Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice for Providers/Suppliers of Frequency Comb System
Notice ID: NB672020-26-01682
Contract Opportunity Type
Sources Sought
Response Date
6/15/2026
Product Service Code
6625 Electrical and Electronic Properties Measuring and Testing Instruments
NAICS Code
334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
BACKGROUND
This is a notice to request information from industry to help the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) determine the availability and capability of small businesses and other than small businesses to provide Frequency Comb System to NIST Boulder site.
This notice is strictly to request information for market research purposes to help NIST determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for this requirement. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation, an obligation, or commitment by the NIST.
OVERVIEW
The NIST has a requirement for a frequency comb system for locking four lasers with wavelengths of 776 nm, 780nm, 960nm, and 1260nm. See attached draft Requirements/Specifications document.
ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
NIST anticipates that delivery, installation, and training will occur seven months after receipt of the order.
INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM INDUSTRY SOURCES :
NIST invites industry sources to review this notice carefully and to familiarize themselves with the draft requirements/specifications document. Thereafter, by the closing date of this notice, NIST encourages those sources to submit responses to lia.arthofer@nist.gov . Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in a response to this notice.
Responses should be submitted to contain the following, in Microsoft Word format or in .pdf format, use 12-point font, with a page limitation of ten pages (excluding cover page and excluding standard commercial pricing information):
- Cover page, including:
- Sources Sought Notice number, title, and date of issuance
- Unique Entity ID
- Company name
- Company address
- Company website address
- Company point of contact and their phone number and email address
- Validation of company size status under NAICS: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information.
- Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov.Provide any suggestions for NIST to consider for the draft requirements/specifications document, with the goal of improving the draft requirements/specifications document in a way that makes it clearer and as competitive as possible.
- Provide any suggested evaluation factors for award that your company believes would be meaningful for NIST to consider using for the forthcoming competitive acquisition.
- If your company has standard commercial pricing information (e.g., catalog pricing ) for its standard commercial products/services, please provide a copy of it and explain what it includes. NIST will consider standard commercial pricing information to help it estimate a fair market price for the upcoming acquisition.
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- Your company may also provide an estimate for the draft requirements/specifications if you would like to do so; however, d o not include a proposal for the draft requirements/specifications; a proposal submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.
- If your company is a small business for the NAICS code included in this notice, indicate whether your company can comply with FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022), if this acquisition were to be conducted as a total small business set-aside and provide supporting explanation. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_219_14 for the full text of this clause.
- Indicate whether your company has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract or other federal contract under which NIST would be authorized to place an order and, if so, provide a copy of that contract (including contract number, name and contact information for contracting officer, contract SOW, contract terms and conditions and contract prices).
The NIST reserves the right to follow up on a one-on-one basis with respondents to request additional information or clarifications about information submitted.
Teaming Arrangements
Firms seeking to respond to this notice as part of a team must include the above-requested information for each entity.
Disclaimer
Industry sources must provide information in response to this notice voluntarily, and for fully authorized use without limitation by NIST. This notice does not obligate NIST to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to help NIST assess alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that NIST is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received and other market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on sam.gov or on GSA eBuy, depending on the approved acquisition strategy. Responses received after the closing date for this notice may not be considered for market research purposes.
Background
The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from industry to assess the availability and capability of small businesses and other than small businesses to provide a Frequency Comb System for their Boulder site. This notice serves as a request for information for market research purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment by NIST.
Work Details
NIST requires a frequency comb system to lock four lasers with wavelengths of 776 nm, 780 nm, 960 nm, and 1260 nm. The system must include beat detection between fiber inputs for the lasers and the comb lines, all locking electronics, and a frequency counter. The specifications are as follows:
1. **Optical Frequency Comb** (Quantity: 1)
- Center wavelength: 1560 nm ± 20 nm
- Comb mode spacing tuning: ± 2 MHz
- Spectral Width: >50 nm at -10 dB
- Output ports: 6 ports with >10 mW output per port
- Output connector: SC/APC-PM
- RF Reference: 10 MHz with stability of 1E-10 in 1s
- Internal beat detection unit
2. **Frequency Extension Base Module** (Quantity: 1)
- Wavelength range: at least 700 – 1500 nm
- Amplification for multiple channels
- Compatibility: >4 channels with FC/APC connectors for input lasers
3. **Frequency Extension Channel** (Quantity: 4)
- Covers wavelengths: 776 nm, 780 nm, 960 nm, and 1260 nm
- Includes spectral filter and beat detection for each channel
4. **Laser Locking Module** (Quantity: 4)
- Electronics to create error signal from beat detection with SMA output for each channel
5. **Enclosure and Control** (Quantity: 1)
- Size: 3U 19” Rack with Ethernet, RS-232, USB ports, full remote control compatibility with Python, MATLAB, etc.
- Contains comb, frequency extenders, locking electronics.
6. **Frequency Counter** (Quantity: 1)
- Counter capable of handling at least four channels without dead time.
Period of Performance
NIST anticipates that delivery, installation, and training will occur seven months after receipt of the order.
Place of Performance
The products will be delivered to NIST-Boulder located at Mail Stop: 672.02, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305.
Bidder Requirements
Bidders must possess an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) at the time of award/contracting and have an active Unique Entity Identification Number (UEI).
