SOURCES SOUGHT: THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR QUOTATION BUT INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY! Title : Quantum demonstration/experiment system for the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Agency : United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) Classification Code : NAICS Code: 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing The size standard is 1,000 employees. The government may consider other NAICS suggestions that may fit the requirement more appropriately Product Service Code (PSC): 6650 - Optical Instruments, Test Equipment, Components and Accessories Response Date: 05 June 2026 10:00 AM MDT Contact : Dawson Hopkinson, Contract Specialist, at dawson.hopkinson@us.af.mil AND Ken Helgeson, Contracting Officer, at kenneth.helgeson.3@us.af.mil 1.0. Description & Synopsis This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE for market research purposes only. This is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified sources, particularly small businesses, to provide a quantum demonstration/experiment system for the USAF Academy, CO 80840. The proposed contract is contemplated as a firm-fixed price contract. 2.0 Background The Physics Department and the Laser and Optics Research Center (LORC) require the acquisition of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) quantum demonstration/experiment system to support core instructional, applied research, and workforce development missions. This equipment must provide a flexible, high precision experimental platform capable of supporting foundational and advanced experiments in quantum optics, quantum sensing, and quantum information science. The required system shall include single photon detectors, high resolution time tagging and time correlated data acquisition electronics, and integrated digital interfaces to enable precise experimental control, synchronization, and analysis. These capabilities are essential for experiments involving single photon statistics, coincidence measurements, and quantum state characterization that underpin modern quantum information protocols. 3.0. Minimum Requirements At a minimum, the Vendor must be able to supply a quantum demonstration/experiment system with the following characteristics: The system shall provide an integrated experimental platform for quantum information science and quantum optics, supporting both instructional laboratories and faculty‑led research. The platform shall be modular, scalable, and reconfigurable, enabling multiple experiment configurations without permanent modification. All components shall be commercially supported, laboratory‑grade instrumentation suitable for sustained academic and research use. The system shall include multiple single photon detectors with: High quantum efficiency in the visible and near infrared spectral range Low dark count rates suitable for coincidence measurements Sub nanosecond timing resolution The c…