MODIFICATION
66 -- SCANNING PROBE/ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPE WITH HIGH RESOLUTION SCAN HEAD AND NANO-MANIPULATION ABILITY
- Notice Date
- 9/2/2005
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- NNJ05120684Q
- Response Due
- 9/9/2005
- Archive Date
- 9/2/2006
- Description
- THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFQ FOR SCANNING PROBE/ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPE WITH HIGH RESOLUTION SCAN HEAD AND NANO-MANIPULATION ABILITY. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFQ and a written amendment will not be issued. The purpose of this amendment is to answer questions received about the subject solicitation, as seen below. Question 1: Tapping Mode is a patented technique developed and trademarked by Veeco. It was interesting to see it mentioned in the specifications. Answer 1: There are 3 common modes used in Atomic Force Microscopy, they are: contact mode, non contact mode, and tapping mode (also referred to as intermittent contact mode). These are general terms and supported by most vendors. The one-word term ?Tapping Mode? may indeed be a trademark name by one of the vendors for their implementation. We are NOT specifying the need for this trademarked implementation and this should not be in the solicitation. We are specifying that we are purchasing an AFM that supports the 3 common scanning modes used in Atomic Force Microscopy. The ability to scan using a tapping mode is a requirement. Question 2: Description of Scan Head range is not understandable: "2.Scan head shall have a range along the Z axis of 1.55?m or better." What are the units? Answer 2: The font may not have been adjusted or come across correctly in the solicitation. The unit specified is micrometer. Question 3: In General: What will this instrument be used for? What are the research needs of the group? How many people will be using it?. What materials will they be working with and what will they need? What form of materials characterization is necessary? Are they mainly interested in imaging or do they wish to do force curve work as well? Answer 3: The initial use is for material studies, device development, and inspection. This involves primarily topologic imaging. Question 4: Research needs vs. what is being asked for: Why the request for an STM and what research needs are expected to be filled by this (STM in ambient surroundings will not in general obtain atomic resolution, no matter what is promised--one really needs a UHV-STM.) Answer 4: The initial use is for material studies, device development, and inspection. This would involve primarily topologic imaging. Additional optional capabilities, features, or accessories should be listed separately from the base requirement for information only. Question 5: Has the research group considered a combined AFM/Inverted Optical or combined AFM/Confocal for their needs? Answer 5: Yes. The solicitation includes the base requirements. Additional optional capabilities, features, or accessories should be listed separately from the base requirement for information only. Question 6: Why the dimensions of the materials quoted? 20 mm thickness is much thicker than most samples prepared for AFM. Answer 6: The initial use is for material studies, device development, and inspection. The solicitation includes the base requirements. The minimal sample envelope specified can be met or exceeded by multiple vendors. Question 7: How will the biomaterials aspect be addressed? As the system is described, there is no mention of working in fluid, temperature control, or environmental control. Are any of these needed Answer 7: No. Biosamples are not the intended use of the equipment. The initial use is for material studies, device development, and inspections. Question 8: We have discovered that for many materials, there is no need for an automated approach. We have designed both "hard approach" techniques and "soft approach" techniques which allow imaging without crashing the tip. Why the requirement for an automated approach? Answer 8: The solicitation requirement is for automatic cantilever head alignment. However, many vendors typically provide an automated approach capability. Additional optional capabilities, features, or accessories should be listed separately from the base requirement for information only. Question 9: What level of resolution will be required in the data? What level of software processing and data manipulation will be needed? Answer 9: A minimum of 16 bit data processing is required. Question 10: What is meant by "manipulate nano-matter with accuracy and precision"? To what level of precision? How far? Of what material and in what medium? Answer 10: This is a general manipulation at the nano-level capability requirement. Vendors should provide published results demonstrating repeatable manipulation capability at the nano-level. Question 11: Are other materials characterization techniques needed, such as Conductive AFM, MFM, etc? Answer 11: The solicitation is for base requirements. Additional optional capabilities, features, or accessories should be listed separately from the base requirement for information only. Question 12: If a variety of research needs exist, please rank them in order of importance. Answer 12: The initial use is for material studies, device development, and inspection. Question 13: Should we include installation and/or training on our submission The solicitation does not specify, and we do not want to quote more than what is absolutely necessary since it seems this bid will be awarded solely on price. The same comment could be made for accessories like monitors, keyboards, etc. Answer 13: Yes, installation and training should be included in the quote. Vendors should describe the installation and training to be provided. Additional optional capabilities, features, or accessories should be listed separately from the base requirement for information only. Question 14: The solicitation specifies that the "System shall demonstrate the capability of consistently, and repeatedly, manipulate nano-matter with accuracy and precision." This specification seems very vague to us, and we are at a loss as to how NASA will determine which vendors meet this specification and how they will be ranked. Furthermore, we are at a loss as to what information we need to supply that will show we meet the specification. Typically, solicitors will specify several items that could include: showing previously published results of this technique using their equipment, lists of manipulation functions, feature sizes to be moved or manipulated, etc. The "accuracy and precision" part is a little disconcerting since we have no idea what NASA considers as accurate or precise. Also, since our equipment is versatile, there is more than one way to perform this technique. Our nanomanipulation option is the most user-friendly and comprehensive (and we assume this is what NASA would want), but we could also quote the system without this option and still be able to meet the specification (although the end-user would have a large amount of custom work to be performed on his end). Again, since the lowest priced vendor that meets the specifications will win the solicitation, it put us in the position of making a difficult choice between quoting a system that is actually productive vs. quoting a system that could win the solicitation. Answer 14: This is a general nano-level manipulation capability requirement. Vendors should provide published results demonstrating repeatable manipulation capability at the nano-level. Question 15: The solicitation specifies a Z axis resolution, but what we think the requestor is really looking for is to specify both a Z axis resolution and a Z axis noise floor. It makes little difference for the Z axis to have 0.05nm resolution if the system's Z axis noise floor is above that level. It is a "weakest link in the chain" issue that governs the ultimate resolution of an AFM in the Z axis. Answer 15: The resolution in Z includes the noise level. The due date for receipt of offers is not extended. Companies shall provide the information stated in the synopsis/RFQ posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) on August 22, 2005. Documents related to this procurement are available over the Internet. These documents reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=73
- Web Link
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- Record
- SN00886329-W 20050904/050902212648 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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