Award Notice for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier
This Award Notice announces the contract award 1333ND25PNB030427 to LIQUID INSTRUMENTS INC by the Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for a Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier. The contract was awarded on September 18, 2025, with a total value of $85,300.00. The procurement involves specialized scientific instrumentation equipment, specifically a microwave digital lock-in amplifier, which is typically used for precision measurement and signal processing applications in research and laboratory environments. This civilian agency contract represents a direct award without any small business set-aside requirements.
1333ND25PNB030427 Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
9/18/25, 10:05 AM Sources Sought Notice for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting market research to identify potential sources for a microwave digital lock-in amplifier intended for measuring photonic test structures within integrated photonics semiconductor fabrication processes. The agency seeks a highly specialized digital lock-in amplifier capable of operating at frequencies up to 1.8 GHz with specific technical requirements including two independent lock-in channels, 14-bit ADC resolution, and advanced demodulation capabilities. Interested vendors must submit responses by April 18, 2025, via email, providing detailed information about their equipment's technical specifications, manufacturer details, and performance capabilities. Respondents are required to be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) and must not include proprietary information in their submissions. Questions regarding the notice must be submitted at least 5 calendar days before the response date to the designated contact points.
This sources sought notice does not have a specific small business set-aside and is not currently tied to a specific contract award value. The procurement is categorized under NAICS code 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with potential applications in communications, computing, and sensing technologies. The amplifier will enable critical measurements of frequency-dependent responses in photonic test structures, helping foundries improve manufacturing processes and reduce development time and costs. Vendors are requested to indicate whether they are a small or other-than-small business, provide information about manufacturing locations, and discuss potential customization options for the equipment. The notice emphasizes that this is a market research exercise and does not guarantee a subsequent solicitation or contract award, serving primarily to gather information about potential industry capabilities for meeting NIST's specialized scientific instrumentation needs.
NIST-FY25-CHIPS-0077 Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
4/4/25, 2:30 PM Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a microwave digital lock-in amplifier through solicitation number 1333ND25QNB030285R for their Photonics and Optomechanics Group within the Physical Measurement Laboratory. The procurement requires a highly specialized commercial instrument capable of operating at frequencies up to 1.8 GHz with two independent lock-in channels, 14-bit ADC/DAC resolution, and the ability to measure amplitude and phase of RF signals for characterizing integrated photonic fabrication processes. The solicitation includes multiple contract line items covering the base amplifier, simultaneous multifrequency operation, optional PID controllers with phase-locked loop operation, and optional signal modulation and analysis capabilities. Evaluation will be conducted using a best value trade-off methodology that prioritizes technical capability and price, with quotations required to be submitted electronically via email. The deadline for responses is September 15, 2025, just seven days after the posting date of September 8, 2025.
This procurement is conducted under full and open competition with no set-aside designations, utilizing simplified acquisition procedures under FAR Part 13 with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. No information about potential incumbents or current contractors is provided in the solicitation materials, and no specific contract value or budget range is disclosed. The procurement specifies that only new equipment will be accepted, explicitly excluding used, remanufactured, experimental, or prototype items, with delivery required within four months of order placement. Performance will occur at NIST's facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with F.O.B. Destination delivery terms and a minimum 12-month warranty requirement. The contract falls under NAICS code 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and will support semiconductor foundries in improving their manufacturing processes while reducing product development time and costs.
1333ND25QNB030285R Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
9/8/25, 1:16 PM Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a civilian agency within the Department of Commerce, has issued a Special Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively acquire a microwave digital lock-in amplifier for the Photonics and Optomechanics Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The notice is specifically focused on procuring a highly specialized digital lock-in amplifier designed for measuring photonic test structures and characterizing integrated photonic fabrication processes. After conducting market research from March to April 2025, NIST determined that Zurich Instruments AG appears to be the only vendor capable of meeting their precise technical requirements. The procurement is being conducted under FAR 13.106-1(b) authority and falls under the NAICS code 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The instrument must meet extensive technical specifications, including operating at frequencies of at least 1.8 GHz and measuring amplitude and phase signals simultaneously.
The primary purpose of this Special Notice is to provide potential vendors an opportunity to demonstrate their capability to meet NIST's specialized equipment requirements before a potential sole-source procurement. Contractors interested in responding must submit their information by June 5, 2025, directly to nina.lin@nist.gov, including their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, detailed capabilities, and evidence of product authorization. The notice encourages any companies believing they can meet or exceed NIST's minimum requirements to respond, with the understanding that the government retains sole discretion in determining whether to compete the procurement. Eligible contractors should be prepared to provide comprehensive information about their product's technical specifications, particularly focusing on how their offering aligns with the detailed performance criteria outlined in the notice. While no specific set-aside has been designated, the procurement is structured under a small business size standard of 1,000 employees for the specified NAICS category, potentially opening opportunities for qualifying small businesses to demonstrate their capabilities.
Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
5/22/25, 5:20 PM Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Microwave Digital Lock-in Amplifier
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a solicitation for a microwave digital lock-in amplifier to support the Photonics and Optomechanics Group within NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory. The procurement seeks a specialized scientific instrument capable of operating at frequencies of at least 1.8 GHz with the ability to measure amplitude and phase of signals at multiple frequencies and harmonics simultaneously, featuring 2 independent lock-in channels, 14-bit ADC/DAC resolution, and comprehensive software control capabilities. The acquisition is intended to characterize integrated photonic fabrication processes and materials, enhancing semiconductor supply chain metrology capabilities. The government will evaluate proposals using a best value trade-off approach, with technical capability and price serving as the primary evaluation factors. This solicitation was originally posted on July 25, 2025, with responses due by August 1, 2025, though it has since been cancelled and will be reissued, indicating a compressed seven-day submission window for the original timeline.
This procurement operates under full and open competition with no set-aside designation, making it available to all qualified contractors under NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The solicitation includes multiple contract line items with a base requirement for the primary lock-in amplifier and optional additions for multifrequency operation, PID controllers, phase-locked loop operation, and signal modulation capabilities. Delivery is specified as F.O.B. Destination to NIST's facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with a required delivery timeframe of four months from order placement. Payment terms are structured as 100% upon acceptance, and contractors must provide a minimum 12-month warranty. The contract requires SAM.gov registration and electronic submission of quotations to specified email addresses, with performance occurring at the Gaithersburg, Maryland location.
1333ND25QNB030285 Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
7/25/25, 9:44 AM