Intent to Sole Source: Maintenance Support for NIST SPHERE UV Lamp Systems

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE
Maintenance Support for NIST 2m and 6-Port SPHERE UV Lamp Systems

Announcement Type: Special Notice
Announcement Number: NIST-NOI-26-7301176
Subject: Maintenance Support for NIST 2m and 6-Port SPHERE UV Lamp Systems
NAICS: 811210 - Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance
PSC: J066 – Maintenance/Repair of Instruments and Laboratory Equipment

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

Purpose
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate a firm-fixed priced purchase order on a sole source basis with Excelitas Technologies Corp. located at 910 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878-1357. The purchase order will be for Maintenance Support for NIST 2m and 6-Port SPHERE UV Lamp Systems. The period of performance will be September 21, 2026 through September 20, 2028 (two years).

Authority
This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR RFO Part 12.102(a) and 41 USC 1901, allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 811210 - Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance with a small business size standard of $34 Million.

Description
The Contractor shall provide support for the UV light systems associated with the NIST 2m and two 6-Port SPHEREs at the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, MD. For all support services, the Contractor shall provide repair plans to the NIST Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) in advance of repairs and, within five days following repairs, a completed repairs report summarizing all actions taken and confirmation of system functionality.

1. Annual Contract Maintenance
   
   Preventative Routine Maintenance
   Once per year, the Contractor shall visit the NIST Gaithersburg, MD campus to perform routine maintenance and replace all consumable parts associated with the SPHERE UV light systems (including magnetrons, bulbs, dichroic reflectors) in accordance with manufacturer specifications. Preventative routine maintenance shall be performed within NIST’s normal operation hours of 8:30 AM through 5:00 PM in the time zone appropriate to Gaithersburg, MD. Visits shall be scheduled in advance with the NIST COR. The Contractor is responsible for all travel, labor, and supplies for these visits.
   
   As-Needed Maintenance

As needed, the Contractor shall provide maintenance services which include evaluation of overall system condition; ensuring optimal operating voltages and operation of interlocks and air pressures; measuring test point and A/D readings; cleaning and inspecting the lamp cavity; performance of minor repairs as needed; and provision of operator use and basic maintenance training as needed throughout the year. As-needed maintenance may be performed at the NIST site or at the Contractor site. If maintenance is performed at the Contractor site in Gaithersburg, MD, NIST will transport the equipment to and from the Contractor site.

2. One Annual Line-Down Support Service
 

Once annually, the Contractor shall provide all travel, labor, and supplies required to return the SPHERE UV systems to full operation following notification of a line-down situation. This service shall include provision of a loaner system while the existing systems are being repaired.

3. Telephone and Email Support

The Contractor shall provide unlimited telephone and email support for the covered equipment during business hours.
 

4. Scope of Work Communications

Any work that is beyond the scope of this Statement of Work (for example if support beyond routine maintenance and minor repairs is required during a Routine Maintenance and Replacement of Consumable Parts Visit or if more than one line-down support service is needed annually) shall be immediately brought to the attention of both the NIST COR and Contracting Officer for review. Work beyond the scope of this Statement of Work shall not be performed without written authorization from a NIST Contracting Officer.
 

Sole Source Determination
The sole source determination is based on the following:
 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Engineering Laboratory (EL) has unique devices, the NIST 2m and 6-Port SPHEREs. These devices utilize high intensity ultraviolet (UV) lights and an integrating sphere to provide a uniform and stable light source. This light source is then used to exposure samples inside NIST developed environmental chambers to temperature, relative humidity and UV light over long periods of time. Almost every project in the NIST EL Infrastructure Materials Group has milestones associated with the NIST SPHERE.

A key component to the NIST SPHERE devices is the UV lights, Excelitas Technologies Corp. I600 or LH6 lights. The lights are in operation approximately 95% of the time and require routine maintenance to ensure continued full and uninterrupted performance. The UV lights are proprietary to their original manufacturer, Excelitas Technologies Corp.  Excelitas Technologies Corp. is the only provider of maintenance and parts for these lights.  Excelitas Technologies Corp. has no authorized resellers capable of providing the required service and replacement. Further, any attempted repair on the I600 or LH6 lights by a vendor other than Excelitas Technologies Corp. may result in an unnecessary loss of equipment warranty as well as SPHERE device exposure capability.

Accordingly, Excelitas Technologies Corp. is the only capable contractor and a sole source acquisition is required.
 

Information for Interested Parties
Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing by or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation.

Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Ms. Lauren Roller, Contract Specialist, at Lauren.Roller@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted via email to Lauren.Roller@nist.gov so that they are received no later than May 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time.

Each response should include the following Business Information:

1. Contractor Name, Address,
2. Point of Contact Name, Phone Number, and Email address
3. Contractor DUNS
4. Contractor Business Classification (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, hubZone, veteran owned, etc.) as validated in System for Award Management (SAM). All offerors must have an active registration in www.SAM.gov.
5. Capability Statement