Cryogen-Free 4K Cryostat Supply and Integration

The contract seeks the supply and integration of a commercial-off-the-shelf cryogen-free cryostat designed to achieve operating temperatures of 3.5 K or lower while delivering at least 500 milliwatts of cooling power at 4.2 K, specifically for use in metrology applications tied to Josephson Voltage Standards. The system must be fully self-contained, eliminating the need for liquid cryogens, and must meet stringent performance and reliability criteria required for precision voltage measurements in a laboratory environment. Integration efforts will focus on ensuring seamless compatibility with existing NIST metrology infrastructure, including control systems, data acquisition, and thermal management protocols. This is a small business set-aside subcontract under NAICS code 333318, issued by the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with performance to take place at the Gaithersburg, Maryland facility. The opportunity is open to small businesses only, as defined by the Small Business Administration, and the submission deadline is July 20, 2026. The contract aims to modernize and sustain NIST’s capabilities in quantum voltage standards by leveraging commercial technology that meets exacting scientific and operational requirements without reliance on consumable cryogens.