REQUEST FOR INFORMATION – JG-0909-26

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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) INSTRUCTIONS

Project Magnitude: $500K - $600K Schedule: Request for Information (RFI) fall of 2026, Request for Proposal (RFP) winter-spring 2027; system delivery December 2028 Intent: Information gathering, design feasibility, budgetary quotation, schedule information

Please review all the details provided to ensure you have a complete understanding of this RFI.

The purpose of this RFI is to support decision making of the Beamline 4.3.1 final optical configuration and as preparation for a potential future acquisition. LBNL is seeking information on:

• Technical feasibility and expected performance of the proposed monochromator concepts, as well as recommendations on alternative concepts, if applicable.

• Preliminary budgetary cost and anticipated fabrication and delivery schedule.

The final system architecture and division of responsibilities between LBL and the offeror have not yet been established. Offerors are requested to evaluate the configurations and performance targets described in this RFI, identify significant technical or integration risks, and recommend alternative approaches where appropriate.

The requirements are intended to provide sufficient information for offerors to evaluate technical feasibility, identify significant design risks, and recommend suitable technical approaches.

All submittals must include the Company Information Form, Sections 1-5, pages 8-11, fully completed, for submittal to be considered.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) announcement only. This is not a solicitation of proposals and no subcontract will be awarded from this Request. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this Request or any follow-up information requests related to this RFI. No telephone calls will be accepted requesting a bid package or solicitation because there is no bid package or solicitation available. In order to protect the procurement integrity of any future procurement, if any, that may arise from this Request, information regarding the technical point of contact will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made.

Responding to this RFI does not provide any advantage or disadvantage to potential offerors if LBNL chooses to issue a solicitation for the delivery of goods or services regarding the subject matter.

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Proprietary Information: Because information received in response to this RFI may be used to structure future programs and may be made available to the public, respondents must NOT include any information in their responses that might be considered business sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential. Responses must be submitted with the understanding that their contents may be publicly disclosed and, in the event of a public disclosure, LBNL will NOT notify respondents or provide any opportunity to revise or redact submitted information

If your company believes it can provide Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (“Berkeley Lab” or “LBNL”) the goods or services described below, we encourage your company to:

• Complete this form electronically as comprehensively as possible ensuring that all details are typed out clearly and return by 10/16/2026.

Submit this form and any attachments via email to the following email address:

JEGraves@lbl.gov

Attention:

Jane Graves, C.P.M.

Sr. Subcontracts Administrator Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 630-301-0510

OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is developing Beamline 4.3.1, a new hard X-ray scattering beamline based on a high-field bending-magnet source. The beamline will support a broad scientific program in small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS), including studies of soft matter, functional materials, energy materials, and other hierarchical materials systems.

LBNL is evaluating a monochromator system capable of providing multiple operating modes near 10 keV and 17 keV. The baseline capability under consideration utilizes a double-multilayer monochromator (DMM) with an energy bandwidth of approximately ΔE/E = 1% to provide high photon flux. LBNL is also evaluating higher-resolution options, including additional narrower-bandwidth multilayers (ΔE/E ≤ 0.4%) and/or a Si(111) crystal monochromator.

The final configuration of the monochromator has not yet been selected, and the purpose of this RFI is to support decision making of the Beamline 4.3.1 final optical configuration and as preparation for a potential future acquisition. LBNL is seeking information on:

• Technical feasibility and expected performance of the proposed monochromator concepts, as well as recommendations on alternative concepts if applicable.

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• Preliminary budgetary cost and anticipated fabrication and delivery schedule.

The configurations and performance parameters presented in this RFI represent LBNL's current design concepts and are not final acquisition specifications. Offerors are encouraged to recommend alternative solutions that improve performance, reliability, operational simplicity, technical feasibility, cost, or schedule.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Beamline 4.3.1 monochromator is envisioned as a high-stability X-ray optical system providing multiple energy and energy-resolution modes. Detailed technical requirements are listed in the following section, here we describe the general performance capabilities of highest priority for our application:

1. Performance needs to be optimized at 10KeV and 17KeV. We are additionally interested in pursuing the possibility to adjust the DMM/DCM to access energies in between those values and will accept performance losses at those intermediate positions.

The priority of each energy mode is listed in the table in the following section.

2. Stability of output beam trajectory is of paramount importance and of considerable concern due to the lever arm of the beamline optical design. Where practical, operation of different multilayer configurations at similar incidence angles is preferred to simplify the optical and mechanical design. As described in point 1, scanning of energy between the primary targeted 10keV and 17keV is not strictly required and may be included or not based on offeror assessment of this system stability priority.

3. Reliable switching between operational modes, providing stable and repeatable beam delivery with minimal thermal settling time is critical. Thermal management of the ML optics for shape errors and for overall system reliability is of critical concern. Initial LBNL evaluations of slope error budget for the 1st ML leads us to the conclusion that cryo-cooling is necessary.

4. Compliance with LBNL radiation safety rules are essential and may require custom vacuum chamber design details as the ALS does not utilize radiation protection hutches at all locations. Please include this design consideration in your budgetary estimate.

