Procurement of a Humanoid Robot

The National Institute of Standards and Technology seeks to procure one new humanoid robot with accompanying software and API for its Engineering Laboratory, with quotations due June 19 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. This is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing), with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees or less.

Place of performance is NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland (100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899). The robot must be approximately 1.5 meters tall with human-like structure (two arms, two legs, torso, head), minimum five degrees of freedom per leg and six degrees of freedom per arm, continuous battery operation for at least one hour with tethered power capability, and comprehensive sensing including vision, lidar, and IMU with force-torque measurement at wrists and ankles. Required capabilities include self-balancing on two feet, forward walking at 0.33 m/s, stair climbing, manipulation of objects weighing at least 5 kg, and coordinated dual-arm manipulation. Desired capabilities include autonomous navigation, vision processing, rough terrain navigation, self-righting after falls, and predefined manipulation functions. The accompanying software or API must support custom behavior scripting, manufacturer-created controllers, sensor calibration, data recording, and integration with external sensing systems. Only new equipment in original manufacturer packaging is acceptable; prototypes, demonstration models, used, or refurbished instruments will not be considered.

Delivery is FOB Destination due within six months from award. The contractor must provide onsite training at NIST and warrant the system for a minimum of one year post-acceptance. Payment is Net 30 upon receipt and acceptance contingent on successful installation and compliance validation.

Quotations must include technical specifications, past performance documentation (up to three projects from the last three to five years), and firm fixed-price quotation with shipping and delivery costs. Evaluation criteria in descending order of importance are Technical Capability, Past Performance, and Price, with non-price factors combined being more important than price. Questions are due June 11. All offerors must maintain active SAM.gov registration at submission and throughout performance. The contracting officer is Robert Cowins at (301) 975-8335 or robert.cowins@nist.gov.