The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/Acquisition Management Division (AMD), intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, on behalf of the NIST/ Surface and Microanalysis Science Division, with FEI Company, of Hillsboro, Oregon, for an upgrade to NIST’s existing FEI Titan 80-300 Transmission Electron Microscope, manufactured by FEI, Inc. The subject of this acquisition is the purchase and installation of an external scan switch which is a physical upgrade to the FEI Titan 80-300 Transmission Electron Microscope. The switch will enable the control of the instrument by external, third party data analysis packages, which NIST currently owns. Specifically, the upgrade will involve the installation of a new printed circuit board (PCB) to the microscope control hardware and the addition of an external scan switch box that will enable the external hardware to drive the scan coils of the microscope. The existing equipment and the additional equipment are commercial items. FEI has developed the technology and has proprietary rights to that technology. The additional equipment must be hardware and software compatible with the existing equipment. The existing equipment and technology are proprietary to FEI. FEI has no distributors; therefore, they are the only source who can provide this upgrade. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 334516, and the size standard is 500 employees. No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, responses received by February 6, 2009, will be considered by the Government. 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.

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