AFRC_AQUIFER_Influit_JOFOC_Redacted.pdf

JOFOC No. 19-02 Purchase Request No. 4200682976

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center P. O. Box 273 Edwards, California 93523-0273

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) & FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)

1. This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC).

2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

As part of the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project, the AQUIFER (Aqueous QUick-charging battery Integration For Electric flight Research) subproject requires development of flow battery technology in support of electric flight. The intent of this development is to advance the current state-of-the-art of flow battery technology as it applies to terrestrial applications and modify the chemistry, design, and implementation as necessary to adapt the technology to electric aircraft.

Influit shall design, test, and deliver nano-electro fuel (NEF) cells and stacks. Influit shall modify the chemistry of their NEF fluid and combine this chemistry in cells of an annular design compatible with AQUIFER’s electric motor concept to achieve the desired performance. Testing shall be performed at single-cell, small stack, and full system levels to verify performance prior to delivery to NASA.

3. Description of the supplies or services required, including an estimated value:

NASA requires the following supplies and services during the duration of the contract, starting at contract agreement and going until 9/30/2020: (supplies) two multi-cell nano-electro fuel stacks capable of integrating with the project-defined electric motors, delivered to other small contractor ESAero; (services) single-cell 50 mA/cm2 test, single-cell 100 mA/cm2 test, multi-cell (est. 10 cells) 100 mA/cm2 test, nano-electro fuel and project-defined electric motor integrated system test, delivery of a single-cell (or more) 50 mA/cm2 and a single-cell (or more) 100 mA/cm2 stacks and additional test hardware to Goddard Research Center for independent verification, and system integration and troubleshooting at ESAero in San Luis Obispo CA once the first multi-cell nano-electro fuel stack has been delivered to ESAero. The value for these supplies and services has been estimated to be $700,000.

4. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2) and 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

Influit has developed a novel, patent-protected type of rechargeable battery that features active energy storing materials in pumpable liquid form, which essentially allows use of batteries in the same fashion as gasoline-powered engines.

Influit has a multidisciplinary technical team with core competency in nanotechnology, materials science, nanofluids, batteries, system integration, product development and manufacturing.

6. Description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.202:

A pre solicitation notice will be posted on FedBizOps to seek potential sources.

7. Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted:

NASA has conducted a battery market research survey and Influit was the only company identified within the United States publicly working on this technology and at a technology readiness level needed for adoption into this feasibility study.

The AQUIFER project incubation team conducted a broad market survey attempting to locate suppliers of aqueous-based NEF technology. A list of desired characteristics was developed (See Appendix A) with emphasis placed on safety (non-explosive), energy density required for electric flight and possibility of an integrated solution (co-location of energy storage, conversion and propulsion). Additionally, the search was limited to USA based organizations only because federal money would go towards technology development. The search included Boeing’s energy storage potential suppliers, internet research, energy storage periodical review, and in-person meetings with battery experts.

Based upon the desired characteristics, the market survey identified seven (7) potential technology suppliers: General Electric (GE), Harvard University, Influit, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lockheed Martin (LM), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) licensed to UET, and University of Southern California.

Follow up and requests for meetings yielded the information that GE, Harvard, LM and PNNL/UET had ceased operations or development of their specific battery chemistries. In person visits by the AQUIFER incubation team were scheduled at Influit, LBNL and USC.

Upon meeting and further exploration, the battery chemistries under development at LBNL and USC were at a very low TRL level and could not be advanced adequately (based on funding and schedule needs) for inclusion in the CAS project.

Influit, therefore, was the only responsible USA-based source available within project schedule, funding, and TRL constraints that was able to satisfy the needs of the agency.

8. Other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition.

Nanoelectrofuel (NEF) flow batteries hold the potential to achieve 1.5 the energy density of Li-ion at 1/2 the cost with rapid charge refueling for EVs, conformal battery designs, decoupled power from energy storage, inter-exchangeable battery applications (e.g.

vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-home), and electricity transportation without the grid (as a liquid).

9. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Government expects to obtain fair and reasonable pricing by performing price analysis of the submitted proposal. The Government will evaluate the proposal for compliance with the required FAR and NFS regulations. A technical analysis will be performed to ensure the requirements are met. The contractor will be required to submit certified cost and pricing data when the threshold for obtained certified cost or pricing data of FAR 15.403-4 is applicable.

10. Sources, if any, that expressed an interest, in writing, in the acquisition:

If responses are received as a result of the pre solicitation notice we will review and make a determination whether to post this requirement as a full and open competition.

11. The actions that the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

At this time, no action is needed to remove or overcome any barriers to competition as NASA does not intend to have any subsequent acquisition for the R&D battery development effort.

JOFOC Signature Page for Action between $700,000 and $13,500,000

Technical Directorate: I certify that the supporting data verifying the Government’s minimum requirements for the limited number of responsible sources, which form a basis for the justification, is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature Date

Contracting Officer: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government (Concurrence) is fair and reasonable and this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature Date

AFRC Competition Advocate: Based on the facts set forth in this Justification for Other than Full (Approval) and Open Competition. I have determined that the circumstances of FAR 6.302-1 “Only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for.”

Signature Date

Enclosure:

Appendix A nature

APPENDIX A

DESIRED AQUIFER ENERGY STORAGE CHARACTERISTICS