Lighthammer II H Power Supply and Cables

Notice of Intent to Sole Source:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Engineering Lab (EL) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1), with Heraeus Noblelight America LLC to Lighthammer II H Power Supply and Cables.

Background Information:

NIST, EL has an accelerated weathering device, NIST 2m SPHERE. There are 6 lamps that are controlled and powered by 6 power supplies.  These power supplies are no longer supported and must be replaced to maintain operation.  Currently, NIST EL will need to procure 3 new power supplies and cables.  The new power supplies will be used in the SPHERE lab to power three of the lamps and extend the operation of the 2m SPHERE until all 6 power supplies can be replaced.  Therefore, the new power supplies must be compatible with the lamps and 3 remaining power supplies to maintain operation.  At a minimum, they must be able to power the 10-inch-wide intelligent irradiator (lamp module) with electrodeless bulb and provide 480Vac at 50/60 Hz.  The new power supplies must also communicate with the existing VPS600 power supplies that will not be replaced at this time.  The 2m SPHERE is used by several projects in the Infrastructure Materials Group (IMG): Metrology and Tech. Transfer, Nanocomposite, and an NRC project.  There are several projects in collaboration with others at NIST and in industry including: SLP of Polymers in PV Systems, Reliability of Reinforced Composite Systems, and the NIST Circular Economy program.

Sole Source Justification:

IMG in the EL has developed a unique device, the NIST SPHERE. This device utilizes high intensity ultraviolet (UV) lights and a 2 meter integrating sphere to provide a uniform and stable light source. This light source is then used to exposue samples inside NIST developed environmental chambers to temperature, relative humidity and UV light over long periods of time. A key component to the NIST SPHERE is the UV lights provided by Heraeus Noblelight America LLC. The UV lights are operational ~95% of the time, so routine maintenance is critical. Almost every project in the IMG has milestones associated with the NIST SPHERE.

The requirement at hand is for the provision of new power supplies that must be compatible with the lamps and 3 remaining power supplies to maintain operation.  At a minimum, they must be able to power the 10-inch-wide intelligent irradiator (lamp module) with electrodeless bulb and provide 480Vac at 50/60 Hz.  The new power supplies must also communicate with the existing VPS600 power supplies that will not be replaced at this time.

Heraeus Noblelight America LLC is the only provider of the required power supplies.  Heraeus Noblelight has proprietary knowledge of all up-to-date service practice and techniques required to keep the system operating in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. More specifically, Heraeus Noblelight's software and firmware updates are not available online to the general public and must be downloaded and installed by an authorized Heraeus Noblelight service engineer. Heraeus Noblelight has no authorized resellers capable of providing  the required parts.

Any purchase or power supplies other than the required Lighthammer II power supplies may result in an unnecessary loss of the NIST SPHERE exposure capability, which would make the NIST SPHERE unusable if the UV lights are inoperable.  This would result in the inability of the Government to complete projects in EL's Sustainable, High Performance Infrastructure Materials Program in the required time-frame.

As such, it is recommended to negotiate with Heraeus Noblelight America LLC for this requirement.

General:

The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 335139-Electric Lamp Bulb and Other Lighting Equipment Manufacturing. The small business size standard is 1,250 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, responses received by the listed due date, will be considered by the Government.

A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response due date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Seth Kaplan at seth.kaplan@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted so that they are received at seth.kaplan@nist.gov no later than the aforementioned due date.