SPECIAL NOTICE
66 -- Notice of Intent to Sole Source: Carbon Nanotube-coated Pyroelectric Sensors
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2024 10:56:42 AM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST GAITHERSBURG MD 20899 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20899
- Response Due
- 8/21/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 09/05/2024
- Point of Contact
- Cielo Ibarra
- E-Mail Address
-
cielo.ibarra@nist.gov
(cielo.ibarra@nist.gov)
- Description
- Announcement Type: Special Notice Classification Code: 6695 Announcement Number: NB685040-24-02811 (NOI) Subject: Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively Acquire Carbon Nanotube-Coated Pyroelectric Sensors The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requires three (3) low-noise, temperature-controlled carbon nanotube-coated pyroelectric sensors and associated electronic controllers to be used for low-level diffuse laser power measurement. Specifically, these pyroelectric sensors are to be used for transferring measurement scales of diffuse irradiance within and between the NIST Low Background Infrared Radiometry (LBIR) facility and the Spectral Irradiance and Radiance responsivity using Uniform Sources (SIRCUS) facility between standards operating at different power levels and wavelengths. In order for NIST to include all sources of uncertainty in these calibration transfers, NIST also requires that the sensors are designed to provide routine hemispherical access to the black-coated pyroelectric element to enable NIST to make hemispherical diffuse reflectance measurements to check for possible errors sources in the transferred optical power calibration scales. 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) via FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. NIST requires a set of pyroelectric sensors a that have a carbon nanotube absorbing coating/paint that has very low reflectance (e.g. very black - absorbing almost all of the light to be measured) as described in the specifications, and that have other specifications, such as windowless operation and particular sizes and mounting, that are compatible with existing NIST standard pyroelectric sensors. �After thorough evaluation, it has been determined that the pyroelectric sensors from manufacturer, Gentec-EO USA, Inc., are essential for several reasons: Compatibility: �NIST's mission includes establishing and improving measurement scales. The pyroelectric sensors being procured will improve a link in the chain of visible-infrared light measurement scales that starts from NIST's Primary Optical Watt Radiometer (POWR) and links to internal NIST facilities such as the Low Background Infrared Radiometry (LBIR) facility and the Spectral Irradiance and Radiance response using Uniform Sources (SIRCUS) facility, which serve other parts of NIST and outside customers. Currently, NIST uses this link a set of GenTec-EO pyroelectric sensors purchased under past competitive procurements that have a black coating that has approximately 6 % reflectance and are not based on carbon nanotubes. All other aspects of these existing pyroelectric sensors are acceptable, but the 6 % reflectance limits the accuracy to which NIST can disseminate scales from POWR to the infrared through LIBR and SIRCUS facilities and, therefore, to U.S. industry and other U.S. Government agencies such as Air Force and NASA. NIST now requires a new set of sensors having less than 1 % reflectance to replace those sensors that have 6 %. Without changing any other performance specifications, NIST could significantly increase the accuracy of its disseminated measurement scales by making this change. The entire goal of this procurement is to change only this one variable - reflectance of the coating (with less than 1% reflectance)- while leaving all other variables fixed. The only way to ensure this is to purchase the exact same type of sensors from the same vendor with only the coating change, so that these will be drop-in replacements. Sensors purchased from other vendors would not be drop-in replacements, as they would be incompatible with the rest of the existing measurement instrumentation, and it would cost well over $100,000 in NIST labor and additional procurements to adapt to new fixtures required. To best utilize prior investments in both equipment and expertise, buying compatible sensors is the best course of action. Gentec-EO USA, Inc is the only vendor authorized to provide compatible sensors therefore is the sole source. NIST conducted market research from May 2024 to June 2024 by internet searches, discussions with sources, and a sources sought posting. Sources sought NB685040-24-02811was posted from August 1, 2024, to August 8, 2024 with no responses. The results of that market research revealed that only Gentec EO, USA. 5825 Jean Road Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035-5384, United States, UEI: JBNERU5MZV42 appears to be capable of meeting NIST�s requirements. 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 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. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/3719f3868580448882f6a06479b41024/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
- Zip Code: 20899
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20899
- Record
- SN07159778-F 20240809/240807230115 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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