High fidelity quantification of AC loss in a novel superconducting motor

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center has issued a sole source Special Notice for high-fidelity quantification of AC loss in a novel superconducting motor. This procurement is designated as a sole source requirement under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), with NASA intending to award the contract directly to Ohio State University. The notice was posted on July 1, 2025, and falls under NAICS code 611310 for Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools. The work will be performed at NASA Glenn Research Center and relates to specialized research and development services in basic research. The procurement addresses NASA's need for expertise in developing models and experimental designs to reduce uncertainty in predicting AC power losses for a patent-pending electric motor technology.

The primary objective of this procurement is to support NASA's development of superconducting motor technology through four key technical areas: improving AC loss predictions in NASA's optimization code, conducting finite element simulations of the motor, measuring AC loss in stacks of high-temperature superconducting tapes, and measuring AC loss in racetrack coils. Interested organizations may submit capability statements and qualifications in writing by 7:00 AM Central Standard Time on July 3, 2025, to procurement specialist Shanna Patterson. NASA has determined that Ohio State University is the sole provider capable of performing this specialized work, citing their unique technical expertise developed over nine years of experience in AC losses in superconductors. The government reserves the right to determine whether to conduct the procurement on a competitive basis after reviewing any submitted capabilities. The contract has an estimated duration of one year, with NASA indicating that failure to complete this work could compromise a multi-million dollar investment in motor development and limit potential impacts on the U.S. aeronautics industry.