Inactive

*****THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE***. BACKGROUND The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Materials Measurement Laboratory, Materials ... *****THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE***. BACKGROUND The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Materials Measurement Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering Division (https://www.nist.gov/mml/materials-science-and-engineering-division) is on the market for a video rate electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy. The simplest path to attain this capability is by upgrading the electronics and control system of our existing conventional electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope (ECSTM) that is presently limited to conventional slow scan rates, e.g. 36 lines per sec. The new system will intercept signals from our existing microscope and add fast x,y,z waveforms while simultaneously monitoring the response signal, such as the tunneling current, through a fast analog to digital converter. The advanced fast scan and video imaging capability are needed to study electrochemical deposition and etching processes relevant to the fabrication of advanced microelectronics chips and devices. Video rate ECSTM imaging will enable measurement of surfactant adsorbate dynamics that operate during electrochemical deposition of metals and to track how such adsorbates and their phase transitions influence morphological and microstructural evolution during metal deposition. The proposed research will help reveal how phenomena at atomistic and mesoscopic length scale impacts macroscopic outcomes. In addition to imaging the control system should off the option of having the ability to track the surface diffusion of individual molecules or adatom, a process known as atom tracking. Once integrated within our existing system the new controller and system should enable seamless transitions between slow scan imaging with our existing conventional scanner and the new high speed video rate scanning or atom tracking functions. The high-speed control system should have its own control algorithms and software to handle and process the substantial data flow associated with video rate imaging. Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN) 0001: The Contractor shall provide one (1) Control system and high voltage unit with software for control and data acquisition of video rate scanning probe microscopy. The system shall meet or exceed the technical specifications identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award. Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered. The use of “gray market” components not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the Contractor is not acceptable. Dedicated controller for video rate scanning probe microscopy based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology and fast analog to digital (ADC) conversion. The control system should enable accelerated acquisition of atomic scale images and also offer as an option the ability to track the motion of features such as adatoms, vacancies and clusters across the surface, a process known as atom tracking. The implementation of fast probe motion control and signal acquisition need to be fully compatible and transparent with our existing PID STM controller control electronics (e.g. Molecular Imaging Pico Scan). No modification to the existing scanner hardware or electronics should be required for high-speed operation and its should be able to easily switch between the fast-scanning mode and the traditional slow imaging mode without any disruption. The system should intercept signals from our existing commercial SPM system and adds fast x, y, and z waveforms, while simultaneously acquiring the response signal (such as tunneling current, amplitude or phase) through a fast ADC. The system should be capable of imaging up to 200 x 200 pixels with a frame rate up to 100 Hz. The control unit ADC must sample at 100 MS/s with 16-bit resolution with an input range of at least ±1 V/±10 V and control unit fast output of 1.39 Ms/s at least 14-bit resolution ±10 V. The high-speed scanning voltage unit takes a ±10 V input with selectable gain to drive differential piezo output with max input and output voltages of ±200 V. Atom tracking involves two-dimensional feedback that allows local extremum (protrusion or depressions) on the imaged surface to followed with high temporal resolution. A computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse along with software to control video rate scanning and optional atom tracking operation. Installation and training shall be provided and one year warranty and service agreement. NIST conducted market research from August 2024 – November 2024 by, speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The results of that market research revealed that only Caen Technologies, INC. (UEI: CGH1CSXQJ5H7) can meet all the Governments minimum requirements. Particularly, the combination of imaging up to 200 x 200 pixels with a frame rate up to 100 Hz. and a control unit with ADC samples at 100 MS/s with 16-bit resolution. 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). Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements. Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization. Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why. Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses. For the NAICS code 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. If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information. Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section. Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement. Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section. 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 by November 18, 2024. 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 The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations. No award will be made as a result of this notice. NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and 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. Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request.