Notice of Intent to Sole Source – 10X Genomics

This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued and quotations will not be requested.

This procurement is for 10X Genomics 5’ v3 single cell sequencing kits, TCR amplification kits, and Single Cell Multiome ATAC + Gene Expression kits. The kits are composed of reagents for the isolation and amplification of uniquely barcoded ribonucleic acid (RNA) and chromatin accessible regions from individual cells. The 10X Genomics single cell sequencing of immune cells enables high-throughput simultaneous and accurate determination of the nature of an immune response to an infection (what the cells are doing and which cells are doing it). The 10X Genomics platform uses microfluidics to separate individual cells into an emulsion with single gel beads and labels the RNA from each cell with a unique barcode for partitioning into libraries for sequencing. The single cell sequencing kit is proprietary to 10X Genomics, the original equipment manufacturer of the 10X Genomics platform.

These supplies will be used for a study of the immune response to Pneumocystis infection in mouse animal models, as well as studying histone modifications, to better under the Pneumocystis biology. Animals will be infected with the fungal pathogen using a co-housing exposure model, and then followed up overtime, collecting lung tissue samples which will be used to assess changes in gene expression overtime. Single cell sequencing will allow for the profiling of immune cell subsets and B cell receptor sequences during infection, and gene expression changes in the fungal pathogen.

10X Genomics is the sole manufacturer of the 10X Genomics platform and single cell sequencing reagents. Other manufacturer’s single cell single reagents are not compatible for use with the 10x Genomics platform. The Critical Care Medicine Department has independently modified and validated the recommended protocols provided by the 10X Genomics. Any change in equipment or reagents currently approved for this study and in use under the existing protocols, would negatively impact our current research work. It would require the entire protocol process and program study to undergo the re-validation process which can take up to one year, and so alternative single cell RNA sequencing products from other manufacturers cannot be substituted.