Combined Sources Sought Notice of Intent to Sole Source Air Cooled Helium Compressor

NIST-SS26-04 

6640 / 333912  

Primary POC: Liz Timberlake (Elizabeth.timberlake@nist.gov)  

Secondary POC: Forest Crumpler (forest.crumpler@nist.gov)   

Title:  Air Cooled Helium Compressor 

BACKGROUND 

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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a air cooled helium compressor. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Bluefors Cryocooler Technologies Inc. (Syracuse, NY) under the authority of FAR 12.102(a) only one reasonably found source. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 333912.   

NIST has a need for a air cooled helium compressor that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications: 

The Contractor shall provide one (1) air cooled helium compressor that meet the following minimum specifications: 

General Performance Requirements 

• The compressor shall be designed to provide continuous, reliable operation for cryogenic cooling systems used in QHRS applications. 

• The system shall support year-round, 24/7 operation with high uptime and minimal scheduled maintenance. 

• The compressor shall be compatible with the cryogenic system currently used for the primary realization of the ohm. 

Cooling and Operational Requirements 

• The compressor shall provide a helium gas low pressure of 220 ± 5 psig and high pressure of 250 ± 5 psig to support continuous operation of the connected cryogenic system. 

• The compressor shall be able to operate a PT405 cryo-refrigerator and cool down the cryocooler system to a base pressure of less than 3 Kelvin. 

• The compressor shall be air-cooled and NOT require external water-cooling infrastructure. 

Noise, Vibration, and Interference 

• The system shall not transfer mechanical vibrations to the connected cryogenic system. 

• The compressor shall not introduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) that could impact precision electrical measurements. 

Integration and Compatibility 

• The compressor shall be able to integrate with a PT405 two stage pulse tube cryocooler system. 

• The compressor shall be compatible with and be able to cool down a system using a PT405 pulse tube cryocooler. 

The system shall include all necessary hoses, fittings, and interconnects required for installation and operation. 

• Electrical power requirements shall be 200/230 VAC 3 Ph, 60 Hz compatible with standard laboratory infrastructure in the United States. 

Control and Monitoring 

• The compressor shall include integrated monitoring of key operating parameters, including pressure, temperature, and system status. 

• The system shall provide fault detection, alarms, and automatic shutdown in the event of unsafe operating conditions. 

• Remote monitoring and control capability shall be provided via standard communication interfaces (RS485 or ethernet) 

Reliability and Maintenance 

• The compressor shall be designed for long service intervals with minimal routine maintenance. 

• The system shall include all required consumables for initial operation and recommended maintenance intervals shall be documented. 

Physical and Installation Requirements 

• The compressor shall be suitable for installation in a laboratory environment and fit within standard facility space constraints of  5 ft × 5 ft × 5 ft. 

• The system shall be rack-mountable or floor-standing with appropriate vibration isolation features. 

• The contractor shall provide all necessary installation documentation and requirements. 

Documentation and Deliverables 

• The system shall include complete user manuals, maintenance manuals, and technical specifications. 

• The contractor shall provide installation guidance and recommended operating procedures. 

• Training or technical support documentation shall be included. 

NIST conducted market research from January and February 2026 by attending conferences, speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements.  The results of that market research revealed that only Bluefors Cryocooler Technologies Inc. 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. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response.  Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact posted at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice 12:00pm EST May 11,2026. 

• 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). 

• Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements. 

• Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization. 

• 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 firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why.  Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses. 

• For the NAICS code  

• 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. 

• 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.  

• If 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. 

• Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section. 

• Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement. 

• Please let us know if you would like to engage to get 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.  

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE 

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 12:00pm Eastern Time on May 1,2026.  Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline. 

IMPORTANT NOTES

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.   

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.   

This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations. 

No award will be made as a result of this notice.   

NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. 

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate. 

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request.