Notice of Intent to Sole Source - SemiProbe Inc SA-8 200mm Magnetic Probe Station

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division (AMD) intends to negotiate a firm fixed price purchase order, on a sole source basis, with SemiProbe Inc of 276 E Allen Street, Winooski, VT 05404-1570 for the purchase of a magnetic probe station.

The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b) by the authority of FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Alternative Computing Group intend to procure a magnetic probe station for use  at NIST Gaithersburg, MD. While other magnetic probe stations are available, the SA-8 200mm prober, available through SemiProbe Inc is the only system available that can also meet the requirements listed below.

1.8 The wafer stage shall have controllable motor motion of at least 200 mm in the X and Y directions.

1.9 The wafer stage motion shall have at most 3 μm of of placement and accuracy.

1.14 Beneath the wafer stage shall be an assembly upon which a vector project field magnet can be mounted. This assembly shall include manual placement and movement of the magnet beneath the wafer stage.

1.19 The station shall include a probe card assembly attachment capable of mounting 114 mm probe cards and perform probe card planarization and rotational alignment

1.20 The probe station shall come with a magnet compliant and able to fit on the magnet mount beneath the wafer assembly.

1.21 The magnet shall be a vector projected field electromagnet which can orient at least a 300 mT magnetic field in any orientation in the plane of the wafer and at least 100 mT out of the plane of the

Research has found that only one (1) company can offer a magnetic probe station that meets all specifications.  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516 – Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, and the size standard is 1,000 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all responsible sources interested may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. The Government will consider responses received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on August 25, 2022 Inquiries will only be accepted via email to forest.crumpler@nist.gov . No telephone requests will be honored.

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 normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future.