Motorized Positioners
Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted
A newer solicitation was posted. See the latest solicitation from .
- Solicitation number
- NIST-SS26-CHIPS-48
- 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
- Place of performance
- Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
- Points of contact
-
- Cielo Ibarra cielo.ibarra@nist.gov
Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce, is seeking motorized positioners to support advanced semiconductor technology research and development initiatives under the CHIPS Act program. Specifically, NIST requires custom-built automated optical and RF wafer probing systems equipped with motorized linear translation stages designed for high-frequency transistor characterization and model verification. The primary objective is to advance measurement techniques and develop robust transistor models to improve yield and reproducibility in millimeter wave frequency applications. Key technical requirements include travel ranges of 75 mm or greater, minimum incremental movements of 20 nm or smaller, linear motor drive systems, crossed-roller bearings, integrated optical encoders for closed-loop positioning, and the capacity to support centered loads of 100 N or greater. The sources sought notice was posted on December 10, 2025, with a response deadline of December 24, 2025, providing interested vendors with a two-week window to submit their capabilities and qualifications.
This is a sources sought notice only, meaning it is not a binding solicitation but rather an information-gathering tool for NIST to identify capable vendors prior to formal procurement. No set-aside designations have been applied to this opportunity, making it open to all qualified contractors and vendors. The procurement involves two motorized positioning stages for wafer probing systems that will be installed and utilized in the High Frequency Electronic laboratory at NIST's facility in Boulder, Colorado. While specific award values and budget information are not disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice, the requirement for one motorized horizontal linear translation stage with the specified technical parameters suggests a specialized, high-precision equipment purchase. This sources sought notice serves as a preliminary market research step, allowing NIST to gauge vendor capabilities and potentially inform the scope and technical specifications of a future formal solicitation.
Notice text
NIST-SS26-CHIPS-48
PLEASE NOTE THIS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY
Title: Motorized positioners
BACKGROUND
Advanced semiconductor technology has led to continuous performance improvements in transistors. However, many iterations are needed to obtain optimal performance at millimeter wave frequencies and the yield and reproducibility is incredibly poor. Furthermore, US chip makers are ill-equipped with legacy measurement techniques and underperforming models. The National Institutes of Standards and Technology proposes a robust path to develop and verify high-frequency transistor models: 1) new on-wafer standards and calibration, 2) precision noise measurements for transistor quality assurance, 3) improved large signal characterizations, 4) optimal models tailored to a given technology, and 5) transistor model verification across frequency with key performance indicators.
NIST requires motorized linear translation stages for custom-built automated optical and RF wafer probing systems. These translation stages must have large travel ranges with 20 nm minimum movements for precision automated alignment of probing experiments.
The required work provides two motorized positioners stages for wafer probing systems. These two motorized stages will be used to characterize high-frequency microelectronic devices under the CHIPS act program in the High Frequency Electronic laboratory, CTL, In Boulder CO.
The minimum requirements are as follows:
Line Item 0001:
Description: Motorized horizontal linear translation stage
Quantity: 1
Technical Specifications
- 75 mm travel or greater
- 20 nm or smaller guaranteed minimum incremental movement
- Linear motor drive
- Crossed-roller bearings
- Designed to be mounted with the moving platform horizontal
- Aluminum or steel base and moving platform
- Maximum centered load of 100 N or greater
- Integrated optical encoder for incremental or absolute closed loop positioning
- Optical index mark for homing
- M6 or M4 threaded holes for mounting probes onto moving platform
- Dimensions with moving platform centered should not exceed 160 x 160 x 35 mm excluding cables
- Powered by common (e.g., 12, 24, or 48V) DC power supply
- Controller, compatible with USB connection to PC, must be included
Line Item 0002:
Description: Motorized vertical linear translation stage
Quantity: 1
Technical Specifications
- 20 mm travel or greater
- 20 nm or smaller guaranteed minimum incremental movement
- Linear motor drive
- Crossed-roller bearings
- Designed to be mounted with the moving platform vertical
- Aluminum or steel base and moving platform
- Integrated passive counterbalance for loads up to 15 N or greater
- Integrated optical encoder for incremental or absolute closed loop positioning
- Optical index mark for homing
- M6 or M4 threaded holes for mounting probes onto moving platform
- Dimensions with moving platform centered should not exceed 200 x 120 x 40 mm excluding cables
- Powered by common (e.g., 12, 24, or 48V) DC power supply
- Controller, compatible with USB connection to PC, must be included
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 with design and manufacture of magneto-resistive sensors. 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 December 12, 2025. 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.
Notice history
| Notice | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Ghz Motorized Positioners | Solicitation | |
| Motorized Positioners | Pre-Solicitation |
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