NIST-SS26-CHIPS-33.docx

NIST-SS26-CHIPS-33

Title: Sources Sought Notice for Gas Chromatograph with Flame Ionization Detector and Pulsed Discharge Helium Ionization Detector

Department of Commerce Advanced Acquisition Planning (AAP) Entry Number: N/A

BACKGROUND

The semiconductor supply chain is global, specialized, and interconnected. Chipmakers do business with thousands of individual suppliers that provide the highly complex materials and tools used to produce semiconductors. To address the lack of full visibility into the semiconductors markets supply chain and R&D ecosystem gaps NIST will conduct the measurement science, or metrology, critical to the development of new materials, packaging, and production methods in chip manufacturing.

The Gas Sensing Metrology Group (GSMG) of the Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) will develop primary standards and reference materials for “zero gas” semiconductor and electronics-grade gases. Development of such standards will require specialized instrumentation to properly separate, identify, and quantify trace impurities at sub-parts-per-billion levels.

One of the instruments needed is a gas chromatograph fitted with a flame ionization detector and a pulsed discharge helium ionization detector (GC-FID/PDHID), to enable improved separation and detection for a broad range of trace gas impurities.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gas Sensing Metrology Group (GSMG) of the Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) has a requirement for a Gas Chromatograph with Flame Ionization Detector and Pulsed Discharge Helium Ionization Detector and is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the specifications described below:

Description: Gas Chromatograph with a Flame Ionization Detector and Pulsed Discharge Helium Ionization Detector (GC-FID/PDHID) A. Technical Specifications

a. System

i. The Gas Chromatograph shall be configured for the analysis of gases delivered through a regulator from a gas cylinder.

ii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and a Pulsed Discharge Helium Ionization Detector (PDHID).

iii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have 6-port gas sampling valve (GSV) with the ability to heat valve to 75 °C and support a gas sample loop of up to 10 mL volume within the heated zone.

iv. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a 10 mL sample loop installed at delivery.

v. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a pneumatically actuated heart cut valve to divert balance gas to vent.

vi. The GC shall be equipped with helium mass spectrometer leak-tested valves as needed for PDHID.

vii. The GC shall be equipped with helium purifiers needed for primary and secondary helium purification as needed for PDHID.

viii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have an injector with the ability to support the use of packed columns.

ix. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a flow control system capable of supporting the use of packed columns.

x. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a flow control system capable of diverting the sample flow from the GSV to vent prior to injection [according to software-controlled timetable] to ensure that the sample volume is constant [e.g., 3-way solenoid valve].

xi. The Gas Chromatograph will be equipped with a micro-electrically actuated, 12-position stream select valve that is managed through the respective instrument software and that allows unselected streams to be dead headed.

xii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a GC oven box with temperature program capability.

xiii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a GC oven liquid nitrogen cooling capability.

xiv. The Gas Chromatograph shall have a Remote start and stop capability through contact closure (relay). End of run signal out capability (digital out).

b. Software

i. The Gas Chromatograph shall have software to control all GC functions, collect chromatographic data, perform data analysis and export selected data to an excel spreadsheet with a permanent software license (at delivery).

ii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have software documentation that will document how a user computer program written in Visual Basic Version 6.0 can gain access to analytical data after a run has terminated, and for the user program to inform the GC control software of the identification of the next sample to be run in the sequence. This capability shall be available in the GC control software.

iii. The Gas Chromatograph shall have software capable of controlling a 12-port gas sampling valve mounted atop the instrument allowing for controlled sample injection.

c. Manual

i. The Gas Chromatograph shall have an operations and maintenance manual. The manual can be in the form of a digital and/or hard copy.

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 in this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice. Please note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of solicitation response.

· 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).

· Identify the equipment that your company sells that can meet the objectives addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. For each product recommended to meet the Government’s requirement, provide the following:

· Manufacturer name

· Model number

· Technical specifications

· If your company is not the manufacturer, provide information on your company’s status as an authorized reseller of the product(s)

· Describe performance capabilities of the product(s) your company recommends to meet the Government’s requirements. Additionally, if there are other features or functions that you believe would assist NIST in meeting its objectives described above, please discuss in your response.

· Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization.

· Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section you cannot meet and state why. Please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more competitive.

· State whether the proposed equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured.

· Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details, including timeline.

· For the NAICS code listed in this notice:

· 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.

· Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance.

· Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the recommended equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms; manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available.

· State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the recommended equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of said services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested in inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.

· State published price, discount, or rebate arrangements for recommended equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services.

· If the recommended equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

· Identify any customers in the public or private sectors to which you provided the recommended or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address.

· Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement.

· State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact Junee Johnson junee.johnson@nist.gov listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received 5 days prior to the response date. If the Contracting Officer determines that providing a written amendment to this notice to document question(s) received would benefit other potential respondents, the questions would be anonymized, and a written response to such question(s) would be provided via an amendment to this notice.

IMPORTANT NOTES

This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. There is no solicitation available at this time.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.

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).

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