Atomic Force Microscope for use in a Scanning Electron Microscope

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking to procure one Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) system designed to operate both independently and within a Scanning Electron Microscope environment in support of CHIPS Act metrology research initiatives. The AFM system must deliver mechanical, electrical, electro-mechanical, and magnetic property measurement capabilities with specified scan ranges of (75, 75, 10) mm and spatial resolution of (0.2, 0.2, 0.05) nm, and must be compatible with both a Zeiss Gemini 300 VP SEM and a Thermo Fisher Scios 2 Dual Beam FIB-SEM. Award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror based on evaluation of three submission volumes: Technical Quotation demonstrating compliance with all minimum requirements, Price Quotation with firm-fixed pricing valid for 90 days including all shipping and tariffs, and Terms and Conditions acceptance or identified exceptions. Quotations must be submitted electronically to both the Contract Specialist (cielo.ibarra@nist.gov) and Contracting Officer (forest.crumpler@nist.gov) no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 19, 2026, with pre-quote inquiries due within two calendar days of the solicitation issuance date (by February 12, 2026). The Government reserves the right to make an award without discussions based solely on initial quotes.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and is being conducted as a simplified acquisition under FAR Part 12 for commercial products. The contract requires delivery of new equipment only—no prototypes, demonstration models, used, or refurbished instruments will be considered—with delivery due no later than 90 days after order receipt to NIST Boulder at 325 Broadway, Building 81. Installation and training must be completed within 30 days of delivery, with the contractor obligated to provide a minimum one-year warranty commencing upon government acceptance and 100% payment due upon successful installation and acceptance testing. The overall period of performance is five months from award, and contractor personnel will require NIST security clearance, identification badges, and vehicle registration for campus access. Deliverables include the AFM system with control unit, ambient pressure enclosure, digital camera, sample rotation module, calibration reference samples, 40 probe sets across four measurement modes, installation services, and 1.5 days of initial user training plus 0.5 days of conductive AFM training.