Request for Quote (RFQ) 2025026954 - Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) Fuel Cell.pdf

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National Renewable Energy Laboratory Managed and Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Request for Quote (RFQ) Number 2025026954

"Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) Fuel Cell"

REQUEST FOR QUOTE (RFQ)

READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY

This solicitation is being conducted under the procedures for competitive subcontracts established by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL will award a subcontract based on the following:

LOWEST PRICE (COST), TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE SELECTION

All Statement of Work (SOW) requirements being met and with the lowest evaluated price (or cost)

Issue Date: 10/30/2025 Due Date: 12/1/2025 Time Due: 5 PM Mountain Time

Technical questions must be received in writing no later than 11/13/2025

Written questions concerning this solicitation document and its requirements will be answered in writing.

In response to technical questions, NREL will issue an amendment to this solicitation document that will formally provide all the questions and answers. All recipients of the solicitation document will receive responses to questions.

1. Solicitation Type Lowest Price (Cost), Technically Acceptable Selection Firm Fixed Price, Purchase Order

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for this solicitation are:

Code Classification Size Standard 335999 All Other Miscellaneous Electrical

Equipment and Component Manufacturing

Amounts shown in the table above represent the corresponding small business size standard for each NAICS. Dollar amounts are reflective of total annual receipts. (“Annual receipts” of a concern means the annual average gross revenue for the last three fiscal years.)

SUBMIT OFFERS TO AND REQUEST INFORMATION FROM THE NREL RFQ CONTACT

BELOW

2. NREL RFQ Contact Janelle DiGregorio, Subcontract Administrator National Renewable Energy Laboratory 15013 Denver West Parkway, MS: RSF030

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Golden, CO 80401

Email: Janelle.DiGregorio@nrel.gov

Electronic copies of forms and appendices can be found at:

http://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/standard-terms.html

Procurement Forms | NREL

3. Project description:

The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC has entered into Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 with the Department of Energy (DOE), an agency of the U.S. Government, for the management and operation of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (hereinafter called “NREL”). All references to “NREL” in this solicitation shall mean the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

The Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has previously supported a 120 kW fuel cell capability used for research projects. ESIF is seeking to replace and upgrade this fuel cell capability by purchasing a commercially available fuel cell generator solution. Fuel cell support systems (e.g., cooling system, hydrogen piping, ventilation, etc.) are already installed in the facility and are expected to be modified to support the new fuel cell system as needed. The fuel cell will utilize stored hydrogen produced at ESIF and will supply electrical power to the ESIF Research Electrical Distribution Bus. The fuel cell solution may optionally provide combined heat and power take-off provisions. The fuel cell system will be used in various research projects as an integrated capability.

The project objective is to procure a turn-key Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell system that can be installed at ESIF and used to support energy integration research and development. The fuel cell system should preferably include a scalable or modular system to allow easy future expansion/increased power output.

Please see Attachment 1 - Technical Specifications, dated 10/27/25, for details.

4. Delivery Expectation: The requested timeline is 12 months, from award to delivery.

5. Competitive negotiated subcontract using Lowest Price (Cost), Technically Acceptable

Selection

This solicitation shall be conducted using Lowest Price (Cost), Technically Acceptable Selection, that results in an award based on the lowest evaluated price (cost) of all technically acceptable offers.

Lowest Price (Cost), Technically Acceptable Selection is based on the premise that value is expected to result from award based on a technically acceptable offer with the lowest evaluated price (cost).

Attachment 1 – Technical Specifications in this Request for Quote serves as NREL’s baseline requirements that must be met by each offer.

https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/forms.html

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Selection will be made on the basis of the lowest evaluated price (cost) of offers meeting or exceeding the baseline requirements of the statement of work.

NREL may discuss price (cost) with offerors, especially when more than one technically acceptable approach is received that may satisfy NREL’s needs.

