Sub-THz Active Load-Pull System for Waveguide Extender - Combined Sources Sought/Notice of Intent to Sole Source

BACKGROUND ***THIS IS A COMBINED SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE*** The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a Sub-THz Active Load-Pull System for Waveguide Extender. If no alternate sources are identified, the Government intends to issue a Sole Source Award to Maury Microwave, Inc. (2900 INLAND EMPIRE BLVD, ONTARIO, CA 91764 USA) under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516. Advanced semiconductor technology has led to continuous performance improvements in transistors. However, many iterations are needed to obtain optimal performance and the yield and reproducibility is incredibly poor. Furthermore, US chip makers are ill-equipped with legacy measurement techniques and underperforming models. We propose a robust path to develop and verify high-frequency transistor models: 1) new

on-wafer standards and calibration, 2) precision noise measurements for transistor quality assurance, 3) improved characterizations, 4) optimal models tailored to a given technology, and 5) transistor model verification across frequency with key performance indicators.? The NIST RF technology division in Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution capable of controlling high-frequency waveguide extenders to perform active load-pull at millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies from 75 GHz to 1.1 THz. This solution is intended to be used for the characterization of high-frequency transistors under large-signal and variable load conditions that will be used to extract and validate compact transistor models under the CHIPS program. This solution must 1) enable absolute amplitude and absolute phase controls of the signal delivered by the high-frequency waveguide extenders, 2) control external power supplies, 3) allow absolute amplitude and phase calibration of wave parameters with extended on-wafer calibration software and, 4) integrate a visualization software to display general large-signal figures-of-merit of transistors measured under various conditions. Technical specifications are provided below:? Line Item 0001: Vector modulator units A. Technical Specifications 2.1 Hardware that allows accurate control of the amplitude and phase of the signal generated by the highly non-linear waveguide extenders from 75 GHz to 1.1 THz Line Item 0002: : Millimeter-wave active-load pull software A. Technical Specifications 2.1 Control: Active load-pull, RF and DC power, frequency. 2.2 Measurement: RF power characteristics (A and B waves), DC power supply. 2.3 Display: basic transistor figures-of-merit, S-parameters, small-signal and large-2 signal characteristics. 2.4 Load pull add-on. 2.5 license dongle. Line Item 0003: Accessory kit for active load pull. A. Technical Specifications 3.1 Accessory kit must include all cables, connectors and hardware required to connect the vector modulator unit to the waveguide extender, the VNA, and the computer. It includes extra hardware required to operate active load-pull with waveguide extenders Line Item 0004: 3-day onsite training/installation. A. Technical Specifications 4.1 Installation and training on active load-pull set up and software NIST conducted market research from January-March 2024 by attending conferences, speaking with colleagues, performing internet searches, and speaking with vendors to determine what sources could meet NIST’s minimum requirements. The results of that market research revealed that only Maury Microwave, Inc. (UEI: UFPNAKJWBRY3) appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements. HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE In responding to this notice, please DO NOT PROVIDE PROPRIETARY INFORRMATION. Please include only the following information, readable in either Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Excel 365, or .pdf format, in the response: Submit the response by email to the Primary Point of Contact and, if specified, to the Secondary Point of Contact specialist listed at the bottom of this notice as soon as possible, and preferably before the closing date and time of this notice. Provide the complete name of your company, address, name of contact for follow-up questions, their email, their phone number and, if your company has an active registration in https://sam.gov, your company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI). Identify laboratory equipment that your company sells that is of the nature addressed in the BACKGROUND section of this notice. Include brand name, make, model, and/or other distinguishing information. State if your company is the manufacturer of the identified equipment or is a retailer or wholesaler that normally sells the identified equipment. If the latter, indicate whether the manufacturer authorized in writing for your company to sell the identified equipment on behalf of the manufacturer. Describe performance capabilities and relevant or beneficial physical and functional features for any equipment you identified to satisfy the NIST-identified minimum specifications described in this notice. Identify any aspects of the NIST market research notice, including instructions, and draft minimum specifications in the BACKGROUND section above that could be viewed as unduly restrictive or contain unnecessary barriers that adversely affect your ability to fully participate and indicate why. In such a scenario, please offer suggestions for how the market research notice and draft minimum specifications could be made more inclusive and competitive. Discuss whether the equipment that your company sells and which you describe in your response to this notice may be customized to specifications and indicate any limits to customization. For the NAICS code listed in this notice: Indicate whether your company is (a) a small business or (b) other than small business. See the Table of Small Business Size Standards and the associated .pdf download file for small business size standards and additional information. If you believe the NAICS code listed in this notice is not the best NAICS code for the type of product addressed in this notice, identify an alternative NAICS code that you believe would be more appropriate for the planned procurement. Describe services that are available with the purchase of the aforementioned equipment from your company such as installation, training, and equipment maintenance. Describe standard terms and conditions of sale offered by your company for the aforementioned equipment such as: delivery time after your company accepts the order; FOB shipping terms: manufacturer warranty (including details regarding nature and duration); if available, description(s) of available extended warranty; equipment setup and test; operator and service instruction manual(s); cleanup after installation; and if applicable, other offered services. Provide a copy of manufacturer standard terms and conditions that typically relate to the sale of the specified equipment, if available. State whether your company offers facility renovation services related to installation of the aforementioned equipment at its delivery destination, if required per the NIST-identified minimum specifications, and provide description of services. Indicate if your company performs the facility renovation services or typically subcontracts the work to another company. Indicate if your company would be interested inspecting the intended installation site during the market research phase. State published price, discount or rebate arrangements for aforementioned equipment and/or provide link to access company’s published prices for equipment and services. State whether the aforementioned equipment is manufactured in the United States and, if not, state the name of the country where the equipment is manufactured. Identify any plans/possibilities for changes in manufacturing location of the aforementioned equipment and provide relevant details. If the aforementioned equipment and related services are available for purchase on any existing Federal Supply Schedule contract(s) or other contracts against which NIST may be able place orders, identify the contract number(s) and other relevant information. Identify any customers in the public or private sectors in which you provided the aforementioned or similar equipment. Include customer(s) information: company name, phone number, point of contact, email address. Provide any other information that you believe would be valuable for NIST to know as part of its market research for this requirement. State if you require NIST to provide additional information to improve your understanding of the government’s requirement and/or would like to meet with NIST representatives to discuss the requirement and the capabilities of the identified equipment. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received by 12 pm Eastern Time on March 20, 2024. Questions will be anonymized and answered via sources sought notice amendment following the question submission deadline. IMPORTANT NOTES The information received in response to this notice will be reviewed and considered so that NIST may appropriately solicit for its requirements in the near future. This notice should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotations. No award will be made as a result of this notice. NIST is not responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and appropriate. Thank you for taking the time to submit a response to this request!