PEN RFI_v11.2 (08Jan2026).pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Portable Energy Node (PEN)

General Information

Document Type Request for Information (RFI)

Request for Information Number W909MY-26-R-PEN1

Posted Date 8 JAN 2026

Response Date 06 FEB 2026

Classification Code Unclassified

NAICS Code 335999 - All Other Miscellaneous Electrical

Equipment and Component Manufacturing

Disclaimer: This RFI does NOT constitute a Request for Proposal and is not to be construed as a commitment, implied or otherwise, by the Government that a procurement action will be issued.

Response to this notice is not a request to be added to a bidders list or to receive a copy of a solicitation. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of the requested information. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow up information requests. Responses to this RFI may be considered in the future determination of an appropriate acquisition strategy for the program. The Government may not respond to any specific questions or comments submitted in response to this RFI or information provided as a result of this request. Responses shall not include classified or proprietary material or information with classified, “Proprietary”, “Confidential”, or other markings limiting distribution. Any information submitted by respondents as a result of this notice is strictly voluntary. Companies are advised that Project Manager Expeditionary Energy & Sustainment

Systems (PM E2S2) is supported by Government support contractors who will review information submitted in response to this RFI for the purpose of providing technical advice to the

Government. Companies which submit Submission Forms in response to this RFI will be deemed to have waived any objection to the Government's use of support contractors to review their

Submission Forms. The Government support contractors work under a contractual nondisclosure agreement which requires them to safeguard controlled technical information.

The contractor may not use, reproduce, modify or release controlled technical information without consent of the owner.

1. Introduction

Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Belvoir is releasing this Request for

Information (RFI) on behalf of the Project Manager (PM) Expeditionary Energy and Sustainment

Systems (E2S2). The information provided will be used for market research and used to assess the capability of vendors and products. The Government is not obligated to release a future solicitation. Interested respondents shall refer to the details of their response to this RFI as, “Request for Written Responses, Cover Page, Business Questions, and Vendor Survey

Questions”.

2. Scope

In support of its power modernization program, PM E2S2 is interested in understanding industry’s capability to provide an integrated portable power conversion and energy storage systems henceforth named Portable Energy Node (PEN) in accordance with the system requirements outlined in Section 3 (Background & System Requirements). The information gathered from responses to this RFI may be used to assist with purchasing Commercial Off the

Shelf (COTS) systems from multiple vendors. PM E2S2 intends to use the systems for evaluations and user demonstrations to further market research.

The PEN is intended to provide adaptable and resilient power directly to the front lines. At its core, PEN is an advanced energy storage system designed to provide sustained power for small unit operations. Recognizing the critical need for reliable energy in modern combat, PEN aims to efficiently flow power forward, enabling soldiers to operate longer and more effectively in challenging environments. The program prioritizes a lightweight and highly mobile design, minimizing logistical burdens and maximizing operational flexibility. Simultaneously, PEN focuses on reducing vulnerability through signature reduction – minimizing visual, audible, thermal, and electromagnetic detectability. Beyond simply providing power, PEN should be engineered to be cost-effective, delivering a capable and reliable system without excessive expense potentially trading off typical stringent legacy MIL-STD requirements.

Key system elements are anticipated to include: a power converter and controller for efficient power management, integrated energy storage units providing high energy density, reliable power, and the ability to accept power from a wide array of sources for supplemental energy harvesting. The system must be capable of operating in diverse environments – from austere field conditions to contested operational areas – and supporting a wide range of tactical equipment, unmanned and or unattended systems, communication devices, and battery recharging systems.

This effort envisions a family of systems, encompassing up to three different sizes and configurations – small, medium, and large – to address varying power needs across the spectrum of military operations. It is envisioned that vendors will focus their responses on their systems that demonstrate a high degree of maturity (technical & manufacturability), robust durability, and potential for rapid deployment and seamless integration into existing military power infrastructure, prioritizing lightweight designs, cost effectiveness, and minimized signature characteristics.

3. Background & System Requirements

The US Army is seeking information on potential solutions for a compact and light weight energy storage and conversion system, designated as the Portable Energy Node (PEN). Modern military operations increasingly rely on distributed power for a wide range of equipment, particularly at the tactical edge. The PEN is intended to address this need by providing a compact, rugged, portable, and versatile power source that enables rapid recharge & deployment and easy transport in support of forward-deployed units.

3.1 Intended Use Cases:

The PEN could be utilized in the following scenarios:

- Forward Operations: Providing supplemental or primary power to small outposts and observation posts.

- Dispersed Operations: Supporting small team operations (e.g., Special Forces, reconnaissance) requiring independent power sources.

- Tactical Communications: Powering tactical radios, satellite communication terminals, and other communication equipment that may be used in remote locations.

- Unmanned Systems Support: Providing power for the operation and recharging of

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS (cUAS) systems.

- Navigation Operations: powering small navigation devices such as GPS units for positioning in complex environments.

- Sensor Networks: Powering or providing back-up power for remote sensor networks enabling surveillance and intelligence gathering.

