On-Wafer Probes

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Acquisition Management Division intends to negotiate with FormFactor, Inc. located in Livermore, California on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106-1(b), soliciting from a single source, for On-Wafer Probes in accordance with the specifications document associated with this notice.

Specific Requirements are as follows:

Item 0001: 1.0 mm Coaxial Probes, Quantity: 3 each

Specifications: 1.1, Must operate from DC to 110 GHz, have a 50 um GSG tip configuration, have a maximum of 2.0 dB insertion loss.

Item 0002: WR6.5 Waveguide Probes, Quantity: 3 each

Specifications: 2.1, Must operate in the WR6.5 band from 110 GHz to 170 GHz, have a 50 um GSG tip configuration, integrate a bias tee, have a maximum of 2.0 dB insertion loss, body type short.

Item 0003: WR5.1 Waveguide Probes, Quantity: 3 each

Specifications: 3.1, Must operate in the WR5.1 band from 140 GHz to 220 GHz, have a 50 um GSG tip configuration, integrate a bias tee, have a maximum of 2.0 dB insertion loss, body type short.

Item 0004: WR4.3 Waveguide Process, Quantity: 3 each

Specifications: 4.1, Must operate in the WR4.3 band from 170 GHz to 260 GHz, have a 50 um GSG tip configuration, integrate a bias tee, have a maximum of 2.0 dB insertion loss, body type short.

This shall be provided and accomplished in accordance with these specifications.

NAICS Code is 334515 – Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals, with a Size Standard of 750 employees. NIST anticipates negotiating and awarding a firm-fixed-price purchase order to FormFactor, Inc. for this requirement.

Interested parties that can demonstrate they could satisfy the requirement listed above for NIST must clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Information submitted in response to this notice will be used solely to determine whether competitive procedures could be used for this acquisition. If competitive procedures are not used it is estimated that an award will be issued 4th Quarter of FY25. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to lia.arthofer@Nist.gov . All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to lia.arthofer@nist.gov no later than the date and time provided herein this posting.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AN OPEN COMPETITION:

Market research resulted in FormFactor, Inc. being the only vendor to provide commercial on-wafer probes consistent with the technical specification requirements provided herein. On-Wafer Probes must be fabricated to the desired frequency bands (WR6.5, WR5.1, WR4.3, and 1.0 mm) to meet the specific requirements for each probe. Other on-wafer probes that do not meet these specifications would be less accurate than what is required to proceed with the project, and NIST would have to attempt to develop something which would cause unreasonable costs, delays and lead to the project potentially failing or being cancelled.