Request for Quotation.pdf

CHIPS R&D: Scanning Electron Microscope for X-ray Tomography/ Request for Quote 1333ND24QNB030562

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS OR

COMMERCIAL SERVICES PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR

SUBPART 12.6-STREAMLINED PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION AND SOLICITATION

FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS-AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY

SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A SEPARATE WRITTEN

SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. THE SOLICITATION IS BEING ISSUED USING

SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF FAR PART 13.5

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2024-05 dated May 22, 2024.

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 acquisition is being solicited as an unrestricted full and open competition.

Contarctors must possess an ACTIVE registration in the System for Award Management system, www.SAM.gov, when submitting a quotation and shall continue to be registered until time of award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract resulting from this solicitation. The Contracting Officer will confirm that quoters have an “active” registration at the www.sam.gov website upon receipt of the quotation. If the SAM.gov registration is not active, the quotation will not be considered for award.

BACKGROUND:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to support a CHIPS Metrology Program project in Grand Challenge #3 entitled “Nanoscale, Element-Specific X-ray Imaging for Integrated Circuit Metrology”. The SEM will be used along with a nanopositioning stage purchased in a separate procurement, state-of-the-art x-ray detectors, and semiconductor samples to perform nanoscale 3D x-ray tomography of nanoelectronics. The characterization of nanoscale subsurface features is a critical measurement need for the semiconductor industry and is challenging to achieve with existing laboratory tools. The procured SEM will be a central part of a novel instrument providing a new measurement capability to the semiconductor ecosystem. It will contribute to improved 3D metrology of integrated circuits, advancing nanoscale failure analysis, defect detection, and hardware security for chip manufacturing. The goal of this contract is to supply and install an SEM in the Quantum Sensors Division at NIST. The contractor shall deliver an SEM, with all associated software and components outlined in the attached Statement of Requirement document (Attachment 1), including delivery, installation, and warranty.

All Contractors shall provide a firm-fixed-price quotation for the following line item(s):

Contract Line-Item Number

(CLIN)

QTY UNIT UNIT

PRICE

APPLICABLE

DISCOUNTS

TOTAL

CLIN 0001 – Scanning

Electron Microscope (SEM), inclusive of electron column, software, required documentation, warranty, delivery, installation and training in accordance with the

Statement of Requirement.

1 Each

TOTAL:

Date(s) and place(s) of delivery and acceptance and FOB point are required in accordance with the attached Statement of Requirement document.

The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Contractors—Commercial Products and Commercial

Services, applies to this acquisition. Addenda to this provision is as follows:

DUE DATE FOR QUOTATIONS

Contractors shall submit their electronic quotations, via email, so that NIST receives them not later than 1:00 PM Eastern Time on August 26, 2024. E-mail quotations shall be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer, Sadaf Afkhami, at Sadaf.Afkhami@nist.gov.

Please reference the RFQ number in the subject line of email communications. Contractor’s quotations shall not be deemed received by the Government until the quotation is entered in the e-mail inbox set forth above.

PRE-QUOTE INQUIRIES (CAR 1352.215-72):

Contractors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to the Contracting

Officer, Sadaf Afkhami, at Sadaf.Afkhami@nist.gov. Questions must be received no later than

9:00 AM Eastern Time on August 15, 2024. All responses to the questions will be made in writing, without identification of the questioner, and will be included in an amendment to the solicitation. Even if provided in other form, only the responses included in the amendment to the solicitation will govern performance of the contract.

QUOTATION PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Each quotation shall consist of four (4) separate electronic files (in PDF format). In preparing the quotation, each electronic file shall stand on its own. For each given evaluation factor the

Government will only evaluate the information provided in the corresponding section of the quotation. The Contractor’s quotation shall be clearly divided into the following four (4) files:

1. Technical Quotation

2. Past Performance

3. Price Quotation

4. Terms and Conditions

1. Technical Quotation:

The Contractor shall submit one (1) copy of their technical quotation, electronically, via E-mail to the Contracting Officer identified above. The technical quotation shall address the following:

Technical Capability:

The quoter shall submit technical approach and capability documentation which may include a narrative, charts, graphs, tables, drawings, product / service literature, and as applicable, demonstrated authority to provide the necessary items and perform the required services identified in the Statement of Requirement. The documentation shall clearly describe, in sufficient detail, the vendor's authority, proposed items, resources and methods to mailto:Sadaf.Afkhami@nist.gov successfully fulfill the requirements including specifications, performance capability requirements, delivery schedules, warranties, and all service requirements. The submission shall clearly identify each line item above. The submission must demonstrate that the proposed system meets or exceeds each minimum requirement described within the attached

Statement of Requirement document by providing a citation between the Statement of

Requirement paragraph and the relevant section of the technical description or product literature. The Contractor must not simply state they will meet or exceed the requirement;

evidence must be provided. If applicable, evidence that the Contractor is authorized by the manufacturer to provide the item(s) in the quotation shall be included.

