Questions and Answers 2.docx

Solicitation 030ADV26R0055 Digital Talking Book Machine Batteries Questions and Answers 2

Question 4: Can we receive a week extension?

Answer 4: The Library has already extended the proposal deadline to 10/27/2026.

Question 5: Are any specific qualification, certification, or prior-approval requirements that a proposed battery manufacturer or first-tier subcontractor must satisfy beyond the technical and production requirements identified in the solicitation and Technical Data Package?

Answer 5: NLS requires UL certification.

Question 6: Does the Library expect the offeror to identify the proposed subcontract manufacturer by name and provide information regarding that manufacturer's specific facility, equipment, quality assurance procedures, and factory acceptance testing capabilities?

Answer 6: Yes.

Question 7: Are any additional manufacturer or source-of-supply documents that should accompany the initial proposal beyond the four proposal volumes and other documentation expressly required by the solicitation?

Answer 7: Other than what is included in the solicitation and attachments, there are no other requirements. Offerors are encouraged to provide as much information as possible, however.

Question 8: What is the quantity of batteries that the Library is ordering? What is the historical pricing? How many batterries did you order in the past?

Answer 8: This is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. An IDIQ is a type of contract award vehicle that allows orders to be placed. It is analogous to a menu that describes all the services that can be ordered and the prices. The IDIQ itself does not fund the purchases of any batteries, only the terms, clauses, and prices. Individual orders will be placed against the IDIQ and the prices of the order must match the prices established under the IDIQ.

As a result of this contract structure, there is no specific order quantities. The Library may purchase one quantity of batteries one year, twelve orders, or none. The only guarantee is the minimum obligation (established in Section B on the solicitation). Due to this, there is no specific quantity the Library is ordering. It may fluctuate and be highly dependent on the appropriations sent to the Library from Congress.

Due to making this difficult to price for a single order, the unit prices for the batteries need to cover costs. Offerors are encouraged to use tiered pricing options to account for this at economies of scale at many various quantity amounts the Library may order. Historical orders and pricing are not eligible to be shared.

Question 9: Does the battery pack require UL certification/listing, or only compliance with the tests listed in J1 §3.7? Which edition of UL 2054 applies?

Answer 9: UL 2054 is now superseded by UL 62133-1.

Question 10: Is a third-party laboratory report required, or are contractor test reports or cell-manufacturer data acceptable evidence of pack compliance?

Answer 10: What is needed is a certificate of compliance with the UL specification. The vendor shall propose how they intend to provide certification of compliance.

Question 11: If cell-level reports are acceptable, what additional pack-level testing is required?

Answer 11: We require a certification of compliance with the UL specification. Additionally, the offeror has to perform charging and discharging with the DTBM DA/DS-1.

Question 12: Which requirements control where J1 and J2 differ?

Answer 12: The Library does not understand this question.

Question 13: For “or equivalent” components—including the PTC, thermistor, and thermal switch—and the proposed cells, what approval process applies?

Answer 13: Component changes require an Engineering Change request. The ECR shall include details of the change e.g. proposed part numbers for new components, impacts to the design, and test/evaluation data of the new parts as evidence the revised packs will maintain compliance with performance requirements.

Question 14: Does selection of an equivalent component require an Engineering Change Request (ECR)?

Answer 14: Yes. NLS must approve any and all changes to the battery pack design.

Question 15: Can approval be obtained before award, and what review timeframe should offerors allow?

Answer 15: It is highly doubtful that approval could be obtained to an ECR, as the review timeframe will likely be several weeks for each ECR.

Question 16: Is there a previously approved cell model?

Answer 16: Yes. GoldPeak GP210AAHCB.

Question 17: What evidence must be submitted by the day-90 first-article deadline to demonstrate compliance with the 500-cycle, 24-month storage, and five-year self-discharge requirements?

Answer 17: Vendor administered test reports and cell manufacturer test data would be considered acceptable evidence.

Question 18: Will existing cell-manufacturer test reports or certifications be accepted?

Answer 18: They will be accepted for the exceptionally long lead time compliance items such as storage and discharge performance requirements. However, the vendor shall expect to conduct their own internal testing to ensure the battery packs are fit for use with the DTBM DS/DA-1.

Question 19: If new testing is required, may testing that extends beyond the first-article deadline continue after first-article approval?

Answer 19: We expect there to be testing all through the production process included verification of the final mass-produced battery pack with the charge/discharge circuit of the DTBM.

Question 20: How much time should offerors allow for NLS inspection and approval of first articles, given that first articles are due by day 90 and the first production lot is due by day 120?

Answer 20: NLS probably needs a month to validate samples. An extra month may be given, upon request if it is in the proposal your business submits to supply production lot.

Question 21: Will the production delivery deadline be adjusted for Government review delays?

Answer 21: Yes.

Question 22: What sampling plan, inspection level, acceptable quality limits (AQLs), and defect classifications will NLS Quality Assurance use for lot acceptance under ANSI/ASQ Z1.4?

Answer 22: Inspection level II and AQL of 0.65

Question 23: Which tests are required for each production lot versus initial qualification only?

