Liquid Helium Delivery

This solicitation (No. 1333ND26QNB190395) is issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the acquisition of liquid helium (LHe) delivery services to its Boulder, Colorado campus. Under the resulting firm-fixed-price contract, the contractor will supply 99.998% pure LHe on an as-needed basis in contractor-owned 100-liter and 250-liter non-magnetic dewars for a 12-month period of performance starting October 1, 2026. The contractor is responsible for providing all necessary personnel, materials, and equipment to complete deliveries to designated drop-off sites across the campus. Key requirements include adhering to strict dewar specifications (such as containing minimum volumes of 85L for 100L dewars and 237L for 250L dewars), managing empty dewar pick-ups, and maintaining emergency delivery capabilities. Award will be determined using best-value trade-off procedures evaluating three primary factors: Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price, with the two non-price factors being relatively equal and combined more important than price. Proposals and clarifying questions must be submitted to the contracting office by August 4, 2026.