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Evaluate an ASIC vendor against your project’s requirements, not a generic ranking. Before comparing proposals, define the chip’s function, performance, power, area, interfaces, operating environment, expected volume, quality needs, schedule, and lifecycle. Then require each candidate to map those needs to its proposed process, design approach, services, evidence, schedule, price, and contractual commitments. The result should be a shortlist of vendors that can deliver the particular chip—and a set of proposals you can compare on equivalent terms.

Start with a requirements baseline

A vendor cannot show technical fit without a clear description of what the chip must do and the conditions in which it must work. Write down the requirements before inviting proposals; otherwise, vendors may make different assumptions, quote different scopes, and appear comparable when they are not.

Separate requirements into fixed constraints, targets with acceptable ranges, and items still open for engineering trade-offs. State the evidence you will expect for each requirement, such as a design review, verification result, qualification report, or acceptance test. If an item is unresolved, label it as an assumption to be confirmed rather than allowing it to disappear into a proposal.

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  • Function and interfaces: describe required behavior, inputs and outputs, protocols, and external connections.
  • Performance, power, and area: give targets and operating conditions, including any limits that cannot be traded away.
  • Environment and reliability: state operating conditions and application-specific quality, reliability, or environmental requirements.
  • Production and lifecycle: estimate volume scenarios, expected product life, and support needs after initial delivery.
  • Schedule: identify required dates and any dependencies, review gates, or long-lead decisions that affect them.

The NASA/JPL ASIC guide recommends comparing design requirements with process capabilities and considering process maturity and stability, power, speed, radiation hardness, and other technology characteristics. Its guide does not display a publication date in the reviewed material, so use its framework as a prompt for project-specific diligence—not as proof that a particular historical example is a current industry standard.

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Decide what “ASIC vendor” means for this project

The label can describe a design house, a manufacturing partner, a turnkey provider, or a company responsible for only selected stages. A vendor’s proposal is difficult to assess until you know which work it owns, which work it subcontracts, and which responsibilities remain with you.

Ask candidates to fill in a responsibility matrix for the complete path from concept to delivered parts. Potential work areas include architecture, front-end design, verification, back-end implementation, IP licensing, fabrication coordination, packaging, test, qualification, production, and lifecycle support. Define the deliverable and acceptance point for each area, as well as the party accountable when work crosses an interface.

Scope area What to define in the proposal
Architecture and design Who develops the architecture and design, what inputs the customer supplies, and which design artifacts are delivered.
Verification Who owns verification planning and execution, what results are delivered, and what must be approved before the project advances.
Physical implementation and tape-out Who handles implementation, sign-off, tape-out coordination, and any required customer reviews.
IP and tools Which libraries, IP blocks, and tools are included, licensed separately, or supplied by the customer—and what restrictions apply.
Manufacturing and supply Who contracts with or coordinates the foundry and other suppliers, and who is accountable for production planning and delivery.
Package, test, and qualification Who selects or manages package and test arrangements, defines qualification work, and supplies the resulting evidence.
Ongoing support What support is available after initial delivery, how changes are handled, and what happens as the product approaches end of life.

Some providers describe focused services as well as turnkey coverage. For example, Arm’s service categories include turnkey, front-end, verification, back-end, supply-chain, and software work; Infineon describes a service sequence from feasibility through manufacturing, qualification, and lifecycle support. These are descriptions of their own offerings, not independent proof of outcomes. Renesas also lists design, foundry, tool, and software partner categories. Treat these examples as evidence that scopes vary, then evaluate each candidate’s actual proposal.

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Compare an integrated offer with a structure in which you contract separately with a design house, foundry, and assembly or test suppliers. An integrated arrangement can consolidate coordination; separate contracts can give you more direct control over parties. The cited service descriptions do not establish that either structure is always cheaper, safer, or faster. Judge the responsibility boundaries, dependencies, and remedies in the specific offer.

