NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE SEQUENCING SERVICE

Notice of Intent:  The USDA, ARS, SEA intends to award a sole source procurement to University of Delaware Sequencing and Genotyping Center, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, 15 Innovation Way, Suite 246, Newark, DE 19711, as they are the sole source for this type of service pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(l ) and FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. The procurement is for High and Mid output sequencing service.This sequencing is to complete the objectives of the funded USDA-NIFA grant "Diversification of Cropping Systems: Adaptational Genomic Selection in Maize". USDA scientist/researchers and The University of Delaware (project PI) have spent the last few years working with the University of Delaware Sequencing and Genotyping Center to optimize output performance for a custom GBS procedure (Manching et al. 2017 G3;

target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.117.042036) tailored for the current project. A sequencing service with less than one month turnaround time to be able to make selections before the next planting season is required. Collaborators are working closely to prioritize sequencing runs for this project. In addition, the University of Delaware Sequencing and Genotyping Center is licensed by Keygene to perform GBS. No other sequencing facility has experience with sequencing these specific custom "Reduced Representation" maize library preparations. Therefore, the University of Delaware Sequencing and Genotyping Center is the sole source for this service.The Government intends to award a firm fixed price Purchase Order on or about January 30, 2020, using Simplified Acquisition Procedures.  This Notice of lntent is not considered a Request for Quotation (RFQ) nor is it a Request for Proposals (RFP).  No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored.  Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement.  A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  The Government will consider all responses received by 2:00 PM central time, January 29, 2020. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  Inquiries will only be accepted via email/mail to the Contracting Officer at the following address:Contracting Office Address:Shalunda Mix (CO)USDA-ARS-SEA141 Experiment Station Road Stoneville, MS 38776-0225Shalunda.mix@ars.usda.gov