Low Temperature Nano-Positioning System

1. Advance Contract Award Notice:
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. Background:
The first generation of quantum devices, which included lasers and semiconductor-based transistors, brought a technological revolution and transformed society. A new generation of quantum technologies is emerging, unique in their abilities to leverage and control previously inaccessible properties of nature, allowing for stunning new capabilities, such as sensors with precision and sensitivity well beyond the known limits of those in use today.
Quantum sensors have the potential to make improvements in navigation, medical imaging, geological surveying, defence, safety, security and beyond. Quantum sensors are expected to be one of the first types of quantum technologies to be commercialized and adopted.
Quantum Sensors Challenge program (QSP) is to enable the development of revolutionary sensors that harness the extreme sensitivity of quantum through collaborative research and development with quantum and domain experts. The ambition is that this new generation of sensor systems, performing beyond the limits of classical physics, may be engineered and commercialized for applications that benefit Canadians.
Vision: To support Canada's ambition to be a global leader in quantum technologies

Challenge Statement: To develop a disruptive generation of quantum sensors that are orders of magnitude better than sensors that exist today

Objectives: Strengthening of the Canadian quantum technology innovation ecosystem, including increased IP portfolio. Advancement of quantum sensing technologies towards adoption and commercialization.

Current areas of focus:

Quantum photonics:
Developing new or more compatible quantum light sources, detectors and other enabling components in order to advance fundamental science and the commercialization of optics-based quantum sensing technologies

Chip-based quantum systems

Transitioning quantum systems onto chips in order to create a path towards commercialization and integration into priority application spaces such as defence, environment and health.
Quantum metrology

• Developing new, highly precise sensing devices, based on quantum effects, which will improve upon state-of-the-art measurement and calibration technologies.

• Metrology and standardization will enable technologies to advance towards commercialization.

3. Requirement:

The Quantum photonics group of the National Research Council Canada has a requirement for a Low Temperature Nanopositioning System. The NRC owns and operates two microscopy cryostats that were manufactured by Attocube Systems AG. These systems operate on a single software platform, the platform was manufactured by Attocube Systems AG. These systems include two Attocube Fiber Coupled Microscopy systems and a single Attocube linear x-Nanopositioner system. The current requirement is for four additional Linear x-Nano positioners, two LinearX Nanopositioners, a single attocube motion controller, two Positioning Controllers, two scanning modules, and four Linear x-Nano positioners. Attocube Systems AG was selected to address this requirement as they’re the manufacturer of the exsiting and proposed systems. They’re the owner of the intellectual property between the current and proposed systems. Attocube Systems are fully compatible between new and existing systems.

4. Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that its systems are fully compatible with two Attocube Fiber Coupled Microscopy systems and a single Attocube linear x-Nanopositioner system.

5. This procurement is subject to the following trade agreement(s)
o Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
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)

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier:
The proposed supplier is the manufacture of NRC’s current Microscopy equipment and the proposed Microscopy equipment. The proposed supplier is the owner and the developer of the intellectual property between systems and is the only known supplier that can address the requirement.

7. 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".

8. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons: The following exclusion(s) and/or limited tendering reasons are invoked under the:

I. Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) – Article 513 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
II. Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) – Article Kbis-16 (2) (c): necessary to protect intellectual property;
III. Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement – Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
IV. Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement – Article 17.11 (2) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;
V. 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;
VI. Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement – Article 16.10 (1) (b) (iii): because of the absence of competition for technical reasons;
VII. Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) –Article 1409 (1) (b) (iii): due to an absence of competition for technical reasons;

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property:

Ownership of any Foreground Intellectual Property arising out of the proposed contract will vest in the Contractor.

10. Contract Term: All deliverables will be delivered in 24 weeks of Contract issuance.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract:

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $205,000

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier:
attocube systems AG
Eglfinger Weg 2
DE-85540 Haar
Phone: +49 (0)89 420797 0
Fax: +49 (0)89 420797 201 90
E-Mail: info@attocube.com

13. 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.

14. Closing date for a submission of a statement of capabilities:

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is July 19th 2023, 2pm Eastern time.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statements of capabilities are to be directed to:
Name: Johnathon Gillis
Title: Contracting Authority
National Research Council Canada
Directorate: Procurement Services
Address: 1200 Montreal Road, Building M55 Ottawa Ontario K1A 0R6
Telephone: 343-552-4124
E-mail address: Johnathon.Gillis@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca