QNet Qubit Controller

The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a single QNet Qubit Controller through a Request for Quote with solicitation number NB6720302600349, issued on April 24, 2026, with responses due by April 29, 2026. The device is a low-noise, programmable RF and microwave pulse generator capable of operating from DC to 16 GHz per channel, designed to support NIST’s quantum networking research by synchronizing precise microwave tones to drive optical modulators and penetrate dilution refrigerators. Key technical requirements include output power greater than +5 dBm across the full frequency range, phase noise below -145 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, and delivery of a unit with N-Type or 2.92 mm coaxial connectors. The contract involves a single unit, with deliveries permitted to either NIST-Boulder, CO, or NIST-Gaithersburg, MD, though acceptance will occur at the Gaithersburg location as specified in the contract clause. The solicitation references FAR 52.212-4 for commercial item terms and does not cite external industry standards, placing emphasis on adherence to the detailed specifications in Attachment 2. The contract incorporates a broad set of federal acquisition regulations, including mandatory clauses on ethical conduct, whistleblower protections, trafficking in persons, drug-free workplaces, and Buy American preferences under Alternate II. Special requirements include strict compliance with government shutdown procedures, requiring work cessation during lapses in appropriations unless designated as excepted, and daily checks of NIST campus status. All contractor personnel accessing NIST facilities must be U.S. citizens, and foreign nationals require 30-day pre-registration. Invoicing is mandatory through the U.S. Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform, with no use of WAWF, and invoices must be submitted electronically to INVOICE@NIST.GOV with ten required elements including contract number, CLIN, UEI, and tax ID. No contract value or pricing data is provided, and while the contract type is implied to be firm fixed price due to the RFQ format, it is not explicitly stated. Evaluation criteria and proposal formatting details are contained in Attachment 1, which must be followed by all respondents, while all representations and certifications are incorporated by reference through FAR clauses, requiring offerors to affirm compliance with responsibility, tax, and socioeconomic status requirements.