Primary Vibration Calibration System Upgrade

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a civilian agency within the Department of Commerce, has published a Notice of Intent to sole source a procurement for an upgrade to its Primary Vibration Calibration System. This special notice was posted on March 23, 2026, and represents NIST's intention to award a firm-fixed-price purchase order to APS Dynamics, Inc. d.b.a. SPEKTRA for modernization of existing vibration calibration infrastructure operated by the Quantum Measurement Division. The upgrade will enhance the system's capability to perform sensor excitation across an extended frequency range from 5 Hz to 50 kHz while minimizing measurement uncertainty. NIST justifies the sole-source award based on SPEKTRA's status as the original equipment manufacturer of the core system components and its demonstrated capability to ensure full compatibility with existing equipment and architecture.

Interested parties who believe they can satisfy the stated requirements must submit capability statements by April 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time to jennifer.lohmeier@nist.gov. Submissions must include the contractor's name and address, point of contact information, SAM Universal Entity Identification (UEI), validated business classification, and a detailed capability statement demonstrating ability to meet the technical requirements. The upgraded system must support primary and secondary calibration of multiple accelerometer types, accommodate four parallel synchronously sampled ICP inputs, include a reference laser interferometer, and deliver within twenty weeks of order receipt with installation within one month thereafter at NIST's facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The contractor must also provide training for approximately three personnel and furnish a 24-month warranty with minimum ten-year system support. This procurement falls under NAICS code 334519 (Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing) with a small business size standard of 600 employees.