Upgrade of the Cold Neutron Imaging Instrument, Phase Grating Roll Alignment System

The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is seeking a 100% small business set-aside for the procurement of three high-precision rotation stages to upgrade the Cold Neutron Imaging Instrument’s Phase Grating Roll Alignment System. Each stage must achieve a resolution better than 0.00005 degrees, support a 100g to 150g grating mass, maintain a total system mass under 1 kg, and enable full 360-degree rotation with zero backlash while incorporating powered-off position holding to retain alignment during power loss. The stages must include a clear aperture to permit unattenuated neutron beam passage and be paired with 10-meter-long cabling, motion sensors capable of sub-0.00001-degree angular resolution, motion control hardware, and an SDK-based C/C++/C# or .NET software suite for system control. The system must be delivered in its final, fully functional form by December 31, 2026, with no prototypes, refurbished units, or demonstration models accepted. Proposals must be submitted as a firm-fixed-price quotation via email to robert.singman@nist.gov by June 23, 2026, structured into three volumes: technical capability documentation with explicit citations to requirements, a separate price quote per CLIN, and completed compliance documentation for all applicable clauses. Compliance with FAR provisions including Buy American, DEI nondiscrimination, combating trafficking in persons, and sustainable procurement is mandatory, and all vendors must maintain an active SAM.gov registration. The award will go to the lowest-priced technically acceptable offeror, with acceptance to occur at NIST’s Gaithersburg, Maryland facility after performance validation under operational conditions. Payment is issued 100% upon acceptance, following submission of an invoice to INVOICE@NIST.GOV containing full CLIN and UEI details, and title transfers to NIST upon formal acceptance.