Frequency Comb System
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
A newer solicitation was posted. See the latest solicitation from .
- Solicitation number
- NB6720202601682
- Agency
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Commerce
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Place of performance
- Boulder, Colorado 80305, United States
- Points of contact
-
- Lia M Arthofer lia.arthofer@nist.gov (301) 975-2762
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is requesting information from industry by June 15, 2026, to assess market capability for providing a frequency comb system to its Boulder site. This is a sources sought notice for market research purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment.
NIST requires a complete frequency comb system capable of locking four lasers at wavelengths of 776 nm, 780 nm, 960 nm, and 1260 nm. The system must include an optical frequency comb with 1560 nm center wavelength (±20 nm), 2 MHz comb mode spacing tuning, greater than 50 nm spectral width, and six output ports delivering more than 10 mW per port with SC/APC-PM connectors. The system also requires a 10 MHz RF reference with 1E-10 in 1s stability, internal beat detection, a frequency extension base module supporting the 700–1500 nm wavelength range with greater than 4 channel compatibility, four frequency extension channels with spectral filters and beat detection, four laser locking modules with error signal electronics and SMA outputs, a 3U 19" rack enclosure with Ethernet, RS-232, and USB ports supporting remote control and Python and MATLAB compatibility, and a frequency counter supporting at least four channels with no dead time.
Delivery, installation, and training are anticipated seven months after order receipt at NIST-Boulder, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305. The vendor must hold an active Unique Entity Identification Number on SAM.gov and an Export Control Classification Number at award. On-site vendor technician support, electronic manuals, training for two trainees covering maintenance and troubleshooting, and a 12-month extended warranty covering parts are required. Acceptance is expected within 7 business days.
Responses should be submitted to lia.arthofer@nist.gov in Microsoft Word or PDF format (12-point font, 10-page limit excluding cover page and pricing).
Notice text
Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice for Providers/Suppliers of Frequency Comb System
Notice ID: NB672020-26-01682
Contract Opportunity Type
Sources Sought
Response Date
6/15/2026
Product Service Code
6625—Electrical and Electronic Properties Measuring and Testing Instruments
NAICS Code
334516 –Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
BACKGROUND
This is a notice to request information from industry to help the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) determine the availability and capability of small businesses and other than small businesses to provide Frequency Comb System to NIST Boulder site.
This notice is strictly to request information for market research purposes to help NIST determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for this requirement. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation, an obligation, or commitment by the NIST.
OVERVIEW
The NIST has a requirement for a frequency comb system for locking four lasers with wavelengths of 776 nm, 780nm, 960nm, and 1260nm. See attached draft Requirements/Specifications document.
ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
NIST anticipates that delivery, installation, and training will occur seven months after receipt of the order.
INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM INDUSTRY SOURCES:
NIST invites industry sources to review this notice carefully and to familiarize themselves with the draft requirements/specifications document. Thereafter, by the closing date of this notice, NIST encourages those sources to submit responses to lia.arthofer@nist.gov . Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in a response to this notice.
Responses should be submitted to contain the following, in Microsoft Word format or in .pdf format, use 12-point font, with a page limitation of ten pages (excluding cover page and excluding standard commercial pricing information):
- Cover page, including:
- Sources Sought Notice number, title, and date of issuance
- Unique Entity ID
- Company name
- Company address
- Company website address
- Company point of contact and their phone number and email address
- Validation of company size status under NAICS: 334516 –Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing.See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information.
- Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov.Provide any suggestions for NIST to consider for the draft requirements/specifications document, with the goal of improving the draft requirements/specifications document in a way that makes it clearer and as competitive as possible.
- Provide any suggested evaluation factors for award that your company believes would be meaningful for NIST to consider using for the forthcoming competitive acquisition.
- If your company has standard commercial pricing information (e.g., “catalog pricing”) for its standard commercial products/services, please provide a copy of it and explain what it includes. NIST will consider standard commercial pricing information to help it estimate a fair market price for the upcoming acquisition.
-
- Your company may also provide an estimate for the draft requirements/specifications if you would like to do so; however, do not include a proposal for the draft requirements/specifications; a proposal submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.
- If your company is a small business for the NAICS code included in this notice, indicate whether your company can comply with FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022), if this acquisition were to be conducted as a total small business set-aside and provide supporting explanation. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_219_14 for the full text of this clause.
- Indicate whether your company has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract or other federal contract under which NIST would be authorized to place an order and, if so, provide a copy of that contract (including contract number, name and contact information for contracting officer, contract SOW, contract terms and conditions and contract prices).
The NIST reserves the right to follow up on a one-on-one basis with respondents to request additional information or clarifications about information submitted.
Teaming Arrangements
Firms seeking to respond to this notice as part of a team must include the above-requested information for each entity.
Disclaimer
Industry sources must provide information in response to this notice voluntarily, and for fully authorized use without limitation by NIST. This notice does not obligate NIST to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to help NIST assess alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that NIST is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received and other market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on sam.gov or on GSA eBuy, depending on the approved acquisition strategy. Responses received after the closing date for this notice may not be considered for market research purposes.
Attachments
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Specifications.pdf |
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency Comb System | Solicitation | |
| Frequency Comb System | Pre-Solicitation |
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