Lumibird Pulsed Erbium Fiber Laser (PEFL-EOLA)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Acquisition & Grants Office (AGO), Western Acquisition Division-Boulder (WAD), Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Earth Systems Research Laboratories (ESRL), Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL), intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Lumibird Inc. located in Bozeman, MT for the purchase of one (1) Pulsed Erbium Fiber Laser (PEFL-EOLA) to be delivered to Boulder, CO.

The sole source determination is based on NOAA’s requirement that Lumibird is the only vendor that manufactures and distributes their PEFL-EOLA. The Lumibird PEFL-EOLA is specially designed for Doppler heterodyne LIDAR systems, delivering Fourier transform limited pulses with high energy and high peak power. The laser can emit up to 400 µJ energy and up to 900W peak power with a linear polarization, a very high extinction ratio in between two pulses, a long coherence length, and an excellent output beam quality.

It is ideal for wind measurement applications such as turbine mounted lidar, windfarm optimization, and wind hazard and wake vortices monitoring. The CSL is replacing an existing erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and integrated optical circulator that is installed in a new Doppler lidar system being developed by the group. The current airborne development system uses a Lumibird EDFA with circulator laser amplifier.

The Lumibird PEFL-EOLA is a direct optical replacement that will be used to upgrade the existing unit at the CSL. This will allow the CSL to continue new lidar development without redesigning the system telescope and scanner interface, allowing them to remain on schedule for a series of test flights in February 2025. The deployment of the airborne Doppler lidar is part of a larger research effort with defined deadlines. Meeting those deadlines is a NOAA commitment and contractual obligation.

Any other unit would require considerable time and research to redesign and test the optical interface. This delay would jeopardize the upcoming February 2025 test flight series schedule and the CSL would not meet their contractual obligation within the larger research effort. Delivery within 130 days from date of award.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this synopsis. Such documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.