SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE: Cooling Laser
- Notice Date
- 7/19/2013
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 334413
— Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-1640, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20899-1640
- Solicitation Number
- NB685010-13-04361
- Archive Date
- 8/17/2013
- Point of Contact
- Paula Wilkison, Phone: 301-975-8448, Patrick Staines, Phone: (301)975-6335
- E-Mail Address
-
paula.wilkison@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov
(paula.wilkison@nist.gov, patrick.staines@nist.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), intends to negotiate a firm fixed price purchase order, on a sole source basis, with Toptica Photonics, of Victor, New York, for the purchase of a cooling laser system by other than full and open competition by the authority of FAR subpart 13.106(1)(b). The Toptica TA Pro cooling laser system is unique in the marketplace in that it offers more than 1W of laser power in a single highly stable mechanical package. The unit is monolithic, which means that it is machined from a single block of metal which contains an external cavity diode laser and a tapered amplifier in a MOPA (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) arrangement to boost the power. The external cavity diode laser is mounted in this monolithic package with contains a flexure mount for the grating. This unique mechanical monolithic design makes this laser the most mechanically stable laser on the market with respect to vibrations, acoustics, and thermal changes. Manufacturer data shows no acoustic resonances below 4 kHz. The mechanical stability afforded by the Toptica TA Pro's monolithic package is a critical consideration for NIST's application, as it will be used in an experiment that will utilize cryo-pumps, turbo-pumps, and other mechanical pumps that create acoustic noise and vibrations that would negatively impact the performance of any other laser system not utilizing a monolithic design. In addition to the unequalled mechanical stability afforded by the unique monolithic design, the external cavity diode laser (ECDL) in a MOPA arrangement delivers both the required power (> 1W) and tuning range (770 - 795 nm) required for NIST's planned experiment. The purchase of any other laser, which would be unable to perform acceptably in an environment with acoustic noise and vibration, would require that NIST incur the expense of time, manpower, and money to design and fabricate a vibration isolation chamber to house it. However, due to the unequaled degree of mechanical stability of the Toptica TA Pro afforded by its unique monolithic design, NIST can put that instrument to use immediately and would not need to incur the expense and effort of designing and constructing a vibration isolation system. Toptica Photonics is the only contractor that can provide a cooling laser system which meets NIST's requirements for mechanical stability, power, and tuning range. Therefore, Toptica Photonics is uniquely qualified to provide the required cooling laser system. Delivery shall be FOB Destination, Gaithersburg, MD, and be completed in accordance with the Contractor's commercial schedule. This requirement is expected to be awarded August, 2013. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334413, and the size standard is 500 employees. No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. The Government will consider responses received by 3:00 p.m. (EST) on August 2, 2013. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to paula.wilkison@nist.gov. No telephone requests will be honored. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/NB685010-13-04361/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD, United States
- Record
- SN03122241-W 20130721/130719234836-acaaaa8e13f0aeb7ac007df843498321 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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