GALVANOMETER SCANNER SYSTEM

COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE
AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE
 

Announcement Type: Special Notice
Announcement Number: NIST-SSN-NOI-26-7301009
Subject: Galvanometer Scanner System

Applicable NAICS: 333310 - Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees
Applicable PSC: 6650 – Optical Instruments, Test Equipment, Components and Accessories

Purpose
This is a combined sources sought notice and notice of intent to sole source, not a request for a quotation. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the essential requirements included in the “Description” section below.

If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to negotiate a firm-fixed price purchase order on a sole source basis with ScanLab America Inc. (UEI: M948RRXD2JN6), located at 100 Illinois Street Suite 200 Saint Charles, IL 60174. This action will be conducted under the authority of FAR RFO Part 12.102(a) and 41 USC 1901, allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. Delivery will be required within sixteen weeks after contractor receipt of order.

Description
The Contractor shall provide one galvanometer scanner system which meets the minimum requirements identified below.
 

1. Galvo acceleration >= 160,000 rad/s^2
2. Galvo speed > 2000 mm/s.
3. Control interface: digital, XY2-100 or SL2-100 equivalent.
4. Positioning resolution >= 20 bits.
5. Repeatability (RMS) < 0.4 μrad
6. Position encoder: digital
7. Maximum allowed average laser power: 1000 W
8. Dynamic focusing unit to positioning laser focus along the optical z axis
9. F-theta lenses to focus a laser beam onto a planar image plane
10. Camera adapter for coaxial imaging
11. PC interface board and software

Background
The Production Systems Group (PSG) at NIST conducts research in metals-based additive manufacturing (AM) to advance measurement science that enables rapid and reliable design-to-product transformation. In support of U.S. manufacturers and the broader advanced manufacturing community, NIST has developed unique research infrastructure, including the Laser Processing and Metrology Testbed (LPDT). The LPDT is a continuously evolving research platform designed to implement cutting-edge measurement science by integrating a laser-based metal AM system with high-energy synchrotron X-ray facilities. These facilities enable in-situ diffraction and imaging measurements, providing direct insight into material behavior under the complex thermal fields generated by synchronized, multi-laser processing. The primary research objectives of the LPDT are to investigate the relationships among metal microstructure evolution, internal and surface temperature fields, advanced laser system control strategies, and emerging in-situ measurement technologies.  

The LPDT currently operates with a single ScanLab scanner. An additional, identical ScanLab scanner is required to enable dual-laser operation and support advanced energy distribution and thermal gradient control. Use of identical hardware is essential to ensure deterministic synchronization and preserve existing calibration and control behavior; dissimilar scanners would introduce unacceptable technical risk. This upgrade will significantly enhance thermal gradient control during processing and will directly complement ongoing dual-laser research conducted on the Additive Manufacturing Metrology Testbed (AMMT). ScanLab is the only manufacturer capable of supplying a scanner fully compatible with the existing LPDT system, with no authorized resellers or acceptable alternatives.

Based on market research conducted, including speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements, only ScanLab America, Inc. appears to be capable of meeting the Government's requirements. The ScanLab America, Inc. scanner in the original prototype is proprietary to this contractor and ScanLab America, Inc. does not authorize resellers of its equipment.

How to Respond to this Notice
Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing by or before the response date for this notice. This is a combined sources sought notice and notice of intent to sole source is not a solicitation.

Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Mr. Collin Randall, Contract Specialist, at Collin.Randall@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted via email to Collin.Randall@nist.gov so that they are received no later than May 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM Eastern Time.

Each response should include the following Business Information:

1. Contractor Name, Address,
2. Point of Contact Name, Phone Number, and Email address
3. Contractor UEI
4. Contractor Business Classification (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, hubZone, veteran owned, etc.) as validated in System for Award Management (SAM). All offerors must have an active registration in www.SAM.gov.
5. Capability Statement describing what your company is capable of providing to meet the Government’s needs

Important Notes
The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations. No award will be made as a result of this notice.  NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!