QNet Qubit Controller

Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted

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Solicitation number
NB6720302600349
Agency
National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Commerce
Responses due
Set-aside
No set-aside

Opportunity facts

NAICS code
334513 Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables
PSC
6625 Electrical And Electronic Properties Measuring And Testing Instruments
Place of performance
Boulder, Colorado 80305, United States
Points of contact

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce, is conducting market research through this Request for Information to identify qualified providers of a QNet Qubit Controller—a low-noise, programmable RF and microwave pulse generator capable of generating and synchronizing multiple tones between DC and nominally 16 GHz. This pre-solicitation notice is strictly for information-gathering purposes to determine the availability and capabilities of both small and large businesses in the marketplace. Key technical specifications include output frequency tuning from DC to 16 GHz, multiple synchronized input/output channels, output power exceeding +45 dBm across the full frequency range, phase noise less than -145 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, and the ability to support rack mount or bench top installation with both manual and programmable control interfaces. Interested industry sources are invited to submit responses by March 10, 2026, in Microsoft Word or PDF format with a maximum of four pages (excluding cover page and pricing information) to lia.arthofer@nist.gov, demonstrating their capability to manufacture and deliver this specialized equipment within the required timeline.

This is a sources sought notice with no set-aside designation, meaning all eligible businesses may respond regardless of size classification. NIST anticipates a single unit procurement with a 90-day delivery timeline following receipt of order to the NIST-Boulder facility at Mail Stop 672.03, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305. The equipment will support quantum networking project experiments and microwave-optical transducer device operations at NIST and collaborating institutions including the University of Colorado and the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics. The controller will serve as the experimental interface enabling researchers to employ discrete variable quantum measurement schemes with precise timing control across multiple frequencies and phases. While specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in this pre-solicitation notice, acceptance testing is expected to require 15 business days with manufacturer warranty coverage included in the base requirements.

Notice text

Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice for providers of QNet Qubit Controller

Notice ID: NB672030-26-00349 

Contract Opportunity Type-Sources Sought 

Response Date 

03/10/2026 

Product Service Code 

6625—Electrical and Electronic Properties Measuring and Testing Instruments  

NAICS Code 

334513 – Instrument and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables 

BACKGROUND 

This is a notice to request information from industry to help the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) determine the availability and capability of small businesses and other than small businesses to provide a QNet Qubit Controller, low noise, programmable, RF and microwave pulse generator with capability to generate and synchronize multiple tones between DC and nominally 16 GHz.     

This notice is strictly to request information for market research purposes to help NIST determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for this requirement. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation, an obligation, or commitment by the NIST. 

OVERVIEW 

The NIST has a need for a QNet Qubit Controller. See attached Specifications document. 

ANTICIPATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE/DELIVERY 

NIST anticipates the QNet Qubit Controller with deliver 90 days after receipt of order (ARO). 

INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM INDUSTRY SOURCES: 

NIST invites industry sources to review this notice carefully and to familiarize themselves with the Specifications document. Thereafter, by the closing date of this notice, NIST encourages those sources to submit responses to lia.arthofer@nist.gov. Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in a response to this notice.  

Responses should be submitted to contain the following, in Microsoft Word format or in .pdf format, use 12-point font, with a page limitation of four (4) pages (excluding cover page and excluding standard commercial pricing information): 

  1. Cover page, including: 

  • Sources Sought Notice number, title, and date of issuance 

  • Unique Entity ID 

  • Company name 

  • Company address 

  • Company website address 

  • Company points of contact and their phone number and email address 

  • Validation of company size status under NAICS: 334513 – Instrument and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables. See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information.  

  • Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov. 

  1. Provide any suggestions for NIST to consider for the Specifications document, with the goal of improving the Specifications in a way that makes it more clear and as competitive as possible.  

  1. Provide any suggested evaluation factors for award that your company believes would be meaningful for NIST to consider using for the forthcoming competitive acquisition. 

  1. If your company has standard commercial pricing information (e.g., “catalog pricing”) for its standard commercial products/services, please provide a copy of it and explain what it includes. NIST will consider standard commercial pricing information to help it estimate a fair market price for the upcoming acquisition. 

  • Your company may also provide an estimate for the Specification requirements if you would like to do so; however, do not include a quotation for the specification's requirements; a quotation submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.  

  1. Tell us about your company’s experience with providing a similar QNet Qubit Controller.  

  1. Tell us about your company’s capability to provide a QNet Qubit Controller. 

  1. If your company is a small business for the NAICS code included in this notice, indicate whether your company can comply with FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022), if this acquisition were to be conducted as a total small business set-aside and provide supporting explanation. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_219_14 for the full text of this clause. 

  1. Indicate whether your company has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract or other federal contract under which NIST would be authorized to place an order and, if so, provide a copy of that contract (including contract number, name and contact information for contracting officer, contract SOW, contract terms and conditions and contract prices). 

The NIST reserves the right to follow up on a one-on-one basis with respondents to request additional information or clarifications about information submitted. 

Teaming Arrangements 

Firms seeking to respond to this notice as part of a team must include the above-requested information for each entity.  

Disclaimer 

Industry sources must provide information in response to this notice voluntarily, and for fully authorized use without limitation by NIST. This notice does not obligate NIST to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to help NIST assess alternatives available for the potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that NIST is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received and other market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on sam.gov or on GSA ebuy, depending on the approved acquisition strategy. Responses received after the closing date for this notice may not be considered for market research purposes. 

Attachments

Files attached to this notice, newest first
File Type Posted
Specifications.pdf PDF

Notice history

Notices posted for this opportunity, newest first
Notice Type Posted
QNet Qubit Controller Latest solicitation Solicitation
QNet Qubit Controller This notice · Original Pre-Solicitation

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