OVERVIEW OF THE ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS

The following sections summarize the principal engineering and performance requirements currently being considered for the Beamline 4.3.1 monochromator. The requirements are intended to provide sufficient information for offerors to evaluate technical feasibility, identify significant design risks, and recommend suitable technical approaches.

Technical areas:

1. ML/Crystal modes as resolution requirements (needed and options)

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2. Photon beam properties at mono (converging, size of footprint, incident power, beam offset requirements)

3. ML and substrate considerations

4. Cryocooling requirement based on LBNL analysis of thermal distortions and ML slope error budget

5. Angular stability requirements and active feedback.

6. Facility compliance and integration (Space constraints, vacuum and radiation safety requirements)

7. Factory Acceptance Testing details

1) OPERATING MODES AND PRIORITIES –

LBNL is considering the following operating modes, listed in approximate order of priority.

The final configuration will depend on technical feasibility, achievable performance, system complexity, cost, and schedule.

The 10 keV and 17 keV, ~1% DMM modes are the baseline capabilities. LBNL is seeking offeror input on the feasibility and expected performance of the higher-resolution options, particularly the achievable bandwidth and reflectivity of the ≤0.4% DMM modes. It should be noted that the goal of ≤0.4% DMM modes is to result in higher flux when compared to the Si(111), and therefore the resulting photon flux needs to be a few times (2-10x) higher than the Si(111) option.

Si(111) Option - LBNL is also evaluating incorporation of a Si(111) monochromator providing higher energy resolution over approximately 10–17 keV. Offerors are requested to assess the feasibility of integrating this capability with the DMM system while maintaining a stable output beam trajectory and practical switching between operating modes.

Alternative configurations that provide equivalent high-resolution capability with reduced system complexity or risk may be proposed.

Offerors are encouraged to recommend alternative configurations where they would reduce technical complexity or risk while maintaining the desired capabilities.

Priority Photon Energy Monochromator

Target Energy Bandwidth (AE/E) Status

1 10 keV DMM ~1% Baseline 2 17 keV DMM ~1% Baseline

3 10 keV DMM ≤0.4% Higher-resolution option

4 10-17 keV Si(111) ~2 x10-4 Higher-resolution option

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5 17 keV DMM ≤0.4% Higher-resolution option Table 1

2) Beam Properties at Monochromator position

The preceding Optical Element on this beamline will be an Elliptical Mirror that focuses the beam to a secondary source. This results in a complicated beam shape and divergence profile at the Mono position. For the effect of this RFI, offerors can assume the simplified beam properties as below.

Divergence: Beam is converging to a secondary source 9.3m downstream from the mono Beam size HxV: 8mm x 1.5mm Incoming power: 52Watts Vertical offset of incoming vs outgoing beam: 20mm required (downward facing 1st ML)

3) Optical / DMM Requirements — The DMM shall support the operating modes identified above while maintaining a stable output beam trajectory.

LBNL has plans to design and acquire suitable MLs for our system, however offeror recommendations for the multilayer design, including suitable material combinations, d-spacing, incidence angle, thickness grading, achievable bandwidth, and expected reflectivity, particularly if based in prior delivered systems, are welcomed. Where practical, similar incidence angles for the different DMM configurations are preferred to simplify the optical and mechanical design.

Multiple multilayer coatings may be implemented as separate optics or as multiple coating strips on a common substrate. Offerors are requested to recommend the preferred configuration whether LBNL or offeror supplied based on optical performance, manufacturability, switching repeatability, reliability, and system complexity.

The DMM design shall accommodate the anticipated incident beam size and heat load and provide sufficient clear aperture over the required operating range. Offerors should recommend appropriate substrate dimensions, cooling approach, and optical configuration.

4) ML slope error budget and cryocooling requirement

LBNL has conducted extensive modeling of required slope error budgets of the ML substrates necessary to preserve ML performance metrics of interest. Our evaluation is that cryo-cooling of the Si substrates will be required due to the power load and performance of the graded MLs needed for our converging beam. Prospective offerors should incorporate cryo-cooled optics in their proposal.

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Of concern to LBNL is shape errors induced by the mechanical clamping of substrates in addition to beam power induced heat bumps. Please describe your past performance in minimum induced slope error from substrate mounting in a cryo-cooled installation.

5) Angular Stability: Mechanical /Thermal management

The system shall provide sufficient mechanical and thermal stability to maintain a stable and repeatable output beam position and direction during operation and following switching between operating modes.

Offerors are requested to recommend appropriate cooling and thermal-management approaches and to provide expected performance for beam-position stability, angular stability, drift, and mode-switching repeatability. Offerors should identify any significant performance limitations or design risks associated with the expected heat load.

Offerors should recommend appropriate motion position-feedback, and required diagnostics to facilitate such active correction, in order to achieve maximum stability for both drift and vibration at up to 60hz.

Angular pitch stability requirement: 200nrad RMS or better.

