High-Performance Optical Atomic Clocks

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking quotations for two high-performance, robust optical atomic clocks to enhance the timescale in Boulder, Colorado, which supports UTC(NIST), the official U.S. realization of Coordinated Universal Time. This requirement is issued under solicitation number NB688000-26-02388, with all submissions required to reference this number. The clocks must meet stringent performance and reliability standards to ensure long-term accuracy and stability for national timekeeping operations. Proposals are due by August 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET, and the solicitation was posted on August 7, 2026, as a combined synopsis and request for quotation. The contracting activity is managed by NIST’s Acquisition Management Division in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with performance taking place in Boulder, Colorado. The North American Industry Classification System code is 334519, indicating this is a procurement for other electronic instrumentation manufacturing. The primary point of contact is Angela Hitt, reachable by phone or email for inquiries. No set-aside designation applies, meaning the opportunity is open to all qualified vendors. The contract will support critical infrastructure tied to national time standards, making precision, durability, and seamless integration with existing systems key evaluation criteria for all submissions.