NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 219, Greenbelt, MD 20771

66 -- AUTOCOLLIMATOR, MODEL V3700Q SOL 924-75399-902 DUE 060898 POC Deborah A. Bittner, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 286-5387, Fax (301) 286-1739, Email Deborah.A.Bittner.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/GSFC/date.html#924-75399-902. E-MAIL: Deborah A. Bittner, Deborah.A.Bittner.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. NASA/GSFC plans to issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for three (3) each Model V3700Q Autocollimator, 0.01 Arc-Sec Resolution, Vacuum Compatibility -- includes cables, calibration wedge, beam finder phosphur card and storage case. This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). NASA/GSFC intends to purchase the items from UDT Instruments, 8581 Aero Drive, San Diego, CA 92123. UDT is the only vendor providing automated vacuum compatible autocollimators with precision of 0.01 arc-sec. The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) is a space-based lidar being developed to monitor changes in the mass balance of the Earth's polar ice sheets. Accurate knowledge of the laser beam's pointing angle (in the far field) is critical since pointing the laser beam away from nadir biases the altimetry measurements. The GLAS design incorporates a stellar reference system (SRS) to relate the laser beam pointing anlge to the star field to an accuracy of ~7.3 urad. The SRS combines an attitude determination system (ADS) operating from 4 to 10 Hz coupled to a 40 Hz laser reference system (LRS) to perform this task. Numerous optical components in the SRS have to comply with stability vs. temperature in the 0.1 arc-sec range. During fabrication, assembly and testing either components or subsystems have to be routinely tested with resolution at least a factor of 3 better, i.e. 0.03 arc sec. These tests will be carried out also with thermal-vaccum chambers (-20 to +40C, 10^-7 Torr). UDT Instruments, Inc. is the only company that can provide these autocollimators. The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested firms have 15 days from the publication of this synopsis to submit in writing to the identified point of contact, their qualifications/capabilities. Such qualifications/capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses received after the 15 days or without the required information will be considered nonresponsive to the synopsis and will not be considered. A determination by the Government to not compete this proposed effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". (0124)

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