USAFA 3D Particle Imaging Velocimetry System Sources Sought

USAFA 3D Particle Imaging Velocimetry System Sources Sought: THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION! This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary and the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Market research is being conducted on businesses capable for providing a 3D Particle Imaging Velocimetry System for the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)  Department of Aeronautics. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code proposed is 334516. The size standard is 1000 employees.

The 3D Particle Imaging Velocimetry System must possess the following salient characteristics:

• High-Speed, Time-Resolved Imaging: Capable of capturing volumetric flow data at ultra-high frame rates (tens of kHz), ensuring the ability to resolve both large-scale structural motions and the rapid evolution of small-scale fluid features.


• High Spatial Resolution: Able to discern over 50,000 particles per megapixel, enabling detailed tracking of fine-grained flow phenomena alongside larger fluid-structure interactions.


• Field of View Illumination: Contain a continuous wave or high repetition rate laser at 527 nm at rates up to 10 KHz. The laser should be capable of illuminating a planar region of volume region with the appropriate optics for fine tuning the region of illumination.


• Precise Synchronization and Control: Offers stable, easy-to-modify programmable timing and triggering mechanisms (PTU), enabling consistent, repeatable measurements in rapidly changing test environments and under high-frequency dynamic loads. PTU must offer nanosecond-level synchronization, critical for capturing unsteady, time-sensitive flow phenomena.


• Modular Camera Configuration: Flexible deployment with as few as two cameras or as many as eight, allowing the system to adapt to complex geometries, limited optical access, and varying experimental constraints.


• Integrated Calibration and Processing Software: Includes advanced software with volume self-calibration, ghost particle suppression, and uncertainty quantification, streamlining the setup process and ensuring high-fidelity, accurate measurements without cumbersome manual calibration steps.

Include in your capabilities package your Unique Entity Identification (UEI), CAGE Code, and System for Award Management expiration date.

The contract type will be a firm-fixed price contract.  Delivery is FOB: Destination to USAF Academy, CO 80840.  Market research is being conducted to determine interest, capability, and socio-economic category of potential sources for the requirement.  The Government requests interested parties submit a brief description of their company's business size (i.e. annual revenues and employee size), business status (i.e., 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zone, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, woman owned small business, veteran-owned small business, or small business) anticipated teaming arrangements, and a description of similar products and services offered to the Government and to commercial customers. All interested firms shall submit a capabilities package that explicitly demonstrates company capabilities-indicating examples of commercial sales-and product specifications related to this effort. The capabilities package should be brief and concise, yet clearly demonstrate an ability to meet the stated requirements. Also indicate if you are the manufacturer, or provide the name and size of the manufacturer of the product(s) you will be supplying. Respondents are further requested to indicate their status as a Foreign-owned/foreign-controlled firm.

Please note:  All contractors doing business with the Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. The website for registration is www.sam.gov.

Email your responses to Katlyn Blacksten, Contract Specialist, at katlyn.blacksten@us.af.mil AND April Delobel, Contracting Officer, at april.delobel.1@us.af.mil. Telephone responses will not be accepted.

RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN:  2:00pm MST 27 Feb 25

This notice is for information and planning purposes only. In accordance with Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Government is conducting market research to determine the availability and adequacy of potential business sources in providing the capabilities to meet the requirements of the Government. This Sources Sought does not constitute a solicitation for bids or quotations, and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. All information submitted by respondents to this request is strictly voluntary. The information herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract. Future information about this acquisition, including issuance of a quotation and/or applicable amendments, will be issued through www.sam.gov. Interested parties are responsible for ensuring they have the most up-to-date information regarding this acquisition.