NOTICE OF INTENT-QCL Module

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with Longwave Photonics, LLC, located in Mountain View, CA, on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source, for a Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) Module. Specific Requirements are as follows:

THz QCL Module ~4.8 THz output frequency Distributed feedback At least ~2 mW of CW power 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 Longwave Photonics, LCC 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 4/27/2025.

Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to angela.hitt@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to angela.hitt@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein this posting.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN COMPETITION: The laser module is made soley by LongWave Photonics and it is intended to operate with a module "laser driver" (or mainframe) manufactured by LongWave Photonics (model LWP-EASY-QCL-HP, S/N 50017), which NIST already purchased. This new module is necessary for new research being undertaken by a recently funded project.

LongWave's EasyQCL-200 laser system is specifically designed to be compatible with LongWave's OCL module mounting patterns and electrical connectors. Using incompatible third-party laser modules may cause overheating and overvoltage issues, which can lead to severe damage and void the warranty. Failure to process this request would prevent NIST from continuing its fundamental research.