Combined Sources Sought/Notice of Intent to Sole Source: AF UV Spectroradiometer

THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

Announcement Number: NIST-SS26-77

Subject: Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively Acquire AF UV spectroradiometer

This notice is not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested.

This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) via FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing.

BACKGROUND

The semiconductor supply chain is global, specialized, and interconnected. Chipmakers do business with NIST is fulfilling a project with the Air Force (F4FTML5267G001) to characterize and calibrate a new transfer-standard spectroradiometer for disseminating the spectral irradiance scale realized at SURF transferred to deuterium lamps. These spectroradiometer are required to have dual sensors, one for its spectroradiometer and the other for its broadband radiometer.

The acquisition is for two dualsensor spectroradiometers with a back-thinned, cooled CCD array detector for its spectroradiometer and a photodiode for its temperature-controller radiometer.

NIST requires a spectroradiometer with the following capabilities: (1) a minimum spectral range from 190 nm to 430 nm and a bandpass no larger than 1 nm, and  (2) dual-sensor design (a thermoelectric cooled back-thinned CCD array detector with at least 2048 pixels and a photodiode detector with a temperature-controlled radiometric filter).

It is critical to meet these requirements to have the capabilities to disseminate the spectral irradiance scale realized at SURF transferred to deuterium lamps at the lowest possible uncertainty for the Air Force. A bandpass <1 nm is required over the required range to eliminate the need for corrections to data. A narrow bandwidth resolves all the features in the spectrum instead of spreading the energy over several wavelengths. A dual sensor device is required for stability over time. The photodiode is very stable over time but cannot resolve the optical radiation with respect to wavelength like the CCD array.  Combining both in one device creates a capable device that is stable over time.  This manufacturer is the only one found that creates such a device. A one-year long research project funded by the US Air Force allowed NIST researchers to investigate the market comparing more than 5 manufacturers in this area. Based on the market research, no other vendor offers a similar product that meets these requirements. A prototype product is not acceptable.

Multiple companies were found through market research that provide dual-sense spectroradiometers; however, only Gigahertz-Optik was capable of meeting all of NIST’s minimum requirements.

The minimum specifications regarding these items are listed below.

Line Item 0001: Spectroradiometer

Quantity:  1

1. Technical Specifications
2. One (1) spectroradiometer with a minimum spectral range from 190 nm to 430 nm and a bandpass no larger than 1 nm.
3. Calibrated between 200 nm and 430 nm.
4. Dual-sensor design: a thermoelectric cooled back-thinned CCD array detector with at least 2048 pixels and a silicon photodiode detector with a temperature-controlled radiometric filter.
5. 16-bit analog to digital converter for the CCD array detector.
6. Stray light: 0.02 % or lower, plus software stray-light correction.
7. Input optic: on-housing irradiance probe (without using an optical fiber) with a cosine angular response quality index f2 no greater than 3 %.
8. Compact, weather-proof, temperature stabilized housing with dimension no larger than 110 mm x 110 mm x 55 mm (Length x Width x Height).
9. Built-in optical filter wheel with at least 2 positions
10. Electronic shutter with the minimum integration time from 2 microseconds to 60 seconds.
11. Pre-aged components for stability over time.
12. Hardware trigger input port
13. Communication interfaces: USB, Ethernet, RS232, and RS485.
14. Software requirements: LabVIEW support, bandpass correction support, raw data support.

NIST conducted market research from December 2025 – February 2026 by conducting online searches, discussions with sources, and discussions with colleagues to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements.  The results of that market research revealed that Gigahertz-Optik, Inc., 110 Haverhill Rd Bldg B-STE 205, Amesbury, MA 01913-2123 United States, UEI: # ZB94NEFQG8Y6 appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Include only the following information provided below.  Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact no later than 2/25/26, 5:00pm ET.

1. Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI).
2. Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements (Capability Statement).
3. Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization.
4. Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your company’s ability to provide a technically acceptable product.    Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses.
5. For the NAICS code
   1. Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business.  See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information.
   2. If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. 
6.  your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.
7. Describe your company’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section.
8. Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement.
9. Contact the primary and/or secondary point of contact (provided below) if you would like to engage in discussions to gain a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section (provided above).

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice must be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact. Questions must be submitted so that they are received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 2/17/26 to receive a government response prior to the close of this notice. Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. 
2. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. 
3. This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.
4. No award will be made as a result of this notice. 
5. NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.
6. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.