Stronger consideration will be given to the following specifications:

Specification Submission Requirement

A. b. i. Stronger consideration will be given to horizontal electron columns.

Please provide sufficient information to indicate the orientation of the electron column. This can include but is not limited to technical drawings, CAD of the system geometry, or a statement confirming the electron column orientation.

A. c. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which include a method for chamber cleaning.

If this specification is being offered, please provide sufficient information to indicate that the system meets this requirement to include but not limited to technical data sheets or other ways of demonstrating capability. The cleaning solution should be clearly stated (e.g., plasma cleaners integrated with chamber), and any limitations associated with repeated cleanings with regards to system cleanliness or overall system performance shall be clearly stated.

A. d. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions with vacuum ports aligning with the specifications detailed in the STATEMENT OF

REQUIREMENT, including the presence of a 250 mm or larger port and compatibility with standard commercial EDS systems.

If this specification is being offered, please provide sufficient information to indicate that the system meets this requirement to include but not limited to technical drawings, CAD, technical data sheets, or other ways of demonstrating capability. The configuration which allows for the highest solid angle of detection for NIST-owned detectors is desirable. The number of ports, location on the chamber, and port sizes should be clearly stated.

A. d. ii. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which are compatible with a nanopositioner stage of size 175 mm radius and 300 mm height.

If this specification is being offered, please provide sufficient information to indicate that the system meets this requirement to include but not limited to technical drawings, CAD, technical data sheets, or other ways of demonstrating capability.

C. a. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which enable external control of electron beam parameters via both vendor supplied software and python.

If this specification is being offered, please provide sufficient information to indicate that the system meets this requirement to include but not limited to technical documentation or other ways of demonstrating capability. Available methods for electron beam control shall be clearly stated, along with the controllable parameters.

2. Past Performance

The Contractor shall provide past performance information regarding relevant contracts over the past three (3) years with Federal, state, or local governments, or commercial customers. If the Contractor intends to subcontract with another firm(s) for part of this requirement, that firm’s past performance information shall also be provided. If the Contractor has no relevant past performance, it may include a statement to that effect in its quotation. The government reserves the right to consider data obtained from sources other than those described by the

Contractor in its quotation.

The description of each contract/order described in this section shall not exceed one half page in length. For each contract/order, the Contractor shall provide the following information:

a) Contract number;

b) Product Number or Service provided.

c) Description and relevance to solicitation requirements including dollar value;

Ability to meet the desired technical exceedance and minimum specifications in the offered past performance.

d) Period of Performance – indicate by month and year the state and completion

(or “ongoing”) dates for the contract;

e) Reference Contact – If a non-Government contract, identify the name and address of the client with current telephone number and email address of a point of contact of the client responsible for the contract;

f) Contracting Office – If a Government contract (Federal or state), identify the

Contracting Officer (CO), and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and their names, current telephone numbers and email addresses.

g) Problems Encountered – include information regarding information regarding any problems encountered on the contracts described above and corrective actions taken to resolve those problems.

3. Price Quotation:

The Contractor shall submit one (1) copy of their entire quotation, electronically, via E-mail to the Contracting Officer identified above. The pricing quotation shall be separate from any other portion of the quotation. The Contractor shall propose a firm-fixed-price quotation for each CLIN to include all shipping costs (FOB Destination). The price quotation shall include a cover page with the following information:

a) The solicitation number 1333ND24QNB030562;

b) The name and address, of the Contractor;

c) The name, phone number, and email address of the Contractor’s point of contact;

d) The Unique Entity ID # for Contractor’s active SAM.Gov registration.

e) Any applicable discount terms.

f) A statement that the Contractor agrees to all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation. If the Contractor objects to any of the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation, the Contractor shall state “The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:” [Contractor shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s)]. It is the sole responsibility of the

Contractor to identify in their quote any exceptions to the terms and conditions of the solicitation.

g) A statement that the quotation is valid for a minimum of 90 days from the response deadline of this solicitation.

