ACTION CODE: SPECIAL NOTICE

CLASSIFICATION CODE: 66 - Instruments and Laboratory Equipment

SUBJECT: Newport Corporation, Tunable External Cavity Diode Laser (ECDL)

SOLICITATION NUMBER: NB646030-18-03150

RESPONSE DATE: September 11, 2018

DESCRIPTION:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with New Focus located in Bozeman, MT for an Tunable External Cavity Diode Laser.

Sole Source justification is based on the following:

The Material Measurement Laboratory's Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) Gas Sensing Metrology group (GSMG), has a project investigating the spectroscopy of carbon dioxide, in collaboration with the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission. The group typically employs cavity ringdown spectroscopy and photoacoustic spectroscopy to produce high quality spectral data products, including molecular line intensities. In an effort to advance the measurement goals of the group, a high resolution, continuously, and widely tunable External Cavity Diode Laser (ECDL) source in the 2.0 μm wavelength region is required.

GSMG currently owns additional quantities of the Newport ECDL laser systems. This laser will expand the existing inventory of lasers. The group has invested significant time and resources in developing software and laser-locking techniques that would require re-development to apply to differently branded systems. Implementing alternatively branded systems would require significant investment of labor among the research staff, while acquisition of the Newport system could be implemented immediately. Acquisition of the Newport laser system will allow consistency across various experiments within the Group and apply the currently functioning software and techniques across multiple laser experiments currently ongoing, and in development within the group. Additionally, procuring this system will allow for continued benefit from previous experiments gained working with the same Newport ECDL systems, and minimize training time for new researchers and postdoctoral fellows.

The system must consist of the following:

• A tuning range of 1975nm to 2075nm, or better
• Continuous, mode-hop free motored tuning over the entire tuning range
• Laser linewidth <200 kHz at 50 μs
• Output power of 2 mW or better
• Fast current modulation (DC coupled)
• Included fiber collimator with >1 mW in fiber
• Attached fiber optic must be a PANDA PM fiber with narrow key FC/APC connectors with the slow axis aligned with the key
• Ability to tune laser from front panel
• USB or serial interface to PC
• Continuous wave (CW) output

Market Research has shown that Newport Corporation, is the sole company that can provide the Tunable ECDL system that is compatibility and inter-operable with existing Newport laser systems.

Given these facts, Newport Corporation is the only source reasonably available to provide the required instrument.

The resulting purchase order will be a Firm-Fixed Price purchase order. The NAICS Code is 334516 with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested parties who regard themselves as capable of fulfilling these requirements are invited to submit responses to the Government for consideration. Responses received by 9/11/2018@ 9:00 am EST, will be considered by the Government.

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 normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Inquiry POCs:
[email protected] Primary
[email protected] Secondary
National Institutes of Standards and Technologies NIST
Acquisition Management Division (AMD)
100 Bureau Dr. Mail Stop 1640
Gaithersburg, MD. 20899-1640