This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested from this document and a written solicitation shall NOT be issued.  Simplified procurement procedures will be used for this acquisition per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13. The NAICS is 334515 and the small business size standard is 500 employees.  This is issued as a request for quote (RFQ).  The solicitation number is SB1341-15-RQ-0092.  FAR 15 is not applicable to this procurement.  This solicitation shall be a small business set-aside.  This document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-78 (December 26, 2014).   Registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award, pursuant to applicable regulations and guidelines is required. Registration information can be found at www.sam.gov.  Additionally, a DUNS number shall be required for award. 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to procure GHZ Wafer Probes.   

Purpose:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) needs to acquire four 50 GHz wafer probes for use in the on-wafer test of differential microwave integrated circuits. The probes will be used with a vector network analyzer and wafer-probe station. The input must be a 2.4 mm connector.

NIST also needs to acquire two 110 GHz wafer probes for use in testing single-ended millimeter-wave circuits. The probes will be used with a vector network analyzer and wafer-probe station. The input must be a 1.0 mm connector.

The NIST also needs to acquire two 140-220 GHz, two 220-325 GHz and two 750-1100 GHz microwave wafer probes for use in the on-wafer test of sub-millimeter-wave integrated circuits. The probes will be used with a vector network analyzer and wafer-probe station. The input must be a rectangular waveguide with a UG-387 compatible flange.

The probes must be ground-signal-ground probes with a 50 um pitch, except for the 750-1100 GHz probes, which should be of approximately 25 um pitch to perform well at these frequencies. Because of the high frequencies to which the integrated circuits and transistors we will test must operate, we have minimized contact-pad sizes to 30 um wide by 40 um long to reduce contact-pad capacitance. Two different types of contact pads will be used. The first type of contact pads will be soft gold plated on a thin bisbenzocyclobutene-based (BCB) monomers film, and the probes must not damage the contact pads. The second will be gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 2 um thick insulating passivation layer.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: 

50 GHz Probes

Quantity: 4

Frequency range: DC to 50 GHz

Insertion loss: 1.5 dB (typical)

Return loss: 15 dB (typical)

Connector type: 2.4 mm female connector angled at 45 degrees

Pitch: 50 um pitch GSG contacts

Probe style: Capable of contacting gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 1-2 um thick insulating passivation layer

110 GHz Probes

Quantity: 2

Frequency range: DC to 110 GHz

Insertion loss: 1.5 dB (typical)

Return loss: 15 dB (typical)

Connector type: 1.0 mm female connector angled at 45 degrees

Pitch: 50 um pitch GSG contacts

Probe style: Capable of contacting gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 1-2 um thick insulating passivation layer

220 GHz Probes

Quantity: 2

Frequency range: 140 to 220 GHz

Insertion loss: 3.0 dB (typical)

Return loss: 15 dB (typical)

Connector type: UG-387 compatible

Pitch: 50 um pitch GSG contacts

Bias tees: Internal bias tees required

Probe style: Capable of contacting gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 1-2 um thick insulating passivation layer

325 GHz Probes

Quantity: 2

Frequency range: 140 to 220 GHz

Insertion loss: 3.0 dB (typical)

Return loss: 15 dB (typical)

Connector type: UG-387 compatible

Pitch: 50 um pitch GSG contacts

Bias tees: Internal bias tees required

Probe style: Capable of contacting gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 1-2 um thick insulating passivation layer

1100 GHz Probes

Quantity: 2

Frequency range: 750 to 1100 GHz

Insertion loss: 10.0 dB (typical)

Return loss: 15 dB (typical)

Connector type: UG-387 compatible

Pitch: 25 um pitch GSG contacts

Bias tees: Internal bias tees required

Probe style: Capable of contacting gold-plated 30 um wide by 40 um long contact pads recessed in a 1-2 um thick insulating passivation layer.

*The important metric is the total repeatability, resolution and accuracy of these components. Systems that maintain overall equivalent repeatability, resolution and accuracy when specifications for individual components are added will be considered as meeting the specifications.

DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION:

NIST MS 687.01

325 Broadway

Boulder, CO 80305 USA

Building 81-1A155

DELIVERABLE SCHEDULE:

60 days ARO

POINT OF CONTACT:

Dylan Williams

National Institute of Standards and Technology

NIST Division 672.03

303-497-3138

In accordance with the non-manufacturer rule, the contractor shall be a small business under the applicable size standard and shall provide either its own product or that of another domestic small business manufacturing or processing concern. See FAR 19.102(f) for additional information.

BASIS OF AWARD:

Award shall be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable quoter. This will be a firm fixed price purchase order to the responsible contractor submitting a quote that meets all of the requirements of this RFQ and who has the lowest price.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY:

Evaluation of Technical Capability will be based on the information provided in the quotation. Documentation submitted in the quotation shall be evaluated to determine that the proposed equipment meets or exceeds the Governments minimum required specifications.

PRICE:

Price shall be evaluated for reasonableness.

The following clauses and provisions apply to this synopsis/solicitation. The full text of these provisions and clauses are available at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/vffara.htm and http://farsite.hill.af.mil/VFCARA.HTM

52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items.

 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (Oct 2014) [Quotes shall be evaluated in accordance with the criteria shown above] 

52.212-3  Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Items (Dec 2014)

52.212-4  Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items (May 2014)

52.212-5  Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Items (Dec 2014). The following clauses in 52.212-5 are hereby incorporated and applicable to any award made as a result of this combined synopsis/solicitation:

52.222-50 Combatting Trafficking in Persons (Feb 2009)

52.233-3 Protest After Award (Aug 1996)

52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (Oct 2004)

52.219-6 Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside (Nov 2011)

52.219-28 Post-Award Small Business Program Representation (Jul 2013)

52.222-3 Convict Labor (Jun 2003)

52.222-19 Child Labor-Cooperation With Authorities and Remedies (Jan 2014)

52.223-18 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (Aug 2011)

52.225-1 Buy American – Supplies (May 2014)

52.225-13 Restriction on Certain Foreign Purchases (Jun 2008)

52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-System for Award Management (Jul 2013)

The following provisions/clauses under the Department of Commerce Acquisition Regulations Systems are hereby incorporated and applicable to any award made as a result of this combined synopsis/solicitation:

CAR 1352.201-70 Contracting Officer’s Authority

CAR 1352.209-73 Compliance with the Laws

CAR 1352.209-74 Organizational Conflict of Interest

CAR 1352.233-70 Agency Protests

CAR 1352.233-71 GAO and Court of Federal Claims Protest 

BILLING INSTRUCTIONS:

(a) NIST prefers electronic Invoice/Voucher submissions and they should be emailed to [email protected].

(b) Each Invoice or Voucher submitted shall include the following: (1) Contract Number. (2) Contractor Name and Address. (3) Date of Invoice. (4) Invoice Number. (5) Amount of Invoice and Cumulative Amount Invoiced to-date. (6) Contract Line Item Number (CLIN). (7) Description, Quantity, Unit of Measure, Unit Price, and Extended Price of Supplies/Services Delivered. (8) Prompt Payment Discount Terms, if Offered. (9) Any other information or documentation required by the contract.

(c) In the event electronic submissions are not used, The Contractor shall submit an original invoice or voucher in accordance with the payment provisions of this contract to:

NIST: Accounts Payable Office

100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1621

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1621

CLARIFICATIONS:

NOTICE: Quoters must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to [email protected]. Any responses to questions will be made in writing in an amendment to the synopsis/solicitation. The deadline for the submission of clarification questions on this RFQ is January 7, 2015.

QUOTATION DUE DATE AND SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Interested vendors capable of furnishing the specified equipment in this combined synopsis/solicitation should submit their quote to Miguel Vasquez, Contract Specialist, at [email protected]. Quotations are due no later than 1:00 PM Mountain Time on January 12, 2014. FAX AND OR PHONE REQUESTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Requests shall include complete company name, address, telephone and fax number. 

END OF COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION.