58 -- Intent to Award Sole Source - Coherent High-Rep Laser System

Operational Contracting, US Air Force Academy intends to award a purchase order utilizing simplified acquisition procedures to Coherent Laser, Inc. for an 18 Watt CW SLM pump laser, model Verdi V18, regenerative laser amplifier Ti: Sapphire, and second harmonic generator for REGA output. This item service is being acquired for academic and research applications at the US Air Force Academy Physics Laboratory. The required laser system must deliver output at 852nm and 426 nm at repetition rate > 250 kHz and with typical pulses of width under 1pSec at 852nm. The laser must deliver non-mode-hop, single longitudinal-mode output; i.e., line width must be under 5MHz. Systems based on multi-axial design (MAD or QMAD) are not acceptable because of the mode-beating noise inherent in this design. The laser must have a noise performance of lower than 0.03% rms from 10Hz to 1GHz. When replacing pump laser diode modules the laser head position and beam propagation path must not change, nor shall the laser cavity require any realignment or exposure to the laboratory environment. The pump diode module and the delivery fiber must detach from each other. The delivery fiber must be single core and not detach at the laser head when replacing the laser pump diode module. The laser system must automatically and continuously optimize the pump diode wavelength in order to maximize optical conversion efficiency and to ensure maximum pump diode lifetime. Systems that use an assumed pre-programmed decay rate are unacceptable. The laser system must be compatible with, and will be seeded with the Academy's existing Verdi-V10 and MIRA 900 Laser system. Coherent has been found to be the only vendor who manufactures a complete laser system that meets the Academy's experiment requirements and is also equipped with a service and repair group capable of making all repairs on-site and in a timely manner. Supplies and/or services are available from only one responsible source. No other type of supply or service will satisfy agency requirements. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to meet this requirement. This Notice of Intent is NOT a request for competitive proposals. If no response is received by 3 Sep 2004 04:00PM, MDT, to the effect that comparable supplies and/or services are available that would be more advantageous to the Government than obtaining these supplies and or services though a sole source procurement with Coherent Laser, Inc., a sole source award will be made