The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks information on commercial vendors capable of providing an acid handling wet bench to support nanofabrication in the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST), NIST’s nanotechnology user facility. The system will be used as a shared resource accessible to researchers from industry, academia, NIST, and other government agencies in the CNST NanoFab.
The NanoFab currently utilizes several acid wet benches, and this system will be a direct replacement for a system that is currently broken. An acid handling wet bench is an exhausted enclosure that contains a well-illuminated, unobstructed horizontal work surface where researchers can safely use concentrated liquid acidic solutions. The work surface is typically equipped with accessories specialized for the specific application of the wet bench. For NIST, the applications are nanofabrication processes. The work surface is mounted over a liquid-tight acid resistant basin that collects all liquids from embedded sink drains. The seller shall provide all new items. Prototypes, one-off systems, demonstration models, used or refurbished instruments will not be considered. 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:
System Configuration
- The system shall be configured for all single point of entry facilities in the rear panel.
- The system base, headcase, and main control console shall be fabricated from FM-4910 chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC).
- The system shell shall be made of FM-1910 CPVC.
- The system frame shall be constructed of 304 stainless-steel that is covered by FM-4910 CPVC.
- The system shall be fully exhausted and connect to existing lab exhaust.
- The system shall contain a single utility sink constructed of natural polypropylene and a gooseneck DI water faucet that will drain to the lab waste system.
- The system’s DI water faucet shall be constructed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and contain a needle valve for slow adjustment.
- The system shall have an approximate width (Left-Right) of 96” to accommodate the existing location footprint.
- The system shall have an approximate depth (Front-Back) of 36” to accommodate the existing location footprint.
- The system shall have nitrogen spray guns mounted on each side of the bench.
- The system shall have DI water spray guns mounted on each side of the bench.
- The system’s DI water distribution system shall be constructed of perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) or PVDF.
- The system’s Nitrogen distribution system shall be constructed of PFA.
- The system’s Clean Dry Air (CDA) distribution system shall be constructed of polyethylene (PE).
- The system shall have two 15A GFCI duplex receptables located on each side of the bench.
- The system shall have a clear retractable sash.
- The system shall have an integrated light fixture mounted above the working surface.
- The system shall contain an alarmed photohelic exhaust monitor.
- The system shall utilize electrical service at 208V, 3-Phase, 5-Wire, 20A.
- The system tool and maintenance access doors shall be interlocked with tool power.
- The electrical power and control cabinet shall be purged with nitrogen for anti-corrosion purposes.
- Electrical wire methods shall be compliant with NFPA 79, NFPA 318, and UL-6-1010-1 standards.
- The system shall contain leveling pads and casters for ease of installation.
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:
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- 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.
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- 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 5 days prior to the response date. 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!
