THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial vendors that are capable of providing Reflective Variable Line Spacing (VLS) diffraction grating to be used at a synchrotron radiation facility.

After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed and specifications are developed for the VLS diffraction grating, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order. If at least two qualified small businesses are identified during this market research stage, then any competitive procurement that resulted would be conducted as a small business set-aside.

NIST has a need for VLS diffraction grating as defined in Attachment A.

NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 334516, as those domestic sources having 500 employees or less. Please include your company's size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice.

Companies that manufacture VLS diffraction gratings are requested to email product literature and a letter describing their abilities to [email protected] no later than the response date for this sources sought notice.

Responses must include specifications for accuracy of groove spacing, depth, blaze angle (if applicable) and surface finish and figure which NIST will use to evaluate how well the final performance meets the criteria of low scatter and high resolution.

The letter shall include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities.

Also, the following information is requested as part of the response to this sources sought notice:
1. Name and size of the company that manufactures the materials for which specifications are provided.
2. Name of the company(s) that are authorized to sell the materials, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number, and email address).
3. Indication of the number of days after the receipt of the order that is typical for delivery of such materials.
4. Indication of whether the materials for which specifications are sent to [email protected] are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts and, if so, the GSA FSS contract number(s).
5. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the government should consider in finalizing its market research.

All documents must be sent to Joni Laster, Contract Specialist, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Acquisition Management Division, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1640, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1640. Email address: [email protected].

Submission must be received not later than 3:00 pm local time on July 11, 2012