Commercial semi-automatic probe stations

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting quotations for the procurement of one commercial semi-automatic probe station to support reliability testing of silicon carbide field effect transistors under the CHIPS R&D Program. The equipment must be new and capable of probing 300 mm wafers and pre-diced dies, with four probes able to handle pad sizes as small as 40 micrometers at 60 micrometer pitch, a heated wafer chuck reaching at least 200 degrees Celsius, low-noise blade-style probe tips, and a digital microscope for imaging. Award will be made to the lowest-priced, technically acceptable offeror that meets all required technical specifications as detailed in the Statement of Work. Quotations must be submitted electronically in three distinct volumes (Technical, Price, and Terms and Conditions) by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 13, 2026, with pre-quote inquiries due no later than two calendar days after solicitation issuance. Pricing must be firm-fixed-price on an FOB Destination basis with 90-day validity, and all submissions must demonstrate that the proposed equipment meets or exceeds minimum requirements through detailed narratives, product literature, and requirement-to-capability mapping.

This is a Total Small Business set-aside under NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) with a 1,000-employee size standard. The contract performance period extends seven months from award, with delivery required within 12 weeks of order receipt and installation and setup within two weeks of delivery to NIST's facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland (Building 225). Payment is structured as 50 percent upon system delivery and 50 percent upon government acceptance following performance testing and completion of training for up to three users. The contractor must provide on-site installation, demonstration, and training within seven days of installation and maintain a one-year minimum warranty commencing upon government acceptance. Contractor personnel will be required to meet NIST security, safety, and identification badge requirements for on-site work, and all systems must comply with FISMA, OMB Circular A-130, and NIST SP 800-171 cybersecurity and privacy requirements.