16r13_J A_Redacted_Final.pdf

COORDINATION AND APPROVAL DOCUMENT

CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: Air Force Research Laboratory/RIK, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome

NY 13441-4514

PURCHASE REQUEST:

ITEM NAME: Superconducting Nanowire Photon Detection System

ESTIMATED CONTRACT COST:

TYPE PROGRAM: Supply

AUTHORITY: 10 USC 2304(c) (1)

TYPE J&A: Individual

COORDINATION

Program Manager: _____________________________ ____________ Date Signed

Local Small Business Office: See DD Form 2579 for local Small Business Office approval.

APPROVED

Date Signed

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Air Force Research Laboratory/RIK, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome NY 13441-4514, proposes to enter into a contract on a basis other than full and open competition.

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING PROCESSED

AFRL/RITA requires a commercially available Superconducting Nanowire Photon Detection System with customer specified options to support AFRL/RI’s in-house quantum research. This justification is for a new Firm Fixed Price (FFP) supply purchase.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY’S

NEEDS

The Superconducting Nanowire Photon Detection System shall meet the following specifications:

The system is comprised of one (1) Closed Cycle Cryocooler GM, one (1) Oil-free Roughing/Turbo Pumping Station and Vacuum Gauge, with one (1) relay controller to operate the cryocooler remotely, eight

(8) Tungsten-Silicon Single (WSi) Single Element Nanowire Detectors and Electronics (≥90% system detection efficiency), with a one (1) year warranty against defects in parts and workmanship and On-Site Training and Installation. The following items comprise all specifications:

Closed-cycle GM cryocooler (RDK101D)

• Freeze4 4He sorption fridge with base temp ~ 0.8K, no-load hold time: 48h (typ. 60h)

• 6" OD Cryostat with 8x KF40 ports (one in use for control wiring)

• Temperature controllers

• 8x RF (SMA) inputs (4 per KF40 port)

• Lossless optical feedthrough for 8x SMF28 fiber with FC/PC input ports (4 per KF40)

• FreezeControl software for sorption fridge control and one-click cooldown, cycling, scheduling cycles, graphical monitoring, temperature logging

• Cryostat with stand overall dim. (approx): 10" x 11" x 26"

• Compressor dimensions (approx): 15.3" x 17.7" x 15.7"

Vacuum and remote control package

• Oil-free roughing/turbo pumping station & vacuum gauge

• Sharp positive or negative pulse output (+/- ~300mV pulse height).

• Relay control to operate cryocooler remotely

• Integrated operation via FreezeControl software

• 1 year warranty against defects in parts and workmanship

Tungsten –Silicon (WSi) Single-Element Nanowire Detector & Electronics, QTY 8

• Nanowire detector fiber-coupled to SMF28 fiber (9um core)

• System Detection Efficiency @ 1550nm, max. polarization: 90 ± 5%

• Recovery time (to return to full SDE): <100ns

• Dark counts @ max SDE: <1kcps

• Jitter, FWHM: <100 ps

• Detector biasing electronics

• Room temperature low noise amplifiers

• LVTTL output option

• 1 years warranty against defects in parts and workmanship

On-site installation and training

• 2 days of installation & training at customer site. All travel costs included.

IV. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 USC 2304(c) (1) only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

V. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR

NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED ABOVE

(APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY)

The specifications listed in Section III include unique tolerances and ranges to the specifications of the Superconducting Nanowire Photon Detection System. Photon Spot is the only source that offers the highest system detection efficiency of any superconducting nanowire detector in a turnkey closed cycle system that can meet all necessary elements to work with our current applications. Our application requires extremely high system detection efficiency of the detectors, with a high saturated count rate of photons, low dark count rate, very fast reset time and low timing jitter. Typical photodetectors suffer from high dark count rates, slow reset time, low system detection efficiency and low saturated photon count rates. The detectors from Photon Spot can meet all of these requirements.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE

SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS DEEMED PRACTICABLE

A Notice of Contract Action (NOCA) was synopsized as a Pre-solicitation Notice on the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.FBO.gov) between 11 December 2015 and 28 December 2015. Responses to this notice were received and reviewed by the end user and determined to be technically unacceptable for the following reasons:

1. We require 90% detection efficiency at 1550nm and your proposed unit could only obtain 80%

2. We require timing jitter of 75ps or less and your proposed unit can only specify 100ps or less.

3. We require a photon detector that is scalable to 32 detectors and your proposed unit is only scalable to 16 detectors.

1. One of the key issues is the high quantum efficiency and count rate. The system you proposed does not meet either of those constraints.

challenged the commercial nature of these specifications. Photo Spot Inc.

provided sales data supporting these exact product and product options have been sold to the general public for non-governmental purposes. (See Tab A37 to support the Government’s findings)

Photon Spot Inc. was found to be the only company that could meet the required needs.

VII. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE

The Contracting Officer will determine the price fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 13.106-3(a)(2)(iii) Current price lists, catalogs, or advertisements and negotiated discounts offered to the Government from such as well as FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(vii) Other than certified cost or pricing data in the form of invoices and sales orders with other customers for the same parts or similar custom orders as the AFRL’s contemplated purchase.

VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE

RESULTS, OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASONS MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT

CONDUCTED

Market research of the products and associated characteristics required for a contractor to provide a Superconducting Nanowire Photon Detection System with the necessary performance characteristics has been conducted. Independent market research and evidence in Section VI, Pre-solicitation Notice, conclude the Government’s determination that no other known manufacturers or products exist that can fulfill this requirement.

IX. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

N/A

X. LIST OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION

XI. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE MAKING

SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED

AFRL/RITA will continue to research the performance and capabilities of similar products towards future requirements, to avoid omitting other qualified sources.

XII. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION

The contracting officer’s signature below evidences that he/she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

XIII. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL’S CERTIFICATION

As evidenced by their signature above, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is their responsibility, is both accurate and complete.