Notice of Intent to Sole Source Superconducting Magnet Power Supplies

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to sole source the procurement of two superconducting magnet power supplies, model SMS120C-4Q-20B, from Cryogenic U.S., LLC, to replace failed units in the 9T and 10T neutron research magnet systems at its Gaithersburg, Maryland facility. This action is justified under FAR Part 12 as a commercial item acquisition where technical compatibility with existing systems is critical and no alternatives can meet the required performance specifications without risking damage to or voiding the warranties of the installed magnets. The power supplies must deliver a minimum of 5 volts and ±120 amps with bipolar operation through zero Tesla, maintain stability within ±3 mA at full load, feature floating (ungrounded) output leads, include a persistent switch heater rated at 5 volts and 100 milliamps maximum, and be electrically compatible with standard 125V, single-phase, 15-amp NEMA 5-15 service. All deliverables must include hard copy and electronic instruction manuals, power cables with NEMA 5-15 plugs, and a one-year warranty, with delivery terms set at FOB Destination or DDP to NIST’s Center for Neutron Research. The solicitation number is NB610030-26-00420, with proposals due by June 12, 2026, at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, and submissions must be sent exclusively via email to Ranae M. Armstrong, Contract Specialist, with a copy to Donald Collie, Contracting Officer. Offers are required to identify the product as COTS, modified COTS, or prototype, disclose any teaming arrangements, and submit non-proprietary documentation including brochures, manuals, technical reports, and demonstration videos. No formal evaluation factors, weights, or competitive scoring methodology apply because the acquisition is non-competitive and based solely on proven compatibility. No contract clauses, packaging or marking requirements, or detailed accounting data are specified in the notice, and the contract value remains undisclosed as this is a pre-solicitation intent notice. The acquisition does not trigger socioeconomic set-asides or require small business certifications, and the government will perform final acceptance testing at the delivery location in Gaithersburg, Maryland, upon verification of all technical criteria.