SOLICITATION NOTICE
66 -- FIB-SEM System
- Notice Date
- 6/6/2008
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U. S. Army Materiel Command, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Adelphi, RDECOM Acquisition Center - Adelphi, ATTN: AMSRD-ACC, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197
- ZIP Code
- 20783-1197
- Solicitation Number
- W911QX-08-R-0016
- Response Due
- 6/12/2008
- Archive Date
- 8/11/2008
- Point of Contact
- Kathy Harrigan, 301-394-3690
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. (ii) The solicitation number is W911QX-08-R-0016. This acquisition is issued as an Request for Quotation (RFQ). (iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-25 Effective on May 22, 2008 (iv) The associated NAICS code is 334516/SIC 3826. The small business size standard is 500. (v) The following is a list of contract line item number(s) and items, quantities and units of measure, (including option(s), if applicable: CLIN 0001 Description- FIB-SEM in accordance with Salient Charactertics described in (vi) Quantity 1 (ONE) Unit- Each (vi) Description of requirements: Specifications for a Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam and Scanning Electron Microscope Requirement: C.1.0 The Army Research Laboratory needs an instrument with both a focused ion beam (FIB) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The contractor shall provide a laboratory based FIB-SEM system (as opposed to fabrication based) that performs coincident imaging with both columns. The system shall be capable of site-specific micro/nano-machining of conductive and non-conductive materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, and biomaterials. The system shall include accessories for the in situ extraction of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin foils. C.2.0 The contractor shall ensure that the FIB-SEM system meets the following performance and physical specifications: C.2.1 Optics C.2.1.1 Focused Ion Beam- A FIB-SEM capable of imaging and machining with a current of Ga plus ions from a liquid Gallium ion emitter at voltages ranging from 250 V to 30 kV and currents ranging from 2 pA up to 20 nA. The gallium source life shall exceed 1000 hours. The system shall include an ion beam blanker with external control. The resolution must be guaranteed to at least 7 nm. C.2.1.2 Electron Optics- The electron system is configured with a field emission gun, preferably a Schottky type, with at least 20 nA of beam current. The electron system shall feature a magnetic immersion lens with in lens secondary electron and back scattered electron detectors. The system shall include the ability to measure the electron beam current below the final lens (at the sample or a Faraday type cup).C.2.2 Computer Control - A PC and peripherals for system control that shall interface with current and future versions of the Army Research Laboratorys Windows Operating System and computer security control system including file and image storage from networked drives. The system is capable of automated and remote operation of FIB and SEM functions. C.2.3 Imaging - The FIB-SEM shall have the following imaging capabilities including back scattered electron (BSE) and secondary electron (SE) detectors both in-lens and below lens or Everhardt Thornley type with variable bias of BSE and SE signals, an IR-CCD detector, a secondary ion detector for FIB operation, a scanning transmission electron microscope detector (bright field and dark field) and a charge reduction system. The system must have a digital imaging capability with TIFF, BMP and JPEG file formats with a minimum resolution of 3000 by 3000 pixels. Real time imaging during ion milling procedures must be possible with electron and/or ion beam columns. C.2.4 Chamber and Stage - The system shall have at least one position that allows for coincident operation of both the electron and ion systems. This coincident point shall be the eucentric tilt point and the analytical working distance for the EDS and EBSD operation. The chamber must interface with an EDS detector, EBSD, gas injections systems, with an in-situ nanomanipulator for TEM specimen manipulation. The stage shall allow for motorized movement along 5 axes X, Y, Z, tilts (from negative 10degree to 60 degree) and continuous eucentric rotations about the area of interest. The system shall accommodate a samples that is around 2 inches in height and allow for 6 inches of X and Y movement. C.2.5 Cryotransfer System - The contractor shall provide a system for loading and examining samples that must be maintained at temperatures of less than -165 degree Celius. The system must include a least a stand-alone sample slushing chamber, a specimen transfer device, a specimen chamber mounted turbo pumped preparation chamber with gate valve, cooled knife, sputter head with platinum target, prep chamber illumination light, vacuum interlock, and include all connections, interfaces, sensors and controllers required to complete the system. C.2.6 Gas Delivery and Deposition - The system shall provide a gas delivery system for multiple gases. The system as designed shall automatically eliminate potential cross-contamination of all gases. Precise and repeatable placement of the gas injection delivery system shall be controlled by automated by the system software. The system must allow for individual reconfiguration for multiple gases. The