Assess technical fit and execution evidence

Ask for a written mapping from each important requirement to the proposed process, architecture, libraries, IP, tools, packaging, and constraints. For every claim, record whether it is supported by a document or demonstration, depends on an assumption, or remains unverified. A broad statement that a process is “suitable” is not enough if the proposal does not show how it meets your operating and performance needs.

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Process, libraries, and tools

Request the process options being considered and the candidate’s evidence for their maturity and stability in the context of your application. Ask which design libraries and IP are available, whether they are certified or otherwise qualified for the intended use, and what their maintenance status is. NASA/JPL emphasizes choosing technology and using certified design libraries as factors in first-pass silicon success. This is a reason to verify the libraries and their status for your proposed design, not a guarantee that a particular selection will work.

Ask the vendor to identify any requirement that the proposed process or design option does not meet, and what mitigation or trade-off it proposes. If environmental suitability matters—including radiation hardness—make the required evidence explicit. Do not assume that experience in a different application or process establishes suitability for yours.

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Relevant past performance

Request references for projects that resemble yours in meaningful ways: application, technology, design complexity, production context, quality expectations, and team responsibilities. Ask who on the proposed team performed the work and what role they had. A company-wide project list is not equivalent to evidence that the people assigned to your project have delivered comparable work.

NASA/JPL’s evaluation outline treats past performance, management, facilities and personnel, schedule and cost, quality and reliability, and technical capability as separate areas. Apply the same discipline: do not let a strong technical presentation substitute for a capable delivery team, or a list of completed projects substitute for evidence of technical fit. Where references are available, ask whether you may speak with them and focus on delivery, change handling, communication, and the quality of handoffs.

Verification, test, and acceptance evidence

Define what evidence you need before the design reaches each major gate. This can include verification results, characterization, qualification, test strategy, and agreed acceptance criteria. Ask who produces each item, what it covers, and what happens if a result does not meet the agreed criterion.

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Testability must be considered early because it can affect design choices, area, performance, I/O, package, and cost. NASA/JPL states, “All parties must agree upon a test methodology from the start,” and warns that choosing a test approach in the middle of design may cause delay or redesign. The guide gives 99 percent stuck-at fault coverage as an example of a typical test requirement; that figure is an example in the guide, not a universal requirement or market benchmark. Set coverage and acceptance targets to the project’s actual application and obligations.

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Compare schedule, risk, and accountability

Do not compare proposals by their headline tape-out dates alone. Ask for a milestone plan that shows work, review gates, dependencies, customer decisions, long-lead items, and the party responsible for each risk. A schedule is meaningful only when its assumptions and critical path are visible.

  • Which customer inputs and approvals are required, and by when?
  • Which activities depend on process, IP, package, foundry, or other supplier decisions?
  • What event would change the schedule, and how would the vendor notify you?
  • Who owns recovery planning if a milestone slips or a review identifies a design issue?
  • What schedule contingency or alternative path is included, and what would it cost?

Compare the detail and ownership of risks, not just the number of weeks in a plan. Ask vendors to distinguish committed dates from estimates, and to state the conditions on which each date depends. NASA/JPL includes schedule and cost among its evaluation areas; the practical implication is to evaluate the plan and its assumptions together.

Compare proposals on full lifecycle cost

There is no universal current price benchmark in the cited public material. Obtain project-specific proposals and make them comparable by giving candidates the same requirements baseline, scope matrix, schedule assumptions, acceptance criteria, and volume scenarios.

Ask each vendor to identify all one-time, recurring, and conditional charges. A proposal should make clear how it treats non-recurring engineering (NRE), licenses, IP, prototypes, masks, package, test, qualification, production, support, and changes. Request the assumptions behind quoted production pricing and how quantity affects the economics.

