NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY USA Tender

The Purpose Of This Sources Sought Notice Is To Conduct Market Research And Identify Potential Sources Of Commercial Products/services That Satisfy The Government’s Anticipated Needs. background the National Institute Of Standards And Technology (nist), Inorganic Chemical Metrology Group (icmg) Performs Elemental Measurements Using A Variety Of Instrumental Methods. With These Methods, We Fulfill The Customer Needs Through The Provision Of Nist Standard Reference Materials (srms) And Development Of Methods Used For The Value Assignment Of Elemental Data To Srms. In Addition To Srms, The Group Also Provides The Community With Reference Materials (rms), And Research Grade Test Materials (rgtms) Which Can Be Developed Into Srms In The Future. The Group Also Manages Hundreds Of These Materials, From Purchasing Of Raw Materials To The Stability Testing Over Time To Meet The Needs Of The Customers. for This Project, We Will Develop New Srms, Reference Materials (rms), And Research Grade Test Materials (rgtms) Of High-purity Solids Currently Lacking In Chips Manufacturing. Purity Of Materials Used To Create Semiconductors Is Critical For Industry. Our Rms And Rgtms Will Enable More Effective, Efficient, And Comparable Characterizations Of Source Materials, As Well As Process Control Improvements. To Achieve These Goals, We Will Develop New Nist Capabilities Laser-based Analytical Methods, Specifically A Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (libs) Instrument, Which Needs To Have The Ability To Perform Laser Ablation In Addition To Libs Analysis. This Instrumentation Was Chosen Because Of The Capability To Measure Elements That Span The Periodic Table While Also Providing Spatial Information About The Materials In The Form Of Elemental Mapping Of The Surface Or Depth-profiling Into The Material. Spatial Information Is The Key To Understanding The Homogeneity Of The Material And Ensure It Also Meets The Purity That Industry Needs To Manufacture High-quality Semiconductors. The Instrument Obtained For This Project Must Have The Ability To Perform This Type Of Spatial And Elemental Analysis. nist Is Seeking Information From Sources That May Be Capable Of Providing A Solution That Will Achieve The Objectives Described Above, In Addition To The Following Essential Requirements: system must Be A Benchtop Libs System That Can Be Situated On A Manufacture’s Pullies Cart With Locking Wheels And Stabilization Of The Instrument During Analysis. must Have A Uv Laser That Operates At Nominally 20 Amp And 120 Volt Ac Power. the Laser Must Have The Following Characteristics: > 5 Mj Pulse Energy, < 6 Ns Pulse Width, A Flat Energy Profile, Fluence (laser Power) Of 5 – 25 J/cm2, Stabilized Thermally And Mechanically, And A Pulse Repetition Rate Of 1 – 20 Hz. A Laser Of 193 Nm Would Be Preferred. the Laser Must Be Computer Controlled To Produce A Single Shot, Burst Or Continuous Output While Scanning, Raster Scanning Or Positioned At A Fixed Point; Software Must Be Capable Of Controlling The Laser And Xyz Stage Movement To Maintain Constant Fluence. the Laser Spot Size Must Be Able To Be Reduced To 5 µm Diameter And Increased To 100 µm; It Must Have Variable Aperture Wheel For Selection Of Any Spot Size Within This Range. The Ability To Have Different Options For Analysis Spot Shape Will Be Given Additional Consideration. the Laser Energy Must Be Continuously Adjustable, And Computer Controlled With The Ability To Measure The Laser Energy. Adjustments And Presets For Optimal Settings For Libs And La On A Variety Of Surface Types Will Be Given Additional Consideration. microscope/ Chamber/ Gas the Laser Must Be A Class-1 That Is Fully Interlocked For Safe Operation. the Microscope Must Have An Imaging Video Camera That Can Also Provide Still Pictures With The Following Requirements: Variable Optical Zoom (60x Magnification) With Parfocal Magnification That Must Clearly Resolve A 2 µm Diameter Particle, Wide Field Of View, And Capable Of Mosaic Images. lighting Must Be Computer Controlled High Intensity