system must be configured for site-specific deposition of platinum. The system shall allow for future reconfiguration for other metal deposition systems and for insulator deposition. C.2.7 Software - In addition to contractor-supplied operation for serial sectioning and TEM foil preparation, the system shall have the capablity of custom scripting for automated milling procedures to the capability of running the AutoMike (trademark) software for automated fabrication of micrometer-sized compression specimens. Requirements include ion beam milling at stage tilts exceeding 50 degree where stage movements in X, Y and rotations are possible. The system shall include custom scripting capability to perform automated milling functions as prescribed by the user. This custom scripting software must feature an image match capability to automatically identify features of interest from a reference image and allow automated stage movements and alignments to said features (or fiducial marks) to within plus/minus 0.5micrometre of a prescribed location. The Contractor shall ensure that the system is capable of automatically milling TEM specimens and for FIB 3D serial sectioning at user defined site-specific positions. The system shall reconstruct and manipulate the serial images in three dimensions. The automated serial sectioning shall integrate with the electron backscatter diffraction system (EBSD) and from analysis of three-dimensional volumes of material. As mentioned in C.2.5 the working distance for the EBSD operation shall be the coincident point and eucentric tile point for both the FIB and SEM. The system shall have the capability to digitally pattern and mill from imported 24 bit images. During patterning and milling, the dwell times, milling depths, times, etc., must be able to be input from the user interface. C.2.8 EDS - The contractor shall provide full energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) capability. The EDS detector shall be at least a 30 mm 2nd power Si(Li) detector with a resolution of 136 eV (as measured using the Mn K peak at FWHM). The detector window must allow transmission of EDS data for all elements heavier than and including Beryllium. The system shall include a 7.5L liquid nitrogen dewar and utilize a low noise FET for charge neutralization. The EDS spectrometer must provide hole count of 1500 or better, film count of 19 or better, and peak-to-background ratio of 400 or better (NiOx film on C on a Mo grid, Egerton test specifications, 0.5 NA of current for a 1 nm diameter probe). The same peak-to-background ratio must be guaranteed when a probe size of 0.2 nm and 100 pA of current is provided. The EDS X-ray acquisition must be capable of greater than 50000 ct/s, no significant distortion, and full automatic calibration. C.2.9 EBSD - The contractor shall provide full EBSD capability that is fully integrated into the FIB-SEM software for unattended serial sectioning and EBSD data collection. The serial sectioning and data collection shall occur at site-specific locations as defined by the user. The system shall feature at least a two-diode forward scatter back scatter electron detector (BSED). The system must use the same working distance for EBSD, EDS, that is the same point as the FIB and SEM coincident point. C.2.10 Nano/Micro-Manipulator - The contractor shall provide a system for in-situ multi-axis manipulation and motion. The manipulator shall be used for TEM sample preparation and shall include a holder for TEM preparation. The holder shall allow for in-situ TEM specimen extraction and placement on a standard TEM grid. TEM specimen fabrication and placement on a grid must be possible without venting the chamber. C.2.11 Vacuum System - The contractor shall provide an oil free pumping system (turbomolecular/ion pump/scroll type preferred). C.2.12 Installation and Acceptance/Training/Warranty - The contractor shall deliver and install the FIB-SEM to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD into a laboratory located in Building 4600 with all items required to connect to lab utilities including power transformer (as required), chiller, compressor, etc. The contractor shall conduct a pre-installation site survey of the proposed location of the FIB-SEM to insure that the instrument shall meet OEM Specification and these Specifications will not be compromised due to instrument location. The inspection shall include an assessment of room lay out, facilities, airflow, acoustic energy levels, vibration and stray EM fields. The contractor shall make all necessary service connections to appropriate facilities supplied at the installation site and must prove all instrument guarantees prior to acceptance by the buyer. C.2.14 Warranty- The contractor shall provide a one-year warranty on parts and labor associated with the all systems. C.2.13 Training- The contractor shall provide start-up system training and onsite advance training or vendor training courses for the FIB-SEM, EDS, EBSD and the micro-manipulator system. Within 4 weeks following installation and acceptance by the government as specified in the evaluation criteria, the contractor shall be provide for at least 6 scientists and engineers at the installation site and include a comprehensive set of instruction manuals for each system. C.2.14. The contractor may use a direct XML data transfer to the database server or fill in the fields on the website. The