Long-Read RNA Sequencing Kits for CARD iNDI Brain Sample Study

Notice of Intent to Sole Source / Brand Name

Notice ID: NIH-NOI-26-PCA-NIA-01599
Department/Ind. Agency: HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Sub-tier: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Office: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

Active Contract Opportunity

Notice Type

Special Notice

Original Published Date

06/11/2026

Response Date

06/23/2026, 11:00 am EST

Classification Code

6550 – In Vitro Diagnostic Substances, Reagents, Test Kits and Sets

NAICS Code

334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

Place of Performance

National Institute on Aging
Bethesda, MD

Description

This is a Notice of Intent to Sole Source / Brand Name notice and is not a request for competitive quotations.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA), Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CARD), intends to negotiate and award a firm-fixed-price purchase order on a sole source basis to:

Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Inc.
101 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, FL 7, NEW YORK, NY 10013 USA

for the purchase of brand-name Oxford Nanopore long-read RNA sequencing consumables required to support CARD’s induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Neurodegenerative Disease Initiative (iNDI).

The Government requires the following brand-name items:

• Oxford Nanopore PromethION Flow Cells Packs DNA, Catalog No. FLO-PRO114M, Quantity 171
• Oxford Nanopore cDNA-PCR Sequencing Kit V14, Catalog No. SQK-PCS114, Quantity 114

These consumables are required for large-scale long-read RNA sequencing of 600 postmortem human brain samples to characterize gene expression and isoform diversity in the aging and neurodegenerating brain. The resulting data will support research relevant to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and the molecular biology of brain aging.

The required supplies must meet the following salient characteristics:

Flow Cells

• Must be able to generate consensus data at a modal accuracy above 99%
• Must be compatible with Government-owned Oxford Nanopore PromethION 48 sequencers in form, fit, and function

cDNA-PCR Sequencing Kit

• Must provide cDNA-PCR Sequencing Kit to prepare cDNA for nanopore sequencing
• Must require no more than 10 ng poly(A)+ RNA or 500 ng total RNA as starting material
• Must provide for 6 reactions

The Government’s minimum need is for brand-name Oxford Nanopore consumables because the National Institute on Aging currently operates Government-owned Oxford Nanopore PromethION 48 sequencers, and the required consumables must be fully compatible with that installed platform. The identified Oxford Nanopore flow cells and sequencing kits are proprietary products specifically designed for use with the PromethION 48 system. Other manufacturers’ sequencing consumables are designed for their own proprietary instruments and are not interchangeable with the Government’s existing Oxford Nanopore equipment.

The statutory authority for this acquisition is 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, and pursuant to FAR 13.501(a).

This notice is not a formal solicitation. However, any responsible source that believes it can provide the required brand-name Oxford Nanopore products or can otherwise meet the Government’s requirement without compromising compatibility with the existing PromethION 48 platform, may submit a capability statement for consideration.

Interested parties must submit clear and convincing documentation demonstrating their capability to provide the exact required items or an authorized source for those items. Responses must include, at a minimum:

1. Company name, SAM UEI, and business size status
2. Point of contact information
3. Evidence of ability to provide the exact brand-name items identified above, including manufacturer authorization if applicable
4. Technical documentation demonstrating compatibility with the Government-owned Oxford Nanopore PromethION 48 sequencers
5. Delivery capability and estimated lead time

Responses must be received by the closing date and time of this notice and shall be submitted electronically to:

Contracting Officer: Linda Smith
Email: linda.smith2@nih.gov
 

All responses received by the due date will be reviewed solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement or proceed with the intended sole source award. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

No solicitation package is available.

Attachments/Links

None

Contact Information

Primary Point of Contact:

Linda Smith, Contracting Officer, linda.smith2@nih.gov

Secondary Point of Contact:

Danielle Tines (c), Procurement Technician, danielle.tines@nih.gov