Notice of Intent to Sole Source Fourier Transform Spectrometer Service

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with Bruker Scientific, LLC., located in Billerica, MA, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 6.302-1, soliciting from a single source, for a pulse tube cryocooler.

Specific Requirements are as follows:

The Contractor shall provide services that meet all technical specifications identified below.   

Line Item 0001: 

Description: HeNe Laser Alignment 

Quantity: 1 

a. Technical Specifications 

b. Ensure laser is operational 

c. Ensure proper laser placement 

d. Make sure HeNe laser is aligned through interferometer  

Description: Interferometer Re-alignment 

Quantity: 1 

a. Technical Specifications 

b. Run diagnostics on FTS 

c. Ensure internal detector signal is sufficient 

d. If the signal is insufficient determine cause 

e. If the cause is the interferometer alignment, realign the interferometer 

f. If the cause is something else, work to remedy the issues. 

Description: Onsite Service Visit 

Quantity: 1 

a. Technical Specifications 

b. Travel to NIST Boulder, CO is required for a 2-day onsite service. 

NAICS Code is 811210 –Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance with a Size Standard of $34M. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Bruker Scientific for this requirement.

Interested parties that can demonstrate they could satisfy the requirement listed above for NIST must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. If competitive procedures are not used it is estimated that an award will be issued by June 15, 2026. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to lisa.stevens@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to lisa.stevens@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein this posting.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN COMPETITION:

The NIST Sources and Detectors group operates a Bruker Vertex 70 Fourier Transform Spectrometer. The instrument is not currently operating properly, most likely because the internal optics have become mis-aligned over time. Troubleshooting needs to be done, and the optics need to be re-aligned. This work must be performed by Bruker trained service technicians. The FTS is a laboratory research instrument located in the NIST Boulder, CO facility. It is used to provide reflectance measurements for high-absorptance samples used for a variety of purposes including developing new primary radiometric standards for calibration services and measurements of solar irradiance and Earth outgoing radiance. Only Bruker trained service technicians can complete the service because of proprietary components in the system.