NOTICE OF INTENT Diode-Pumped Frequency-Doubled Laser
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division has issued a Notice of Intent to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price purchase order to Coherent NA, Inc. for a Diode-Pumped Frequency-Doubled Nd:YVO4-Laser. This procurement is critical for replacing a failed laser essential to multiple precision-measurement research programs at NIST. Interested parties must submit written capability statements by May 16, 2026.
Scope of Requirement
NIST requires a Diode-Pumped Frequency-Doubled Nd:YVO4-Laser with specific technical specifications:
- Delivers greater than 18 Watts (continuous) at 532 nm.
- Frequency doubling must be accomplished with temperature-stabilized LBO crystal.
- Hermetically sealed laser head with no user-adjustable controls and fiber optic connection.
- Single longitudinal mode output, TEMoo beam (2.25 mm diameter at 1/e2) with less than 0.5 mrad divergence. M-squared <1.1 and ellipticity <10%.
- Pointing stability must be <3 microrad/degree Celsius.
- Frequency stability must be <5 MHz over 50 msec.
- Amplitude noise must be <0.05% rms from 10 Hz to 1 GHz.
- Power stability drift must be +/- 1% or less over a two-hour or longer period.
- Vertical polarization with >100:1 extinction ratio.
- Warm-up time from turn on to stabilized full output should be 20 minutes or less.
- Power requirements: 110 VAC, 60 Hz, <20 Amp.
- At least 1 year warranty.
- Must provide 10,000 hours of continuous use without diode bar replacement.
- Laser head size not to exceed 18.3 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches.
- Power supply size not to exceed 18 x 20 x 12 inches.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Notice of Intent (Sole Source)
- Intended Awardee: Coherent NA, Inc.
- Authority: FAR Subpart 6.302-1 (Soliciting from a single source)
- NAICS: 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (Size Standard: 1,000 employees)
- Set-Aside: None (Sole Source)
- Response Due: May 16, 2026, 22:00 UTC
- Published: May 7, 2026, 22:10 UTC
- Estimated Award: By September 26, 2026 (if competitive procedures are not used)
Justification for Sole Source
NIST states that only Coherent Laser, Inc. manufactures a laser capable of pumping both a resonant cavity for 266 nm ultraviolet frequency doubling and a high-power continuous-wave Ti:Sapphire ring oscillator. No other vendor can meet these technical requirements or integrate with existing NIST systems, making this procurement essential to prevent critical research activities from stopping.
Action Items
Interested parties who believe they can satisfy these requirements must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability in writing to angela.hitt@nist.gov by the response date. This notice is not a solicitation.