Illumina NextSeq 2000 Sequencing System

Waiver Rationale Summary

The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) requires the NextSeq2000 unit made by Illumina Inc. to study the function of micro-organisms critical to biotechnology development, biomanufacturing, and to study how organisms in the field are impacting Army materiel and other assets. The information obtained with the NextSeq2000 is genetic information. The end goal is to streamline the Army biotechnology product development pipeline in that strains can be rapidly characterized and optimized. The applications of these strains includes Army applications such as energetics, mineral reclamation, and biosensors. Sequencing is a necessary function of biological laboratories. Currently, the ARL-South laboratory does not have its own short read sequencing capability. These samples must be sent to external commercial entities which creates a vulnerability to biotechnology that needs to be protected. Alternatively, these samples could be sent to the ARL laboratory in Adelphi, MD, however, the temperature sensitive and fragile nature of some samples would not endure lengthy shipping and receiving processes. If the ARL-South laboratory is unable to achieve rapid short read sequencing, ARL would be forced to use commercial sequencing services which would impact sample integrity, and cause delay to rapid prototyping of new strains. Ultimately, the latter would result in being unsuccessful in meeting TBRSC program goals. Broadening the capabilities at the regional site (ARL-South) will compliment and support the sequencing needs of ARL.