Q301--Strand-Specific RNA-Sequencing Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking a small‑business contractor to provide strand‑specific RNA‑sequencing services for 269 human choroid plexus total‑RNA samples supplied by the VA Bedford Healthcare System. The contractor must perform sample quality‑control, rRNA‑depletion library preparation, Illumina paired‑end 2×150 bp sequencing at ~60 million read pairs per sample, conduct sequencing QC, and deliver FASTQ files and QC reports within 23‑28 business days after receipt of the full batch. All work is to be performed under a firm‑fixed‑price, one‑year contract, with data delivery primarily via physical hard drive to the VA Bedford location in Massachusetts. • 269 human RNA samples (BSL‑1, DNase‑treated) to be processed as a single batch • Required sequencing depth: ~60 M read pairs per sample (≈120 M total reads) • Turn‑around: 23‑28 business days after sample receipt • Deliverables: FASTQ files, QC reports, and physical hard‑drive shipment to VA Bedford, MA • Contract type: Firm‑Fixed‑Price, 100 % set‑aside for small businesses • Period of performance: 1 year from award