Ku-band Geostationary Satellite Transponder Bandwidth
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
Not the latest version. See the latest solicitation from .
- Solicitation number
- NB688000-26-01975
- Agency
-
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Department of Commerce
- Responses due
- Set-aside
- No set-aside
Opportunity facts
- NAICS code
- 517410 Satellite Telecommunications
- Points of contact
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is conducting market research via sources sought to identify vendors capable of providing Ku-band geostationary satellite transponder bandwidth, with responses due by June 19, 2026, prior to determining the method of acquisition for a service term beginning no later than November 27, 2026. This sources-sought announcement is not a request for quotation or proposal and does not commit the Government to award. The procurement may be set-aside for small business if at least two qualified small businesses are identified during market research; NIST is soliciting responses from all responsible sources, including large businesses, at this stage.
NIST requires non-preemptable transponder bandwidth on a station-kept geostationary satellite positioned between 30°W and 45°W to support a two-way satellite time/frequency transfer network of 19 national metrological laboratories across North America and Europe. Service specifications include uplink frequencies of 14.0–14.5 GHz and downlink frequencies of 10.95–12.5 GHz with linear cross-polarization; satellite effective isotropically radiated power of at least 42 dBW; and compatibility with TimeTech SATRE modems using pseudorandom noise code at 2.5 Mc/s symbol rate, BPSK modulation, and approximately 4 MHz occupied bandwidth. The contractor must be authorized to reserve, broker, or resell geostationary satellite transponder bandwidth on behalf of the owner/operator. The existing service contract expires November 26, 2026. Performance is one year through November 26, 2027. Payment will be 100% firm fixed price, billed monthly and distributed as 25% to NIST, 25% to U.S. Naval Observatory, and 50% to Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Germany.
Notice text
Project Title: Ku-band Geostationary Satellite Transponder Bandwidth
Notice ID: NB688000-26-01975
NAICS Code: 517410 - Satellite Telecommunications
THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION.
It is a market research tool being used to determine potential and eligible business firms that can provide the product described herein prior to determining the method of acquisition.
The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on vendors that can provide a Transponder Bandwidth on a Geostationary Satellite.
This announcement is not a Request for Proposals or Quotes (RFP/RFQ) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. The information contained in this notice is DRAFT only and, as such, is subject to change prior to the issuance of a solicitation. No solicitation is available currently. Additionally, the Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources because of this Sources Sought announcement. The results of this Sources Sought will be utilized to determine if any Small Business Set-aside opportunities exist. All Small Business Set-aside categories will be considered. In addition, this market research tool is being used to identify potential and eligible firms, of all sizes, who manufacture Ku-band geostationary satellite transponder bandwidth in the U.S. prior to determining the method of acquisition and issuance of a solicitation.
After the results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive or non-competitive procurement on the System for Award Management (sam.gov) and subsequently award a contract. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage that can fulfill the requirement, in accordance with the Statement of Work, then this acquisition shall be solicited as a small business set aside, however, NIST is seeking responses from ALL responsible sources, including large and small businesses. Responses should include the country where the product is manufactured.
This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 517410 - Satellite Telecommunications, with a small business size standard of $44M.
Interested business organizations that believe they can meet the requirements should submit electronic copies of their capability statement. Please limit responses to four (4) pages or less. Responses should include the following information:
- Name of the company that will provide the product(s).
- Name of the company that will manufacture the product.
- County of origin or manufacture of the product.
- Spec/data sheets and examples of products that meet the specifications that demonstrate experience in meeting the requirements of this procurement.
- Typical lead time to deliver the product after receipt of order
- Any other relevant information that is not listed above that the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research.
(Company sales brochures or marketing packages will not be considered.)
Any proprietary information should be so marked. The written capability statement should be received by the Contract Specialist, de Ionne Jones, via email at deionne.jones@nist.gov no later than the date and time posted in this notice. No quotes will be accepted at this time and will not be considered.
REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW:
See the attached Statement of Work document.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 26-01975 2026_05_15_request_for_Ku_bandwidth_ROM.pdf | ||
| NB688000-26-01975 SOW.pdf |
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Ku-Band Geostationary Satellite Transponder Bandwidth | Solicitation | |
| This notice | Pre-Solicitation |
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