Procurement of Ring and Core Laser System

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for the procurement of a Ring and Core Laser System for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to be utilized by the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at their Gaithersburg, MD campus. The system is intended to advance research in metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) processes by quantifying and disseminating high-quality data on laser-matter interaction physics.

• A Ring and Core Laser System as detailed in the incorporated Requirements Document.

• Optical Characteristics: CW/Modulated operation, ≥1500 W output power, 1070 nm ± 10 nm wavelength, <±1% power instability over 8 hours, ≤5 μs switching ON/OFF time, up to 100 kHz power modulation rate.

• Optical Output: Beam Quality (M2) <1.1 mm, Fiber diameter ≈15 μm, Ring fiber diameter <60 μm.

• Electrical Characteristics: Operating voltage 200-240 VAC, single phase, 50/60 Hz.

• General Characteristics: Cabinet height <225 mm, 19" rack-mountable, full operation over RS-232, Ethernet, or analog input.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed-price purchase order (PO).

• Delivery: FOB Destination, within the vendor's standard commercial lead time, but no later than 15 weeks after contractor receipt of order.

• Warranty: Standard commercial item warranty.

• Payment: 100% after receipt and acceptance by the SME of the fully delivered system.

• Offer Due Date: June 30, 2026, 12:00 PM ET.

• Submission Method: Electronic quotations via email to robert.cowins@nist.gov. Reference RFQ number in the subject line.

• Inquiries Due Date: June 24, 2026.

• Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the responsible Offeror whose offer is most advantageous to the Government, based on the following factors in descending order of importance: 1) Technical Capability and 2) Price. Technical Capability is more important than Price.

• SAM.gov Registration: ACTIVE registration in SAM.gov is required at the time of quotation submission and must be maintained through contract award, performance, and final payment.

• This acquisition is a 100% small business set-aside.

• NAICS Code: 334413 - Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1250 employees or less.

• The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through FAC 2025-06 and RFO.

• Attachment 1: Requirement Document: Procurement of Ring and Core Laser System.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the minimum requirements for a ring and core laser system intended for the Fundamentals of Laser-Matter Interaction (FLaMI) testbed at NIST. It details the specifications for optical output, electrical characteristics, and general physical attributes of the laser system.

Laser Specifications:

• Optical Characteristics:
  • Operation Mode: CW/Modulated
  • Nominal Maximum Output Power: ≥1500 W
  • Emission Wavelength: 1070 nm ± 10 nm
  • Long-term Power Instability: Less than ±1% over 8 hours
  • Switching ON/OFF Time: ≤5 μs
  • Power Modulation Rate: Up to 100 kHz
• Optical Output:
  • Beam Quality (M2): <1.1 mm
  • Fiber diameter: ≈15 μm
  • Ring fiber diameter: <60 μm
• Electrical Characteristics:
  • Operating voltage: 200-240 VAC, single phase, 50/60 Hz
• General Characteristics:
  • Cabinet Dimensions: Height <225 mm
  • Width/Mounting: 19" rack-mountable
  • Control: Full operation over RS-232, Ethernet, or analog input

Delivery:

• FOB destination, within vendor's standard commercial lead time, not to exceed 15 weeks after receipt of order.
• Delivery address: DAVID DEISENROTH, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY (NIST), BLDG 301 SHIPPING & RECEIVING, 100 BUREAU DR, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20899.
• Delivery personnel must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.

Inspection and Acceptance:

• NIST reserves the right to perform performance tests and evaluations.
• Scope includes structural, mechanical, electrical, operational, and system interfacing evaluations.
• NIST POC will perform visual inspection for damage.
• Acceptance or rejection within 7 days of receipt, unless otherwise indicated.
• NIST may conduct quality assurance testing.

Warranty:

• Contractor or OEM standard commercial item warranty applies.

Payment Schedule:

• Net 30-day payment terms.
• 100% payment after receipt and acceptance by the SME of the fully delivered system.
• Inspection occurs after testing procedures are complete.

This document is critical for potential bidders as it defines the precise technical specifications and performance requirements for the laser system. Bidders must ensure their proposed solution meets or exceeds all listed optical, electrical, and physical characteristics. It also outlines the delivery, inspection, acceptance, warranty, and payment terms, which are essential for understanding the contractual obligations and financial aspects of the opportunity.