Contract · No Set aside used

Combined Sources Sought Notice and Notice of Intent to Sole Source for Piezoelectric Z-stage Upgrade for Optical Microscope

Agency: COMMERCE, DEPARTMENT OF / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
Amount: Amount not listed
Deadline: Closes in 2 days (Jul 20, 2026)
Posted: Jul 10, 2026
Set-aside: No Set aside used
NAICS code: 334516

What this contract is for

***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE*** The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research and identify potential sources of commercial products/services that satisfy the Government’s anticipated needs. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award Carl Zeiss Microscopy LLC, 1 N Broadway STE 1501, White Plains, NY 10601-2335 US, under the authority of Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 12.102(a). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. BACKGROUND The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division (MND) develops integrated microsystems by advancing the state of the art in nanofabrication, enabling the transfer of NIST measurement technologies to the industrial, academic, and government communities. The MND owns two Zeiss Axio Observer microscopes that serve CHIPS Metrology project GC6.01 – Universal Microscopy Standards. To meet mission-critical requirements, the MND needs to procure a piezoelectric z-stage upgrade for one of these microscopes. This acquisition will provide the Division and CHIPS Metrology with essential capabilities for calibration and measurement method development, assessment of nanofabrication processes, and characterization of microscopy NIST is developing traceable standards for calibrating microscopy systems, including optical microscopes, scanning-electron microscopes, and atomic-force microscopes. A key component of this process is traceable optical microscopy to rapidly characterize standards and establish traceable critical dimensions, enabling the transfer of traceability from the NIS...

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