Answer 23: All battery packs delivered as part of this contract will be expected to comply with all the requirements. The vendor should prepare a Quality Control plan to ensure this compliance. NLS will perform acceptance inspection for all lot deliveries and the lots will be rejected for defects and non-compliance that exceed the AQL. The vendor is expected to rework rejected lots and re-submit to NLS and at no additional cost to NLS.

Question 24: Are offers of properly identified foreign end products eligible for award under this solicitation?

Answer 24: Yes, but the Buy American Act applies.

Question 25: If so, what Buy American evaluation factor and any other origin restrictions will apply?

Answer 25: In terms of pricing, the 20% will apply.

Question 26: How will the Library evaluate a pack assembled in the United States using foreign-made cells that account for most of the component cost?

Answer 26: See clause 52.225-1 Buy American-Supplies. Your business will have to declare whether your proposed product meets the Buy American Act as a foreign or domestic end product.

Question 27: Please clarify the applicable domestic-content requirements throughout the contract period, including deliveries in 2029, and whether any COTS exception or nonavailability determination applies.

Answer 27: See Answer 26.

Question 28: Has a nonavailability determination for the required cells been made or considered?

Answer 28: The Library does not understand this question.

Question 29: Please provide the anticipated annual quantities the Library will use to calculate total evaluated price, along with any available historical order quantities and typical order sizes.

Answer 29: See the answer to Question 8.

Question 30: Will quantity tiers apply separately to each delivery order or to cumulative purchases during an ordering year?

Answer 30: They would apply to each Delivery Order.

Question 31: Will the Library amend this requirement to permit an economic price adjustment for changes in tariffs or raw-material costs during the three-year contract period?

Answer 31: An economic price adjustment is now being added to the contract.

Question 32: Does the ownership provision apply only to tooling and other items produced specifically under this contract, or does it also include pre-existing or newly acquired general-purpose production and test equipment belonging to the contractor or subcontractor?

Answer 32: Ownership applies to all items produced under this contract using federally-supplied funds. This includes the tooling necessary to create the batteries. Price of the shipping cost of the tooling shall be included in the pricing line for the tooling in the revised pricing spreadsheet.

Question 33: Must any tooling or equipment be physically delivered to the Library, and if so, when?

Answer 33. Upon conclusion of the contract the tooling shall be physically shipped and delivered to the Library. The price of this return shipping shall be included in the tooling line item on the pricing spreadsheet.

Question 34: What does it cost to ship the tooling to the Library.

Answer 34: Offerors must build that price in the cost of the tooling itself.

Question 35: What delivery lead time will apply to subsequent orders, and may offerors propose lead times based on order quantity?

Answer 35: If this would require longer lead times, the Offeror must document and propose that in their proposals.

Question 36: What measurable capacity or performance thresholds determine a warranty failure during the 24-month period?

Answer 36: NLS requires a low self-discharge type battery. For a battery pack stored at nominal temperature (20 C) the pack shall retain at least 80% capacity after 24 months of storage. However, there are other types of warranty failure, other than capacity underages, that could occur within the 24-month period. We cannot possibly enumerate them all.

Question 37: Please distinguish normal capacity degradation from a covered defect and specify the required repair/replacement turnaround time and whether replacement units receive a new warranty period.

Answer 37: Normal capacity degradation will be highly dependent on the specific cells used to construct the battery pack. Normal capacity degradation will be determined based on the cell manufacturer’s technical data (which shall be included in the proposal). Turnaround time shall be documented in the proposal. Replacement units shall receive a new 24 month warranty period.

Question 38: When importing the DTBM Batteries from overseas into the United States for delivery under this contract, can we apply HTS code 9817.00.94, which provides duty-free entry for articles specially designed or adapted for the use or benefit of the blind or other physically or mentally handicapped persons (specifically, "Braille tablets, cubarithms, and special apparatus, machines, presses, and types for their use or benefit exclusively")?

Answer 38: This shall be determined between the Contractor and the Customs and Border Protection. The Library is not involved in this determination and does not have any input into the CBP’s decision making process.

Question 39: Our understanding is that the 20MB maximum attachment size applies to each individual email, since the solicitation allows offerors to submit multiple emails if necessary. Could you please confirm whether this interpretation is correct?

Answer 39: The limitation is set due to our servers being unable to receive more. An offeror may submit their proposal in several emails if they like. As long as it is clearly marked. And also as long as each email does not exceed the limits.

Question 40: Could you please clarify whether offerors are permitted to include additional information that is not explicitly listed, such as a company overview or corporate background, outside of the four required volumes?

Answer 40: Offerors are encouraged to submit as much information as possible.

Question 41: Since Amendment 0001 extended the overall proposal submission deadline to October 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT, has the submission deadline for the Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment J3) from our references been correspondingly extended to the same date and time?

Answer 41: Yes, the deadline for the references is extended as well.

Question 42: For an offeror without relevant past performance of its own, how should Volume 2 be completed, and would the absence of such a reference make the offer ineligible despite the neutral-rating provision?

