Contract · Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

Table-Top Free Space Measuring System - USDA-ARS Auburn AL

Agency: AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF / AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
Location: BELTSVILLE, AL
Amount: Amount not listed
Deadline: Closes in 157 days (Dec 22, 2026)
Posted: Dec 15, 2025
Set-aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
NAICS code: 334516

What this contract is for

This is a Sources Sought notice Only. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. This Sources Sought is issued for information and planning purposes only as part of USDA ARS market research and does not itself constitute an RFQ. This requirement is covered under NAICS code 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified sources; Small Businesses; HUBZone small business; service-disabled, veteran-owned small business; 8(a) small business; veteran-owned small business; woman-owned small business; or small disadvantaged businesses; Responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. The USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics laboratory (NSDL) is in need of a specialized microwave instrument which enables the user to measure reflection and transmission data while not touching nor destroying (NDE) the sample. The following are the specification required for this instrument. 1. Small table-top frame for transmission and reflection measurements. 2. The frame with two probes at the proper alignment and distance for optimal measurements and has a versatile sample holder to allow for multiple specimen types and sizes. 3. The frame with two probes for a frequency range of at least 2.5 GHz to 20 GHz. 4. At least one pair of SMA cables designed for use up to at least 25 GHz. 5. Two probes should be able to be connected to a VNA. 6. Software for VNA that calculates the S-parameters. 7. Free Space Measurement Methods to characterize materials. 8. Enables the user to measure reflection and transmission of electromagnet waves data while not...

View the official listing on SAM.gov

Oppward is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SAM.gov or any government agency. This page is a plain-English summary of public record data; the linked source above is the authoritative listing.

How to bid on this

This is a contract solicitation, not a grant. To bid, you submit a proposal (usually a price and a description of how you would do the work) directly to the government, through the channel the official listing specifies, not through Oppward.

Make sure your business has an active SAM.gov registration. You cannot be paid on a federal contract without one.
Read the full solicitation on the official listing above, especially the scope of work, not just this summary. Our guide to reading a solicitation walks through what to look for.
Check the set-aside listed above and confirm your business actually qualifies for it before you spend time on a proposal. See our guide to set-asides if the category is unfamiliar.
Submit your proposal by the deadline, using the exact submission method the official listing states. A technically on-time bid sent the wrong way is often treated as late.