- Emergency Power: Providing backup power in emergency situations or when grid power is unavailable.

3.2 Key System Requirements:

These requirements are preliminary and subject to refinement. Requirements are tiered based on system size as outlined below. Assume any criteria marked “(T)” are threshold requirements.

Assume any criteria marked “(O)” or unmarked are objective requirements.

Size-Specific Requirements:

- Power Output:

o Small PEN: Continuous power output of around 1kW, with a higher peak power capability for short durations.

o Medium PEN: Continuous power output of around 2-3kW, with a higher peak power capability for short durations.

o Large PEN: Continuous power output of around 3-5kW, with a higher peak power capability for short durations.

- Energy Storage:

o Small PEN: Energy storage around 1 kWh o Medium PEN: Energy storage of 2-3 kWh o Large PEN: Energy storage of 3+ kWh

- Voltage/Frequency:

o Small PEN:

▪ Output voltage: 24VDC (T) / 24VDC and 120VAC/60Hz (O)

▪ Input voltage: 120VAC/60Hz and 24VDC (T) / 100-250VAC 50/60Hz and

12-48VDC (O)

o Medium PEN:

▪ Output voltage: 24VDC and 120VAC/60Hz (T)

▪ Input voltage: 120VAC/60Hz and 24VDC (T) / 100-250VAC 50/60Hz and

12-48VDC (O)

o Large PEN:

▪ Output voltage: 24VDC and 120VAC/60Hz (T)

▪ Input voltage: 120VAC/60Hz and 24VDC (T) / 100-250VAC 50/60Hz and

12-48VDC (O)

o NOTE: 24VDC is referenced as a nominal voltage.

- Weight (including all components and accessories):

o Small PEN: Maximum system weight of <51 lbs (T) <35 lbs (O) o Medium PEN: Maximum system weight of <102 lbs (T) <75lbs (O) o Large PEN: Maximum system weight of <140 lbs (T) <102lbs (O)

Common Requirements (Applicable to all sizes):

- Operational Environments:

o PEN should perform across cold, basic, and hot weather conditions as defined in

AR 70-38 (Research, Development, Test and Evaluation of Materiel for

Worldwide Use). Expected environmental conditions include rain, snow, sleet, sand, dust, fog, extremes in humidity, and intense solar radiation.

o PEN should operate at 100% performance in Basic environments not including

Basic Cold. In all other environments, including Cold, basic Cold, and Hot, a reduction in performance may be acceptable.

- Size: Compact form factor suitable for transport in tactical vehicles or by individual/team soldiers, commensurate with system size as a single device. (intent to minimize size as much as practical)

- Ruggedization: Compliance with MIL-STD-810H or commercial equivalent standard for shock, vibration, and drop.

- Interoperability: Compatibility with common military and/or commercial power connectors and protocols.

- Signature Management: Minimization of electromagnetic, thermal, audible, and visual signatures is critical.

- Maintainability: Designed for ease of maintenance with readily available components and clear diagnostic capabilities.

4. Request for Written Responses

Interested vendors may submit responses with their .pdf document as an attachment via email to

John Matthew Mercado at john.m.mercado3.civ@army.mil and Hada Nalls at shahaadah.c.nalls.civ@army.mil no later than 06 February 2026 12:00pm Eastern Time Zone, for consideration. Subject line must read RFI/PEN-[Company Name]. Example: RFI/PEN-

ABC Inc.

Responses to vendor survey questions are limited to 15 pages, 12-point font, one-inch margins.

The cover page and responses to Business questions are limited to 5 pages, 12-point font, one-inch margins. Files should be sent in a Microsoft Word compatible file or a PDF file. Responses received after the suspense date and time are unlikely to be reviewed.

All communications shall be submitted in writing to John M Mercado and Hada Nalls only.

Contractors shall not contact any Government personnel regarding this RFI other than the individuals designated above. Contacting any Government personnel other than the individuals designated above may result in an organizational conflict of interest (OCI) and may result in a contractor being excluded from the solicitation, competition, and/or consideration for award.

5. Questions to This Announcement

All questions pertaining to this announcement are due within thirty (30) calendar days after release. Telephone requests will not be accepted. Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted via e-mail to John M Mercado, Contract Specialist, and Hada Nalls, Contracting Officer no later than 06 February 2026 12:00pm Eastern Time Zone. Questions will be non-attribution published through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

If the Government has additional questions or a need for information following the evaluation of your response, you may be contacted and asked to provide that information.

6. Cover Page of RFI Response

The cover page of your RFI response should include the following:

1. Business Name

2. Business Size

3. Point of Contact Name

4. Business Address

5. Phone Number

6. Email Address

7. CAGE Code

8. Registered NAICS Codes

7. Business Questions

1. Provide a brief overview of your company, including its history, ownership structure, and primary business focus.

2. Type of Small Business, if applicable (e.g., Woman-Owned, Service Disabled Veteran

Owned, 8(a), HubZone)

3. What is your experience in energy conversion and storage?

a. Describe your company’s experience providing similar energy conversion and storage systems to the DoD. Please provide details on any relevant contracts or projects.

b. Describe your company’s experience providing similar energy conversion and storage systems to non-DoD customers operating in similar scenarios and environments.

c. Please provide details on if you are developing/designing the core components or just integrating them? Please give details on each main component of the system.

