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This is a Notice of Intent, not a request for proposal. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to negotiate on an other than full and open competition basis with Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (“Adaptive Biotech”) to acquire a specific type of cell sequencing.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends procure on a sole source basis the following services: 1) sequencing of the T cell receptor alpha and beta chain DNA that determines the specificity of the T cells for a target, 2) bioinformatics analysis for interpretation of the sequencing results, 3) a tool for determining whether the sequenced T cell receptors are specific for SARS-CoV-2.

First, Adaptive is the only American source of all three of these services that also provides the most sensitive technique for sequencing from small amounts of DNA that come from some of specimens with few T cells. This sensitivity is necessary for NIAID’s research to assess the T cell repertoire in some Covid-19 tissues where the T cell response appears to be suppressed. Second, there are also consistency of protocols and compatibility of data requirements that only Adaptive Biotech services can provide. NIAID needs to compare this sequencing data with data previously derived from an identical service on human samples that was also performed by Adaptive Biotech. In order to obtain data that is directly comparable to data which Program has already obtained, Program must continue to use the same company and service so that the human samples are processed and analyzed in the identical way. See attached documents for more details.

The service is as follows:

Product Number: ISS11520

Description: immunoSEQ hsTCRB_v4b Service (Survey) – Academic RUO

Quantity: 119

(This 119 samples are broken down into 43 gDNA samples from PBMCs and 76 gDNA samples from FFPE)

Prices shall include shipping and handling.

Item delivery of sequenced cell samples in Bethesda, Maryland

The statutory authority for this sole source requirement is 41 U.S.C. 1901 (a) (1) as implemented by FAR 13.106-1 only one responsible source and no other supply of service will satisfy agency requirements. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. All responsible sources that could provide comparable services may submit a capability statement that will be considered by email (subject line to reference NOI-NIAID-2148396) by 4:00 pm eastern standard time on 12/23/2022. All responses received by the closing date of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

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