6) ALS Facility Integration:

Space at the intended location of installation is sufficient but constrained, please include gross space requirement of typical systems as proposed.

Vacuum performance of the proposed system should reach 2x10-8 mbar or better prior to turn on of cryo-cooling.

The monochromator will not reside inside of a radiation protection enclosure. Assume LBNL will ask for a custom vacuum chamber complying with radiation safety rules of our facility that may include material thickness requirements, possible additional internal lead lining, and input on exact fabrication geometries of welded seams. LBNL realizes this is an engineering design cost. Please include in your considerations for both cost and schedule.

7) FAT

The monochromator system shall undergo factory testing prior to delivery to LBNL. Testing should verify, as applicable, the critical optical, mechanical, motion-control, thermal, and vacuum performance of the system.

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Offerors are requested to describe their recommended FAT procedures and identify the performance parameters that can be verified at the factory. These may include:

• Energy bandwidth and reflectivity/throughput of individual ML;

• Motion range, resolution, and repeatability;

• Angular stability;

• Repeatability of switching between operating modes;

• Thermal performance; and

• Vacuum performance.

Offerors should identify any critical performance parameters that cannot be fully verified during FAT and recommend appropriate methods for verification during commissioning at

LBNL.

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Company Information Form

SECTION 1 – COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name Click here to enter text.

Address 1 Click here to enter text.

Address 2 Click here to enter text.

Street Click here to enter text.

City Click here to enter text.

State/Region Click here to enter text.

Zip/Postal Code Click here to enter text.

Telephone Number Click here to enter text.

Email Click here to enter text.

Website Click here to enter text.

SECTION 2 – CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact Name Click here to enter text.

Title Click here to enter text.

Telephone Number Click here to enter text.

Fax Number Click here to enter text.

Email Click here to enter text.

SECTION 3 – ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT

IN 300 WORDS OR LESS (FOR EACH QUESTION IN THIS SECTION)

Is your company a small business under NAICS 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a size standard of 1,000 Employees?

Yes No

Type of Small Business Classification (Check all that apply)

Small Business 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business Women-Owned Small Business HUB Zone Veteran-Owned Business Service Disabled Veteran-Owned

If not a small business, list small business partnership(s) or resellers.

Include the type of services provided and major projects/clients served.

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Primary NAICS Code(s) and Size Standards

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How many years has your company been in business under its current name?

< 2 years 2-5 years 5-10 years

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☐ >10 years

SECTION 4 – BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

IN 300 WORDS OR LESS (FOR EACH QUESTION IN THIS SECTION)

What are the core competencies of your company?

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Describe the management and operations capabilities your company currently provides in support of the design, fabrication, testing, and delivery of synchrotron X-ray monochromator or comparable precision optical systems.

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Describe your customer service processes, capabilities, resources and how you measure your performance.

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Do you have project and performance reporting methods and tools?

Yes No

If yes, describe these methods and tools.

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SECTION 5 – TECHNICAL ABILITY

IN 300 WORDS OR LESS (FOR EACH QUESTION IN THIS SECTION)

Relevant experience Describe your company's experience designing, fabricating, and delivering DMM, DCM, or comparable monochromator systems for synchrotron or other X-ray facilities. Provide examples of relevant systems and achieved performance.

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Proposed system configuration Based on the operating modes and priorities described in this RFI, describe your recommended monochromator configuration, including whether multiple DMM modes should be implemented using separate optics or multiple multilayer coating strips on a common substrate, how the

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Multilayer acquisition and integration Please indicate whether you recommend that the multilayer optics be supplied as part of the complete monochromator system or acquired separately by LBNL.

Describe any significant implications for system integration, performance, schedule, acceptance testing, or warranty.

Multilayer performance If considering offeror supplied ML’s, provide recommended multilayer materials/configurations and expected energy bandwidth and reflectivity at 10 and 17 keV. In particular, comment on the feasibility and expected performance in reflectivity of the ΔE/E ≤0.4% (Preferably with respect to the Si(111) option).

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Si(111) option Comment on the feasibility of incorporating a Si(111) capability within the proposed system and its impact on system complexity, performance, reliability, cost, and schedule.

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Mechanical and thermal design Describe the proposed approach for maintaining beam-position and angular stability, including motion/positioning , feedback, and thermal-management concepts.

Testing

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Describe the proposed methods for factory testing and verification of critical optical and mechanical performance.

Cost Provide preliminary budgetary pricing, with sufficient breakdown to identify the cost impact of major optional capabilities, particularly the higher-resolution DMM and Si(111) modes.

Schedule Provide an estimated project schedule, including design, long-lead procurement, fabrication, assembly, testing, and delivery.

Other considerations Identify any other technical risks, alternative configurations, or considerations that LBNL should evaluate before developing a future procurement specification.

Any other considerations or items LBNL should be aware of?

List any attachments to the RFI including drawings, budgetary quotes, specifications documents, etc.

(please do not attach sales literature or white papers unless requested by LBNL):

1.

2.

(Add lines as needed)

END RFI DOCUMENT