High Purity Gas Dilution System

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to award a sole-source, firm-fixed price purchase order to Environics, Inc. of Tolland, CT for a High Purity Gas Dilution System under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901, as part of Project 1.03 (Grand Challenge 1) Metrology for Materials Purity, Properties, and Provenance. This procurement supports the development of SI-traceable gas standards with ultra-low impurities critical to the semiconductor industry under the CHIPS Act. The system must be a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) unit, specifically the Environics Series 4040, as it is the only product on the market that fully meets the mandatory technical specifications: NIST-traceable mass flow controllers with dilution uncertainty under 1% and stability under 0.5%; all internal wetted surfaces constructed of electropolished 316L stainless steel with SilcoNert coating to prevent contamination; and exclusively 1/4-inch VCR metal gasket face seal fittings. No custom, modified, or prototype systems are acceptable, and resellers or distributors are prohibited—purchase must be direct from the manufacturer. The procurement is non-competitive and based on sole-source justification due to the absence of any other domestic small business capable of providing a compliant system. Environics, Inc. is confirmed as a U.S. small business under NAICS code 334516 with a 1,000-employee size standard. The system will be delivered to NIST’s facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with acceptance criteria defined by the technical specifications themselves, including full calibration documentation and verified performance metrics. There is no solicitation package issued, no formal evaluation factors beyond pass/fail compliance, no pricing data provided, and no contract clauses or attachments referenced in this presolicitation notice. The response deadline is July 10, 2026, and submissions must be directed to the contracting office in Gaithersburg, with no electronic portal specified. Payment, invoicing, shipping terms, packaging requirements, and specific contracting officer or technical representative information are not detailed in the notice, reflecting its preliminary status as a notice of intent prior to formal award.