Sodium Battery Installation for KAFB Building 498 - 2nd solicitation

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Nuclear Weapons Center is soliciting contractors to replace the existing lead-acid battery system at Building 498, Kirtland Air Force Base with a new sodium nickel battery installation. The project requires removal and disposal of current batteries and installation of 12 new sodium nickel battery modules with Ethernet remote monitoring capabilities, along with replacement of existing power inverters with new 200-amp and 100-amp modular units and installation of 27 new 20-amp dual locking electrical outlets. The sodium batteries must meet stringent specifications including 4,500 cycles at 80% depth of discharge, energy density of 100-120Wh/kg, shelf life exceeding 20 years, temperature immunity from -40°C to +60°C, and provide 48 volts with the capability to deliver 8 hours of power at 120 amp maximum load. Award evaluation will be conducted using a two-step process, first assessing technical acceptability on an acceptable/unacceptable basis, followed by price evaluation for fair and reasonable determination. The solicitation was posted on August 6, 2025, with quotes due by August 26, 2025 at 1400 hours MST under solicitation number FA9401-25-Q-0022.

This opportunity is set aside 100% for small business competition under NAICS code 335910 (Battery Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1,250 employees. The work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, specifically at Building 498 which houses communication equipment requiring uninterrupted power supply. The contractor must provide a complete turnkey solution including the 12-module battery system designed to deliver 4,800Ah total capacity using 48V, 200Ah sodium nickel batteries arranged in 6-shelf racking systems to accommodate existing space constraints. Work hours are restricted to Monday through Friday from 0700-1600, though mission requirements may necessitate after-hours coordination scheduled 10 calendar days in advance. The government has noted that funds are not presently available and no award will be made until funding is secured, and all contractor personnel must be escorted within the controlled area with site access coordinated 72 hours in advance.