NOTICE OF INTENT-Cascade Laser Chips

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with Longwave Photonics, LLC, located in Mountain View, CA, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source, for two (2) Cascade Laser Chips.

Specific Requirements are as follows:

2 Cascade Laser Chips

Line Item 0001: THZ QCL Chip 1

Description: THz QCL chip which can be used with existing THz QCL system

Quantity:  1

Technical Specifications:

1. 1. THz QCL chip 1

      1. ~3.8 THz output frequency
      2. Distributed feedback
      3. At least ~1 mW of CW power Line Item 0001: THZ QCL Chip 1

Line Item 0002: THZ QCL Chip 2

Description: THz QCL chip which can be used with existing THz QCL system

Quantity:  1

Technical Specifications:

1. THz QCL chip 1

1. ~4.8 THz output frequency

1. Distributed feedback
2. At least ~2 mW of CW power

NAICS Code is 334516 –Analytical Laboratory Manufacturing, with a Size Standard of 1,000 employees. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Sumitomo (SHI) Cryogenics of America, Inc. for this requirement.

Interested parties that can demonstrate they could satisfy the requirement listed above for NIST must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. If competitive procedures are not used it is estimated that an award will be issued by 4/14/2024. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to angela.hitt@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to angela.hitt@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein for this posting.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is the US National Metrology Institute (NMI) responsible for establishing standards along with advancing measurement science, standards, and technology. The Sources and Detectors Group is engaged in constructing novel sensor systems and requires additional THz Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) to perform absolute reflectance measurements of microscopic carbon nanotube coatings in support of calibrations and remote-sensing research activities.  The Sources and Detectors Group currently owns a LongWave Photonics THz laser platform, which supports the addition of additional QCL chips at different frequencies, namely ~3.8 THz and 4.8 THz. LongWave Photonics is the only source because these additional QCL chips must be compatible with the existing laser system. Failure to process this request will cause NIST researchers not to be able to characterize carbon nanotube detectors at THz frequencies and allow them not to be able to enhance current capabilities.