Primary S-Parameter Standards for Plasma Etching Record

The contract, identified by solicitation number 1333ND26QNB030097, is a firm fixed price procurement issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce, for the development and delivery of primary S-parameter standards essential to high-power RF metrology in semiconductor plasma etching applications. The work requires the contractor to produce seven DIN 7/16 offset short devices with precise lengths ranging from 0.631 to 15.839 inches, each gold-plated and beadless, accompanied by three sets of mechanical drawings (initial, intermediate, and final) and 28 detailed dimensional measurements with documented uncertainties, all compliant with IEEE 287.1-2021 metrology standards. Deliverables must be shipped F.O.B. Destination to NIST sites in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Boulder, Colorado, with protective caps included, and are subject to inspection and acceptance by NIST upon arrival. The contract is structured under FAR Part 12 as a commercial item acquisition, with a solicitation that mandates full and open competition and awards based on the lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) methodology, where technical compliance is a mandatory pass/fail threshold. The contractor is required to maintain active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), submit electronic invoices via the Invoice Processing Platform and to INVOICE@NIST.GOV, and comply with numerous federal provisions including ethics, whistleblower protections, labor standards, trafficking prohibitions, Buy American requirements, and drug-free workplace obligations. Special contractual conditions include daily monitoring of NIST campus operating status, adherence to Anti-Deficiency Act constraints, indemnification against intellectual property claims, and strict adherence to packaging and marking standards based on original manufacturer practices rather than military specifications. All quotations must be submitted electronically by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on March 16, 2026, in three volumes—technical, pricing, and terms—and must include a current Unique Entity Identifier from SAM.gov. The contract includes no defined total value, pricing is to be provided by offerors, and there are no options for extension or renewal. Performance timelines are event-driven, with delivery expected no later than eight weeks after order receipt or 24 weeks after draft approval, and the contractor bears full responsibility for warranty, correction of nonconforming items, and compliance with all applicable legal and procedural requirements.