NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE: Variable Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscope (VT STM)

DESCRIPTION:

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 Scienta Omicron, Inc; 240 St. Paul Street, Suite 301, Denver, CO 80206 for the purchase of a Variable Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscope (VT STM) for NIST's Single Atom Devices Laboratory of the Engineering Physics Division (EPD). The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b) by the authority of FAR Part 13.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures.

The NIST Engineering Physics Division (EPD) requires a Variable Temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscope (VT STM) that can operate with low thermal drift and high imaging/spectroscopy stability to enable advanced performance scanning tunneling imaging, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, patterning, and inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy. In addition, we need the highest energy resolution, patterning and imaging available to push the fundamental limits of STM patterning and depassivation performance at variable temperatures.

The UHV variable temperature STM will be used to deterministically place phosphorus atoms into Si lattice sites using scanning tunneling microscope to develop a scalable solid state quantum computation system in silicon. The capability of characterizing the phosphorus doped nanostructures in-situ using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) can provide not only full knowledge of the donors' special positions and environment, but also atomically precise mapping of quantum transport properties and donor coupling. The system must include full UHV capabilities down to 1x10-11 torr and a tip processing station to ensure clean ebeam cleaned and heated tips.

Scienta Omicron Inc. is the sole manufacturer and distributor of this product. The reason is their system is the only one that meets all the minimum technical specifications to include 50K extensibility, scan ranges at room temperature. This system is also the only one with full compatibility and exchangeability with the existing Omicron sample holder, tip holder, tip carrier, and Omicron Matrix/Scala controller compatibility. Market research methods including a sources sought notice posted on FBO indicated that Scienta Omicron Inc. is the sole manufacturer and distributor of a product that meets this requirement.

Delivery shall be FOB Destination, Gaithersburg, MD, and be completed in accordance with the Contractor's commercial schedule.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516 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 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on April 5, 2018. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to tracy.bisson@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.