Sources Sought ID: NIST-SS24-CHIPS-0077
PR# NB305000-24-02570
BACKGROUND
The NIST Microscopy and Microanalysis Research Group requires a new microscope environmental chamber for the CHIPS Project: Accurate Cure Kinetics, Stress, Mechanical Properties and Warpage Measurements for Next-Generation Microelectronics Packaging under Device Relevant Conditions. Within the project an environmentally controlled sample chamber capable of simultaneously controlling relative humidity and temperature is required to conduct warpage and mechanical property imaging at various temperatures. In addition to temperature dependent measurements, semiconductor packaging materials requires the investigation of humidity on the sample. Thus, a humidity-controlled environmental chamber is also crucial to conduct in-situ experiments for the temperature–humidity–bias (THB) test (e.g., 85C - 85%RH) that asses the long-term performance of the packaging materials.
NIST is seeking vendors capable of providing an environmental chamber with humidity and temperature control which is compatible with our custom-built LFR/BLS microscope. Accessories to enable these capabilities may include separate parts for humidity generation and temperature control.
NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a commercial product solution that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications:
Hardware:
- Must have an upper temperature limit of at least 420 °C.
- Sample area must be at least 53.5 mm x 43 mm.
- The XY range of manipulation must be at least 15 mm.
- Must have a sample holder for standard 76 mm x 26 mm microscope slides.
- Must have a mechanism for sample loading (e.g. a lid), and have a sealed chamber.
- Must be usable with transmitted or reflected light.
- Must be equipped with quartz windows.
- Must be able to mount directly to the microscope substage.
- The stage itself (which is mounted to the microscope substage) must weigh no more than 1.5 kg.
- The stage body must be 166 mm x 90 mm x 24 mm or less in each dimension.
- Must have a temperature sensor with resolution of or better than 0.01 °C.
- Must have temperature stability equal to or better than 0.01 °C.
- The minimum heating rate must be no higher than 0.01 °C/min.
- The maximum heating rate must be no lower than 50 °C/min.
- The objective minimum working distance must be no greater than 6.5 mm.
- The condenser minimum working distance must be no greater than 12.5 mm.
- There must be a controller for the environmental chamber that allows for control and monitoring of the temperature and humidity.
- There must be a method to connect the controller to a computer for monitoring and control.
- The system must not require dry air supply for functionality.
- The system must be able to control humidity for a volume up to 2000 cc.
- The system must have a mechanism for providing humidity control for months at a time without maintenance. For example, ambient air can be dried through a designed automatic recycling desiccant system.
- The system must be supplied with a sensor validation mechanism.
- There must be a humidity sensor placed into the environmental chamber that can provide feedback to the humidity generator.
- The humidity control must have the following minimum range:
- Relative humidity: 5%-90%
- Stability at control value: ±0.5%
- Sensor response: 8 s
- This range above is relevant for sample temperatures from ambient to 85 °C.
Software:
- Must be compatible with the environmental chamber.
- Must have a live display of the current temperature and humidity status.
- Must allow for control of the heating and cooling rates, and hold temperatures and times.
- Must allow for the ability to cycle a set of ramps ramps for a specified number of times.
- Must have at least five-point temperature calibration.
- Must have the ability to trigger I/O for synchronization with other equipment.
- Must have the ability to hold a ramp until a separate, non-temperature condition is met, such as a relative humidity value.
- Must have a real-time chart of temperature and humidity.
- Must have data output as CSV and XLS file formats.
- Must have tools to compare between different runs.
- Must have the ability to rewind and review data while recording.
- Must have native 64 bit application for Windows 10 and 11.
HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE
In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORRMATION. 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 specialist 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).
- Identify commercial products that your company sells that is of the nature addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. Include brand name, make, model, and/or other distinguishing information.
- State if your company is the manufacturer of the identified commercial product or is a retailer or wholesaler that normally sells the identified commercial product. If the latter, indicate whether the manufacturer authorized in writing for your company to sell the identified commercial product on behalf of the manufacturer.
- Describe performance capabilities and relevant or beneficial physical and functional features for any commercial product that you identified to satisfy the NIST-identified minimum specifications described in the attached draft document.
- Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or contain unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your company’s ability to fully participate and indicate why. In such a scenario, please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more inclusive or competitive.
- Discuss your company’s commercial products that you describe in your response to this notice may be customized and indicate any limits to customization.
- For the NAICS code listed in this notice:
- 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.
- If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, Identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement.
- Describe commercial services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned commercial product from your company such as installation, training, or equipment maintenance.
- Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the aforementioned commercial products and commercial services such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms: manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); and commercial services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified commercial product, if available.
- State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the aforementioned equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.
- State published price, discount or rebate arrangements for aforementioned commercial products and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services.
- State whether the aforementioned commercial product is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured.
- Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details.
- If the aforementioned commercial products and commercial services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.
- Identify any customers in the public or private sectors in which you provided the aforementioned or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address.
- Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement.
- State whether you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE
Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 21, 2024. 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 NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future.
This notice should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.
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!
