SAM #NB686010-26-01537

Sole Source Engineering Services for Bolometer Electronics Modification and Consulting (NIST to LASP)

This notice announces NIST's intent to award a sole source contract to the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) for specialized engineering services related to microfabricated electrical-substitution bolometers and proprietary electronics. - Agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Applied Physics Division, Sources and Detectors Group - Sole source vendor: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), Boulder, CO - Scope of work: - Consulting and design services for microfabricated bolometers - Modification of proprietary amplifier, interface, and wire bond board electronics originally designed by LASP - Fabrication and testing of one engineering unit of the modified design - Deliverables include design documentation, engineering unit, and regular bi-weekly meetings - Justification: LASP holds unique technical data, schematics, and proprietary low-noise design required for the modifications - NAICS code: 541330 (Engineering Services) - Interested parties must demonstrate both legal right and technical capability to provide these services, as well as relevant experience - Period of performance: August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027 (one year) - Place of performance: Boulder, CO - No specific product part numbers or quantities for hardware; focus is on engineering and consulting services

Description

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), located in Boulder, CO, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 6.302-1, soliciting from a single source, for providing Engineering Services per the Statement of Work.  

Specific Requirements are as follows:

Technical Capability: Documentation demonstrating the legal right to provide engineering services.

Experience: A summary of at least two (2) similar contracts performed within the last three years involving the Engineering Services.

NAICS Code is 541330, –Engineering Services, with a Size Standard of $47M. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics for this requirement.

Interested parties that can demonstrate they could satisfy the requirement listed above for NIST must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. If competitive procedures are not used it is estimated that an award will be issued by June 30, 2026. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to angela.hitt@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to angela.hitt@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein this posting.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN COMPETITION:

Due to the nature of the service, the electronics currently in use at NIST were originally designed, engineered, and prototypes by LASP. The technical data, schematics, and low-noise design are proprietary to LASP. NIST must modify these specific electronics to enable new measurement capabilities for expanded applications. Because LASP developed the original electronics, their modifications will maintain technical continuity. Any attempt to use a third-party vendor would require "reverse engineering" of the existing designs, which would involve substantial duplication of costs that are not expected to be recovered through competition.

Failure to process this request would result in unacceptable delays and risks to the measurement integrity that the original LASP architecture provides.

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