Combined Sources Sought Notice and Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract for ScanWave Pro electronic controller for a Vero AFM

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting market research to identify alternative sources that (a) are capable of meeting NIST’s minimum requirements for the following commercial products and commercial services and (b) would be interested in competing for that requirement:

NIST requires one (1) scanning Microwave Impedance Microscopy (sMIM) electronic controller to support nanoscale impedance property measurements for research conducted by Division 643. The required controller will integrate with the Government-owned Vero Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) through the existing ScanWave 2.0™ Probe Interface module and will replace the current modular assembly consisting of a microwave electronics unit, power supply, temperature controller, and reflectometer calibrator.

The required system shall provide enhanced nanoscale impedance characterization capabilities while maintaining compatibility with the Government's existing Vero AFM configuration. The controller must support direct impedance measurements of material samples and enable integration of electrical characterization with the Vero AFM's existing multimodal measurement capabilities, including current, surface potential, capacitance, piezoelectric, thermal, and mechanical (elastic and plastic) characterization techniques.

At a minimum, the required electronic controller shall:

• Be fully compatible with the Government-owned Vero AFM and the existing ScanWave 2.0™ Probe Interface module without requiring replacement or modification of the existing interface.
• Provide scanning Microwave Impedance Microscopy (sMIM) capability for direct nanoscale impedance measurements.
• Replace the existing modular microwave electronics assembly with a single integrated electronic controller.
• Provide substantially improved measurement sensitivity over the existing measurement configuration (approximately a tenfold increase in sensitivity).
• Integrate with the existing customized Vero AFM holder and associated instrumentation to preserve current system functionality and research workflows.
• Be capable of supporting multimodal characterization in conjunction with the Vero AFM's existing electrical, mechanical, thermal, and piezoelectric measurement capabilities.
• Include the manufacturer's standard commercial warranty.

The Government intends to acquire only the equipment identified above. Installation, training, and any associated support services shall be provided as customarily offered under the manufacturer's standard commercial terms, as applicable.

NIST has not yet determined its acquisition strategy for this requirement and encourages interested sources to respond to this Notice.

If NIST’s market research indicates there are alternative sources that are capable and interested in competing to fill this requirement, separate and apart from Primenano, Inc. (UEI: K2RLBZKD2CX7) then NIST will consider conducting a competitive acquisition in accordance with law and regulation. To be clear, NIST’s identification of Primenano, Inc. in this Notice does not constitute a binding commitment or obligation for it to conduct a sole source procurement with Primenano, Inc. for this requirement.

Instructions for Responding to Respond to This Notice

Parties that respond to this Notice are requested to voluntarily submit the requested information via email in Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, and/or Microsoft Excel format to the designated point(s) of contact whose name and email address appears at the bottom of this notice. Please provide only the information requested by this Notice, and do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in a response to this Notice.

Information Requested in Response to This Notice: To help NIST with its market research, NIST is requesting that industry sources carefully review this notice and any attachments to it and voluntarily provide the following information: 

1. Company Summary

• Notice Identification: Notice ID and Title of this posting.

• Corporate Details: Company name, physical address, website address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

• Point of Contact (POC): Name, phone number, and email address.

• Company Size Standard: Your company’s size status relative to the NAICS code provided in this Notice. (Refer to the SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards).

• System for Award Management (SAM) Registration: Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in SAM.gov.

2. Feedback for Draft Requirements

• Review the potential requirements/minimum specifications included with this Notice. Then, please provide suggestions to (a) improve clarity of it; (b) to make it more competitive; (c) to indicate whether there anything in it that may inadvertently exclude domestic involvement; and (d) to indicate how the requirements could potentially be revised to improve the ability for domestic (“Made in America”) end products to be considered.

3. Information Regarding Your Company’s Products and Services

• Provide specifications, company name of the original equipment manufacturer, and the country of manufacture for products and services that your company is legally authorized to sell and that may meet NIST’s minimum requirements.

• • Indicate whether, in your opinion, the product(s) meet the definition of (a) commercial product or (b) commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) item or COTS item as described at https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide/far-overhaul-part-2 and, if so, which definition applies ((a) or (b)).

• • Indicate whether, in your opinion, the service(s) meet the definition of commercial service as described at https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide/far-overhaul-part-2.

• Standard Commercial Pricing: Provide your company’s standard commercial pricing information for the identified products and services and explain what is included in those standard prices.

• Estimated Price Range: You may provide an estimated price or price range for the requirements, including a brief explanation of how the price estimate was developed.

• Standard Commercial Terms and Conditions: Provide a copy of the standard commercial terms and conditions for the commercial products and commercial services identified in the response to this notice, including nature and duration of standard commercial warranty.

4. Regulatory and Supply Chain Compliance

• Indicate whether your company could comply with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022) if this acquisition were to be set aside for small businesses. Provide a brief supporting explanation.

5. Existing Governmentwide Contract Vehicles

• Indicate whether your company has its own GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract or other federal contract vehicles under which NIST could award an order and, if so, provide the contract details (contract number, Contracting Officer name/contact, SOW, terms and conditions, and price lists).

We truly appreciate your company’s willingness to provide the above-mentioned information which NIST will be valuable in helping NIST complete its market research.

Important Notes

This Notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay respondents to this notice for information provided in response to this Notice. Following a review of the responses and market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on an authorized site, depending on the chosen acquisition strategy. Responses received after the closing date for this Notice may not be considered.

There is no solicitation available at this time.

The Government reserves the right to use information that it receives in response to this Notice as it deems appropriate to establish final requirements or for other legally appropriate purposes.

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).

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE

For additional information, please contact the primary contact or, if named, secondary contact identified at the bottom of this notice.

THANK YOU

Thank you for taking the time to read this notice and for your interest in helping NIST with its efforts to maximize competition!