This Solicitation opportunity from Department Of Commerce was posted on September 2, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
Optical Microscope
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Solicitation 1333ND26QNB640568 is a Request for Quotations issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the procurement of a high-magnification optical microscope to support the CHIPS Metrology R&D program. The required system must feature infinity corrected objective lenses capable of Brightfield, Darkfield, and DIC imaging, a trinocular observation tube, and an encoded objective turret for motorized switching of at least five lenses. Key technical specifications include a 100 mm x 100 mm XY motorized stage with an integrated measuring system and rotator, as well as integration with a computer and a digital camera featuring at least 6 megapixels, a minimum field of view of 20 mm, and a pixel size better than 3.0 microns. The microscope must be delivered FOB Destination to NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, within 12 weeks of award, with installation completed within 30 days and on-site training provided within 20 days of installation. A minimum one-year warranty covering parts, labor, and travel is required. The government will award a single purchase order based on best value, evaluating quotations through a combination of total price, technical capability, prior experience with similar equipment from the last three years, and past performance on projects of comparable size and complexity. This is a full and open competition under NAICS code 334516, although it is designated for HUBZONE, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and 8(a) participants. Offerors must maintain active SAM registration and submit their technical approach, experience data sheets, and pricing to the contract specialist by September 8, 2026. Final acceptance of the equipment is contingent upon the contractor demonstrating that all government specifications and manufacturer standards have been met during on-site performance tests at the Gaithersburg facility.
General Info
Contract Value
$107,835.96Place of Performance
Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USASet-Aside
Award Issued Date
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
Responses to Questions posed by Industry:
Q:There is no description of the “imaging modes”. Reflected light Brightfield is assumed, but does the user also want to have Darkfield and DIC?
A: Requirements for imaging modes are specified in points c, d, and h of the Technical Specifications, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements.
Q: A “motorized translational stage” is mentioned in the general description, but not in the requirements. There is no mention of whether the stage is encoded or not,
A: The motorized stage must include an integrated measuring system and rotation, as outlined in point i of the Technical Specification, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements.
Q: It also mentions that the samples will be cleaved from large wafers, but there is no XY size requirement for the stage.
A: The size of the XY stage is specified as 100 mm x 100 mm, see point i of the Technical Specification, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements.
Q: A camera is mentioned without any further specification
A: The camera details are specified in point n of the Technical Specifications, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements: at least 6 megapixels, a minimum FOV of 20 mm, and a pixel size better than 3.0 µm
Q: There is a mention of Image Analysis software but no mention of what the user wishes for it to do.
A: The software requirements are specified in the Software section, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements. These requirements will satisfy our needs.
Q: Encoded capability for the selected imaging modes:
A: Requirements for integrated X-Y-Z motorization and encoded capabilities are specified in points g, k, l, and m of the Technical Specifications and in point e of the Software section, Section III Requirements, page 2 of the Statement of Requirements.
Q: Issues with the objectives’ specifications.
A: We did not specify that our samples are flat. In general, they may come from wafers with less topographical variation, but in some cases, we alter the surface through various processes. Additionally, we may need to create active devices with contacts and wires attached to the cleaved pieces. All of these factors impose constraints on the working distances required for the objectives. These research needs were the main reason for our requirements.
Q: If 1mm is sufficient WD for a 100x objective, then why is 1mm not sufficient WD for a 50x objective?
A: Exceeding 1mm of WD is not necessary.
For our samples, we need a working distance as large as possible (given the numerical aperture) to facilitate easy manipulation and observation. The 50X objective is the one we are most likely to use for our sample inspections. In contrast, we expect to use the 100X objective less frequently, in cases that permit a more restrictive working distance of 1 mm. However, this shorter distance requires extra caution to avoid damaging the samples.
SOLICITATION 1333ND26QNB640568
OPTICAL MICROSCOPE
This is a solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with format in RFO Subpart 12.2, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are being requested, and a separate written solicitation document will not be issued.
This solicitation is a Request for Quotations (RFQ).
The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a Small Business size standard of 1,000 employees. This requirement is will be a Full and Open Competition.
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