SAM #1175180

Sole Source Genotyping Services for Tropical-Derived Corn Lines for USDA Forest Service GEM Project

This opportunity is for a sole-source contract to provide genotyping services for tropical-derived corn lines for the USDA Forest Service's GEM Project. - Agency: USDA Forest Service, CSA East 8 office - Contract type: Sole-source, firm-fixed-price - Purpose: Genotyping tropical-derived corn lines to support the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Project - Services required: - Genotyping by target sequencing using probe-in-solution target enrichment - Kernel chipping and DNA extraction with full quality control - DNA library preparation (fragmentation, end-repair, A-tail addition, adapter ligation, barcoded amplification with qPCR quality checks) - Sequencing and full bioinformatics analysis - Development of SNP marker panels (~45,000 SNPs and ~10,000 SNPs) matching previous GEM panels - Panels must be developed from diverse temperate, subtropical, and tropical germplasm - Sequencing quality control, read trimming, and user-friendly bioinformatics interface - Bioinformatics must include reference comparisons, depth and coverage statistics, and annotation of SNPs, indels, STRs, and SSRs - Procurement method: FAR 12.102(a), Simplified Acquisition Threshold - Sole source unless competition is shown to be advantageous - No specific vendor or OEM named - No explicit period of performance or option years stated

Technical requirements are accessible to business readers, focusing on comprehensive genotyping and bioinformatics services for comparability with historical GEM datasets.

Description

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE PSC: B599 NAICS: 541380 Size Standard: $19 Million Project Location: North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Ames, IA 50011

This is a Notice of Intent to Sole Source. Requests for a solicitation will receive no response.

The USDA Forest Service, Procurement Operations, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), intends to award a sole‑source, Firm‑Fixed‑Price contract for genotyping tropical‑derived corn lines in support of the Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Project.

This procurement is being conducted under the authority of FAR 12.102(a). For purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, Contracting Officers may solicit from one source after determining that only one source is reasonably available.

The GEM Project adapts exotic maize germplasm to broaden genetic diversity in U.S. Corn Belt breeding programs, improving traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and pest resistance. Genotyping tropical‑derived corn lines is required to evaluate exotic genomic contributions and how genomic selection affects those contributions. To meet this need, the contractor must provide genotyping by target sequencing using probe‑in‑solution target enrichment; kernel chipping; DNA extraction with full quality control; DNA library preparation including fragmentation, end‑repair, A‑tail addition, adapter ligation, and barcoded amplification with qPCR quality checks; sequencing; and full bioinformatics analysis. Required SNP marker panels (~45,000 SNPs and ~10,000 SNPs) must match previously used GEM panels, capture hundreds of thousands of SNP clusters, and be evenly distributed across all 10 corn chromosomes. Panels must be developed from diverse temperate, subtropical, and tropical germplasm to ensure comparability with historical GEM datasets. The contractor must also perform sequencing quality control and read trimming, and provide a user‑friendly bioinformatics interface with reference comparisons, depth and coverage statistics, and annotation of SNPs, indels, STRs, and SSRs.

Anticipated Award Date: September 28, 2026.

Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement by contacting the Contracting Officer, Laniece Nixon, at Laniece.Nixon@usda.gov, within 10 calendar days of this notice.

Any response must provide clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Responses will be considered solely to determine whether a competitive procurement is appropriate. A decision by the Contracting Officer not to compete based on responses is solely at the Government’s discretion. No reimbursement will be made for costs associated with submitting capability information.

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