NANOFABRICATION SERVICE – COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT/NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

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

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a Differential Laser Doppler Vibrometer. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to NHanced Semiconductors INC.; 800 Perimeter Park DR, Morrisville, NC 27560-7271 USA) under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334413

NIST has a need for one (1) Differential Laser Doppler Vibrometer that meets or exceeds the following draft minimum specifications:

Line Item 0001: Dry etching service

Description: Lithography and dry etching processes are implemented to create patterns provided by customer

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. A mask is produced based on the pattern provided by customer.
   2. A different mask can be used for each wafer. 
   3. Lithography and dry etching processes are implemented on the patterns transferred from the mask. 
   4. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0002: Additional dry etching service (optional)

Description: Lithography and dry etching processes are implemented to create patterns provided by customer

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. A mask is produced based on the pattern provided by customer.
   2. A different mask can be used for each wafer.
   3. Lithography and dry etching processes are implemented on the patterns transferred from the mask. 
   4. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0003: Barrier/seed layers deposition service

Description: Barrier/seed layers are deposited for electroplating processes on etched wafers

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Barrier/seed layer deposition process is implemented on wafers with dry-etched holes.
   2. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0004: Additional barrier/seed layers deposition service 

Description: Barrier/seed layers are deposited for electroplating processes on etched wafers

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Barrier/seed layer deposition process is implemented on wafers with dry-etched holes.
   2. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0005: Cu electroplating service

Description: Cu electroplating process is implemented to fill holes with barrier/seed layers

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Cu electroplating process is implemented on wafers with barrier/seed layer-deposited holes.
   2. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0006: Wafer coring service

Description: Core two (2) 200 mm wafers with Cu-plated TSVs to produce four (4) 100 mm wafers

Quantity: Four (4) 100 mm wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Wafer coring processes are implemented on two (2) 200 mm wafer to produce four (4) 100 mm wafers.
   2. Leftover pieces from the coring process are provided to customer.

Line Item 0007: Wafers with defective through-silicon vias (TSVs)

Description: Fabricating defective TSVs

Quantity: Three (3) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Frontside TSV insertion (50 µm diameter x 300 µm depth or 25 µm diameter x 200 µm depth) filled with copper.
   2. TSV mask fabrication, TSV revealing process, and carrier attachment process are included.
   3. Insertion is made through <3 µm of front side oxide.
   4. Additional 2 wafers are used for setup. The leftover setup wafers are provided to customer.
   5. 200 mm wafers are used

Line Item 0008: Additional Cu electroplating service

Description: Cu electroplating process is implemented to fill holes with barrier/seed layers

Quantity: Two (2) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Cu electroplating process is implemented on wafers with barrier/seed layer-deposited holes.
   2. 200 mm wafers are used.

Line Item 0009: Additional Wafer coring service  

Description: Core two (2) 200 mm wafers with Cu-plated TSVs to produce four (4) 100 mm wafers

Quantity: Four (4) 100 mm wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Wafer coring processes are implemented on two (2) 200 mm wafer to produce four (4) 100 mm wafers.
   2. Leftover pieces from the coring process are provided to customer.

Line Item 0010: Mask production  

Description: A mask is produced on the design provided by customer

Quantity: One (1) mask

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Produce a mask based on the design provided by customer.

Line Item 0011: Additional mask production

Description: A mask is produced on the design provided by customer

Quantity: One (1) mask

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Produce a mask based on the design provided by customer.

Line Item 0012: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) service

Description: Apply CMP process to remove overburdened copper

Quantity: Three (3) wafers

1. Technical Specifications
   1. Overburdened copper is removed to reveal Si wafer surface

NIST conducted market research from November 2024 through July 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 NHanced Semiconductors INC (UEI: L4THCSJJQZX6) 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 3 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!