Solicitation for purchase of Semi-Automated Probe Station (CHIPS)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking to procure a Semi-Automated Probe Station for the CHIPS R&D Program Office to support research on silicon carbide field effect transistors. The solicitation requires a 200 mm, ultra-dry, semiautomatic wafer probing station capable of handling precise measurements and testing ultra-low gate leakage currents. Evaluation of potential contractors will be based on three factors: Technical Capability, Relevant Experience, and Price, with Technical Capability and Relevant Experience being equally weighted against Price. Interested offerors must submit a comprehensive electronic quotation in four volumes by 11:00 AM Eastern Time on May 09, 2025, to Forest Crumpler and Donald Collie at their NIST email addresses. The solicitation strictly requires new, commercial items and will not accept used or refurbished instruments.

This procurement is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS category 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. The contract will be awarded as a firm-fixed-price agreement for a single Semi-Automated Probe Station, including training, installation, and delivery to NIST's location in Gaithersburg, MD. Delivery is expected within 24 weeks after order receipt, with a three-year warranty included. The payment structure is phased, with 25% due upon draft plan acceptance, 50% upon delivery, and the final 25% after successful performance tests. The system must meet specific technical requirements, including pattern recognition probing, ability to handle probe pad sizes as small as 40 m x 40 m, a heated wafer chuck reaching 200C, and operation in an ultra-dry environment with less than 1 part per million H2O.