NIST Seeks Small Business Input for Chips Manufacturing Data and Analysis

As the United States works to bolster its semiconductor manufacturing capacity, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is looking for information to help it evaluate applicants that are looking for CHIPS funding.

The CHIPS and Science Act—which became law in August 2022—will strengthen U.S. semiconductor manufacturing in an effort to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing of these important technology components, which are in products ranging from smartphones to automobiles. NIST is tasked with allocating the $50 billion in funding for this endeavor. As a result, it must gather information to help it evaluate applicants. 

That information isn’t always readily available and, as a result, the agency seeks sources to help it with this endeavor, according to a notice filed on Tuesday and updated on Wednesday.

The first $39 billion is allocated for semiconductor manufacturing. A semiconductor fabrication plant, called a fab, is characterized by the diameter of wafers it is able to produce. For example, a 300mm fab is capable of producing a 300mm wafer—a component used in microelectronic manufacturing.

In order to adequately evaluate applicants, NIST seeks the following information: 

• Cost simulation at the wafer and facility level for specific semiconductor technologies and locations.
• Sub-system data to trace the manufacturing equipment that will be in American fabs and their subsystems. 
• Leverage rates of fabs by the different types of semiconductor production markets.
• Have processing and capacity data for 300mm fabs.

The government also needs data and analytical tools to inform its analysis on:

• Market share, regional sales, application and forecasting for wafer, assembly and packaging as well as test equipment and critical equipment subsystems.
• Routinely updated key performance indicators in the semiconductor and equipment supply chains, such as price, inventory, forecast, equipment and performance index.
• Semiconductor supply-chain operation forecasts, including information on demand for advanced packaging and equipment, as well as design, macroeconomic and electronic industry and utilization rates.
• A detailed analysis of 300mm fab, including products, nodes and capacities.
• Cost and price modeling tools that can be customized to support multiple wafer sizes and cost elements across different locations, technology nodes, at facility levels. 

Companies that can provide the aforementioned services should describe their ability. 

Small businesses under $19.5 million should send responses via email to the contracting officer by April 17 at 12 p.m. EDT.