RFQ for Laser System and Digital Laser Locking Device

The U.S. Naval Observatory is soliciting a single high-power 423nm laser system and one digital laser locking device under solicitation N0018926QL108, with a firm fixed-price contract structure and a total small business set-aside under FAR 19.5, restricted to small businesses meeting the 1000-employee size standard for NAICS code 334516. The 423nm laser must deliver at least 1000mW output power with a linewidth under 1 Hz, a tuning range of 15 GHz, and optical isolation, while the digital laser locking device must incorporate auto-tuning and Pound-Drever-Hall stabilization with a PID loop delay of less than 10 nanoseconds. Both items must be delivered as fully integrated, calibrated, turn-key systems operable in a laboratory without user intervention, with performance required within five months of contract award. Delivery is to the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, under FOB Origin terms, meaning the contractor is responsible for preparing and making the items available at their facility, while the government handles and pays for transportation via NAVSUP WSS. All items require unique identification with a two-dimensional Data Matrix symbol compliant with ISO/IEC 16022 (ECC 200), encoding enterprise identifier, serial number, and original part number per ISO/IEC 15434 and 15418, with marking verified against MIL-STD-130. Shipment labels must comply with MIL-STD-129. Technical compliance is evaluated as a binary pass/fail gate—offers must be deemed acceptable to proceed; price is then used to determine award among technically acceptable responses, with the government reserving the right to select the best value, not necessarily the lowest price. Proposals must include a technical component and a separate price submission, submitted electronically by May 6, 2026, to the designated email, with no hand-carried submissions permitted. Offerors must hold an active SAM registration, provide a UEI and CAGE code, certify compliance with anti-trafficking and foreign unmanned aircraft prohibitions, and meet all small business representation requirements, including joint venture disclosures if applicable. Payment must be processed through WAWF using approved document types, and no payment or accounting details are specified until award. The Government will perform final inspection and acceptance at the delivery location, verifying compliance with