SATPC0036227 Tab 06 RDSS..pdf

Page 1 V2.0 3-15-2017

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

OR BRAND NAME

PICK ONE

Sole Source:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with Coulometrics, LLC, only for development safe and high energy 21700 Li-ion cell designs with a plastic current collector from Soteria to enable it to tolerate nail penetration. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is 120 days.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with only with vendors who can provide the subject brand name from Manufacture Name for Enter Supply or Service to be procured. The total estimated cost of this effort is Enter Dollar amount and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is Date.

This recommendation is for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source/only one manufacture. Competition is impractical for the following reasons (please answer the questions below):Ω

1. What are the reasons for soliciting only the suggested source/suggested brand name? Please provide the unique characteristics of the items or services along with the supporting rationale and the market research performed to substantiate your reason for the suggested source/brand name.

The purpose of the work to develop cell designs that tolerate nail penetration and achieve high specific energy (>250 Wh/kg). Specifically, the objective is to determine the cell design driving factors critical for achieving the purpose. The scope involves up to designing, building, and testing up to 20 cell groups with 3 to 5 cells over 3 months and test safety with nail penetration. The contractor shall make different groups of cells for a total of quantity of 80 cells delivered using similar coating, calendaring, winding, filling, closure, and charge formation as was done with similar 21700 cell format under past contracts

80NSSC21P2356, 80NSSC23PA661, and 80NSSC23PB096. Coulometrics has developed a proprietary weld schedule for the cell tab to plastic collector connector that is critical for making cells with AC resistance < 45 milliohms. A cell design with higher impedance will not be able to perform in NASA missions. So it’s critical to go to Coulometrics for these deliverables.

2. What is the impact to the government if another vendor/brand is used? Include any dollar, schedule, or compatibility impacts if possible.

Competition is impractical for the following reasons; A) Coulometrics has developed a 5.0Ah, 18Ah

21700 cell design which is equivalent to the best mass produced cells in the current industry, yet they are willing to make small quantities customized to NASA requirements. B) The metallized plastic current collector that acts like a fuse when exposed to an internal short is proprietary to Soteria and Coulometrics knows how to coat, calendar, slit, and wind cells with it. C) Proprietary welding trials at Coulometrics with the Soteria material enables making 21700 cells with AC resistance < 45 milliohms. Coulometrics did this with their internal R&D funding. D) Coulometrics has developed the techniques, tooling, jigs, and weld schedules for making functional cells during each of 3 previous fabrication cycles with similar scope of work for NASA. The recent cycles were under contract 80NSSC21P2356, 80NSSC23PA661, and 80NSSC23PB096. E) Going to another vendor for this work would require development of a 5Ah, 18Wh Li-ion 21700 cell design, development of a working weld schedule for the tab to plastic collector

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 weld, and multiple cell fabrication cycles with the Soteria collector.

7/30/2024

Technical User Name Date

Title

Office