Sole Source Justification for Electrochemical Cells for TEM-X-ray Scattering

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is pursuing a sole source procurement under FAR 6.301(b) and 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) for an Electrochemical Liquid TEM Holder with Heating/Cooling to support CHIPS R&D Metrology Grant Challenge Project 7.03. This acquisition is justified because only Protochips, Inc. can supply a commercially available system meeting all mandatory technical specifications, including thermoelectric cooling from -50°C to 300°C, a self-aligning window interface with a single o-ring hermetic seal, an integrated replaceable Ag/AgCl reference electrode, a fluid delivery system for solution exchange and gas removal, and software for real-time drift correction and metadata integration—all without requiring liquid nitrogen. Market research confirmed no other sources exist, and the Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) is publicly available for at least 30 days following award as required by FAR 6.301(c)(3). The contract will be awarded on a firm-fixed-price basis under simplified acquisition procedures, with performance taking place at NIST’s Gaithersburg, Maryland, facility, and a total period of performance of 18 months encompassing delivery, installation, training, and a minimum one-year warranty. The procurement is not subject to any set-aside, and while attachments such as the JOFOC and market research documentation are referenced, no specific contract clauses, evaluation factors, pricing line items, packaging requirements, payment details, or offeror certifications are included in the documentation. The contracting office, part of NIST’s Acquisition Management Division, is located in Gaithersburg, MD 20899, with primary point of contact Nina Lin and secondary contact Donald Collie. An independent government cost estimate exists but its value is not disclosed, and the contract’s total dollar value remains unspecified. The sole source determination is based entirely on the uniqueness of the required technology and the absence of alternative suppliers capable of fulfilling the technical requirements.