NINDS 25-001032

STATEMENT OF WORK (SERVICES)

(SOW)

GENERAL INFORMATION

The purpose of this acquisition is to develop a gene expression dataset on 76 patient blood samples.  RNA will be extraced from the samples and RNAsequencing performed.  The contractor will return sequencing data files for each of the 76 samples to the customer.

NINDS initiated a deep phenotyping study of myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) to better understand the disease.  Amongst the battery of tests that was performed on 19 controls and patients with ME/CFS was an exercise stress test.  Blood was taken before initiation of the test and at three timepoints after the test.  After the contractor returns the sequencing data a bioinformatics specialist at NINDS will initiate a gene expression analysis on the 76 samples to determine if insights can be gained on the molecular pathways underlying ME/CFS.

The study should be completed eight weeks after the contractor receives samples from the customer.

SCOPE OF WORK

Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the Statement of Work below:

Contractors should have the capability to extract RNA with an RNA Integrity Number of at least eight.  They should also have the ability construct high quality RNA sequencing libraries providing proof of quality control (QC) with standard techniques. The contractor should be able to provide at least thirty million sequencing reads for each sample and provide the customer with the QC data.  Finally, the contractor must be able to generate the appropriate data files that can be transferred to the customer for further analysis.

LEVEL OF EFFORT:

RNA extraction, RNA library construction, RNA sequencing, and data validation and generation will be performed by scientists adequately trained for their respective duties by the contractor. RNA extraction should not take more than eight hours, library construction should be completed within forty hours, RNA sequencing within sixteen hours, and data validation and generation within forty hours.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The government will ship the samples to the contractor.  The contractor will perform all services on site at its own lab.  The government is responsible for having the ability to download and store the data that will be generated.

DELIVERY OR DELIVERABLES

The contractor will return any unused RNA that was extracted from the samples and fastq files for each of the 76 samples.  The conractor should also provide electronic files for all QC data.  The contractor must complete the project within 40 business days.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 

Not applicable.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Not applicable.

Contractor personnel should be appropriately trained in skills that include RNA extraction, RNA library construction, operation of RNA sequencing instrumentation, and bioinformatics expertise to generate the final deliverable data files.

Not applicable.

The government will have all rights over the data that is generated.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.