FA8650-17-S-5009-RFI.pdf

FA8650-17-S-5009

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

1.0 OVERVIEW INFORMATION

1.1 Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and

Manufacturing Directorate

1.2 Program Name: Advanced Characterization of Materials (ACOM)

1.3 General Information: This is a Request For Information (RFI) as defined in FAR 15.201(e) to obtain information about expertise in the industrial base in materials characterization, primarily in the areas of electron and ion optical characterization, X-Ray scattering, and X-Ray imaging techniques. This RFI is not a request for competitive proposals; therefore, responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Companies that respond will not be paid for the information submitted except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in FAR 31.205-18, “Bid and Proposal

Costs.”

Note: There is no guarantee that Advanced Characterization of Materials (ACOM) will become an AFRL program and responders to this RFI will have no competitive advantage in receiving awards related to this area of research. The information submitted in all responses may be utilized to help the Government further define its requirements, performance measures, inspection and acceptance procedures.

1.4 Estimated Program Funding: The Federal Government (DoD) anticipates a total program value of up to $22M.

1.5 Statement of Requirements: AFRL seeks to obtain information from interested participants on their current capabilities to perform research in the technical area of materials characterization.

Requirements include: Working closely with Air Force researchers to determine Air Force needs in advanced characterization of materials, defining and executing projects to develop unique and innovative materials characterization. It is anticipated that efforts will include projects in:

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Techniques: Secondary electron imaging, backscattered electron imaging, high resolution low voltage scanning electron microscopy (HR

LVSEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging (ECCI), in-situ testing and imaging.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Techniques: Bright/dark field TEM imaging, electron diffraction, EDS, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), aberration corrected high resolution TEM

(HRTEM) at 60 to 300 kV, HRTEM image simulation, exit wave reconstruction, quantitative image analysis, low-dose methods, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), STEM image simulation, high angle annular dark field (HAADF) STEM electron microscopy, low voltage TEM imaging, TEM weak beam dark field imaging, and electron tomography for 3D reconstruction.

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and Ion Microscopy Techniques: Ion-induced backscatter and secondary electron imaging, FIB milling, TEM foil fabrication via FIB methods, in-situ lift-out operation for TEM foil fabrication, in-situ micromanipulation operation, automated serial section imaging and analytical mapping for 3D microscopy, cross-section surface preparation, EBSD/EDS mapping, and in-situ testing and imaging.

Cryo-Electron Microscopy Techniques: (Cryo-SEM and Cryo-TEM) with novel sample preparation methods and low dose imaging. Research into the benefits of improved detectors

(such as Direct Electron Detectors for Cryo-TEM), and frame-integration.

Optical Microscopy Techniques: Bright Field, Dark Field, Interference Contrast Methods, Polarized Light Methods.

X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT) Techniques: Absorption contrast, Phase Contrast, Cone

Beam CT, Microfocused X-Ray CT, Diffraction Contrast Tomography

X-Ray Scattering Techniques: Powder Diffraction, Wide Angle Scattering, Small Angle

Scattering, X-Ray Reflectivity, 3D Reconstruction.

In-situ Techniques: In-situ TEM and SEM using liquid cells, nano/micromechanical testing stages, electrical testing.

Specimen Preparation and Associated Techniques: Transmission and surface sample preparation techniques including materialographic sectioning, polishing and grinding, tripod polishing, dimple grinding, ion etching and polishing, chemical etching, electropolishing and electrolytic jet thinning, microtome sectioning, cryo-ultramicrotomy, sample embedding, cryo-plunge freezing, and other soft matter preparation techniques.

Specialized Testing: Development and testing of specialized software and/or hardware.

Existing laboratory equipment hardware and software may be altered/upgraded to address research mission requirements. Research may also include beta-testing of new and unique characterization equipment obtained from external sources.

Data Analysis Methods: The contractor shall perform computational analysis of data generated by the microscopy techniques listed above using a variety of commercially available software as well as in-house developed research code. Examples of current in-house software are Avizo Fire, Inspect 3D, Crystal Diffract, Crystal Maker, Single Crystal, Crystal KitX, MacTempas X, TSL

Analysis, Bruker ESPRIT, Photoshop CS5/Fovea Pro4, xHREM, Digital Micrograph, ImageJ/FIJI, and AutoCAD.

Software Development: Custom code and software development associated with enhancing the collection or analysis data generated by the microscopy techniques listed herein is of interest.

Software development tasks involve the application of conventional practices and knowledge of the principles and practices of related specialties related to software development. Examples of current and/or past software development include automation of the collection of a series of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) grain boundary maps from a Scanning Electron

Microscope to produce large-area high-resolution mosaic data, and automated scripts to enable overnight operation of Dual-Beam FIB systems for complex micromachining tasks.

