NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE: Cryogenic Ultra-High Vacuum Scanning Probe Infrared Nanospectroscopy Platform

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division (AMD) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, with SPECS TII, Inc.; 411 Cleveland St 290, Clearwater, FL 33755-4004 for the purchase of one (1) cryogenic ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning probe microscopy (SPM) platform to be utilized by NIST’s Physical Measurements Laboratory (PML). The statutory authority for this acquisition is 41 USC 3304(a)(1); FAR 13.106-1(b).

***** Sole source determination is based on the need to acquire one (1) cryogenic ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning probe microscopy (SPM) platform. The cryogenic UHV-SPM platform is needed to perform SPM-based spectroscopic measurements with nanoscale resolution, such as tapping-mode photothermal induced resonance (PTIR) or photoinduced force microscopy (PiFM) in the mid-IR, and scanning tunneling microscopy electro-luminescence (STM-EL) from the visible to near-IR. In order to meet these measurements the required platform must be able to meet the following unique requirements:

• 100 mW cooling power over base consumption
• > 35 h liquid helium (LHe) hold time at 5K or lower with an additional 100 mW heat load is applied to the sample
• motorized (3 axis > 4 mm travel range) lens in the cryo-space with numerical aperture (NA) > 0.55 and with collection angle at 30° degree with respect to the sample surface
• broadband, motorized (3 axis, >4 mm travel range) parabolic mirror in the cryo-space with illumination angle at 20° from the sample surface
• ability to use lens and parabolic mirror concurrently for complex optical experiments
• large sample scan area (8 µm x 8µm)
• > 1 MHz AFM bandwidth
• AFM and STM drift <2 nm/h

These unique specifications are required to enable tapping mode PTIR or PiFM experiments at cryogenic temperatures, maximize the EL collection efficiency in STM-EL experiments, perform pump and probe experiments across a broad spectral, measuring quantum materials, and ensure atomic resolution imaging and to enable long measurement acquisition times. Acquiring an instrument that does not meet these requirements will prevent NIST from performing the required measurements.

Market research methods including a sources-sought notice posted on FBO (i.e. AMD-SS-20-08) indicated that SPECS TII Inc. is the sole manufacturer and distributor of a product that meets this requirement.

*****The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees.

*****A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. 

*****No solicitation package will be issued.  This notice of intent is not a request for quotations; however, all responsible sources interested may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. Interested parties that believe they can satisfy the requirements listed above must identify their capability in writing before the response date of this notice. Only responses received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on April 15, 2020 will be considered by the government.  Responses shall be submitted via email to tracy.bisson@nist.gov or adam.powell@nist.gov

Contracting Office Address:

100 Bureau Drive

Bldg. 301, Mail Stop 1640

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-0001