High-Precision Laser Wavelength Meter Supply and Delivery

NIST is seeking a subcontractor to supply and deliver a high-accuracy laser wavelength meter designed for quantum logic spectroscopy as part of the Chronos initiative. The instrument must achieve a frequency accuracy of no worse than 10 MHz and a resolution of no more than 1 MHz, ensuring the precision required for cutting-edge atomic timekeeping and fundamental physics experiments. The device will be used in Boulder, Colorado, where NIST conducts its primary time and frequency research, and must meet stringent technical benchmarks to support ongoing advancements in optical clocks and quantum measurement systems. The solicitation was posted on July 21, 2026, with a deadline for responses set for July 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM. This contract falls under NAICS code 334516, which classifies it within the manufacturing of instruments and related products for laboratory and scientific use. While no set-aside provisions are specified, the procurement is structured as a subcontract under the Department of Commerce, with performance location clearly designated in Boulder. The contract aims to acquire a single, highly specialized instrument critical to NIST’s mission of maintaining and improving the nation’s time and frequency standards, and potential offerors must demonstrate the ability to deliver a system that meets exacting metrological requirements.