The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) (1), with Renishaw, Incorporated, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, for the acquisition of an Axis System to be used in the Precision Engineering Division at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland. *** NIST cites FAR 6.302-1(a)(ii)(A) and (B) (see excerpt below) as primary rationale for Sole Source Determination. (ii) Supplies may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued development or production of a major system or highly specialized equipment, including major components thereof, when it is likely that award to any other source would result in -- (A) Substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or (B) Unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. (See 10 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)(B) or 41 U.S.C. 253 (d)(1)(B).) *** Sole source determination is based on the need for the required laser system to be a plug and play with existing instrument and controller currently in the laboratory. The existing instrument is Renishaw’s Model RLE10-DX-XJ RLE, Dual Axis System 0 Degree Heads. The system is a frequency stabilized helium neon laser interferometer. The system reads displacement using two fiber optic encoders and communicates directly with a Renishaw remote compensator unit. Renishaw, Inc. is the only known vendor capable of supplying the required system. *** ***Delivery shall be FOB DESTINATION and be completed in accordance with the Contractor’s commercial schedule. *** *** As defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, (FAR), FOB Destination means: The contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirements, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the purchase order, be responsible for any loss of and/or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order; and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery. The contractor shall deliver all line items to NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899-0001. *** *****The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, and the size standard is 500 Employees. ******A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. *****No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations. However, responses received by May 7, 2008 will be considered by the Government.

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