SOW FOR RFQ.pdf

Request for Quotation Number 1333ND20QNB640370

Statement of Work

TITLE: National Instruments PXIe System for CR-AFM

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Materials Measurement Science Division

(MMSD), develops new analytical methods for measuring the properties of materials at the nanoscale. Atomic

Force Microscopy (AFM) is a scanning probe technique with spatial resolution below 10 nm, and MMSD staff have pioneered Contact Resonance (CR) AFM methods that enable the measurement of mechanical properties at this length scale.

Integrated, customizable, and programable high-speed data acquisition and instrument control hardware is required to continue developing the CR-AFM method for both speed of data acquisition and improved material property determination. The hardware capabilities for this system include requirements for 2 channels of function generation including arbitrary waveforms, 8 channels of digitization, and general purpose mixed digital and analog input and output.

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

This is a brand name only requirement. Quoters must provide equipment manufactured by National Instruments.

The brand name justification follows.

The above referenced suite of capabilities is not available in one hardware unit; therefore, the system must be composed of modular units integrated together with advanced timing and synchronization. The PXI modular instrumentation platform is widely used commercially for this application. CR-AFM developments will not be possible without the purchase of PXI modular instrumentation.

MMSD already owns and operates PXI and PXIe data acquisition and control hardware from National

Instruments. The equipment required under this procurement will augment and modernize the Government’s existing PXI hardware and integrate the units into existing NIST written LabView software.

Because of the Government’s requirement for integration with existing hardware and software (including the

MXI remote control links), the requirements are brand name specific. PXI and PXIe are industry standards, not brands, and several manufacturers produce PXI and PXIe hardware. Several companies, including National

Instruments and Keysight, build specialized instrumentation cards and other components. No manufacturers, other than National Instruments, produce the required embedded PXIe controller. Additionally, National

Instruments is the only manufacturer that produces the general purpose DAQ card that is required. Other brands might offer one or another of the requirements but not in an integrable framework with time synchronization between the excitation/detection of the signals in the system made of AFM and lock-in amplifiers.

This procurement includes two chasses. The PXIe controller and one of the chasses will replace existing hardware. PXI instrument cards will be re-used. The new controller and chassis must be compatible with the existing instrument cards. The second chassis, MXI control system, and instrument cards are a new system.

The new system must be compatible with an existing MXI controlled PXI chassis. This will allow NIST to control both PXI chasses with the same controller for some experiments.

The equipment must have an embedded controller running Windows 10 with TPM 2.0 and be compatible with a chassis that supports at least 7 PXI (not PXIe) cards. National Instruments is the only manufacturer offering an embedder controller meeting these requirements.

For the purpose of this solicitation, integration refers to hardware and software compatibility between the components being purchased and the existing components the Government already owns. The PXIe platform allows instrument cards with different functions (signal generation, signal digitization, hardware triggering, and timing/synchronization) to be integrated into one instrument. An individual task (e.g. signal generation) can be done with a wide variety of stand-alone units. However, a benchtop signal generator cannot also do high-speed signal digitization while controlling feedback loops on a general purpose input/output.

DELAYED MANUFACTURING/DELAYED DELIVERY

Due to COVID-19, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is currently closed with the exception of mission-critical staff. The Contractor shall contact the NIST Technical Point of Contact (TPOC), to be identified at the time of award, upon award, to discuss the delivery timeline.

The Contractor may be required to delay manufacturing/shipping for a period of time that may be as short as one month from the date of award up to four months from the date of award. The TPOC will communicate with the Contractor regarding the status of NIST operations, and provide written notification to the Contractor when delivery can be completed.

If the Contractor chooses to manufacture the equipment upon award, the Contractor shall be responsible for storing the equipment, at their sole expense, until such time that NIST can accept delivery of the equipment.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall provide one integrated system that must include all of the following:

1. National Instruments PXIe-1092 (784781-01) – 9 slot 3U PXIe chassis

2. National Instruments PXIe-8381 (782362-01) – PXIe chassis remote control card

3. National Instruments PCIe-8381 (782361-01) – PCIe card for chassis remote control

4. National Instruments MXI-Express cable (782317-03) – 3 m copper cable

5. National Instruments PXIe-6396 (785927-01) – 14 MS/s, 18 bit, general purpose DAQ

6. National Instruments BNC-2110 (777643-01) – Shielded BNC connector block

(NOTE: no requirement for SHC68-68 EPM cable—already owned)

7. National Instruments PXIe-5423 – 2 channel, 16 bit, 800 MS/s waveform generator

8. National Instruments PXIe-5172 – 8 channel, 14 bit, 250 MS/s, 1.5 GB oscilloscope

9. National Instruments PXIe-1092 (786991-01) – 9 slot 3U PXIe chassis with timing

10. National Instruments PXIe-8861 (785831-01) – PXIe controller with Win10

The individual components listed must meet the manufacturers specifications for each component.

Additionally, the units must pass their self-test diagnostic feature in NI-MAX (if available). Finally, the signal generator and high-speed digitizer cards will be used in tandem to generate and digitize a 100 MHz sine wave.

The measured amplitude and frequency must be within the manufacturer’s specifications for horizontal and vertical accuracy.

In addition to the instrument cards included in this purchase, the following Government owned cards must be fully compatible with the new chasses and controller:

• National Instruments PXI-6653 Timing Module

• National Instruments PXI-8432/4 RS232 Isolated Serial Communications

• National Instruments PXI-4461 2 ch 24-bit Digitizer

• National Instruments PXI-4110 Programmable DC Power Supply

• National Instruments PXI-5900 2 ch Differential Amplifier

• National Instruments PXI-4462 4 ch 24-bit Digitizer

• National Instruments PXIe-6363 X Series Multifunction DAQ

• National Instruments PXI-5922 24-bit FLEX Digitizer

• National Instruments PXIe-4137 Precision SMU

• National Instruments PXIe-7851R FPGA I/O Module

INSTALLATION

Not required.

TRAINING

Not required.

WARRANTY

The Contractor shall provide, at a minimum, a one-year warranty for the equipment. The warranty shall cover all parts, labor and travel. The warranty shall commence upon final acceptance by the Government.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Delivery shall be completed not later than twelve months from the date of award.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The Contractor shall be paid upon submission of a proper invoice and upon submission and acceptance by the

Government of all required equipment.

Due to COVID-19, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is currently closed with the exception of mission-critical staff. If manufacturing/delivery is completed in accordance with the requirements of this statement of work, and, upon completion of delivery, the Government is unable to install and perform acceptance testing on the equipment, the Contracting Officer will work with the Contractor to establish a payment schedule to authorize partial payments.