Loren Data's SAM Daily™

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF JULY 23, 2023 SAM #7908
SPECIAL NOTICE

66 -- NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE for Automated Fiber Processor

Notice Date

7/21/2023 8:16:18 AM
 

Notice Type

Special Notice
 

NAICS

334516 — Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST GAITHERSBURG MD 20899 USA
 

ZIP Code

20899
 

Solicitation Number

NB681010-23-02362
 

Response Due

8/4/2023 7:00:00 AM
 

Archive Date

08/19/2023
 

Point of Contact

Nina Lin
 

E-Mail Address

nina.lin@nist.gov
(nina.lin@nist.gov)
 

Description

Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively Acquire an Automated Fiber Processor. This notice is not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested. This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516 � Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division, Photonics and Optomechanics Group has a requirement for a new automated fiber processor, which is capable of splicing, tapering, and lensing optical fibers. It must have the ability to 1) fusion splice optical fiber, 2) create tapers in optical fiber that are as thin as 1 micrometer in diameter, and 3) form lenses at the end of optical fiber for focusing light emitted from the fiber. These operations are required to be done using a heating filament rather than a hydrogen torch (a common tool for these operations) because the torch has significant safety hazards (e.g., explosion, asphyxiation, fire). NIST conducted market research from February 2023 to May 2023 to determine what sources could meet NIST�s minimum requirements. This included surveying vendors through web searches, surveying existing NIST instruments, reviewing all research literature where fiber tapers and lenses fibers are used, and surveying NIST colleagues that attended the largest tradeshow for photonics. Tools for fusion splicing of optical fiber are widely available. However, after an exhaustive search, only a single product was identified that can perform all three of the required operations with a heating filament. The results of market research revealed that only Thorlabs, Inc (UEI: VCJKYBSL8DL8) appears to be capable of meeting NIST�s requirements through their GPX3400 optical fiber processing station. However, any sources that believe they are capable of meeting NIST�s minimum requirements are encouraged to respond to this notice by the response date to provide the following information at a minimum: Company Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number in https://sam.gov; details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST�s minimum requirements; whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization; and any other information that can help NIST determine whether this requirement may be competitively satisfied.� 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 be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Only responses received by the offers due date and time of this notice will be considered by the government. Responses shall be submitted via email to nina.lin@nist.gov.
 

Web Link

SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/b721cdf058454fe1a01a2005ff2ae5f8/view)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA

Zip Code: 20899

Country: USA
 

Record

SN06758562-F 20230723/230721230043 (samdaily.us)
 

Source

SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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