Cold Calcium Beam

The Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking to procure a specialized Cold Calcium Atomic Beam Source for the U.S. Naval Observatory's Precise Time Department. The solicitation (N0018925Q0154) is targeting a highly technical scientific instrument designed to support advanced optical atomic clock development. The procurement requires a system capable of generating 10^11 atoms/s at approximately 3mK transverse temperature, with ultrahigh vacuum compatibility and integration capabilities for existing laboratory equipment. The solicitation is structured as a sole source award specifically for AOSense Inc., indicating that this vendor is the only qualified provider capable of meeting the precise technical specifications. The Combined Synopsis/Solicitation was posted on March 12, 2025, with proposal responses due by March 14, 2025, representing a very short window for potential submission.

The contract is not set aside for any specific business category, despite falling under the small business NAICS code 335921 with a size standard of 1,000 employees. The place of performance is Washington, DC 20392, where the U.S. Naval Observatory is located. AOSense Inc. has previously supplied a similar cold calcium beam system to USNO in Fiscal Year 2021 under contract #N0018921PZ204, establishing their proven capability in this specialized field. The procurement is structured as a firm, fixed-price purchase order with two contract line items: the Cold Calcium Beam Source (CLIN 0001) and associated shipping materials (CLIN 0002). While the exact total contract value is not explicitly stated, the delivery timeline is specified as five months from the award date, suggesting a relatively compact project timeline for this sophisticated scientific instrumentation.