Silixa Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) & Enclosure

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Cold Regions Research Laboratory (CRREL) intends to award a contract on a sole source basis to Silixa LLC upon the basis of the authority provided at FAR 13.106-1(b).

ERDC-CRREL’s Terrestrial & Cryospheric Sciences Branch at Fort Wainwright, Alaska requires one (1) Silixa Ultima XT Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) with on-board PC, software interface, and four (4) optical channels; one (1) XT-DTS stainless steel enclosure; and one (1) Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) Toolkit. ERDC-CRREL currently have two (2) existing Silixa DTS units used for on-going research projects and require an additional unit for a fiber optic install of a ground source heat pump system project at the Permafrost Tunnel in Alaska.    

Requirements: The Contractor shall provide the following exact brand and models to be fully interoperable with CRREL’s existing units in order to maintain integrity and consistency with data already collected and to connect with portions of CRREL’s fiber optic array: 

• Silixa Ruggedized Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS) (p/n Mk2-XT-DTS):

  • Stand-alone unit with an on-board PC, user-friendly software interface and four (4) optical channels.
  • Temperature resolution from 0.01oC.
  • 25cm spatial sampling and 65cm spatial resolution with a 10km maximum range.
  • Configurable to produce both single-ended and double-ended measurements with minimum measurement time of 1 second.
  • Operational in temperatures ranging from -40oC to +65oC; on solar or wind power without compromising the superior accuracy and reliability.
  • Variable range feature that varies laser repetition rate to optimize temperature resolution for any length fiber.
  • Self-calibrating utility and on-board solid-state storage.
  • Configured and controlled remotely via a wireless or satellite link enabling remote data collection. Configuration for remote access via a wireless or satellite link is also a vital requirement for this system.
  • Low power (12-24V DC).

• XT-DTS ATEX IP66 Enclosure (p/n XT Enclosure):

  • Thermal heat sink design that integrates with XT-DTS chassis to ensure full -40oC to +65oC operating range.
  • Chassis to include an integrated XT-DTS temperature reference chamber for improved calibration.
  • Chassis should be IP66 rated and built with stainless steel.
  • Integrated cell modem for remote communications (requires SIM card/active cell service).
  • Integrated I/O panel to match XT-DTS connections.

• Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (p/n OTDR) Toolkit:

  • AFL FlexScan
  • FS300-325 basic kit
  • Quad OTDR with integrated visual fault locator (VFL), power meter and light source
  • Optical light source/optical power meter (OLS/OPM)
  • Bluetooth/Wi-Fi communications
  • UPC connectors, SM and MM AE2000 fiber rings
  • 850/1300nm Multimode + 1310/1550nm single mode
  • Soft carry case

Silixa LLC has been identified as providing the only DTS equipment reasonably available to meet the Government’s requirement. CRREL owns and operates two (2) Silixa DTS systems currently used in ongoing research projects. It is imperative to procure the same brand and model to enable the unit systems to take accurate measurements and function seamlessly while deployed alongside other interoperable Silixa equipment. The interoperability of the equipment is vital in maintaining integrity and consistency with prior data collected and ensuring the units are able to connect with CRREL’s fiber optic array.  Silixa DTS is the manufacturer and sole distributor of their equipment and no substitutions would be acceptable. As such, no other DTS units on the commercial market can be considered for this requirement.

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334519 – Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing – was determined to best represent this requirement. The small business size standard is 500 employees.

This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations.  However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. Any interested party that believes they can fulfill this requirement should submit a capability statement to be reviewed. All submissions will be considered, however there is no guarantee that submissions in response to this notice will in any way alter the Government's acquisition strategy.

Responses to this notice shall be submitted NLT 12:00 PM CDT, 17 August 2021 to kim.d.roberson@usace.army.mil

Telephone responses will not be accepted.

Responses to this notice will not be considered as a response to any solicitation, a request to be added to a prospective offerors list, or to receive a copy of any solicitation.  A determination by the Government not to compete the contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Note: In order to be eligible for award of a Government contract, vendors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), have no active exclusions, and complete the FAR and DFARS representations and certifications.