This program encompasses research and development activities on a broad range of materials.

The intent is for the successful offeror to perform research to advance the state of the art for microscopy techniques that characterize microstructural, compositional, crystallographic, and property analyses on, but not limited to, metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanostructured materials, functionally graded materials, electronic materials, sensor materials, and biological materials.

1.6 Response Guidelines: It is expected that this will be a single award contract.

Limit RFI responses to 20 single sided, double-spaced pages. In addition, please respond to the questionnaire that follows in Attachment 1. The font for text should be Times New

Roman 12-point or larger. The Responder may use oversize pages (including “foldouts”) where appropriate to contain graphic presentations. Oversize pages do not count as extra pages within the page limitations. Submitted responses should be in Microsoft Word or

Adobe Acrobat format. Existing commercial documentation and product literature can also be submitted and is not subject to a page limitation. Responses must be unclassified and any Proprietary information provided must be marked accordingly.

To protect such data, each line or paragraph on the pages containing such data must be specifically identified and marked with a legend similar to the following:

“The following contains proprietary information that (name of Responder) requests not be released to persons outside the Government, except for the purposes of review and evaluation.”

Responses shall include:

• Interested participant’s current capabilities that pertain to the requirements listed in this

RFI.

• Completed questionnaire provided in Attachment 1

1.7 Requests for Clarification/ Points of Contact:

A responder may request clarification in writing from the Contracting Office for any requirement that is unclear by sending an e-mail to the Contracting Point of Contact below:

Adrianna J. Menker adrianna.menker@us.af.mil

(937) 713-9924 mailto:adrianna.menker@us.af.mil

Any requests for clarification must be received no later than seven (7) business days prior to the close of this RFI in order to receive a timely response. Clarifications may be posted on the RFI announcement website to benefit all interested responders. Interested responders are encouraged to periodically check the website during the response period for clarifications.

1.8 Response Due:

Hard copy responses to this RFI shall be submitted to the following address:

AFRL/RQKMC

Attn: Ms. Adrianna Menker

2130 Eighth Street, Bldg. 45

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541

Date Due: On or before 3:00 pm EST, 05 Apr 2017. Direct all inquiries to the

Contracting Point of Contact listed in the Requests for Clarification / Points of Contact paragraph.

Please Note: The Government is not required to provide feedback to RFI responders.

1.9 Security Requirements - Information Regarding Non-US Citizens Assigned to this

Project:

(a) Contractor employees requiring access to USAF bases, AFRL facilities, and/or access to U.S.

Government Information Technology (IT) networks in connection with the work on this contract must be U.S. citizens. For the purpose of base and network access, possession of a permanent resident card (“Green Card”) does not equate to U.S. citizenship. This requirement does not apply to foreign nationals approved by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. State Department under international personnel exchange agreements with foreign governments. Any waivers to this requirement must be granted in writing by the Contracting Officer prior to providing access.

The above requirements are in addition to any other contract requirements related to obtaining a

Common Access Card (CAC).

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a) above, if an IT network/system does not require AFRL to endorse a contractor’s application to said network/system in order to gain access, the organization operating the IT network/system is responsible for controlling access to its system.

If an IT network/system requires an U.S. Government sponsor to endorse the application in order for access to the IT network/system; AFRL will only endorse the following types of applications;

consistent with the requirements above:

(1) Contractor employees who are U.S. citizens performing work under this contract.

(2) Contractor employees who are non-U.S. citizens and who have been granted a waiver.

Any additional access restrictions established by the IT network/system owner apply.

Attachment 1

ACOM RFI Questionnaire

Company Name: Company Address:

POC for RFI:

1. Please provide your company’s cage code and web page URL.

2. Describe your business size based on NAICS code 541712 (Small Business Size Standard of

1,000 employees) and identify small business subcategories that are applicable to your business.

a. Small Business

b. Small Disadvantaged Business

c. 8(a)

d. Woman Owned Small Business

e. Veteran Owned Small Business

f. Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

g. HUB Zone Small Business

h. Large Business

i. Non-Profit

3. Define your firm’s procedures and timelines to ensure that personnel hired for this effort possess or can obtain the appropriate clearance levels to work in a Government facility and/or with sensitive documents.

4. Any contract resulting from this inquiry may be awarded as cost-reimbursement type. Does your firm have an adequate accounting system for cost type contracts? If so, please provide the most recent approval date of your accounting system.

5. Would your firm be interested in submitting a proposal for this effort as a prime contractor? If your firm is a small business, demonstrate your firm’s capability to perform at least 50% of the labor required for this effort. Describe in detail how your company intends to obtain the capability to meet any remaining requirements with subcontractors or teaming arrangements. Limit your responses to one single-spaced page.

6. Finally, does your firm have any other comments or suggestions that you would like to share with us?