Led, Reflected And Transmitted. must Have A Precision Stage With Submicron Resolution. must Have A High Accuracy/precision Xy Stage 10 Cm X 10 Cm With < 1 µm Resolution And Return Accuracy Of 2-4 µm; Also, Z Travel Computer Control And Documented Xyz Position In Metafile. must Have A Second Software-controlled Mass Flow Controller For An Additional Carrier Or Makeup Gas. must Have A Two-volume Ablation Cell (chamber) To Reduce The Volume With The Following Characteristics: Exhibit Signal Homogeneity (spatial Reproducibility) Across The Entire Range Of Cell To 2 % Rsd; Have No Interference Between Stage Movement And Collection Efficiency; Have Zero Stage Hesitation Across The Stage; Have Fast Washout Times (< 1 S To Return To Background). This Will Allow For Quick Washout And Transfer Of Particulate To An Icp-ms After Libs Analysis. sample Chamber Must Accommodate Large Format (10 Cm X 10 Cm) Drawer And Include At Least One Insert To Accommodate Special Samples. chamber Must Include High Intensity Led Lighting. hardware/ Software system Must Have A Computer That Operates Windows 11. must Include All Necessary Hardware To Connect Directly To An Icp-ms System With Minimal Effort By The User. Additional Consideration Will Be Given If The Laser System Has The Ability To Have Laser Firing Controlled By Icp-ms Software. must Have Specialized Software To Control Laser Parameters, Sample Viewing, Stage Position, Gas Routing, Triggering Icp-ms And Fully Automated Ablation Process. must Be Capable Of Combining Xy-timestamp Files Of Position With Corresponding Icp-ms Timestamp Signal Files To Map Either A Single Image Or Mosaic Using Iolite Software Or Equivalent (included In The Price). Software Updates That Automate This Process Must Be Provided At No Charge. The Computer System Must Include All Necessary Hardware (e.g., Ram, Hard Drive, Video Cards, Ieee Adapters, Etc) And Software To Control The Instrument, Monitor All Adjustable Mechanical And Electronic Parameters, And Capture And Process Data. A “full Install” Cd And/or Memory Stick For The Operating System Must Be Provided. software Must Be Capable Of Real Time Monitoring And Control Of All Adjustable Mechanical, Parameters Including Gas Flows, Laser Energy, Spot Size, Xyz Stage Position, And Other Relevant Parameters. the Software System Supplied With The Instrument Must Be Supported For A Minimum Period Of Five Years From Date Of Delivery. If The Operating System Is Changed Or Upgraded Within Five Years, The Supplier Will Provide, At No Additional Cost, All Software And Hardware Necessary To Accommodate An Upgrade To A New Operating System. the Instrument Software Will Be Provided On Cd And/or Other Convenient Media (e.g., Memory Stick) So That Software Can Be Reloaded In The Event Of Computer Malfunction Or Accidental Corruption Of Software. two (2) Site Licenses (dongles) Must Be Provided To Permit Offline Data Processing And Access For The Purpose Of Processing Data From A Remote Location, Required Only If One Installation Is Allowed Per License. data Export Must Include All Relevant Data And Machine Parameters To Permit Full Offline Processing Of The Data That Capture The Parameters Of The Instrument At The Time Of Samples Analysis. an Index Of Functions And Protocols Used By The Software To Treat The Raw Data Must Be Provided. All Relevant Algorithms Or Full And Complete Reference To Published Methodologies Must Be Provided. This Will Include Baseline Corrections; Dead-time Corrections; Fractionation Correction Models; Gain Corrections; Yield Corrections; Data Outlier Discrimination Models; Peak Centering Routine And Mass Calibration. instrument Software Must Be Compatible With Current Industry Standard Laser Ablation. the Software And Data Processing Algorithms Must Include Procedures For Time-resolved Isotopic Analyses (e.g., Using Laser Ablation, Chromatographic Separation Systems And Other Sources Of Transient Signals). operating Environment nist Requires That The Instrument Be Supplied Ready For Use And Be Compatible With United States Standard Electrical Power. If Transformers Are Required For Operation