Ardara quadrupole mass spectrometer with cross-beam ionizer

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center has issued a Special Notice for the procurement of an Ardara quadrupole mass spectrometer with cross-beam ionizer as a sole source acquisition. This notice, posted on January 7, 2026, represents NASA's intent to award a contract directly to Ardara Technologies L.P., the sole provider of the specified instrument. The procurement is being conducted under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) procedures, utilizing commercial item acquisition rules under FAR Parts 12 and 13. NASA has determined that no competing vendors can produce an equivalent product meeting the government's specialized requirements for sensitivity, mass selectivity, and the ability to distinguish atomic from molecular hydrogen. The contract will be managed by NASA's Shared Services Center with performance at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

NASA's primary objective is to acquire a specialized flange-mounted quadrupole mass filter system with a mass range of 1 to 50 amu, featuring a 12 mm quadrupole operating at a minimum frequency of 3.3 MHz and yttrium oxide coated iridium filaments. The deadline for interested organizations to submit capability statements and qualifications is 7 a.m. Central Standard Time on January 9, 2026, allowing only two days for submission. Interested contractors must contact Procurement Specialist Shanna Patterson with their written submissions to be evaluated for potential competitive alternatives. Although NASA has determined this to be a sole source requirement, the government will consider any submissions to determine whether the procurement might be conducted competitively, though the final decision remains at the government's discretion. The estimated performance period is 60 to 90 days after receipt of order, with the complete system to include ion detector, power supplies, cables, and data acquisition software.