66 -- Atomic Force Microscope

STREAMLINED SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS(Ref. FAR Part 12.603) 1. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. 2. This Solicitation No. RA1341-07-RQ-0620 is issued a request for quotation (RFQ). 3. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-18. 4. This procurement is unrestricted and open to all sources. The NAICS code for this procurement is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The small business size standard is 500 employees. 5. Contract Line Items are as follows: Line Item 0001: Atomic Force Microscope ? 1 EA The contractor shall provide an atomic force microscope which meets the following requirements: (1) Atomic force microscope system with optical microscope coupled to digital camera and computer display. (2) Environmental chamber and vibration isolation table to attenuate mechanical vibrations from the air and the floor, and to reduce thermal fluctuations at the instrument. (3) Computer control system with complete, open source software for instrument control and image analysis. Computer shall include a minimum of two monitors for the simultaneous display of multiple control menus and images. (4) Operating in contact and AC (?intermittent contact? or ?tapping?) mode. (5) Scanning a minimum image area of 75 ?m x 75 ?m (x and y dimensions, in the plane of the specimen surface), with a minimum z range (perpendicular to the surface) of 8 ?m. Accommodating specimens at least 25 mm x 25 mm (X, Y) and 5 mm high (z), with coarse positioning stages to locate the area of interest under the scanning tip. (6) AFM image resolution up to at least 4096 x 4096 pixels (4096 data points along each of 4096 scan lines). (7) Closed-loop control and measurement of displacement of all three scanning axes (x, y and z). Noise in the displacement sensor systems for each of the three axes shall be less than 1.0 nm for a bandwidth from 0.1 Hz to 1 kHz. (8) Cantilever must be electrically-addressable (conducting tip AFM). a. Instrument must have demonstrated and documented application in scanning Kelvin probe measurements of semiconductor surfaces. b. Instrument must have demonstrated and documented application in surface photovoltage measurements of semiconductor surfaces. (9) Imaging in ambient air or in liquid; Liquid may have a pH varying from 4-10. (10) Performing patterning (?nanolithography?) of soft surfaces in contact mode from standard-format image source files and/or electrical patterning of specimen (?nano-oxidation? and/or ?electron beam lithography?). (11) Performing manipulation of nanoscale particles on surfaces. (12) Optical imaging of the specimen both from above (looking down on the cantilever) and looking up from below, through a transparent specimen (for compatibility with future use on an inverted fluorescence microscope). (13) Specimen and AFM tip must be contained within a space that is capable of being purged with an inert gas. (14) Specimen temperature must be controllable over as wide a range a possible (desired range is 170-500 K). (15) Access to all significant AC and DC signals used in the operation of the instrument, for NIST modification of instrument operation. Line Item 0002: Installation ? 1 LS The contractor shall install the atomic force microscope. Installation shall include uncrating/unpackaging of all equipment, set-up and hook-up of all equipment, turn key start-up, and demonstration of all specifications. Line Item 0003: Training ? 1 LS The contractor shall provide on-site training at NIST, Boulder, Colorado for (3) NIST personnel. This training can commence immediately upon completion of installation. Line Item 0004: Technical Support ? 1 LS The contractor shall provide technical support to NIST for as long as NIST owns the instrument. Line Item 0005: Warranty ? 1 LS The contractor shall provide a warranty for the instrument and equipment. Warranty shall be a minimum of one (1) calendar year. Warranty shall commence upon completion of installation and successful demonstration of specifications. Warranty shall be on-site at NIST, Boulder, Colorado and include all parts, labor and travel. The contractor shall provide a complete description of the warranty with their quotation. 6. DELIVERY INFORMATION: Date of Delivery: Delivery, installation and training must be completed not later that 120 calendar days after receipt of contract. Place of Delivery and Acceptance: 325 Broadway, Building 22 Boulder, CO 80303 FOB Point: Destination (FOB Destination means: The Contractor shall pack and mark the shipment in conformance with carrier requirement, deliver the shipment in good order and condition to the point of delivery specified in the contract, be responsible for loss of and or damage to the goods occurring before receipt and acceptance of the shipment by the consignee at the delivery point specified in the purchase order and pay all charges to the specified point of delivery) 7. The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors?Commercial, applies to this acquisition. 8. Provision 52.212-2, Evaluation?Commercial Items, applies. 9. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of the provision are as follows: Award will be made to the Contractor whose quote offers the best value to the Government, technical, price and other factors considered. The Government will evaluate quotations based on the following evaluation criteria: 1) Technical Capability, Meeting or Exceeding the specifications, 2) Past Performance and 3) Price. 1) Technical Capability, Meeting or Exceeding the Specifications will be based on the following factors: Factor 1: Basic AFM Imaging-Contact and Non-contact modes: The instrument will be evaluated on its ability to image in contact and non-contact modes. Performance evaluation criteria include the scanning area, image resolution, and sensor noise, and ability to image in contact and non-contact modes. Factor 2: Nanomanipulation and Nanolithography: The instrument will be evaluated on its ability to perform nanolithography and nanomanipulation. Performance evaluation criteria include demonstrated ability to manipulate nanoparticles by various techniques (pushing, dragging, electrical contact, or others) and to perform nanolithography (nano-oxidation, exposure of polymer to localized electrical current (electron beam lithography), physical patterning of polymers, or others). The offeror shall include in it?s quote the manufacturer, make and model of the instrument, manufacturer sales literature or other product literature which CLEARLY DOCUMENTS that the offered product meets or exceed the required specifications. 2) Past Performance will be evaluated to determine the overall quality of the product and service provided. Evaluation of past performance will be based on the references provided in accordance with FAR 52.212-1(b)(10) and/or the offerors recent and relevant procurement history with NIST or its affiliates. 3) Price will be evaluated to determine price reasonableness. 10. A completed copy of the Provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications ? Commercial Items, must be included with each offer. A copy can be found at: http://www.arnet.gov/far/ 11. Clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions ? Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. 12. Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders ? Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following additional FAR clauses cited in the clause are applicable to this acquisition: FAR 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Sept 2006) FAR 52.222-3 Convict Labor (June 2003) FAR 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities (Feb 1999) FAR 52.222-26 Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) FAR 52.225-1 Buy American Act?Supplies (June 2003) FAR 52.225-3 Buy American Act?Free Trade Agreements?Israeli Trade Act (Nov 2006) FAR 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases (Feb 2006) FAR 52.252-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer?Central Contractor Registration (Oct 2003) 13. Offers are due on September 4, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time to: U.S. Department of Commerce Mountain Region Acquisition Division 325 Broadway MC3 Boulder, CO 80303-3328 FAX QUOTES SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED 14. Point of Contract: Contract Specialist Amy Lineberry, telephone number (303) 497-6875; email: amy.lineberry@noaa.gov, Alternate Point of Contact: Rhonda Nelson, telephone number (303) 497-3487; email: Rhonda.nelson@noaa.gov.