Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
ACAN 25-58010 Direct Write Laser Exposure System
laser
1. Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
An ACAN is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.
2. Definition of the requirement
The National Research Council Canada’s (NRC) has a requirement for the supply, installation, qualification, and user training for one (1) specific Direct Write Laser Exposure Tool (System). This patterning System is unique as it does not require mask plates, it can process 100mm wafers and can also handle samples as small as 5x5mm2.
The nature of NRC’s research activities requires a non-robotic, flexible tool that allows NRC to pattern materials directly from its original data file and perform alignment of patterns on both sides of the sample.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its System meets the following requirements:
Direct Write Laser Exposure tool/system with the following technical specifications:
- 375nm exposure wave length capable of a minimum feature size of 0.6um;
- 405nm exposure wave length to allow processing of alternate materials;
- The ability to process sample sizes from 5x5mm2 to 100mm wafer all the way to edge of substrate without changing any hardware;
- The ability to register two (2) patterns on different sides of the sample to 1000nm overlay accuracy;
- The ability to register 2 patterns (on the same side of the sample) to 500nm overlay accuracy for a 100mm wafer;
- The ability to register 2 patterns (on the same side of the sample) to 250nm overlay accuracy (field x field) for a field size of 5x5mm2;
- Optical auto focus control producing CD accuracy of better than 100nm (3 sigma);
- Write address grid of at least 40nm or better;
- Line edge roughness of 60nm or better;
- Tunable sidewall profile control through the use of variable focus;
- Throughput of better than 40 mins for 100mm x 100mm substrate size.
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreements:
• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
• World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
• Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
• Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
• Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
• Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)
• Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
The proposed Heidelberg MLA150 Direct Write Tool and its unique features, make it the only Maskless Aligner System that can satisfy the requirement. The MLA150 is a high speed direct write lithography tool capable of exposing photo-sensitive resists with a UV laser (375 or 405 nm) focused and scanned over the wafer. The MLA150 is an intuitive tool, wafer position is automatically detected and the laser is directly focused at the center of the wafer after loading.
6. Government Contracts Regulations (GCR) Exception(s)
The following exception to the GCR is invoked for this procurement under:
• Subsection 6(d) - only one firm is capable of performing the contract.
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article 513 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Article XIII (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Article 19.12 (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – Article 15.10 (2) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article Kbis-16 (2) (c): necessary to protect intellectual property;
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article 17.11 (2) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement – referencing the WTO Protocol Amending the GPA, Article XIII (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article 16.10 (1) (b) (iii): because of the absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) –Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement: refer to CETA as the provisions of CETA are incorporated by reference into and made part of this Agreement. (CETA) Article 19.12 (b) (iii);
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) – Limited Tendering Article 10.13 (b) (iii) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons.
8. Period of the proposed contract and delivery date
• The System includes an additional one (1) year of warranty to a maximum of 30 months after delivery. The System is to be delivered on or around March 31, 2026.
9. Cost estimate of the proposed contract
The estimated value of the contract is $995,966.87 CAD (applicable taxes are extra).
10. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
Spectra Research Corporation
(Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Heidelberg Instruments - approved distributor in Canada)
3585 Laird Road, Unit 15-16
Mississauga, On, L5L 5Z8
11. Suppliers' right to submit a Statement of Capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods and services described in the ACAN may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
12. Closing date for a submission of a Statement of Capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is: June 23, 2025 at 2 pm EDT.
13. Inquiries and submission of Statement of Capabilities
Inquiries and Submission of a Statement of Capabilities must be sent to:
Katie Homuth
Senior Contracting Officer | Procurement Operations – Group 2
Procurement and Contracting Services | Finance and Procurement Services Branch
National Research Council Canada | Government of Canada
Katie.Homuth@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca | 343-549-4539