With U.s. Standard Electrical Power, Such Transformers And Line Conditioners Shall Be Included With The Instrument. documentation documentation And Manuals Shall Be Provided Describing All Aspects Of Operations, Data Reduction Methods, Data Calculations, Maintenance, And Troubleshooting Of Every Sub-system Of Which The Instrument Is Comprised. Software Refers To All Instrument Control, Host Computer To Instrument Computer/controller Interface, And Data Acquisition, Reduction, And Display Functions. One Electronic (pdf) And One Paper (hardcopy) Version Of All Manuals Shall Be Provided. consumables the Contractor Shall Provide A One-year Supply Of Consumables And Expendables Including, At A Minimum, A Replacement Set Of Optics, Gas For The Laser If Applicable, And Any Items That Are Routinely Consumed During Regular Use. service Contract the Contractor Shall Provide On-site Field Service (commencing After The One-year Warranty) For Preferably 2 Years After Receipt And Acceptance. Service Shall Be Provided Within 5-10 Business Days Of The Initial Telephone Call From The End User. The Service Shall Include An On-site Visit Covering All Travel, Labor, Related Parts (parts Include General Parts Of The Instrument, And Consumables), Shipping, One Preventive Maintenance Visit Per Year, Unlimited Telephone Support And Software Upgrades. how To Respond To This Notice in Responding To This Notice, Please Do Not Provide Proprietary Information. Please Include Only The Following Information, Readable In Either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, Or .pdf Format, In The Response: Submit The Response By Email To The Primary Point Of Contact And, If Specified, To The Secondary Point Of Contact Listed In This Notice As Soon As Possible, And Preferably Before The Closing Date And Time Of This Notice. Please Note That To Be Considered For Award Under Any Official Solicitation, The Entity Must Be Registered And “active” In Sam At The Time Of Solicitation Response. provide The Complete Name Of Your Company, Address, Name Of Contact For Follow-up Questions, Their Email, Their Phone Number And, If Your Company Has An Active Registration In Https://sam.gov, Your Company’s Unique Entity Id (uei). identify The Equipment That Your Company Sells That Can Meet The Objectives Addressed In The Background Section Of This Notice. For Each Product Recommended To Meet The Government’s Requirement, Provide The Following: manufacturer Name model Number technical Specifications if Your Company Is Not The Manufacturer, Provide Information On Your Company’s Status As An Authorized Reseller Of The Product(s) describe Performance Capabilities Of The Product(s) Your Company Recommends To Meet The Government’s Requirements. Additionally, If There Are Other Features Or Functions That You Believe Would Assist Nist In Meeting Its Objectives Described Above, Please Discuss In Your Response. discuss Whether The Equipment That Your Company Sells And Which You Describe In Your Response To This Notice May Be Customized To Specifications And Indicate Any Limits To Customization. identify Any Aspects Of The Nist Market Research Notice, Including Instructions, And Draft Minimum Specifications In The Background Section You Cannot Meet And State Why. Please Offer Suggestions For How The Market Research Notice And Draft Minimum Specifications Could Be Made More Competitive. state Whether The Proposed Equipment Is Manufactured In The United States And, If Not, State The Name Of The Country Where The Equipment Is Manufactured. identify Any Plans/possibilities For Changes In Manufacturing Location Of The Aforementioned Equipment And Provide Relevant Details, Including Timeline. for The Naics Code Listed In This Notice: indicate Whether Your Company Is (a) A Small Business Or (b) Other Than Small Business. See The Table Of Small Business Size Standards And The Associated .pdf Download File For Small Business Size Standards And Additional Information. if You Believe The Naics Code Listed In This Notice Is Not The Best Naics Code For The Type Of Product Addressed In This Notice, Identify An Alternative