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Cost area What to request What to compare
NRE and engineering Included design and engineering scope, exclusions, and payment milestones. Whether each offer covers the same work and deliverables.
IP, libraries, and tools License fees, usage rights, renewal or maintenance terms, and any third-party dependencies. Which costs are one-time, recurring, restricted, or outside the quote.
Prototypes, masks, and fabrication Prototype quantities, mask-related charges, and assumptions about manufacturing runs. What is included in each stage and what triggers another charge.
Package, test, and qualification Package and test scope, qualification activities, quantities, and evidence delivered. Whether the proposal includes the same package, test, and qualification expectations.
Production Unit pricing by stated quantity scenario, forecast assumptions, and any capacity conditions. How unit economics change across the volumes relevant to your project.
Changes and support Change-control rates or pricing method, support scope, and costs for revisions or lifecycle work. Cost and schedule consequences of changes and post-delivery needs.

NASA/JPL identifies NRE, turnaround time, and production quantity as evaluation matters. Use multiple quantity scenarios when volume is uncertain, and ask for the same scenarios from every candidate. Record exclusions and cost triggers alongside quoted totals: a low figure that omits package, qualification, test, or production assumptions is not directly comparable with a more complete proposal.

Evaluate manufacturing, supply, and lifecycle support

Ask candidates to identify the foundry, assembly, package, and test suppliers involved, including which relationships they manage directly and which remain your responsibility. Request the assumptions behind capacity and supply commitments, the process for notifying you about changes, and the planned route for support or end-of-life decisions.

Evaluate where the project depends on a single supplier, a particular process, or a specific licensed component. Ask what contractual notice and remedies apply if a supplier, process, or product changes or becomes unavailable. Public service descriptions do not establish a candidate’s actual capacity, delivery performance, or contractual obligations; those must be documented in the proposal and agreement.

Infineon presents lifecycle support as part of its described service sequence, but that description alone does not define what support is included in any particular engagement. Ask for the specific duration, scope, responsibilities, and commercial terms that apply to your project.

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Review IP, confidentiality, and project-specific obligations

Ask who owns customer-funded design work, what licenses apply to third-party IP, and what rights each party has to use, modify, retain, or disclose project artifacts. Cover RTL, layouts, libraries, test data, and other confidential information in the contract and in the project’s access-control practices. Have legal and security stakeholders review obligations that depend on your industry, customer, geography, or intended use.

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For a U.S. Department of Defense custom ASIC procurement, the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) describes a trusted-supplier accreditation requirement. That statement is limited to the described DoD context; confirm current accreditation rules and their applicability directly before relying on them. For any regulated or government project, verify the specific qualification, security, geographic, and supplier conditions that apply rather than assuming a general commercial engagement satisfies them.

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Understand process and design-style trade-offs

There is no universally best process, provider structure, or implementation style. Evaluate options against your requirements and obtain project-specific cost, performance, and schedule assumptions.

Option or choice Potential fit described in the source What to verify for your project
Standard cells NASA/JPL says standard cells may offer better performance and lower cost at high volumes. Ask for actual NRE, performance, schedule, and production economics at your volume scenarios.
Gate arrays NASA/JPL says gate arrays may suit lower volumes or shorter turnaround. Confirm that the option meets the chip’s requirements and compare its quoted turnaround and total cost.
ASIC rather than standard ICs or FPGA Infineon says an ASIC may be considered when standard ICs or FPGAs do not meet needs for performance, integration, power efficiency, or cost at scale. Compare the actual alternatives for your design; the source does not establish that an ASIC is automatically preferable.
Turnkey versus separate suppliers Turnkey can consolidate coordination; separate contracting can give the buyer more direct control over parties. Compare responsibility boundaries, interfaces, costs, schedule dependencies, and contractual remedies.

These are decision prompts, not rules of thumb to apply without evidence. The NASA/JPL guide recommends matching requirements to process capabilities and reviewing maturity, stability, power, speed, and environmental suitability. Ask every candidate to explain the trade-offs in the context of your chip and support the explanation with assumptions or artifacts.

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Use a consistent evaluation scorecard

Score every proposal against the same criteria, but keep the score tied to evidence. A high score based on an unsupported assertion should not outweigh a lower score backed by relevant artifacts or references. Mark items as unmet, partially met, met, or not evidenced before assigning any numerical weighting.

