The sole source justification is based on the following: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Materials Measurement Science Division (MMSD) has a requirement for a EasyLift EX nanomanipulator with maintenance services for the MMSD's existing Helios NanoLab 660 FIB Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) system (Serial # D9467) to meet the increased demands for thin Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) lamella and similar type of nanoscale specimen preparations. See attached Statement of Work for additional details.

As the nanomanipulator will be incorporated into the existing Helios system, it must be able to use the existing controlling software (FEI's iFAST) in order to allow for precision manipulations without the need for external controls. Using any other system would require NIST to use two systems in concert with each other to control both the Helios and nanomanipulator. As the systems operate at microscopic levels, using separate controlling softwares unduly increases the risk of experiment failure.

Market research has shown that FEI is the sole company who can provide a nanomanipulator that is controlled through the iFAST software application.

Given these facts, FEI is the only source reasonably available to provide the required equipment and software.

The resulting purchase order will be a Firm Fixed Price purchase order. The NAICS Code is 334516 with a size standard of 1,000 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested parties who regard themselves as capable of fulfilling these requirements are invited to submit responses to the Government for consideration.

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.