XML direct transfer is a format for transferring files from a contractors system to the secure web site without the need for separate data entries fore each required data element at the web site. The specific formats for the XML direct transfer may be downloaded from the web site. (vii) Delivery and installation is required within 90 days of contract award Delivery shall be made to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD 21005-5001. Acceptance shall be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD The FOB point is Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen MD. (viii) The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial, applies to this acquisition. The following addenda have been attached to this provision: _NONE. (ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items is applicable to this acquisition. The specific evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of that provision are as follows: The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical, Past Performance and Price. Technical and past performance are of equal importance and when combined are significantly more important than price. The technical evaluation will be a determination as to whether the proposed product meets the performance characteristics and specifications. The technical evaluation shall be based on information furnished by the vendor. The Government is not responsible for locating or securing any information, which is not identified in the proposal. To ensure sufficient information is available, vendors must furnish as part of their proposal all descriptive material (such as cuts, illustrations, drawings, or other information) necessary for government to determine whether the product meets the performance characteristics and specifications of the requirement. If the vendor proposes to modify a product so as to conform to the requirement of this solicitation the vendor shall include a clear description of such proposed modifications and clearly mark any descriptive materials to show modifications. Past performance will be evaluated based on information provided by the offeror as to actual sales of the proposed product to industry or government agencies. Past performance will consider the ability of the offeror to meet technical specifications, delivery schedules and warranty and maintenance reputation. Offerors shall include records of at least three (3) recent sales for whom similar FIB-SEM systems have been delivered by the contractor and identify a point of contact for each by providing a name and telephone number. The government will award a contract to the offeror whose offer conforms to this solicitation and will be most advantageous to the government, price and other factors considered. The government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest price and to award without discussions. (x) Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items, and DFARS 252.212-7000, Offeror Representations and Certifications -Commercial Items, with its offer. (xi) The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following addenda have been attached to this clause None. (xii) The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items and DFARS 252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The following additional FAR/DFARS clauses cited in this clause are applicable: 52.203-6, 52.219-8, 52.219-9, 52.219-14, 52.219-16, 52.222-3, 52.222-19, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-50, 52.225-13, 52.232-33, 52.239-1, 52.247-64, 52.203-3, 252.205-7000, 252.225-7001, 252.225-7012, 252.225-7015, 252.226-7001, 252.232-7003, 252.247-7023. The following RDECOMAC local provisions shall be incorporated into any resulting contract: 52.016-4407 Type of Contract, 52.046-4400 Government Inspection and Acceptance, 52.032-4418 Tax Exemption Certification, 52.032-4427 Electronic Submission of Invoices Payment to DFAS, 52.032-4401 Release of Information by Manufacturers, Research Organizations, Educational Institutions, and Other Commercial Entities Holding Army Contracts, 52.011-4401 Receiving Room Requirements, 52.028-4400 Required Insurance Coverage, 52.037-4400 Supervision of Employees, 52.037-4402 Vehicle Registration, 52.037-4403 Work Hours, 52.037-4404 Identification of Contractor Employees.. A copy of the full text of these provisions will be made available upon request. (xiii) The following additional contract requirement(s) or terms and conditions apply: N/A(xiv) This acquisition is rated under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) as N/A. (xv) The following notes apply to this announcement: NONE (xvi) Offers are due on 12 June 2008 by 11:59 pm, at US Army Research Laboratory, RDECOM- Adelphi, AMSRD-ACC-AC, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197 or via email to kathy.harrigan@arl.army.mil (xvii) For information regarding this solicitation, please contact Kathy Harrigan, Contract Specialist at (301) 394-3690, FAX (301) 394.4910 or email at kathy.harrigan@arl.army.mil.
- Web Link
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- Place of Performance
- Address: US Army Research Laboratory Aberdeen Proving Ground Aberdeen MD
- Zip Code: 21005-5001
- Zip Code: 21005-5001
- Record
- SN01588960-W 20080608/080606220536-cdc4d005be53c3be03a37d722b39efca (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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