NIST ANDOVER DDC System Maintenance

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is conducting market research through a sources sought notice to assess industry capabilities for maintaining Continuum and I/NET building automation systems across nine buildings at its Gaithersburg, Maryland campus. The scope includes preventative maintenance and emergency response services performed twice monthly during business hours Monday through Thursday, excluding federal holidays, with tasks such as diagnostics, data backup, control tuning, and 24-hour emergency support. The anticipated contract, if issued, would have a one-year base period starting August 1, 2026, with four additional one-year option periods extending through July 31, 2031. Responses must be submitted electronically by May 15, 2026, to Brandon Butler at NIST, with a maximum length of ten pages using 12-point font, and must include company information, Unique Entity ID, SAM.gov registration confirmation, and size status under NAICS 541519. Small businesses must address compliance with FAR 52.219-14 regarding limitations on subcontracting, and all respondents are invited to propose alternative NAICS codes or suggest revisions to remove barriers to small business participation. All personnel performing work must comply with stringent security and access protocols including HSPD-12, FIPS 201, and OMB memoranda for physical and IT system access, requiring NIST-issued badges with a 30-day processing lead time and restricted use of only approved data devices. Contractors must submit a Safety Plan, Quality Control Plan, and Preventative Maintenance Schedule prior to work commencement, followed by detailed service reports within five days of each visit. Personnel must undergo a Tier 1 background investigation, and non-U.S. citizens require additional advance notice for site access. NIST will conduct random and routine inspections based on the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and contractor-submitted Quality Control Plan, with acceptance criteria requiring 99% reporting accuracy and zero deficiencies for full compliance. Invoices must be submitted after service completion to the NIST Contracting Office in Gaithersburg, though specific payment systems or accounting codes are not disclosed. The notice does not include evaluation factors, contract value estimates, packaging requirements, or detailed clause language, as it is a pre-solicitation information request aimed at shaping future procurement strategy and ensuring market readiness for a potential firm-fixed-price service contract.