3-Axis Motorized Stages

Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted

Solicitation number
NIST-SS26-CHIPS-82
Agency
National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Commerce
Responses due
Set-aside
No set-aside

Opportunity facts

NAICS code
Not on record
PSC
Not on record
Points of contact

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking to procure a 3-axis motorized scanning stage system for use in a magnetic imaging microscope designed to quantify temperature using magnetic nanoparticle thermometers in semiconductor advanced packages. The primary deliverable is an integrated XYZ stage stack with an additional linear stage and a motion controller capable of supporting at least four axes of motion. Critical requirements include non-magnetic materials (aluminum or titanium), non-magnetic encoders, X-axis travel of 300 mm, Y-axis travel of 100 mm, Z-axis travel of at least 50 mm, positional accuracy of 2 micrometers, repeatability of 1.5 micrometers, a minimum step size of 1.5 micrometers, and a maximum velocity of 10 mm/s. The vendor must assemble and calibrate the complete XYZ stack, with calibration validation required for at least the X and Y directions. The pre-solicitation notice was posted on March 11, 2026, with a response deadline of March 25, 2026.

This is a sources sought notice only and does not utilize any small business set-aside designations. No incumbent contractors or current awards are identified in the notice, and no specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the provided materials. The scanning stage system must maintain a total stack height below 375 millimeters and be capable of operating reliably with payloads up to four kilograms (40 Newtons) while meeting all specified performance criteria. The system must also support repeated XY scanning operations, with the Z-stage specifically required to be a low-profile lift-type stage to minimize overall stack height. This sources sought notice represents NIST's initial market research phase prior to the formal solicitation process.

Notice text

NIST-SS26-CHIPS-82

PLEASE NOTE THIS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY

Title: 3-Axis Motorized Stages

BACKGROUND

Sensor Science Division, we are developing a magnetic imaging microscope to quantify temperature using magnetic nanoparticle thermometers embedded in semiconductor advanced packages. To perform 3D thermal imaging, we require a 3-axis translational system as the center piece of the magnetic imaging microscope to allow access to 3D spatial information.

Design and build a scanning linear stage system, which includes an integrated 3-axis stage stack, 1 additional linear stage, and a motion controller for at least 4 axes.  The scanning stage system will provide linear motion for a custom-built magnetic scanning microscope we are developing, and it must meet the geometric and performance specifications required by our planned instrument.  The scanning stage bodies must be fabricated with non-magnetic materials (e.g., aluminum or titanium) and include non-magnetic-type encoders to provide location data.  The detailed requirements for the scanning stage system are described below.

Minimum requirements:

The Contractor shall provide the following scanning stage system that meet the following minimum specifications:

  1. Linear Motorized Stages of the XYZ Stage Stack
    1. Travel Ranges
  1. X-stage: 300 mm travel
  2. Y-stage: 100 mm travel
  3. Z-stage: at least 50 mm travel
    1. Motion Requirements
  1. Accuracy: 2 µm
  2. Repeatability: 1.5 µm
  3. Smallest step size: £ 1.5 µm
  4. Maximum velocity: 10 mm/s
  5. Must be possible to execute repeated XY scanning
    1. Z-stage Specific Requirements
  1. Z-stage mounted on top 
  2. Z-stage must be low profile lift-type stage in order keep stack height small
    1. Assembly and Mapping by Vendor
  1. The XYZ stack must be assembled by the vendor
  2. The XYZ stack must calibrated (at least for X and Y directions) by the vendor, to show that accuracy and repeatability requirements have been met
    1. Other Stage Requirements
  1. Total stack height must be < 375 mm
  2. Must operate within specs with payload up to 4 kg (40 N)
  3. Must have non-magnetic body (e.g., aluminum)
  4. Must have non-magnetic encoders
  5. All cables and accessories must be included
  6. Must have imperial unit dimensions for mounting holes
  1. Additional Linear Stages for the 4th Axis (we will mount these on our own custom frame)
  1. Travel range: 75 mm (preferably) or 100 mm (acceptable)
  2. Motion Requirements
  1. Smallest step size: £ 1.5 µm
  2. Maximum velocity: 10 mm/s
  1. Other Stage Requirements
  1. Multi-axis Stage Controller and Drivers
  1. Must be able to control at least 4 axes
  2. Ethernet or USB communication port
  3. Must be controllable from LabVIEW, MATLAB, or Python
  4. All cables and accessories must be included for operating stages from controller

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 at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.

•           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).

•           Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements and its past experience. Any relevant past performance.

•           Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why.  Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses.

•           For the NAICS code

o          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.

o          If you believe the NAICS and/or Product Service Code code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS/PSC code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement.

•           If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

•           Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section.

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

•           Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE

Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2026.  Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline.

IMPORTANT NOTES

The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. 

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. 

This notice is not a request for a quotation. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations.

No award will be made as a result of this notice. 

NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.

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

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

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