Wavelength Swept Light Source for Photonic Thermometry

The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is soliciting a high-speed wavelength swept light source for photonic thermometry under solicitation number 1333ND26QNB030165, with a response deadline of May 19, 2026. The requirement is for a commercial item under FAR Part 12, awarded via a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology, where technical acceptability is a threshold requirement and price serves solely as the tiebreaker among qualified offers. The primary deliverable is a precision instrument featuring a swept laser operating at 1550 nm ±5 nm with a sweep range of 15 to 70 nm, a sweep frequency of at least 150 Hz, average optical power of 10 mW or higher, and a fiber output with FC/APC connector, all integrated with a four-axis motorized stage controller and compatible software drivers for LabVIEW, MATLAB, or Python. The system must be new, non-prototype, and fully calibrated upon delivery, with all components meeting strict technical parameters including step size ≤1.5 µm, velocity ≤10 mm/s, non-magnetic materials, stack height under 375 mm, and a 4 kg payload capacity. Delivery is due within six months after request for order to NIST’s facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, under FOB Destination terms, meaning the contractor assumes full liability until receipt. Proposals must be submitted in three volumes: Volume I detailing technical compliance with the Statement of Work, Volume II as a separate firm-fixed-price quotation valid for 90 days, and Volume III confirming acceptance of all contract clauses without exceptions. Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov and comply with a comprehensive set of FAR clauses, including deviations in 52.212-1, 52.219-8, and several labor, equal opportunity, and trafficking provisions, all effective with January 2026 deviations, plus the April 2026 deviation for clause 52.222-90 addressing DEI discrimination. Clause 52.203-6 Alternate I governs subcontractor sales restrictions, and the contract includes special provisions such as patent indemnity, warranty of merchantability, termination for convenience or cause, and compliance with laws including the Davis-Bacon Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, and Fly-America