Notice of Intent to Sole Source: Chips R&D Meca500 Robotic Arm

Announcement Type:

Special Notice Classification Code:

6695 Announcement Number: NB305000-24-02793 (NOI)

Subject: Notice of Intent to Noncompetitively Acquire Mecademics Meca500 R3 Robotic Arm NIST requires one (1) refurbishment of a robotic arm, one (1) gripper with finger and cable, one (1) 3D simulation with reach analysis, and programming services for robotic arm automation. The robotic arm and gripper unit items must include a 1-year extender warranty with maintenance. The robotic arm item must be stable to physical contact and temperature variation.

The robotic arm will be used for the automation of a traceable permittivity standard. The objective of the requirement is to enable traceable measurements of complex permittivity. This requirement supports the NIST CHIPS program to develop and disseminate NIST best practices and algorithms for permittivity measurements. This notice is not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued and quotations will not be requested.

This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) via FAR 13.106-1(b). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing. The purpose of this requirement is to enable production level measurements of new permittivity standards for the microwave materials lab.

NIST requires refurbishment of an existing Mecademics Meca500 R3 robotic arm with one gripper with finger and cable, one 3D simulation with reach analysis, and programming services for robotic arm automation. The robotic arm item must be stable to physical contact and temperature variation. The robotic arm will be used for the automation of a traceable permittivity standard. This requirement supports the NIST CHIPS program to develop and disseminate NIST best practices and algorithms for permittivity measurements. After thorough evaluation, it has been determined that the robotic arm from manufacturer, Mecademic, Inc., is essential for several reasons:

Compatibility: NIST already owns a Mecademics Meca500 R3 Robot in which upgrades are needed for a new application to manipulate delicate wafers. This robotic arm is necessary to scale the production of new standard reference materials for complex permittivity. A custom gripper is required to be added to the existing equipment. Furthermore, NIST has invested labor hours programming this robot to be used where acquiring a new product would require reinvestment of programming time.

To best utilize prior investments in both equipment and expertise, refurbishing the Maca500 R3 is the best course of action. Mecademics is the only vendor authorized to provide service to the Meca500 robotic arm and therefore is the sole source. NIST conducted market research in June 2024 by internet searches, discussions with sources, and a sources sought posting. Sources sought NB305000-24-02793 was posted from July 22, 2024, to July 26, 2024 with no responses.

The results of that market research revealed that only Mecademic, Inc. 1300 RUE SAINT-PATRICK, MONTREAL, QC H3K 1A4 CAN, UEI: HS28VUPR7RG1 appears to be capable of meeting NIST’s requirements.

However, any sources that believe they are capable of meeting NIST’s minimum requirements are encouraged to respond to this notice by the response date to provide the following information at a minimum: Company Unique Entity Identifier number in https://sam.gov; details about what your company is capable of providing that meets or exceeds NIST’s minimum requirements; whether your company is an authorized reseller of the product or service being cited and evidence of such authorization; and any other information that can help NIST determine whether this requirement may be competitively satisfied.