Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN)
[25-58052]
[Confocal microscope dedicated to 3D characterization]
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 of Canada has a requirement for the supply of one imaging system to measure and map surface texture and full profile of plastic devices and components.
The system must offer features of automatic measurement and user support functions such as auto scan function, automatic upper/lower limit setup, double scan function for accurate measurement of a target that has different reflectance, a peak detection algorithm, as well as an image stitching module for simple wide-range analysis.
The system must provide analysis functions such as cross-sectional target shape, shape comparison, single and multi-line roughness, surface roughness, volume, surface area, and film thickness. The film thickness measurement function in particular must allow to analyze multiple layers included in the entire observation field of view, to display 3D images and sectional profiles of one or more selected layers and to measure the shape or film thickness at an arbitrary point.
The following analysis functions must also be included: function for observing and measuring the topmost surface of a transparent object even with the light passing through the surface; profile comparison measurement allowing evaluation of different sample shapes; batch processing of multiple images - auto arrange function; quick identification of sample roughness class index - roughness parameter suggestion; template function that facilitates analysis work and conversion to a 3D-CAD data file. The latest must allow to extract and export output height data in STL and STEP formats.
3. Criteria for assessment of the Statement of Capabilities (Minimum Essential Requirements)
Mandatory Technical Specifications
A. Measurement Head
1 Light Sources must include
a) Semiconductor laser, 661-nm wavelength
b) laser safety standard class 2
c) White LED
2 Optical measurement system mandatory features
a) Scanning laser confocal optical system
i. Scanning speed must be 125Hz (surface) or better
b) Focus variation optical system
c) Interferometric Microscopy
d) Spectral Film Thickness
3 Lighting Function options shall be
a) Brightfield
b) Darkfield
c) Differential Interference Contrast
d) Color laser overlay
e) Auto HDR
4 Detector specifications
a) 16-bit Photomultipliers
b) 5.6-megapixel color CMOS camera
5 Electronic revolver specifications
a) Six objective lenses mountable
b) Three positions with ring illumination function
c) Ring illumination provided for 2.5x, 5x, 10x objective lenses
6 The microscope must allow magnifications up to 28000x or more
7 Z length measuring unit specifications
a) Vertical revolver movement with a stroke of 7 mm
b) Resolution of built-in linear scale: 0.1 nm
c) Z Resolution of Interferometric Microscopy: 0.1 nm
B. Base
8 Motorized stage for 300 mm wafers
9 Z-axis movement of 70 mm. Maximum sample height up to 170 mm with spacer.
10 Withstand load: 3.0 kg
C. Software
11 Data capture software must allow for:
a) Auto Data captures all capturing parameters automatically
b) Image stitching
c) Transparent film thickness measurement as low as 100nm
d) Teaching function
12 Analysis software must include:
a) Automation capability
b) Batch processing
c) API is also available
d) Sample comparison
e) CAD output and CAD compare
f) Direct ISO certified roughness comparison – the ability to directly compare two different surfaces against all fourty-two (42) ISO certified roughness parameters.
D. Other specifications
13 The system must include certified calibration modules.
4. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement
This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement:
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
o Revised World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP)
o Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
o Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
o Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA)
o Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement
o Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA)
o Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA)
o Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA)
5. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier
The proposed system is a Laser Confocal Microscopy or Optical Focus Sensing and Interferometry. Laser Confocal/ Focus variation offers the best combination of capabilities for most of our technical requirements because:
1) the laser confocal has the best possible XY resolution of any optical instrument – critical when characterizing different samples in size.
2) it has excellent Z resolution and performs well on all surfaces and even through multi layered material.
3) combined with the Z resolution of the tool, it provides the fastest method of data capture.
4) laser confocal contains the only functional light source (laser) with the ability to capture accurate data on our samples.
Of the existing Confocal/ Focus Variation/IFM combo systems on the market, only the Keyence VK has the exact combination of features to meet our technical requirements:
a) Laser Based Confocal – Keyence’s laser based confocal capability makes images and 3D profiles of our steep, transparent, dark, and low contrast surfaces possible without difficulty, with high Z and XY resolution. LED based confocal exists but lacks sufficient XY resolution. The Keyence VK contains a 661 nm wavelength red laser and a 16-bit photomultiplier. This allows for the light receiving element to distinguish 65,000 variations of laser intensity as the signal is received, resulting in adequate image capture.
b) Focus Variation – Currently the Keyence VK-X is the only system that offers both Laser Scanning Confocal and Focus Variation in the same equipment. This allows us to look in high detail at areas of interest while simultaneously using focus variation to characterize larger areas with high accuracy. For components of composite materials or larger assemblies, this allows us to quantify macro topography that cannot be realized by IFM or Laser Confocal alone.
c) The VK-X is the only system on the market that combines Laser Based Confocal, Focus Variation, with the option to add White Light Interferometry to increase Z resolution to .01 nanometer without having to request a future major capital investment request.
d) Bright and Darkfield illumination – the Keyence VK is currently the only non-contacting Profiling System that offers six imaging options: Brightfield, Darkfield, Laser, Differential Interference Contrast, Color Laser Overlay, and auto HDR. Being able to use all of these options at the same time reveals features that could be missed otherwise. This is a Keyence exclusive technology that is only available in this equipment and protected by 2 U.S. patents - (6,337,474), patent (0297597).
e) Automation – The software allows the equipment to run a fully automated program for capturing images/data, and then for automatically performing analysis on the captured data.
f) Direct ISO certified roughness comparison – the Keyence VK is currently the only system that offers the ability to directly compare two different surfaces against all 42 ISO certified roughness parameters and directly state which parameters have the most degree of separation between the two samples.
g) The Keyence VK offers the possibility to install a 150x objective lens.
6. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)
The following exception(s) to the Government Contracts Regulations is (are) invoked for this procurement under subsection 6(d) – “only one person is capable of performing the work”
7. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons
The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:
a. Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article 513 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
b. World Trade Organization - Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-AGP) – Article XIII (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
c. Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Article 19.12 (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
d. Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) – Article 15.10 (2) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
e. Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article Kbis-16 (2) (c): necessary to protect intellectual property;
f. Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
g. Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article 17.11 (2) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
h. 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;
i. Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article 16.10 (1) (b) (iii): because of the absence of competition for technical reasons;
j. Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) –Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
k. Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) – Annex 10-6 (2) (a): any form of preference, including set asides, to benefit micro, small and medium enterprises; and
l. 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).
8. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date
o The product/system/equipment (as appropriate) is to be delivered within 6 weeks of contract award.
9. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier
KEYENCE CANADA INC.
6775 Financial Drive, #400 Mississauga ON L5N 0A4
10. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction 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.
11. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities
The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is July 1st 2025 2:00 PM ET
12. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities
Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Jonathan Soles
Telephone: 343-548-9258
E-mail: Jonathan.Soles@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