6. Evaluation process

NREL will evaluate offers in three general steps:

Step One—Initial Evaluation An initial evaluation will be performed to determine if all required information has been provided and the offer is technically acceptable to meet the basic requirements as outlined in the statement of work. At NREL’s discretion, discussions with offerors will be held as necessary. Offerors shall be notified if their offer is determined to be technically unacceptable and the reasons for rejection will be provided. Technically unacceptable offers will be excluded from further consideration.

Step Two—Price (Cost) Evaluation After an offer is evaluated as technically acceptable to meet the baseline requirements, NREL will evaluate the price (cost) to determine the reasonableness and award to the lowest price offer.

Step Three—Selection Based on the technical acceptability and price (cost) suitability of the offers, NREL will exercise one of the following options:

(a) Select an offer and award the subcontract to the lowest price (cost), technically acceptable offer without discussion;

(b) after discussion, select an offer, and award the subcontract;

(c) make no award.

7. All interested Offerors must submit a Quote that includes the following:

a. Official Quote: A responsive quote will be based on Attachments No. 1. The quote must be valid for 180 days from the date of the offer.

As a federal government contractor, NREL is obligated to request all applicable discounts available. If Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) pricing is available, please provide your GWAC number. Please identify discounts offered to NREL in your quote.

b. Cover Letter: Letter indicating acceptance of Attachment No. 1 and NREL standard terms and conditions, Appendix B-8, Standard Terms and Conditions for Subcontracts and Purchase Orders for Commercial Items, dated 1/23/2023, found at:

https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/assets/pdfs/appendix-b-8-subcontracts-purchase-orders-commercial-items.pdf will be applicable to the purchase order. Submitting a bid constitutes acceptance of NREL’s terms and conditions referenced in the solicitation.

The letter shall also include a statement declaring whether the product being delivered is a domestic end product (as such term in defined in FAR 25.003.

https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/assets/pdfs/appendix-b-8-subcontracts-purchase-orders-commercial-items.pdf https://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/assets/pdfs/appendix-b-8-subcontracts-purchase-orders-commercial-items.pdf

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c. The submitted offers shall not contain any Restricted Intellectual Property or the Development of any Intellectual Property.

d. Completed and signed Representations and Certifications for Commercial Items and Services

– Subcontracts/Purchase Orders (see link above).

e. Confirmation of your Company’s Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM).

NREL requires all vendors to be registered under SAM at www.SAM.gov.

f. NREL recognizes that international shipments may be subject to additional charges related to tariffs following award of a firm fixed-price purchase order. Accordingly, to appropriately adjust costs associated with tariff changes applied after the award of the purchase order, offerors must:

• Identify on the quote the country from where each item will be shipped;

• Clearly itemize tariff costs, based on the applicable tariffs as of the date the quote is due, with the pricing for the scope of work outlined in this solicitation.

• State whether the clause titled Duty Free Entry in Appendix B Standard Terms and Conditions http://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/standard-terms.html is applicable to this procurement; and

• State whether the offeror will be the importer of record.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.229-3, the applicable tariff rate in effect at the time of purchase order award may change upon arrival at the United States port of entry. As such, the price of the purchase order resulting from this solicitation may be increased by the amount of any after-imposed tariffs, provided that the subcontractor/vendor warrants in writing that no contingency or other financial reserve for these increased tariffs or rate increases has been included in the original price of the purchase order. Additionally, the price of the subcontract/purchase order may be decreased by the amount of any after-relieved tariffs.

No adjustments, increases or decreases, shall be made to the price of the purchase order unless the adjustment amount exceeds $250.

Following selection and before award, NREL may reconsider its selection if a change to applicable tariffs results in a domestic item being the lowest price offer.

Failure to identify tariff costs in the quote may result in the rejection of your offer, with no further consideration for an award.

