Contract · No Set aside used

Combined Sources Sought Notice and Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Replacement Probe for Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SQUID VSM)

Agency: COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OF / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Amount: Amount not listed
Deadline: Closes in 3 days (Jul 21, 2026)
Posted: Jul 7, 2026
Set-aside: No Set aside used
NAICS code: 334516

What this contract is for

***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE*** The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research and identify potential sources of commercial products/services that satisfy the Government’s anticipated needs. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Quantum Design, Inc., 10307 Pacific Center Ct, San Diego, CA US, under the authority of Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 12.102(a). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. BACKGROUND The National Institute for Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Materials Science and Engineering Division (MSED) is involved in the development of standard reference materials (SRMs) for magnetic moment – a critical standard for measuring magnetic materials for next generation memory and computing, in transformers for the power grid, and for AC-DC conversion for chargers such as for your cell phone, among many applications. NIST magnetic SRMs are the only source of SRMs for calibrating magnetometers and thus providing traceable and quantitative magnetic measurements. The NIST Magnetic Property Measurement System 3 (MPMS3) Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SQUID VSM) is one of the first built (serial #9, installed at NIST in 2007), and suffered a recent failure of the probe, which houses the superconducting magnet and the SQUIDs. Over the past 17 years, there have been significant changes to the probe, which have improved the sensitivity and noise levels of these instruments and the ability to repair the instrument on site. These instruments are the most sensitive magnetometers available, and...

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