Answer 42: In accordance with the solicitation, a lack of past performance will be documented as “neutral” and not be held for or against the offeror.

Question 43: Please confirm the current proposal deadline and whether clarification questions are still being accepted.

The proposal deadline is 10/27/2026. Questions may still be submitted, but the Government is not under any obligation to answer them, and may pick and choose which questions to answer, if any.

Question 44: Thermistor beta value. J1 section 3.2.6(b) specifies a beta (25/85 °C) of 4665 ±1%, while J2 sheet 2 specifies a 100 kΩ thermistor with a beta of 4250. The reference part named in J1 (Semitec 104AT-2) has a beta of 4250. Please confirm that the J2 value of 4250 governs.

Answer 44: This question claims Semitec 104AT-2 has a beta value of 4250. The datasheet for this part states that the beta value for Semitec 104AT-2 is indeed 4665. Please provide evidence for this assertion in your proposal.

Question 45: Cycle life. J1 section 3.3.4 requires at least 80% of initial capacity after 500 cycles, tested per IEC 61951-2 section 7.5. J2 requires at least 70% after 500 cycles under the drawing's own test protocol. Which acceptance criterion and test method apply?

Answer 45: Attachment J2 has been removed from the solicitation. Attachment J1 has been replaced with the amended version. This should resolve this issue.

Question 46: Controlling drawing and dimensions. J1 Appendix A references DWG 20160622 with a maximum depth of 15.5 mm. J2 (DWG 4824591310, Rev 1.4) allows 16 mm on a flat surface and 15 mm at the ends. The Appendix A drawing in J1 is not legible in the posted file. Please confirm which drawing and revision is controlling, and provide a legible copy of DWG 20160622 if it applies.

Answer 44: Attachment J2 has been removed from the solicitation. Attachment J1 has been replaced with the amended version. This should resolve this issue.

Question 47: Other differences between J1 and J2. Please confirm how the following should be applied:

(a) internal impedance: J1 ≤ 300 mΩ at 1 kHz (new pack); J2 ≤ 450 mΩ DC at the end of cycle testing;

(b) vibration frequency range: J1 10–50–10 Hz; J2 10–55–10 Hz;

(c) thermostat opening temperature: J1 70 °C +5 °C; J2 70 °C;

(d) UL 2054 edition: J1 August 2008; J2 September 2005.

Answer 47: Attachment J2 has been removed from the solicitation. Attachment J1 has been replaced with the amended version. This should resolve this issue.

Question 48: Pricing sheet (Attachment J4). J4 contains an unlabelled row and rows for Ordering Years 1 and 2, while Section B.6 defines three ordering years. Should offerors add a row for Ordering Year 3, and what does the first, unlabelled row represent?

Answer 48: This document has been amended.

Question 49: Section M states that unit prices will be multiplied by the Library's anticipated annual quantities. Can the Library share these quantities, or an expected range, for each ordering year, together with the expected size of the first production lot? Historical annual usage would also help offerors price realistically.

Answer 49: See Answer 8 for more information.

Question 50: Section C requires tooling, test equipment, a verification test plan and 20 first articles, and Section C.7 makes tooling Library property. May offerors price these non-recurring items as a separate line in the "Alternative Pricing Options" section of J4, or must they be included in the unit price?

Answer 50: The Contractor may propose this as part of the new Tooling line item in the revised pricing spreadsheet.

Question 51: Will a battery pack manufactured and tested in the United States using imported cells be evaluated as a domestic or a foreign end product, and does any Trade Agreements clause apply?

Answer 51: Your business will have to declare whether your proposed product meets the Buy American Act as a foreign or domestic end product.

Question 52: Where a manufacturing subcontractor performs the battery assembly, as permitted under Amendment 0001, will an offer be considered complete if its references concern the subcontractor's similar battery-pack work?

Answer 52: The Library does not understand this question.

Question 53: Attachment J3 refers to "film equipment maintenance and support service" and leaves the return date blank. May references use J3 as issued, and is the return deadline 27 October 2026, 5:00 PM EDT?

Answer 53: This attachment has been modified.

Question 54: Do the 90-day first-article and 120-day first-production-lot periods in Section C.4 run from the POP start date (22 December 2026) or from the date of the first delivery order?

Answer 54: The date of the First Delivery order. But the first delivery order will be issued simultaneously with the IDIQ.

Question 55: Are the 20 first articles paid under the first delivery order?

Answer 55: There is now a line item on the pricing sheet to encompass these prices.

Question 56: If releasable, please provide the previous contract number and contractor for these battery packs and the most recent unit price paid.

Answer 56: The Library will not be releasing this information.

Question 57: Are we obtaining three years of guaranteed orders for batteries?

Answer 57: No. A business that wins an IDIQ contract is only guaranteed the minimum amount established in the IDIQ. Future orders for batteries are not guaranteed, and the Library is under no legal obligation to place any orders for batteries against the IDIQ at any time. However, if your business wins an IDIQ, your business is guaranteed at least the minimum amount, regardless of whether your business is ever granted an order under the IDIQ.