Lithium-Ion High Power Cell Design Batteries

NASA/Johnson Space Center has a requirement for 1 Lot (60,000 each) Lithium-Ion High Power cells that meets or exceeds 2500 Wh/kg specific power, 500 Wh/L energy density, 200 W/kg specific energy, 6300 W/L power density, and on average generate under 6% waste heat while discharging at 9.6A continuously.  These are performance requirements for the Li-ion cell design for enabling the required high performance battery designs for NASA missions, such Human Lander Systems, Orion, and others. For a safety perspective, the cell manufacturer must be capable of manufacturing thermal runaway trigger cells in a small batch of the exact same design as the unmodified cells purchased. These trigger cells are made by implanting a small internal short circuit device invented by NASA & National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that induces an on demand hard internal short circuit when the cell is heated above 57⁰C. Selecting a manufacturer capable and willing to made these trigger cells is critical to enable safety verification of battery design utilizing these cell designs.

NASA/Johnson Space Center intends to purchase the lithium-ion high power cell designs from E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Limited.  E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Limited is currently the only source capable of meeting NASA minimum specifications to provide lithium-ion high power cell designs.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to Bermuda Brittingham at bermuda.a.brittingham@nasa.gov and Jerry G. Meeks Jr. at jerry.g.meeks@nasa.gov not later than 4:00 p.m. local time on 2/8/2021.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis.  A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html