4. Terms and Conditions & Small Business Subcontracting Plan

The provisions and clauses applicable to this solicitation are identified in Attachment 2 titled

“Provisions and Clauses”. Contractors shall provide a completed copy of all provisions highlighted in blue in the attached Provisions and Clauses document (Attachment 2).

Please note that this procurement IS NOT being conducted under the GSA Federal Supply

Schedule (FSS) program or another Government-Wide Area Contract (GWAC). If a contractor submits a quotation based upon an FSS or GWAC contract, the Government will accept the quoted price.

However, the terms and conditions stated herein will be included in any resultant Purchase Order, not the terms and conditions of the contractor’s FSS or GWAC contract.

NAICS Code

If the Contractor’s representations and certifications do not reflect the NAICS code governing this solicitation, Contractors must submit documentation that they are a small business under the NAICS code governing this solicitation.

(End of provision FAR 52.212-1)

(IX) Provision 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Products and Commercial Services applies to this procurement. The evaluation criteria included in paragraph (a) of the provision are as follows:

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The Government intends to award a single firm fixed price purchase order (PO) from this solicitation utilizing simplified acquisitions procedures in accordance with FAR part 13.5.

The Government reserves the right not to award a PO and to make an award without discussions based solely upon initial quotes.

Basis for Award:

The Government will award a firm fixed price purchase order resulting from this solicitation once the Contractor is verified as responsible and the quotation conforming to the solicitation is found most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The

Government will evaluate quotations based on the following evaluation criteria factors: 1)

Technical Capability 2) Past Performance and 3) Price.

Technical Capability and Past Performance when combined are more important than price.

Technical capability is more important than Past Performance.

A Contractor's failure to address any factor may be considered indicative of the Contractor's lack of understanding of the Government's requirements and may result in the offer being determined unacceptable.

Evaluation Factors:

Factor 1- Technical Capability:

This procurement is for commercial items. Therefore, prototypes or demonstration models will not be accepted. Additionally, used or refurbished instruments will not be considered.

Evaluation of technical capability shall be limited to the information provided in the quotation.

Evaluation of this factor is a subjective evaluation of the vendor's demonstrated capability and methods to meet all requirements. This may include the authority to provide the required items (i.e. authorized dealer/seller/reseller), authority to provide maintenance and repair services, and the capability and method to successfully meet all the requirements in the

Statement of Requirement. Quotations that do not demonstrate that the proposed equipment meets or exceeds all requirements will not be considered further for award. If a Contractor’s technical description and/or product literature does not indicate whether its proposed equipment meets a certain minimum requirement, NIST will determine that it does not meet the requirement.

The following specifications will provide additional value to the Government under the technical capability evaluation factor and will thus receive stronger consideration:

Specification

A. b. i. Stronger consideration will be given to horizontal electron columns.

A. c. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which include a method for chamber cleaning.

A. d. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions with vacuum ports aligning with the specifications detailed in the STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENT, including the presence of a 250 mm or larger port and compatibility with standard commercial EDS systems.

A. d. ii. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which are compatible with a nanopositioner stage of size 175 mm radius and 300 mm height.

C. a. i. Stronger consideration will be given to solutions which enable external control of electron beam parameters via both vendor supplied software and python.

Factor 2- Past Performance

In assessing the Contractor's past performance information, NIST will evaluate, as appropriate, (b) successful performance of contract requirements, quality and timeliness of delivery of goods and services, (c) communications between contracting parties, (d) proactive management and customer satisfaction.

Evaluation of this factor will be based on information contained in the past performance portion of the quote, CPARS, and information provided by references. The Government will evaluate past performance information by contacting appropriate references, including NIST references, if applicable. The Government may also consider other available information in evaluating the Contractor’s past performance. The Government will assign a neutral rating if the Contractor has no relevant past performance information.

Factor 3- Price: The proposed price will be evaluated. The evaluation will determine whether the proposed prices are reasonable in relation to the solicitation requirements. A price realism analysis will not be conducted. Prices must be proportionate with the technical portion of the quotation.

(End of provision 52.212-2)