Sources Sought Notice of Intent to Sole Source for a High Band Current Measuring Amplifier

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the U.S. Department of Commerce, has issued a Sources Sought Notice of Intent to Sole Source for a high-band current measuring amplifier system, identified by solicitation number NIST-SS26-163, posted on July 21, 2026, with responses due by August 5, 2026. This notice is a market research initiative aimed at determining whether commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions exist that meet NIST’s technical requirements for a multi-channel, high-bandwidth measurement amplifier to support single-molecule biodosimetry research. The system must be a turn-key 4-channel device capable of 1 MHz acquisition bandwidth with low-noise performance compatible with the existing Chimera VC100 platform and nanopore measurement setups, and is intended for performance at NIST’s facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, ZIP 20899. The notice does not constitute a formal solicitation or contract award; rather, it seeks industry input on capability, pricing, and availability to determine whether a sole source procurement from a single vendor—potentially Chimera Instruments LLC—is justified or if competitive acquisition should be pursued. The acquisition is governed by FAR 52.219-14 regarding limitations on subcontracting, and respondents must be registered in SAM.gov with a valid Unique Entity Identifier and provide their size status under NAICS code 334515 for small business consideration. Offerors are required to submit comprehensive responses via email in Microsoft Word, PDF, or Excel formats, detailing their company summary, product capabilities, commercial pricing, and any existing government contract vehicles they utilize. No formal evaluation factors, award criteria, contract value estimates, packaging requirements, or inspection protocols have been established, as this is strictly a pre-solicitation market research notice. The government has not yet defined the basis of award, whether for lowest price technically acceptable or best value, nor has it finalized contract type or delivery terms. While no special contract clauses or mandatory military standards are included at this stage, potential considerations under review include Buy American Act compliance, domestic content levels, and adherence to commercial item definitions. All submissions are directed to Elizabeth Timberlake and Donald Collie at NIST, with no submission portal or physical delivery requirement.