Illumina Dragen Server
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) – NCI Lab of Pathology intends to procure an Illumina Dragen Server for on-premises, highly accurate, and comprehensive gene and sequencing analysis. This is a Special Notice indicating an intent to award a sole source contract to Illumina Inc. under FAR 6.302. The server is essential for clinical Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and proprietary TSO500 assays. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability by May 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM EDT.
Scope of Work
The primary objective is to acquire the DRAGEN server (IT hardware), which includes pre-installed DRAGEN TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO500) and DRAGEN TSO500 ctDNA analysis software. This server will support secondary analysis for current and future TSO500 assays (TSO500 v2, TSO500 HRD add-on, TSO500 ctDNA), which rely on Illumina's proprietary bioinformatics pipeline exclusively available on the DRAGEN server. The server utilizes FPGA for hardware-accelerated genomic and transcriptomic pipeline algorithms, including BCL conversion, mapping, alignment, and variant calling. It will be mounted on the NIH Biowulf cluster.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Special Notice (intended sole source Firm-Fixed-Priced Purchase Order)
- Authority: FAR 6.302
- Intended Vendor: Illumina Inc., 5200 Illumina Way, San Diego CA 92122-4616
- Delivery: Within 30 days of purchase order award
- Installation Location: NIH, NCI, 10 Center Drive, Bldg. 10, Room 3S235A, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Support: 24/7 remote and local support, parts replacement, labor, and software upgrades. A minimum 12-month manufacturer warranty and technical support are required.
- Response Due: May 21, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
- Published: May 7, 2026
- Place of Performance: Bethesda, MD
Special Requirements
The server's bioinformatics pipeline is optimized for DRAGEN hardware, accelerating I/O processes and compute time. The vendor must provide technically qualified, factory-trained personnel for maintenance and support. All digital content must conform to Section 508 Standards. Payment will be quarterly in arrears via IPP.
Additional Notes
This notice is an intent to award a sole source contract and is not a request for competitive quotes. However, all responses received by the due date will be considered by the Government.