Nikon Optical Microscope– Combined Sources Sought/Notice of Intent to Sole Source

***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE***

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a high speed, Lock-in/Servo system. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Nikon Metrology, LLC (12701 Grand River RD, Brighton, Michigan 48116) under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516. 

NIST has a need for a Nikon Optical Microscope that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Physical Measurements Lab (PML), Quantum Nanoelectronics Group requires an Automated Inspection Optical Microscope to visualize, manipulate, and measure single atomic layer crystals to fabricate quantum devices. The microscope shall image silicon wafers and 2D quantum materials in visible and infrared light (IR), operating in reflection and transmission modes. The microscope shall be capable of automatically recording multiple images of adjacent areas of a wafer and stitching them into one image. The system shall also be capable of automatically taking multiple images at different focal heights.

The optical microscope is part of a NIST-designed system used to fabricate low-dimensional van der Waals-based quantum devices for mission-critical experiments in physics and metrology, quantum information science, and electrical standards dissemination. For air-sensitive crystals, we require the optical microscope to be located in a glove box and remotely operated with full motorized controls for stage and focus movement. Motorization should allow the user to change the nosepiece objective, move between Brightfield, Darkfield, POL and DIC in reflected light, and control the XY Stage and Z-Focus through software. The optical microscope must be compatible with our existing NIKON MM-400SLU.  Compatibility is required so that objective lenses, adapters, illuminators, and other parts can be shared between microscopes and operate using the same software platform, saving the government money in the need to purchase additional lenses, software, and training of personnel.

Description: NIKON LV100NDA INSPECTION MICROSCOPE with the following minimum specifications, and required options

Quantity: One (1)

1. Minimum Specifications

1. The microscope shall be capable of imaging silicon wafers and Van der Walls materials in transmitted and reflected light
2. All microscope objectives should be capable of imaging reflected light in Brightfield, Darkfield, Polarized Light and DIC
3. Motorization shall allow the user to change the nosepiece objective, move between Brightfield, Darkfield, POL and DIC in reflected light, and control the XY Stage and Z-Focus through the software. 
4. The reflected light source shall be capable of imaging in both Visible and Infrared light.
5. The system shall include an encoded motorized stage with a minimum of 100mm x 100mm travel; X and Y measurements should be read separately on a Digital Readout device that can be reset to zero.
6. The system shall include an encoded motorized Z; the Z measurement should be read on the same Digital Readout device that can be reset to zero.
7. XY and Z shall be able to be controlled through the system software or through a manual joystick device
8. The microscope shall have integrated software that
   1. Controls imaging
   2. Controls automated motion of x, y and focus.
   3. Stitches multiple images together
   4. Combines images taken at different focal heights to give images with larger depth of focus
9. The microscope shall have objectives that operate in VIS & IR:
   1. 5x, minimum NA of 0.15 and WD of 18mm
   2. 10x, minimum NA of 0.30 and WD of 15mm
   3. 20x, minimum NA of 0.45 and WD of 4.5mm
   4. 50x, minimum NA of 0.80 and WD of 1mm
10. The microscope shall have a tilting trinocular head with 0-30 degree tilt and 10x/22mm FOV eyepieces; one eyepiece should include crossline to aid in measuring with the DRO.
11. The microscope shall have the ability to mount two cameras simultaneously with 1.0x c-mount adapter for 2nd camera that we already own; the beam splitter shall send 100% of the light to either camera port.
12. The microscope shall have a color camera with at least 5.9 megapixels with a minimum FOV of 20 mm and a frame rate greater than 30 fps at full resolution
13. The microscope shall have a motorized nosepiece to accommodate all objectives
14. The microscope shall have a motorized encoded XY sample stage with at least 100 mm of range, positioning repeatability ≤ 0.2 µm, and accuracy of ± 1µm or better.
15. The microscope shall have a motorized encoded focus adjustment
16. The microscope shall have a Digital Readout Pad that can measure in XYZ from linear encoders of stage and Z-focus.
17. The microscope shall have a controller for motorized axes
18. The microscope shall have a physical controls (e.g. knob or joystick) for manual adjustment of motorized motion
19. The microscope shall include both glass and solid metal plate insert sample holders for 100 mm wafers and smaller chips in transmission and reflection
20. The microscope shall include NIS-elements analysis software
21. The microscope camera shall include a USB 3.2 interface and PCI card and cable for the digital image capture

NIST conducted market research from February 2025 to April 2026 by attending conferences, 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 Nikon Metrology, LLC (UEI: NP7BRVCLFN51) appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

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 at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.

• 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 with 5 days of the initial posting.  Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

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 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.

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!