Combined Sources Sought Notice and Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Replacement Probe for Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SQUID VSM)

***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE*** The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research and identify potential sources of commercial products/services that satisfy the Government’s anticipated needs. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Quantum Design, Inc., 10307 Pacific Center Ct, San Diego, CA US, under the authority of Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 12.102(a). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. BACKGROUND The National Institute for Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Materials Science and Engineering Division (MSED) is involved in the development of standard reference materials (SRMs) for magnetic moment – a critical standard for measuring magnetic materials for next generation memory and computing, in transformers for the power grid, and for AC-DC conversion for chargers such as for your cell phone, among many applications. NIST magnetic SRMs are the only source of SRMs for calibrating magnetometers and thus providing traceable and quantitative magnetic measurements. The NIST Magnetic Property Measurement System 3 (MPMS3) Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SQUID VSM) is one of the first built (serial #9, installed at NIST in 2007), and suffered a recent failure of the probe, which houses the superconducting magnet and the SQUIDs. Over the past 17 years, there have been significant changes to the probe, which have improved the sensitivity and noise levels of these instruments and the ability to repair the instrument on site. These instruments are the most sensitive magnetometers available, and as such, NIST’s SQUID VSM is vital to its magnetics standards work. Without the SQUID VSM, NIST support of current SRMs and development of new SRMs will be halted, which will have significant impacts across many applications and industries. This repair is urgently needed to maintain capabilities for developing and testing new magnetic SRMs and developing the associated documentary standards that use the new SRMs. The contractor shall provide one (1) new replacement probe for the Superconducting Quantum Interference Device Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (SQUID VSM). NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the objectives described above, and meet the following essential requirements: Replacement Probe for SQUID VSM Quantity: 1 Technical Specifications: Magnetic Field: Range: ± 7 T (70,000 Oe) Ramp Rate: variable between 0.4 mT/s - 70 mT/s (4 Oe/s - 700 Oe/s) Uniformity: 0.01% over 4 cm Resolution: 50 µT (0.5 Oe) Temperature: Range: 1.8 K – 400 K Ramp Rate: variable up to 30 K/min Stability: ± 0.5 % Accuracy: lesser of ± 1 % or 0.5 K Measurement Modes: DC, VSM and AC Susceptibility (VSM Mode): Oscillation Amplitude: variable between 0.1 mm and 8 mm (AC Susceptibility): AC Frequency Range: 0.1 Hz - 1000 Hz AC Field Amplitude: 10 µT – 1 mT (0.1 Oe - 10 Oe) AC Moment Accuracy: ? ± 1 % (typical) Phase Angle Accuracy: ? ± 0.5 ° (typical) SQUID Sensitivity: (VSM Mode): < 1 x 10-8 mA-m2 (emu) for H ? 0.25 T (2,500 Oe); < 8 x 10-8 mA-m2 (emu) for H > 0.25 T (2,500 Oe) (DC Mode): < 5 x 10-8 mA-m2 (emu) for H ? 0.25 T (2,500 Oe); < 6 x 10-7 mA-m2 (emu) for H > 0.25 T (2,500 Oe) (AC Susceptibility): ? 5 x 10-8 mA-m2 (emu) Maximum Moment: (VSM Mode): >100 emu (DC Mode): 2 emu Sample Chamber Inner Diameter: 9 mm Must be compatible with the following manufacturer’s “options”: oven, ultra-low field, and horizontal sample rotator. Manual NIST conducted market research from February 2025 through July 2026 by performing internet searches, reviewing product literature, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The results of that market research revealed that only Quantum D...