Quantum Sensors Millimeter- Wave Vector Network Analyzer NB687000-26-01055

Project Title: Quantum Sensors Millimeter-Wave Vector Network Analyzer Notice ID: NB687000-26-01055 NAICS Code: 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. It is a market research tool being used to determine potential and eligible business firms that can provide the product described herein prior to determining the method of acquisition. The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on vendors that can provide a vector network analyzer. This announcement is not a Request for Proposals or Quotes (RFP/RFQ) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. The information contained in this notice is DRAFT only and, as such, is subject to change prior to the issuance of a solicitation. No solicitation is available currently. Additionally, the Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources because of this Sources Sought announcement. The results of this Sources Sought will be utilized to determine if any Small Business Set-aside opportunities exist. All Small Business Set-aside categories will be considered. In addition, this market research tool is being used to identify potential and eligible firms, of all sizes, who manufacture the vector network analyzer in the U.S. prior to determining the method of acquisition and issuance of a solicitation. After the results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive or non-competitive procurement on the System for Award Management (sam.gov) and subsequently award a contract. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage that can fulfill the requirement, in accordance with the Specifications, then this acquisition shall be solicited as a small business set aside, however, NIST is seeking responses from ALL responsible sources, including large and small businesses. Responses should include the country where the product is manufactured. This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. Interested business organizations that believe they can meet the requirements should submit electronic copies of their capability statement. Please limit responses to four (4) pages or less. Responses should include the following information: Name of the company that will provide the product(s). Name of the company that will manufacture the product. County of origin or manufacture of the product. Spec/data sheets and examples of products that meet the specifications that demonstrate experience in meeting the requirements of this procurement. Typical lead time to deliver the product after receipt of order Any other relevant information that is not listed above that the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research. (Company sales brochures or marketing packages will not be considered.) Any proprietary information should be so marked. The written capability statement should be received by the Contract Specialist, de Ionne Jones, via email at deionne.jones@nist.gov no later than the date and time posted in this notice. No quotes will be accepted at this time and will not be considered. REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW: See the attached Statement of Requirements document.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with Keysight Technologies, Inc., located in Boulder, CO, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source, for physical property measurement system services. Specific Requirements are as follows: NIST-Boulder conducts state-of-the-art development and characterization of millimeter-wave quantum sensors and support the most sensitive millimeter-wave research done at NIST and the world. Direct, coherent millimeter-wave measurements require a low-noise vector network analyzer (VNA) capable of operation up to 20 GHz with the appropriate ports to operate and measure frequencies up to 1.1 THz using frequency extenders (often called VNA Extenders). NIST s associated VNA is nearing its end of life and requires replacement. NIST already has over $1M invested in such millimeter-wave extenders, so a drop-in replacement is required to avoid significant additional costs and delays. NAICS Code is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a Size Standard of 1,000 employees. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Quantum Design, Inc.for this requirement. Interested parties that can demonstrate they could satisfy the requirement listed above for NIST must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. If competitive procedures are not used it is estimated that an award will be issued by May 11, 2026. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to deionne.jones@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to deionne.jones@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein this posting. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN COMPETITION: The Government s existing hardware and software are explicitly compatible with Keysight VNAs. NIST already has over $1M invested in millimeter-wave extenders, as well as associated hardware and software, for these measurements. A drop-in replacement of the VNA is required to avoid significant additional costs and delays. Only the Keysight Technologies Inc. VNA with option 020 offers a demonstrated drop-in replacement. We estimate that to accomplish our goals with alternative VNAs would cause several months of delays and an estimated $200,000 in extra costs in labor, hardware, and software development and thus does not represent best value to the Government. It is also possible that the alternative VNAs do not work at all with the NIST existing hardware, as has not been previously demonstrated. Critically, the identified alternative VNAs do not meet our performance specs. Only the Keysight Technologies Inc. N5222B-419 with the UNY (Enhanced low phase noise option) meets our critical phase-noise requirements when using the internal VNA source as outlined in the SOR.