan for project
Within 7 days of contract award; effective until the completion of the contract

The following information is requested in response to this SSN:
General Company Information:
Name of Company:
Address:
Point of Contact:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Company Website (if available):
SAM Unique Entity Identifier Number:
Commercial & Government Entity (CAGE) Number:
Business Type (Socio-economic status as it relates to 334516). Please ensure the
System for Award Management (SAM sam.gov) indicates this NAICS code if you are
interested in the requirement. Please put a check mark or X next to the type of business
you are below:
a. Large
b. 8(a)
c. HubZone
d. Small Business
e. Small Disadvantaged Business
f. Woman Owned Small Business
g. Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business
h. Veteran Owned Small Business

***Note: All Veteran Owned Businesses must be registered in SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) at Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov) to be considered a Veteran Owned Business. Socioeconomic status (whether Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VSOB), Hubzone, 8(a), Woman Owned, Small Disadvantaged, etc.).

If small, does your firm qualify as a small, emerging business, or small disadvantaged business? For all small businesses, to include SDVOSB and VOSB at least fifty (50) percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern.

If disadvantaged, specify under which disadvantaged group and if your firm is certified under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. ***

Is this product available under a federal supply schedule (GSA)? If yes, please provide the contract number.
How long has your company provided these products and/or services?
Does your company directly provide this product?
Provide information for any current or past VA contracts for these products and/or services.
Proposed NAICS code (if different from above) Proposed PSC code (if different from above).

All responses to this Sources Sought Notice should be emailed to Carmyn.williams@va.gov . All responses are due by 10:00 on Friday, July 25, 2025.

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