MgOLN Phase Modulators

This is a Notice of Proposed Contract Action under FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services, and FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures.  This notice is for information only; a solicitation will not be issued. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. No contract will be awarded on the basis of offers received in response to this notice. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) with a small business size standard of 1000 employees. 

The Government requires the procurement of magnesium oxide-doped lithium niobate (MgOLN) phase modulators and intends to negotiate a sole-source award for this requirement with AdvR, Inc., 31948 Frontage Rd, Bozeman, MT 59715-8642.

The applicable product descriptions and technical specifications are as follows:

ITEM 1:

493 nm MgOLN electro-optic phase modulators

Quantity: 2

Specifications:

• -Polarization maintaining, single mode PM480 fiber for directing 493 nm light into device
• -insertion loss: less than or equal to 4 dB
• -Modulation 3 dB bandwidth: at least 10 GHz
• -Tuning range: 0 - 10 GHz (3dB @ 10 GHz or higher)
• -V_pi: less than 6 V at 10 GHz
• -Max drive power: at least 1.5 W
• -Max input optical power: must support at least 15 mW

ITEM 2:

650 nm MgOLN electro-optic phase modulator

Quantity: 1

Specifications:

• -Polarization maintaining, single mode PM630 fiber for directing 650 nm light into device
• -Insertion loss: less than or equal to 4 dB
• -Modulation 3 dB bandwidth: at least 10 GHz
• -Tuning range: 0 - 10 GHz (3dB @ 10 GHz or higher)
• -V_pi: less than 6.5 V at 10 GHz
• -Max drive power: at least 1.5 W
• -Max input optical power: must support at least 15 mW

The Government has determined that other companies' products do not meet or cannot be modified to meet the Government's needs.

The Government requires the procurement of MgOLN fiber coupled phase modulators for ongoing research and development. AdvR, Inc. is the only known vendor that offers commercially available MgOLN phase modulators which meet the Government’s required technical and performance capabilities. While other manufacturers in the market offer high-bandwidth modulators, they lack compatibility with the required 493 nm and 650 nm wavelengths. Additionally, the required MgOLN phase modulators from AdvR are compatible with previously procured equipment and have been utilized in previous research by AFRL. If the required phase modulators are not acquired, development of an equivalent system would cost the government more than 5 person-years of labor by PhD scientists and engineers and potentially result in the research team missing crucial research deadlines and impede their ability to build quantum networks of trapped atoms.

Given this information, the Government has determined that award to any source other than AdvR, Inc. would result in both a duplication of cost that is not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Agency's requirements.

This is a notice of proposed contract action and NOT a request for competitive proposals; however, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement or proposal, which shall be considered by the agency. All inquiries should be sent by email to jennifer.calandra@us.af.mil. Responses must be submitted by the date/time listed on the notice. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government in future procurements.

Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government anticipates an award date on or before 10 June 2025.

A Sole Source Justification will be attached to the subsequent Notice of Award in accordance with applicable regulation.