4. Please provide any comments, questions or concerns you have as they relate to the system requirements listed above.

8. Vendor Survey Questions

IAW the system requirements outlined above (Section 3.2), the following vendor survey questions must be answered within this RFI. Please answer each question for each size PEN when appropriate.

The Government's objective for this RFI is to conduct comprehensive market research to inform its path forward. Respondents are encouraged to provide answers to the best of their ability. A response that does not address all questions will not be viewed negatively. The Government understands that solutions are diverse and that some questions may not be applicable to all respondents. Providing detailed information for the questions you can answer is more valuable than providing no response at all.

1. Do you currently have a product available or technology demonstrator that meets the system requirements for any PEN size? (Please answer Yes/No for each size: Small, Medium, Large)

a. If a product doesn’t clearly fit into one category, please explain why.

2. For each PEN size (Small, Medium, Large), describe how your product meets the key system requirements (power output, energy storage, input/output voltages, size, weight, etc…). Focus on the most significant capabilities and any areas where your product deviates from the stated requirements.

3. If you have a product available (Yes to question 1), please list up to three recent contracts

(within the last five years) where you provided similar products. For each contract, please include:

a. Contract Value at Award

b. Contract Type (e.g., Fixed Price, Cost Plus)

c. Date of award or sale

d. Government Agency or Company

e. Brief Description of the work and how it relates to the PEN requirements for the specific size (Small, Medium, or Large)

4. Does your company consider the product described to be a commercial product as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 2.101? Why or why not?

5. If you have a product available (Yes to question 1), how long from an order being placed would be required to deliver two prototypes for each PEN size you identified as having available? What is the (delivered) unit cost for each PEN?

6. If you have a product available (Yes to question 1), what is the history of this product?

When was it first designed? What changes have been made in that time? Why were those changes made? Are there planned future upgrades/updates planned?

7. If you do not have a product available (No to question 1 for a specific size), do you have a product that meets most of the system requirements for that size? If so, what requirements are not met? Please also answer questions 3-6 for this product (for the size addressed). Please also provide an estimate of the time and funding required to upgrade your current product to meet all the system requirements.

8. If you answered yes to questions 1 or 7 for any size, has the product been tested by any

DoD organization or third-party testing facility (identify which)? If so, describe, if any, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, or MIL-STD-705 testing conducted (or commercial equivalent) on the product with the summarized test results.

9. If you answered yes to questions 1 or 7 for any size, has the product been tested or demonstrated in a tactical environment? (Yes/No) Please describe and provide the results of this testing and point of contact information for any DOD organization or test and evaluation agency that conducted this test or demonstration.

10. If you answered yes to question 7 for any size, please provide any comments, questions, or concerns relating to trade-offs you would propose to the Government for that specific

PEN size.

11. If you do not have a product that meets most system requirements (no to question 1 and 7 for all sizes), how much time and funding would be required to develop this system?

Provide a response that addresses development for all three sizes, if feasible, or explain why development for all sizes is not possible.

12. Describe your approach to commonality across the PEN family (Small, Medium, Large).

What percentage of components and software would be shared across all sizes?

13. Please provide a detailed list of the power input sources your system is compatible with

(voltage, frequency, connector types). Include both military and commercial standards.

14. Please provide standard and optional mounting/transit configurations available for your system (e.g., vehicle-specific kits, transit case, etc…).

15. What is the efficiency of your system? Provide a summary discussion of the various round trip efficiencies of your system.

16. What is the maximum power harvesting capability of your system (in Watts) from available sources like solar, external batteries, or others (explain)?

17. What is the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) for key components of your system?

18. Does your system have any cybersecurity concerns?

19. What are the biggest technical challenges you foresee in providing a solution for a PEN that meets all the stated requirements?

20. Describe your current capacity for production for each PEN size. What investments, if any, would be needed to scale up production to meet potential orders of 100, 500, or 1000 units per year.

21. Please identify the primary source(s) for the following major components:

a. Inverter/Converter

b. Energy Storage System (Cells/Modules/System)

c. Controller/Management System

d. Enclosure

22. Provide detailed specifications of the energy storage system within each size, including:

a. Chemistry (e.g., Lithium-ion, Solid State, flow battery, capacitors)

b. Nominal Voltage

c. Capacity (kWh)

d. Quantity

e. Cycle Life (at specified depth of discharge)

f. Inverter/Converter Operating Temperature Range

g. Discharge Temperature Range

h. Charging Temperature Range

i. Country of Origin

23. If your system utilizes Lithium-ion batteries, please provide which certifications for the battery and/or system it has relating to safety and/or transportability.

24. Are your energy storage systems currently used in any other military systems? If yes, please specify which systems.

25. Would you be able to provide a live demonstration of your system within 30 days of receiving a request?