G
High Intensity Broadband Light Source
This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified business sources. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.
NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334516, as those domestic sources having 1000 employees or less. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice.
NOTE: This notice is strictly for obtaining Market Research. There will be no Question & Answer period under this Sources Sought Notice.
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial contractors that are capable of providing complete tools and essential subsystems for an High Intensity Broadband Light Source to support research in the Physical Measurement Laboratory.
After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, and specifications developed, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order(s) for the complete system and/or for the essential sub-systems. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then any competitive procurement that resulted would be conducted as a small business set-aside.
SCOPE
NIST is seeking contractors who have the capabilities to provide a High Intensity Broadband Light Source meeting or exceeding the following specifications:
• Electrodeless
• White light source based on xenon plasma with a spot size of < 0.5 mm diameter
• High brightness (spectral radiance of ~30 mW/mm2.sr.nm) from 180 nm to >800 nm
• < 25 kg total weight
• Bulb life greater than >5,000 hours
• 0.5 NA divergent beam for free-space collection and fiber coupling
RESPONSE INFORMATION
In order for a contractor to clearly convey their capability to fulfill the above-identified need, they MUST SUBMIT the following information. It is preferred that Capability Statements address each of the components in the order in which they are listed below. Please provide information regarding the following:
1. Companies that manufacture or can provide a High Intensity Broadband Light Source with the desired capabilities must submit a detailed capability statement, addressing all of the specifications discussed above, in an organized format (preferably in the same order as listed above) that allows for a direct correlation to the requested information.
2. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of such systems.
3. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research.
4. The contractor must describe the length of its warranty and what is included in the warranty. The contractor needs to describe if they offer an extended warranty option and what it includes.
5. The contractor needs to specifically describe its maintenance and support strategy and warranty terms for any components or sub-systems, including those that are manufactured by a third-party contractor. If maintenance or support is needed, the contractor needs to discuss if various parts of the system will need to be shipped out or if a technician will travel to NIST.
6. The contractor shall indicate how long it would take to manufacture the light source based on the specifications identified in this sources sought notice as well as indicate time frames for delivery.
Each response shall include the following Business Information:
1. Name of the company that manufactures the system components for which specifications are provided
2. Name of company(ies) that are authorized to sell the system components, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address).
3. Name, title, telephone number, and e-mail addresses of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses.
4. Business size for NAICS 334516 (1000 employees) and status, if qualified as an 8(a) firm (must be certified by SBA), Small Disadvantaged Business (must be certified by SBA), Woman-Owned Small Business, HUBZone firm (must be certified by SBA), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (must be listed in the VetBiz Contractor Information Pages).
5. DUNS number, CAGE Code, Tax Identification Number, and company structure (Corporation, LLC, partnership, joint venture, etc.). Companies also must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR, at www.ccr.gov) to be considered as potential sources.
6. Identification of the firm's GSA Schedule contract(s) by Schedule number and contract number and SINs that are applicable to this potential requirement are also requested.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Responses must be submitted no later than May 16, 2016 at 11:00AM, EST. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date.
GENERAL INFORMATION
As previously stated, the Government will not entertain questions regarding this Market Research; however, general questions may be forwarded to the following:
Contracts Specialist: Lynda Roark
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: 301-975-3725
Contracting Officer: Patrick Staines
Email Address: [email protected]
"Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government 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 to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.
Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s)."