Sources Sought GPS / Rubidium Standards & HV Power Supply

SOURCES SOUGHT: THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR QUOTATION BUT INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY!  This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government.  All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary and the Government will not pay for information requested, nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government.

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Dean of Faculty Department of Physics (DFPM) has a requirement to purchase a set of electrical equipment of varying types to include: eight (8) high voltage power supplies with eight (8) cables, two (2) GPS frequency standards with two (2) external antennae, and one (1) Rubidium (Rb) frequency standard. The electrical equipment will be used by Cadets in support of USAFA’s extensive research efforts in experimental atomic physics, laser spectroscopy, and quantum computing. The electrical equipment will strongly impact and support several ongoing funded research projects in Atomic Physics and Laser Spectroscopy, as well as the proposed new Quantum Information Science minor, and the Nuclear Physics minor, for Cadets.

The proposed contract is contemplated as a firm-fixed price contract.

The Government is interested in any size business that is capable of fulfilling this requirement in its entirety. However, if an interested contractor is not able to supply all items of the requirement, but can supply part of the requirement, then the contractor’s capabilities package should include a detailed description of which item(s) can be supplied.

Based upon primary consideration given to the relative value and importance of the components of the requirement, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code proposed is 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The size standard is 1,000 employees.

The High Voltage Power Supplies and Cables must meet the following salient characteristics:

• HV up to at least 20 kV;
• plus or minus polarity available; each individual supply can be just one polarity, and we would get pairs, one of each polarity;
• individual supplies settable to one or the other polarity is acceptable;
• constant voltage and constant current regulation control;
• current at full voltage at least 1 mA;
• voltage ripple less than 0.01% of output voltage;
• stability better than 0.01% = 100 ppm in an hour, after warm-up;
• temperature drift less than 100 ppm/°C;
• 100% duty cycle at full voltage and full current;
• benchtop style device fully controllable from front panel controls; not a "module";
• front panel meters for voltage and current;
• short circuit and arc protected;
• powered by 120 VAC;
• 8 of these power supplies are needed (4 of plus polarity and 4 of minus polarity, or all 8 settable to either plus or minus); and
• 8 matching 2 m to 3 m long 20 kV cables are needed (4 cables with 20 kV connectors on each end and 4 cables with a 20 kV connector on one end and bare wire on the other end).

The GPS Frequency Standards with External Antennae must meet the following salient characteristics:

• GPS disciplined 10 MHz output;
• at least four sine wave outputs;
• GPS disciplined 1 pulse per s output;
• external GNSS antenna included;
• internal OCXO oven crystal oscillator;
• USB computer control, with software app;
• disciplined frequency accuracy less than 1x10-12 in 24 hours; and
• tracks any of three satellite constellations:  GPS, GLONOSS, Galileo.

The Rubidium (Rb) Frequency Standard must meet the following salient characteristics:

• Rb oscillator 10 MHz output;
• at least two sine wave outputs;
• at least one output with 1 pulse per s;
• 1 pulse per s input to lock the Rb oscillator to an external GPS frequency standard;
• frequency accuracy aging less than 5x10-10 in one year; and
• USB computer control, with software app.

Delivery is FOB Destination to USAF Academy, CO 80840.

Market research is being conducted to determine interest, capability, and socio-economic category of potential sources for the requirement.  The government requests interested parties submit in your capabilities package:

• Unique Entity Identification (UEI)
• Make/model description and any related specifications/product drawings

Please note:  All contractors doing business with the Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database, and are required to maintain an “active” status.  The website for registration is www.sam.gov.

Responses may be submitted electronically to Amy Krause, Contract Specialist, at amy.krause.1@us.af.mil AND Jonathan Tringali, Contracting Officer, at jonathan.tringali.1@us.af.mil.  Mail and telephone responses will not be accepted.

RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN:  8 July 2025, 1000 MDT

THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION AND NO QUOTES ARE REQUESTED.

Future information about this acquisition, including issuance of a quotation and/or applicable amendments, will be issued through www.sam.gov.  Interested parties are responsible for ensuring they have the most up-to-date information regarding this acquisition.