8. This solicitation requires the submittal of electronic quotes.

This solicitation does not commit NREL to pay costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a quote in response to this RFQ.

http://www.sam.gov/

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9. Solicitation Provisions—full text provided

a. Late submissions, modifications, and withdrawals of offers

Offers, or modifications to them, received from qualified organizations after the latest date specified for receipt may be considered if received prior to award, and NREL determines that there is a potential price (cost), technical, or other advantage, as compared to the other offers received. However, depending on the circumstances surrounding the late submission or modification, NREL may consider a late offer to be an indication of the offeror’s performance capabilities, resulting in downgrading of the offer in the technical evaluation process. Offers may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time before award.

b. Disclaimer

NEITHER THE UNITED STATES; NOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY; NOR

ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC; NOR ANY OF THEIR

CONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, OR THEIR EMPLOYEES MAKE ANY

WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OR ASSUME ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS FOR

ANY PURPOSE OF ANY OF THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR DATA

ATTACHED OR OTHERWISE PROVIDED HEREIN AS REFERENCE MATERIAL.

c. Solicitation disputes

The General Accountability Office and the Department of Energy do not accept or rule on disputes for solicitations for Requests for Quotes issued by Management and Operating Contractors for the Department of Energy (operators of Department of Energy National Laboratories). Should an offeror have any concerns regarding the NREL solicitation process or selection determination, the offeror may contact Paul White, Advocate for Commercial Practices, at (303) 384-7575. NREL will address each concern received from an offeror on an individual basis.

d. Prohibition on use of certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment per the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act Section 889(a)(1)(B)

In accordance with the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act Section

889(a)(1)(B), NREL is prohibited from contracting with any offeror that uses, and/or whose lower-tier subcontractor(s) use, covered telecommunication equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as a critical technology of any system, on or after 08/13/2020, unless an exception applies or a waiver is granted. This includes such equipment or services from five Chinese companies: Huawei, ZTE Corporation, Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision, and Dahua Technology.

e. Compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (found at 29 U.S.C. 794d)

The requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act apply to NREL’s procurement of all electronic and information technology (EIT) and any development, maintenance, or use of

EIT.

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10. Solicitation provisions

The following solicitation documents are attached:

▪ Attachment 1 - Technical Specifications - dated 10/27/2025

11. Solicitation provisions—incorporated by reference—general access

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. The following documents can be downloaded from http://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/standard-terms.html and http://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/forms.html or the NREL RFQ Contact (see item 2) will make available upon request.

The documents and forms that are listed below are applicable to this solicitation and resulting award:

Appendix/Form

NREL Standard Terms and Conditions: Appendix B-8 (1/23/2023);

NREL Representations and Certifications SAM Commercial Items and Services

(Purchase Orders) for Subcontracts and Purchase Orders for Commercial Items and Services;

Attachment 1 - Technical Specifications - dated 10/27/25

12. Notice Regarding NREL Payments to Subcontractors

It is NREL’s standard practice to make all payments to domestic subcontractors via electronic (ACH) payments or to international subcontractors via wire transfers. Any Offeror receiving notification of an award under this solicitation must complete and submit a “Request for ACH/Wire Banking Information” form to the applicable NREL Subcontract Administrator.

Payments to subcontractors will be deposited directly into the subcontractor’s designated bank account in accordance with the banking account/wire transfer information provided on the form by an authorized company representative. An electronic (PDF) copy of the form will be provided by the NREL Subcontract Administrator upon notification of award. Please do not include an ACH form with your response to this RFQ.

Please email your quote to me by 12/1/25 by 5:00 pm mountain time to the following email address:

Janelle.Digregorio@nrel.gov. As stated above, technical questions are due by 11/13/25.

Sincerely, Janelle DiGregorio Subcontract Administrator, Simplified Acquisition Team NREL Acquisition Services

Attachments:

Attachment 1 - Technical Specifications – dated 10/27/25 http://www.nrel.gov/workingwithus/forms.html mailto:Janelle.Digregorio@nrel.gov

SUBMIT OFFERS TO AND REQUEST INFORMATION FROM THE NREL RFQ CONTACT BELOW