Optical Parametric Oscillator – Combined Sources Sought/Notice of Intent to Sole Source

***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE***

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing an Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO). If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Toptica Photonics (1120 Pittsford Victor RD Pittsford, New York 14534-3818) under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334413. 

The NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory, Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division, as part of the CHIPS act requires an OPO as part of our research on atomic layer deposition. The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division advances nanofabrication technologies and uses them to develop innovative integrated measurement microsystems.

This optical parametric oscillator allows for the spectral translation of near-infrared laser light into the mid-infrared spectral region. The mid-infrared region contains strong absorption features of a wide variety of atomic and molecular species of interest to the chemistry and physics communities. A singly-resonant, continuous wave optical parametric oscillator is well suited for this type of spectroscopy due to its wide tunability, high optical power, narrow linewidth, and the ability to translate modulation with high fidelity. This OPO will provide mid-infrared light which is tunable throughout much of the mid-infrared spectral region (2.3 micron to 4 micron) for interrogating molecules in process gases. This will allow us to interrogate a range of molecular gases in order to assess process conditions.

NIST has a need for an Optical Parametric Oscillator that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications:

1. The OPO must be continuous wave and singly resonant on only the signal beam.
2. The OPO idler output must be capable of tuning from 2.3 to 4.0 µm.
3. The OPO idler output must be 1 W or greater between 2.3 and 3.4 µm.
4. The OPO idler linewidth must be 2 MHz or less.
5. The needed seed laser and optical amplifier must be included.
6. The seed laser must be fiber coupled to the optical amplifier. In addition, there must be a connection between the seed laser and optical amplifier such that additional fiber optic components can be inserted.
7. The pump wavelength must be in the range of 1050-1070 nm.
8. The optical amplifier should contain optical isolation.
9. The depleted pump and signal beams should have fiber coupled outputs.
10. The idler output must have a mode-hop free tuning range of at least 30 GHz.
11. The idler tuning must be computer controllable and utilize a provided touchscreen.
12. The system must run off 120 V power (i.e., standard USA power).

NIST conducted market research from October 2023 to January 2024 by performing internet searches, searches of GSA, searches of FPDS and DSBS, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements.  The results of that market research revealed that only Toptica Photonics (UEI: EYC4JKCBA7J9) appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response.  Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact listed at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.

• Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI).

• Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements.

• Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization.

• Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why.  Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses.

• For the NAICS code

• Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business.  See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.
• If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. 

• If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

• Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section.

• Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement.

• Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section. 

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received 5 days prior to the close of this notice.  Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. 

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. 

This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

No award will be made as a result of this notice. 

NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!