Commercial semi-automatic probe stations
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce, is soliciting quotations for Commercial Semi-Automatic Probe Stations. This acquisition is a Total Small Business Set-Aside and aims to procure a 300 mm wafer probing station for advanced semiconductor research. Quotations are due by February 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET.
Purpose & Scope
NIST intends to acquire a new, semiautomatic wafer probing station to facilitate the study of transistor characteristics, leakage currents, and breakdown behavior of silicon carbide (SiC) FET gate dielectrics. The objective is to deliver verified test methods for wide-bandgap semiconductor power device breakdown and threshold instability.
The required probing station must be capable of probing wafers up to 300 mm in diameter, including both whole wafers and pre-diced dies. Key technical specifications include support for four probes for pad sizes as small as 40 µm x 40 µm with a 60 µm pitch, featuring magnetic bases and low-noise, blade-style probe tips. It must also include a heated wafer chuck capable of reaching at least 200 degrees Celsius, a digital microscope for imaging 5 µm features, user-friendly software, and vibration isolation. All equipment must be new, with no used, remanufactured, prototype, or "gray market" components accepted.
Contract Details
- Opportunity Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (Request for Quotation - RFQ)
- Anticipated Award: Single Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order
- Set-Aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
- NAICS Code: 334516 - Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (Size Standard: 1,000 employees)
- Period of Performance: Seven months from the date of award.
- Place of Performance: Manufacturing at the contractor's site; final assembly, setup, training, and support at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD.
- Delivery: To NIST (Gaithersburg, MD) no later than 12 weeks after receipt of order.
- Warranty: Minimum of one year after receipt of equipment.
- Payment Schedule: 50% upon delivery, 50% upon acceptance and completion of training.
Submission & Evaluation
- Submission Deadline: February 13, 2026, by 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
- Inquiries Deadline: February 7, 2026.
- Submission Method: Electronic quotations via email to cielo.ibarra@nist.gov and donald.collie@nist.gov. The RFQ number (1333ND26QNB030047) must be referenced in the subject line.
- Quotation Structure: Must be divided into three volumes: Volume I (Technical), Volume II (Price), and Volume III (Terms and Conditions).
- Evaluation Criteria: Award will be made to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror. Technical capability will be evaluated based on submitted documentation demonstrating compliance with Statement of Work (SOW) requirements. Price reasonableness will also be assessed.
Special Requirements & Notes
Offerors must comply with NIST safety and security regulations, including obtaining identification badges. Cybersecurity and privacy requirements consistent with federal laws and NIST standards (e.g., FISMA, OMB Circular A-130, SP 800-171) must be met. Bidders are required to carefully review all incorporated provisions and clauses (Attachment 2) and identify any exceptions to the terms and conditions in their quotation. Price quotations must remain valid for 90 days.