Sources Sought AMDTC-24-0001.pdf

Document Type: Sources Sought Notice

Solicitation Number: AMDTC-24-0001

Response Deadline: 06/17/2024, 12:00 PM, EST

Title: Procurement of Metal-Powder Binder Jetting 3D Printer

Contracting Office Address

Department of Commerce

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division (AMD)

100 Bureau Drive

Building 301, Room B129, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg MD, 20899-1640

Introduction

NIST is seeking information from all responsible small business concerns that are capable of providing Metal-Powder Binder Jetting 3D Printers. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), as those domestic sources of 1,000 employees or less. Attached to this notice is a draft Statement of Work (SOW) for the potential requirement.

This is a Sources Sought Notice ONLY. Requests for copies of a solicitation will not receive a response. NO SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS EXIST AT THIS TIME.

This Notice is for planning purposes only and is not a Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation or an obligation on the part of the NIST for conducting a follow-on acquisition. NIST does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this Notice, or otherwise pay for the information requested. No entitlement or payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by NIST will arise as a result of submission of responses to this Notice and NIST use of such information. NIST recognizes that proprietary components, interfaces and equipment, and restricted information may be included in responses; NIST requests that respondents present any such information, clearly marked, as an addendum to the non-restricted/non-proprietary information. In the absence of such identification, NIST will assume to have unlimited rights to all technical data in the information provided.

Background:

The Production Systems Group (PSG) in the NIST Engineering Laboratory conducts research in metals-based additive manufacturing (AM) to develop and deploy advances in measurement science that will enable rapid design-to-product transformation. The PSG is expanding its repertoire of additive manufacturing research to include binder jetting process-based AM. This is an additive technology, that uses a powder-based material (e.g., metal powder) and a suitable binder (in liquid form, which acts as a glue) for that powder material. The print head moves in X and Y directions over the spread-powder layer, precisely depositing the binder onto the particles at pre-defined locations. After that, another layer of the powder is spread, and the binder is deposited again at pre-defined locations. The binder also acts as a glue between the previous and the new layer. The powder spreading and binder depositing process is repeated to form a 3D object (i.e., just by gluing, particle by particle, in X, Y, and Z directions). After this, the loose powder is removed, and the 3D object is heat-treated to produce a viable 3D metal part. Usually, the binder jetting 3D printer and ancillary instruments are sold together. The ancillary instruments include a powder preparation system, a curing oven, a depowdering station, and a debinding & sintering station.

The PSG aims to procure the above-mentioned metal-powder binder jetting 3D printer and the ancillary instruments to be installed at the Additive Manufacturing Research Center (AMRC) at NIST Gaithersburg, Maryland campus. The PSG has identified the scope of measurement science by identifying the challenges faced by key stakeholders in binder-jetting-based high-throughput manufacturing.

Scope of Requirement:

The purpose of the potential requirement is to deliver (1) one, fully operational metal-powder binder jetting 3D printer and ancillary instruments (powder preparation system, curing oven, depowdering system, debinding and sintering furnace) delivered to NIST Gaithersburg campus (2) rigging, assembly, and installation by a trained technician (3) testing and validation of system operation (4) training of NIST personnel on programming and safe operation of the system. All are inclusive of FOB Destination delivery, installation, warranty and training, and option line items.

Key Requirement Tasks:

Attached to this notice is a draft Statement of Work (SOW) for the potential requirement.

Questions Regarding This Notice

NIST invites all interested small businesses to submit any questions or comments regarding this sources sought notice via email to robert.cowins@nist.gov within 2 calendar days of the posting of this notice.

NIST intends to then post an amendment providing responses to any questions received. If no questions are received, the sources sought notice is not expected to be amended.

Response Instructions

NIST is seeking responses from all responsible small business sources under the applicable NAICS code, 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), as those domestic sources of 1,000 employees or less.

All responsible small business sources able to provide the services described above are asked to email a response to Mr. Robert Cowins, at robert.cowins@nist.gov by or before the closing date and time of this notice. Please include the following information in the response:

1. Name of company/companies that are authorized provide services, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address).

2. The company’s primary NAICS, size classification, and socio-economic status (i.e., Small Business, Woman Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, etc.).

3. Brief description of capabilities in relation to the key task areas identified in this sources sought notice.

4. Information on any GSA Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) or other Government-wide contracts through which the company offers these services, if applicable. If so, please provide the applicable contract number(s).

5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider.

Responses are limited to a total of ten (10) pages in MS Word or PDF format.

Point of Contact:

Robert Cowins, Contracting Officer, Phone 301-975-8335, Email: robert.cowins@nist.gov mailto:robert.cowins@nist.gov mailto:robert.cowins@nist.gov mailto:robert.cowins@nist.gov