The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg 731.07 Group within the Engineering Laboratory is seeking an inverse gas chromatography instrument to study work of adhesion through dispersive and specific surface energy measurements of advanced packaging components to study long-term reliability of materials used in advanced packaging of semiconductor chips. This work is in support of the CHIPS Metrology program.

The CHIPS Metrology program develops and advances cutting edge metrology capabilities for members of the US semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.  This NIST conducted research program works with device manufacturers, tool vendors, materials suppliers, and other organizations to address critical metrology gaps to spur innovation within seven grand challenge areas.  For more information on CHIPS Metrology, please visit https://www.nist.gov/chips/research-development-programs/metrology-program

NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the objectives described above, in addition to the following essential requirements: 

1.    Sample Types and Sizes
   1.1.    Samples will include films of varying surface roughness and particulates of varying diameter.
   1.2.    The instrument must be equipped with sample holders to accommodate both sample types. 
        1.2.1.    The film cell should accommodate samples of up to 75 cm2
        1.2.2.    The particulate holder should accommodate a wide range of particle diameters. 
        1.2.3.    Please indicate whether multiple measurements can be conducted in series (e.g., multiple column ports). 
    1.3.    Typical samples will be particulate diameters ranging from 101 µm up to 100 mm or films ranging in thickness from 102 nm (supported on a substrate) to 102 mm.  
    1.4.    Materials to be measured will include polymeric components in advanced packaging, including underfill and encapsulation epoxies, fiber reinforced polymer substrates, along with thermal interface materials, filler components, treated substrates, and hybrid bonded surfaces.
2.    Gas analyte probes
    2.1.    The instrument must be calibrated for a standard series of organic gas analyte probes along with several polar probes. 
    2.2.    Please indicate all calibrated standard and non-standard solvents offered for the system. 
3.    Detector
    3.1.    Flame ionization detector for organic solvent analysis.
    3.2.    Thermal conductivity detector or comparable detector for competitive binding analysis of inorganic gas molecules such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. 
    3.3.    Note: Data should be able to be collected using both detectors during a single experiment.
4.    Surface probe coverage
    4.1.    The instrument should be capable of conducting measurements with controlled levels of surface coverage of the analyte probe. The instrument should also be able to provide user-specified variable coverage to measure the effect of surface heterogeneity on surface energy and other related material properties.
    4.2.    Injection type options should allow for both targeted surface coverage as well as target moles injected.
5.    Environmental control for film and particulate measurements
    5.1.    Temperature (20°C up to at least 180°C) 
    5.2.    Relative humidity control (0 % up to at least 80 % RH) 
    5.3.    Accuracy and stability should be provided.
6.    Control and analysis software and data station
    6.1.    Pulse analysis
    6.2.    Isotherm analysis
    6.3.    Dead-time correction
    6.4.    Surface energy analysis to include both dispersive and specific surface energy components
    6.5.    Surface heterogeneity mapping to include both heterogeneity profiling and distribution
    6.6.    Acid-base free energy of desorption analysis
    6.7.    Calculation of enthalpy of specific free energy
    6.8.    Work of adhesion calculation
    6.9.    Cross-linking analysis
    6.10.    Method data storage and display (including solvents used)
    6.11.    Please provide OS and any software requirements of the data station and whether it is included with the system.
7.    NIST anticipates vendors offering necessary starter consumables, installation, training, and service agreements with the instrument. 

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE

In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. 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 listed in this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice.  Please note that to be considered for award under any official solicitation, the entity must be registered and “active” in SAM at the time of solicitation response.

• 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 the equipment that your company sells that can meet the objectives addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice.  For each product recommended to meet the Government’s requirement, provide the following:
  • Manufacturer name
  • Model number
  • Technical specifications
  • If your company is not the manufacturer, provide information on your company’s status as an authorized reseller of the product(s)

• Describe performance capabilities of the product(s) your company recommends to meet the Government’s requirements.  Additionally, if there are other features or functions that you believe would assist NIST in meeting its objectives described above, please discuss in your response.
  • Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization.

• Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section you cannot meet and state why.  Please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more competitive.

• State whether the proposed equipment 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, including timeline.

• 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 services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance.

• Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the recommended equipment 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); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services.  Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available.

• State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the recommended equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of said 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 in inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase.

• State published price, discount, or rebate arrangements for recommended equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services. 

• If the recommended equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.

• Identify any customers in the public or private sectors to which you provided the recommended 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 if 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 5 calendar days prior to the response date. If the Contracting Officer determines that providing a written amendment to this notice to document question(s) received would benefit other potential respondents, the questions would be anonymized, and a written response to such question(s) would be provided via an amendment to this notice.

IMPORTANT NOTES

This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  There is no solicitation available at this time.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.

NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.

Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s capability.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

After a review of the responses received, a synopsis and solicitation may be published on GSA’s eBuy or SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered an adequate response to any such solicitation(s).

Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!