CHIPS R&D: UPGRADE OF IN-LINE RSOXS THROUGH STATION – COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT/NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

BACKGROUND

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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Materials Measurement Lab is upgrading the resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS) through station at NSLS-II as part of a project in the CHIPS Metrology program. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to XDS Oxford Limited; Unit 1, Ferry Mills Osney Mead Oxford, United Kingdom under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334513. 

NIST Materials Measurement Lab is upgrading the resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS) through station at NSLS-II  as part of a project in the CHIPS Metrology program. The through station is used for measuring the microstructure and local chemistry of a variety of soft matter systems including those used in photolithography, organic electronics, water membranes, and biological systems. The through station is operated as part of the general user program at NSLS-II and is available for use through a proposal review system. The through station is situated on the SST1 beamline (https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/beamlines/beamline.php?r=7-ID-1). 

The RSoXS through station is being upgraded to allow soft X-ray reflectivity and a method called resonant critical dimension small angle scattering (res-CDSAXS). These measurements will enhance the ability of the through station to characterize new materials for photolithography. This requirement necessitates a system with the sample and the detector on a 2-circle goniometer in the vacuum chamber. The upgrade will also add a high throughput sample exchange system to increase the sample throughput of the through station.

An upgraded RSoXS through station will be installed on the SST1 beamline at NSLS-II. This upgrade will enable the through station to conduct soft X-ray reflectivity and resonant critical dimension small angle scattering. This upgrade will also enable the chamber to utilize new high frame rate soft X-ray cameras.

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: 

General requirements of all components:

• The new RSoXS through station shall replace the current RSoXS station located at the SST1 beamline as shown in Figure 1.
• All installed components shall allow (when inactive) an unimpeded soft X-ray beam to pass through this section with negligible impact on downstream beam characteristics.
  • All components which impede or touch the beam when active shall be completely removable from the beam when required.
• All components shall maintain a UHV environment of <5x10^-8 mBar when installed and in operation.
  • Inner surfaces of components shall be materials compatible with baking out and have surface finish when possible
  • All beamline components shall be able to be baked out for maintaining and recovering UHV operation after venting.
• Additional vacuum pumps, gauges, piping and all miscellaneous hardware necessary to maintain UHV environment in all sections while in use and when inactive shall be provided
  • Vacuum pumps and gauges on current RSoXS station may be reused
• Stability and reproducibility of the placement of all components shall be less than 10 microns (further stability on specific components may be specified below)
  • Any existing components including the beam defining slits that are transferred from the current station to the new station shall be properly aligned with the X-ray beam
• An egress path of minimum with 4ft (1220 mm) shall be maintained between the pedestal of Precision Slit C (figure 1) and the edge of the next downstream pedestal.
  • Beamline components may protrude into this gap, but shall present minimal protrusion below the level of the beam pipe.
• All gate valves shall have both visible and electronically accessible status indications
• Connectors necessary to connect cables (cables supplied separately by NIST, unless specifically requested in this SOW) from components to control electronics shall be included.

• All cabling shall be UHV compatible, and radiation hardened

• Shall include all motor controllers and power supplies required to operate the supplied motors and stages.
  • All motor controllers and power supplies shall match the current BNL requirements
  • Shall include software drivers to control each motor controller
• Following BNL convention when x,y,z are used to describe directions z shall be parallel to the X-ray beam, y shall be in the vertical direction and x shall be horizontal, perpendicular to the X-ray beam.
• All internal components such as pumping and gauges, required to be on during operation, shall be shrouded and protected so as to not emit visible light, electrons, or ions at a level that can damage or affect the operation of the X-ray cameras
• Darkness is required to minimize the background signal of the detectors.
• All in-vacuum encoders must be able to be turned off and emit no light, electrons, or ions that can interfere with the operation of the X-ray camera

NIST conducted market research from October 2024 through November 2025 by speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements.  The results of that market research revealed that only XDS Oxford Limited (UEI: RQEDB5HN31L5) appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

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 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).
• Details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements.
• Whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization.
• Identify any aspects of the description of the requirements in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or create unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your firm’s ability to fully participate in a procurement for such services and explain why.  Please offer suggestions for how the requirements could be organized or structured to encourage the participation of small businesses.
• For the NAICS code
• 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. 
• If your firm has existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts for products or services against which the Department may be able to place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information.
• Describe your firm’s experience (as a prime, subcontractor, or consultant) providing the products or services described in Background section.
• Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for the Government to know as part of its market research for this requirement.
• Please let us know if you would like to engage to get a better understanding of the requirement or need additional information about the Government’s requirement for the products or services described in the Background section. 

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 with 5 days of this posting.  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 the NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. 

This notice should not be construed as a commitment by the NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. 

This notice is not a request for a quotation. 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!