Notice of Intent to Sole Source – High-Throughput Sequencing Bee Sample Analysis

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service intends to award a sole-source contract to Azenta Life Sciences for high-throughput sequencing bee sample analysis. The contractor will perform comprehensive molecular analysis on thousands of bee samples collected across the United States to detect emerging pathogens, characterize interactions among stressors, and identify biomarkers linked to severe honeybee colony mortality events. This high-throughput sequencing service will assist the Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Laboratory in its critical diagnosis of colony decline to protect the national agricultural system. Work under this requirement will be performed in Beltsville, Maryland, under NAICS code 541380 for Testing Laboratories and Services. Although this notice is not a request for competitive quotes, interested sources may submit capability statements to Anthony Salas at anthony.salas@usda.gov by September 19, 2026, at 11:00 AM Mountain Time.