Cotton DNA Sequencing Services

Background
The USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cotton Fiber Bioscience & Utilization Research Unit in New Orleans, LA has a requirement for the next-generation sequencing of 550 cotton leaf DNA samples. The data generated will help understand the genome structure of an advanced population and identify sequence variants between progeny plants. This work aims to breed better cotton varieties and advance research objectives under NP301 Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement.

Work Details
The contractor will perform sequencing on 550 DNAs extracted from cotton leaf tissues, which includes:

1. DNA quality assessment through bio-analysis;
2. Library preparation using a PCR-free method to construct specialized libraries from high-quality DNA samples;
3. Replacement of any lower quality samples before library preparation;
4. Next Generation Sequencing using the Illumina NovaSeq X 10B platform or similar, with a read length of 2 x 150 (Paired End) and a guaranteed sequencing output of 50 Gigabases (Gb) per sample;
5. All samples must be sequenced in a single batch to ensure consistency and optimal data quality.

The deliverable will include raw sequence reads in fasta or fastq format for each of the 550 cotton DNA samples provided on a hard disk.

Period of Performance
The period of performance is set for a minimum of 45 business days after receipt of the DNA samples.

Place of Performance
The contract will be performed at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cotton Fiber Bioscience & Utilization Research Unit in New Orleans, LA.