SAM #NIST-SS26-CHIPS-128

Suite of SmarAct Nanopositioners for NIST Spin Electronics Group

NIST's Spin Electronics group is seeking market information for a suite of advanced nanopositioners and hexapods for high-vacuum and magnetic field environments. - Government Buyer: - Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Acquisition Management Division, Gaithersburg, MD - Place of performance: Boulder, CO - OEMs and Vendors: - SmarAct Inc. is the only OEM identified as meeting all requirements - Products/Services Requested: - Suite of high-vacuum compatible piezo-controlled nanopositioners and hexapods - Rotation stage - Two 4-axis (XYZR) nanopositioners - Two hexapod-like positioners - Optical tip/tilt mount - All necessary controllers, cables, and peripherals - All positioners must feature: - Optical encoders with at least 1 nm or 3 micro-degree resolution - Repeatability better than 50 nm - Compatibility with high-vacuum and magnetic field environments - Hardware/software compatibility with existing SmarAct equipment - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Assemblies must use non-magnetic materials where specified - Seamless interchangeability with existing SmarAct nanopositioners - No specific part numbers or quantities provided

Description

THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE.

BACKGROUND The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Applied Physics Division, Spin Electronics group requires a suite of high-specification nanopositioners and hexapods. The semiconductor supply chain is global, specialized, and interconnected. Chipmakers do business with thousands of individual suppliers that provide the highly complex materials and tools used to produce semiconductors. To address the lack of full visibility into the semiconductor market's supply chain and R&D ecosystem gaps, NIST will conduct measurement science, or metrology, critical to the development of new materials, packaging, and production methods in chip manufacturing. As part of this effort, NIST has a program to develop new methods to non-destructively measure and characterize the structure of complex nanoscopic devices. This approach is based on applying an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) high-harmonic generation (HHG) light source to combine reflectometry with spatial imaging and atomic core level spectroscopy. This effort requires precise nanoscopic positioning of both the EUV optics and the sample position and orientation with strict operation under high vacuum conditions. This can only be accomplished with piezo-nanopositioners specifically designed for operation in high-vacuum conditions. Furthermore, due to the presence of magnetic fields in a section of the system, one hexapod-like system and one 4-axis assembly must be comprised of non-magnetic materials and must maintain performance when operated in magnetic fields as high as 1 Tesla. Additionally, compatibility (software and hardware) and seamless interchangeability with existing SmarAct nanopositioners already in use at NIST's beamline must be maintained.

The goal of this contract is to supply multiple high-vacuum compatible piezo-controlled nanopositioning stages along with all necessary controllers. This includes a rotation stage, two separate 4-axes (XYZR) nanopositioners, two hexapod-like positioners, one optical tip/tilt mount, and all necessary controllers, cables, and peripherals. All positioners must have optical encoders with a resolution of at least 1 nm or 3 micro-degrees and a repeatability better than 50 nm. These are to be used to position the sample and multiple EUV optics along the beamline and end station — all of which occurs in a high-vacuum environment.

NIST conducted market research from June 2025 to January 2026 by speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and engaging with vendors to determine sources that could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The market research revealed that only SmarAct Inc (UEI: LFAVHCE9K2X3) can meet all the Government’s minimum requirements.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. Include only the following information, readable in Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, and submit by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice as soon as possible, preferably before the closing date and time. Note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of response. Provide the complete name of your company, address, contact person’s name, email, phone number, and if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI). Identify the equipment your company sells that can meet the objectives in the BACKGROUND section. For each recommended product, provide: Manufacturer name Model number Technical specifications If not the manufacturer, specify your status as an authorized reseller Describe the performance capabilities of the recommended products and any additional features or functions that could assist NIST. Discuss whether the equipment can be customized to specifications and any limits to customization. Identify any aspects of the market research notice, instructions, or draft minimum specifications you cannot meet and why. Offer suggestions to make the process more competitive. State whether the equipment is manufactured in the United States or specify the country of manufacture. Indicate any plans or possibilities for changing the manufacturing location, including timelines. For the NAICS code listed: State whether your company is a small business or other than small business. If applicable, suggest a more appropriate NAICS code for the procurement. Describe services available with the equipment purchase, such as installation, training, and maintenance. Describe standard terms and conditions of sale, including delivery time, FOB terms, warranty details, setup, manuals, cleanup, and other services. Provide a copy of standard terms if available. State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation, and whether you perform or subcontract these services. Indicate interest in inspecting the installation site during market research. Provide published prices, discounts, rebates, or links to your pricing information. If available, identify any existing Federal Supply Schedule or other contracts for purchasing the equipment. List any customers in the public or private sectors who have purchased similar equipment, including contact details. Include any other relevant information for NIST’s market research. Indicate if NIST should provide additional information or if you wish to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirements.

QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE Questions may be submitted via email to the contacts listed. Questions should be received at least 5 days before the response deadline. If beneficial, questions may be anonymized and answered via an amendment to this notice.

IMPORTANT NOTES This notice is for market research purposes and does not constitute a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or award a contract. There is no solicitation available at this time. This does not obligate the Government to award a contract or pay for responses. NIST may use the information provided for any necessary and legal purpose. Respondents should ensure their responses are complete and detailed enough for the Government to assess capabilities. The Government is not obligated to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback. After reviewing responses, a synopsis and solicitation may be published on GSA’s eBuy or SAM.gov. Responses to this notice are not considered responses to any solicitation. Thank you for your response!

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