NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE: 4Wave Deposition System Software Upgrade

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Acquisition Management Division (AMD) intends to negotiate a firm-fixed-price purchase order, on a sole source basis, with 4Wave, Inc. for the purchase of a 4Wave deposition system software upgrade. This will software upgrade will enable the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) to support the critically needed control capability required for an important research project. The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is FAR 13.106-1(b) by the authority of FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The CNST NanoFab has a need to control the partial pressure of oxygen in the 4Wave ion beam / bias target deposition system. Existing RGAs on the system can be used to monitor the oxygen partial pressure during metal oxide deposition processes, and the resulting signal can be used to carefully control the oxygen content of the gas stream to achieve the correct oxide composition. In order to achieve this control, the proprietary software must be modified to interface the existing RGA software with the existing 4Wave process control software. The existing process control software is proprietary to the OEM, 4Wave, Inc., and interfacing it with the RGA software can only be accomplished by the OEM. Research has found that only one (1) company can meet the requirements for this proprietary software and it is the OEM, 4Wave, Inc. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 333242, and the size standard is 1,500 employees. No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all responsible sources interested may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. The Government will consider responses received by 12:00 p.m. Eastern on September 11, 2017. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to [email protected] . No telephone requests will be honored. A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement in the future.