Evaluation axis Evidence to request Decision test
Requirements and technical fit Written requirement-to-process, architecture, library, IP, tool, package, and constraint mapping. Are any requirements unmet, conditional, or dependent on an unconfirmed assumption?
Relevant execution record Comparable references, team biographies, project context, and evidence of the proposed team’s role. Is the experience similar enough to transfer to this project?
Scope and accountability Responsibility matrix, deliverables, interfaces, and acceptance points. Is every critical task owned, and is each handoff explicit?
Quality, reliability, and test Quality-system evidence, qualification plan, test strategy, DFT approach, and acceptance criteria. Does the evidence address this application’s requirements rather than generic quality claims?
Schedule and risk Milestones, dependencies, review gates, critical path, risk owners, and recovery options. Are the dates credible under the stated assumptions, and are risks assigned?
Commercial proposal NRE, licenses, prototypes, masks, package, test, qualification, production, payment, and change terms. Are scope and quantity assumptions equivalent, with exclusions and cost triggers visible?
Manufacturing and lifecycle Supplier roles, capacity assumptions, change notification, support, longevity, and end-of-life terms. Are supply dependencies and interruption remedies acceptable?
IP, data, and trust Ownership and license terms, confidentiality, access controls, data handling, and applicable supplier conditions. Have legal and security reviewers confirmed project-specific obligations?

Keep a short evidence register beside the scorecard: claim, supporting document or reference, unresolved assumption, owner, and follow-up date. This makes it easier to distinguish a genuine capability gap from a question that the vendor has not yet answered.

Run the evaluation as a repeatable process

  1. Write the baseline. Approve the functional, performance, power, area, interface, environmental, volume, quality, schedule, and lifecycle requirements. Label open decisions and identify who will resolve them.
  2. Define scope and evidence. Prepare a responsibility matrix and list the deliverables, acceptance points, references, technical artifacts, and commercial line items each candidate must provide.
  3. Issue the same request to each candidate. Share the same baseline, schedule context, volume cases, and response format. Invite vendors to identify assumptions and exceptions explicitly.
  4. Check completeness before scoring. Return proposals that omit key scope or price assumptions for clarification. Do not treat an unpriced or unassigned task as included.
  5. Score evidence and fit. Use the common scorecard, record gaps, and distinguish demonstrated capability from claims awaiting verification.
  6. Interview the proposed team and references. Confirm who will do the work, their comparable experience, how handoffs operate, and how problems or changes are escalated.
  7. Resolve contractual and supply questions. Have technical, procurement, legal, and security stakeholders review deliverables, IP, data handling, supplier roles, change control, lifecycle commitments, and applicable project obligations.
  8. Choose the proposal with manageable residual risk. Document why the selected offer fits, which assumptions remain, who owns them, and how they will be closed before the affected work proceeds.

Questions to put to every candidate

  • Which requirements are you treating as fixed, and which assumptions require customer confirmation?
  • What comparable projects can the proposed team document, and may we speak with references?
  • Which libraries, IP blocks, tools, and process options are included, and what are their qualification and maintenance status?
  • Who owns each deliverable and interface from architecture through packaged, tested parts?
  • What verification, DFT, characterization, qualification, and acceptance evidence is included?
  • What are the milestones, dependencies, schedule risks, and conditions that would change the plan?
  • What is excluded, and how would a change affect NRE, delivery date, or production price?
  • Which foundry, assembly, packaging, and test suppliers are involved, and what supply, change-notification, and lifecycle commitments will be contractual?
  • How are customer RTL, layouts, third-party IP, confidential data, and access rights handled?
  • For a regulated or government use, what specific qualification, security, geographic, or trusted-supplier conditions apply?

Ask for answers in writing and attach them to the proposal record. A verbal assurance does not resolve an ambiguity about scope, acceptance, schedule, or supply; if the answer affects selection, require it to appear in the final proposal or contract.

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