Cold Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope

The National Research Council of Canada is seeking the supply and installation of one ultra-high resolution Cold Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (CFE-SEM) under solicitation number 25-58311, with an estimated contract value of $870,000.00, excluding GST/HST. The equipment must feature a Cold Field Emission gun based on a single tungsten crystal with an anode heating system to enable ultra-bright, ultra-high resolution imaging, achieving secondary electron image resolution of no worse than 0.6 nm at 15 kV and 0.7 nm at 1 kV, with magnification capabilities from 20x to 2,000,000x and an accelerating voltage range of 0.5 kV to 30 kV. The vacuum system must include at least two ion getter pumps, one non-evaporative getter pump, one turbomolecular pump, and one dry roots roughing pump, maintaining a vacuum of no greater than 1 × 10⁻⁸ Pa at the electron gun and 1 × 10⁻⁴ Pa at the specimen chamber. The system must be equipped with a semiconductor-type backscattered electron detector, a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscopy detector, an evacuated sample exchange airlock, and an automated five-axis motorized stage capable of handling samples up to 150 mm in diameter and 36 mm in height. The contractor is required to install the microscope, commission it to operational readiness, relocate the existing Ultim Max 170 EDS system from a legacy S-4800 SEM, and decommission and remove the old microscope from NRC premises. Delivery and installation must be completed by March 30, 2027, during regular business hours Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays, at the National Research Council of Canada’s facility located at 1200 Montreal Rd, Building M20, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6. The contractor must provide a minimum one-year standard warranty and ensure all systems are calibrated and serviced upon installation. This procurement is an Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) with a single-source intent, where qualified suppliers may respond by submitting a statement of capabilities demonstrating compliance with minimum essential requirements, including specific technical specifications for the electron source and vacuum system. All submissions are due by June 6, 2026, at 2:00