Glovebox-Integrated Sputtering System for Thin-Film Metal Battery Fabrication

Argonne National Laboratory, on behalf of the Department of Energy Office of Science, is seeking to procure a Glovebox-Integrated Sputtering System for Thin-Film Metal Battery Fabrication under solicitation number 5-B175-Q-00628-00. The procurement requires a turnkey DC/RF sputtering system that will be fully integrated into an argon-glovebox for inert-atmosphere deposition of air-sensitive thin films, specifically for lithium and/or sodium-metal battery fabrication. Key technical requirements include achieving vacuum levels of 9 × 10^-8 Torr, RF power delivery at 300W and 600W, DC power supply of 1 kW, and film thickness non-uniformity of 5% across 4 substrates. The contract includes equipment delivery, installation, commissioning, utility hookups, factory and site acceptance testing, operator training, and one year of warranty maintenance support. Proposals must be submitted by July 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST, with questions accepted until July 17, 2025, at 12:00 PM CST. The solicitation requires compliance with Buy American regulations, where U.S. components must exceed 65% of total component costs.

This procurement does not utilize any set-aside designation and is open to all qualified contractors. No specific contract value or budget range is disclosed in the solicitation documents. The delivery timeline specifies equipment delivery within 180 days, installation and site acceptance testing within 210 days, and on-site training within 220 days of contract award, with a total project timeline of 7 months. The system will be installed in Building 242, Room F025 at Argonne National Laboratory, with the place of performance being the United States. Vendors must submit proposals using either DAP Incoterms for international shipments or FOB Destination for domestic shipments, and must complete comprehensive representations and certifications including compliance with federal regulations and Argonne's specific terms and conditions.