OUSTER OS2-128 CHANNEL LIDAR

Introduction
This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation.  A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested.  

Purpose
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate a firm-fixed priced purchase order on a brand name only basis with authorized resellers of Ouster, Inc. The purchase order will specifically procure an Ouster OS2-128 Channel LiDAR. Delivery is required within 5 weeks after contractor receipt of order.

Authority
This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR Subpart 11.105 allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit items peculiar to one manufacturer. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334511 - Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing with the small business size standard of 1,350 Employees.

Description
The NIST Intelligent Systems Division's (ISD) mission is to advance measurement science for sensing and perception systems, particularly for Automated Vehicle (AV) safety and performance. ISD uses LiDAR for precise object detection and distance measurement for sensor fusion tasks which is crucial for improving AV perception performance. Existing LiDAR resources are insufficient for current ISD research needs resulting in a requirement a new LiDAR resource.

Sole Source Determination
The sole source determination is based on the following:

NIST currently owns and operates an Ouster OS1-32 LiDAR for research purposes. A 128-channel LiDAR is now required for NIST efforts and the new system must interoperate with the existing Ouster system. NIST’s research projects which will use the new system were design around the Ouster ROS framework, driver package, and Autoware stack. Other brands of LiDAR will not work with the existing setup which includes a custom rack design around use of Ouster LiDAR technology. Only the Ouster OS2-128 LiDAR is capable of meeting NIST needs. Ouster authorizers resellers; however none of the resellers are small businesses. Therefore, to ensure compatibility with existing research apparatuses, a brand name only competition amongst Ouster authorized resellers is the only appropriate acquisition strategy.

Information for Interested Parties
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 notice of intent is not a solicitation.

Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to 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 August 13, 2025, at 10:00 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 SAM Universal Entity Identifier (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