SSJA_Redacted.pdf

This is a Determination & Findings (D&F) document justifying a sole source contract award to Ki3 Photonics Technologies for a squeezed light generation system supporting RITQ's quantum networking research objectives. The contracting activity is AFRL/RFZO.

The Government is procuring an optical link stabilizer system operating at 1550 nm wavelength for use within distributed quantum sensing demonstrations in a quantum network. Ki3 Photonics' LINQ.SYNQ product provides active link phase and timing stabilization across quantum fiber links up to 3 kilometers in length, with capability to correct timing drift and provide phase-stabilized radio frequency sensing with entangled photon signals. Ki3 Photonics is identified as the sole provider of a fully integrated commercial quantum network link phase stabilizer with an associated external reference laser. The determination cites RFO 12.102(a) (Commercial Products and Services) as the primary justification, establishing that only one source is available. A presolicitation notice was posted on SAM.gov from June 25 to July 10, 2026, which yielded three vendor responses; however, Ki3 Photonics confirmed that none of these vendors are authorized resellers, and all three responses were priced significantly higher than Ki3's offering. The alternative would require AFRL researchers to design and build their own link phase stabilization solutions at considerably greater cost and resource expenditure. The Contracting Officer has approval authority for this determination under DAF Approval Authorities Matrix PM 26-C-11 Matrix Item 51.