Station Battery Replacement

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a small business contractor to replace a 60-cell Direct Current Station Battery (DCSB) at its Center for Neutron Research in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The solicitation requires the removal and recycling of existing end-of-life battery cells and the delivery and installation of sixty new equivalent 2V battery cells with specific technical requirements, including a total DC system voltage of 128.2V and 850 ampere hours capacity. Quotes must be submitted in three volumes: technical, pricing, and terms/conditions, with questions due within 7 days of solicitation issuance and directed to Contract Specialist Cielo Ibarra. The deadline for quote submissions is February 10, 2025, with an expectation that the installation be completed by June 30, 2025. Contractors must provide a comprehensive technical approach, including safety plans, installation schedules, and completion reports.

This solicitation is a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 335910 (Battery Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1,250 employees. The period of performance spans from March 18, 2025, through March 17, 2026, and includes a mandatory one-year warranty. The specific battery model requirement is for EA21M or equivalent cells, with each cell nominally 2V and providing total stored energy of 52.56 kWh for 1 hour or 12.72 kWh for 8 hours. The installation site features a ground-level entrance with a roll-up door, a 160-foot path to the battery room, and a concrete floor rated for 9,000 lbs forklift use. NIST will provide access to pallet jacks and forklift operation assistance, and the work will be performed during regular business hours at their Gaithersburg, MD facility.