Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively Acquire Optical Microscope
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, has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to non-competitively acquire an Optical Microscope from Nikon Metrology (UEI: NP7BRVCLFN51). This acquisition is for the Alternative Computing Group in the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) Division 683, to inspect custom VLSI wafers up to 8 inches (200 mm) in diameter. This notice is not a request for quotation, but other sources believing they can meet NIST's minimum requirements are encouraged to respond by April 21, 2026.
Scope of Requirement
NIST requires an optical microscope with specific capabilities for characterizing and identifying defects on whole wafers. Key requirements include:
- A 100x apochromat objective with numerical aperture (NA) at least 0.9 and working distance (WD) at least 2 mm.
- Compatibility with brightfield, darkfield, and differential interference (DIC) contrast mechanisms.
- Accommodation for wafers up to 8" (200 mm) in size.
- A fully motorized stage with encoder for stitched images, capable of speeds up to 240 mm/s.
- A scientific color CMOS-based camera with a sensor at least 35.8 mm x 23.8 mm, pixel count 6000 x 3984 or greater, and pixel size 6 um x 6 um or larger.
- All necessary software for complete control and precision stitched image acquisition.
Justification for Sole Source
NIST conducted market research from December 2024 to December 2025 and determined that only Nikon Metrology can meet all minimum requirements. Specifically, Nikon Metrology is cited as the sole provider for:
- The required 100x apochromat objective with specific NA and WD, which prevents sample collision and ensures critical detail observation.
- A motorized stage capable of 240 mm/s, crucial for efficient large-area image acquisition without thermal drift.
- A CMOS camera with the specified large chip size, pixel count, and pixel size, necessary for sufficient signal-to-noise ratio.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Special Notice / Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source
- Intended Awardee: Nikon Metrology, LLC
- NAICS Code: 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing)
- Response Due: April 21, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
- Published: April 7, 2026
- Place of Performance: Gaithersburg, MD
Action for Interested Parties
Sources that believe they can meet or exceed NIST's minimum requirements are encouraged to respond by the due date. Responses should include:
- Company Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.
- Details of capabilities meeting or exceeding NIST's requirements.
- Evidence of authorization if an authorized reseller.
- Any other information to help NIST determine if the requirement can be competitively satisfied.
Contact Cielo Ibarra (cielo.ibarra@nist.gov) for inquiries.