Naics Code That You Believe Would Be More Appropriate For The Planned Procurement. describe Services That Are Available With The Purchase Of The Aforementioned Equipment From Your Company Such As Installation, Training, And Equipment Maintenance. describe Standard Terms And Conditions Of Sale Offered By Your Company For The Recommended Equipment Such As: Delivery Time After Your Company Accepts The Order; Fob Shipping Terms; Manufacturer Warranty (including Details Regarding Nature And Duration); If Available, Description(s) Of Available Extended Warranty; Equipment Setup And Test; Operator And Service Instruction Manual(s); Cleanup After Installation; And If Applicable, Other Offered Services. Provide A Copy Of Manufacturer Standard Terms And Conditions That Typically Relate To The Sale Of The Specified Equipment, If Available. state Whether Your Company Offers Facility Renovation Services Related To Installation Of The Recommended Equipment At Its Delivery Destination, If Required Per The Nist-identified Minimum Specifications, And Provide Description Of Said Services. Indicate If Your Company Performs The Facility Renovation Services Or Typically Subcontracts The Work To Another Company. Indicate If Your Company Would Be Interested In Inspecting The Intended Installation Site During The Market Research Phase. state Published Price, Discount, Or Rebate Arrangements For Recommended Equipment And/or Provide Link To Access Company’s Published Prices For Equipment And Services. if The Recommended Equipment And Related Services Are Available For Purchase On Any Existing Federal Supply Schedule Contract(s) Or Other Contracts Against Which Nist May Be Able To Place Orders, Identify The Contract Number(s) And Other Relevant Information. identify Any Customers In The Public Or Private Sectors To Which You Provided The Recommended Or Similar Equipment. Include Customer(s) Information: Company Name, Phone Number, Point Of Contact, Email Address. provide Any Other Information That You Believe Would Be Valuable For Nist To Know As Part Of Its Market Research For This Requirement. state If You Require Nist To Provide Additional Information To Improve Your Understanding Of The Government’s Requirement And/or Would Like To Meet With Nist Representatives To Discuss The Requirement And The Capabilities Of The Identified Equipment. questions Regarding This Notice questions Regarding This Notice May Be Submitted Via Email To The Primary Point Of Contact And The Secondary Point Of Contact Listed In This Notice. Questions Should Be Submitted So That They Are Received 5 Days Prior To The Response Date. If The Contracting Officer Determines That Providing A Written Amendment To This Notice To Document Question(s) Received Would Benefit Other Potential Respondents, The Questions Would Be Anonymized, And A Written Response To Such Question(s) Would Be Provided Via An Amendment To This Notice. important Notes this Notice Is For Market Research Purposes And Should Not Be Construed As A Commitment By Nist To Issue A Solicitation Or Ultimately Award A Contract. There Is No Solicitation Available At This Time. this Notice Does Not Obligate The Government To Award A Contract Or Otherwise Pay For The Information Provided In Response. nist Reserves The Right To Use Information Provided By Respondents For Any Purpose Deemed Necessary And Legally Appropriate. any Organization Responding To This Notice Should Ensure That Its Response Is Complete And Sufficiently Detailed To Allow The Government To Determine The Organization’s Capability. respondents Are Advised That The Government Is Under No Obligation To Acknowledge Receipt Of The Information Received Or Provide Feedback To Respondents With Respect To Any Information Submitted. after A Review Of The Responses Received, A Synopsis And Solicitation May Be Published On Gsa’s Ebuy Or Sam.gov. However, Responses To This Notice Will Not Be Considered An Adequate Response To Any Such Solicitation(s). the Responses Shall Not Exceed 25 Pages Including All Attachments, Charts, Etc. thank You For Taking The Time To Submit A Response To This Request!