Trade Agreement: CETA / WTO-AGP / NAFTA / CFTA / FTAs with Peru / Colombia / Panama / Korea
Tendering Procedures: Generally only one firm has been invited to bid
Non-Competitive Procurement Strategy: Exclusive Rights
Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No
Vendor Name and Address:
Electric Power Systems
16125 Gale Ave
City of Industry California
United States
91745
Nature of Requirements:
The purpose of this Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) is to signal the government's intention to award a contract to the pre-selected supplier:
Electric Power Systems
16125 Gale Ave.
City of Industry, CA 91745
Product:
EPiC AV5700 Module for Aviation
Before awarding a contract, however, the government would like to provide other suppliers with the opportunity to demonstrate that they are capable of satisfying the requirements set out in this Notice, by submitting a statement of capabilities during the 15 calendar day posting period. If other potential suppliers submit a statement of capabilities during the 15 calendar day posting period that meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, the government will proceed to a full tendering process on either the government's electronic tendering service or through traditional means, in order to award the contract. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a statement of capabilities meeting the requirements set out in the ACAN, a contract will be awarded to the pre-selected supplier, as referenced above.
BACKGROUND
The National Research Council (NRC) Flight Research Lab is currently converting a Cessna 337 aircraft to electric propulsion for manned operation and flight test as part of a research project in electric propulsion. NRC requires an integrated battery energy storage solution consisting of battery modules, battery sensors, BMS (battery management system) and BCC (battery control computer). The battery must conform to the weight and volume constraints of the Cessna 337 while still providing the minimum required capacity and power. The strict project timeline requires that the battery system be delivered to NRC within 14 weeks of contract award.
Because the aircraft will be manned by NRC personnel, safety considerations are paramount. For this reason, battery modules that have been specifically designed and tested for manned flight operations are required. The performance requirements and testing requirements for the battery system are described in detail below. One of the most important requirements is that if a single cell undergoes thermal runaway for any reason, that it not propagate to any other cell within the module.
Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier:
This acquisition caters to a new and niche market and the AV5700 Battery system, from the pre-identified supplier, Electric Power Systems, is the only known system that fully meets the safety and performance requirements listed below. The vendor has exclusive ownership and intellectual property (IP) rights for the system.
QUALIFICATIONS
To fulfill the requirements of the contract, the supplier must be able to provide a product which meets, at a minimum, the following features and specifications:
- A battery pack shall be provided to act as the primary propulsion energy supply in a manned Cessna 337 aircraft that has had the rear engine removed and replaced with an equivalent-power electric motor.
- An integrated battery energy storage system comprising battery modules, battery sensors, battery management system (BMS) and a battery control computer (BCC) shall be provided.
- The complete and functional battery and BMS must be delivered within 14 weeks of contract award.
- The battery pack shall be comprised of individual modules that can pass through the passenger door of a Cessna 337.
- The modules must be of a design that allows the cells to be cooled per OEM requirements by passing air over the outside faces of the modules.
- The battery pack shall have a capacity of at least 68 kWh.
- The battery pack shall have a nominal voltage of between 360 V and 400 V.
- The battery pack, not including the BMS and BCC, shall have a mass no greater than 450 kg.
- The battery pack shall deliver, at a minimum, the power required by the duty cycle listed below:
165 kW full-power climb for 1 minute, then
125 kW cruise-climb for 4-5 minutes, then
105 kW continuous cruise for remainder.
- The BMS software shall be compliant with NASA NID 7150-113 for manned flight requirements.
Modules shall have integrated sensors for temperature, string voltage and string current that communicate with the BMS.
- The BMS must have contactors rated for the voltage and current of the battery.
- Battery modules shall be constructed in a manner, and from materials, that prevents secondary involvement of other cells within the module should one cell proceed into exothermic runaway. This consideration includes the effect of the escape of hot and corrosive gasses to neighboring modules.
- The battery modules shall be based on an architecture that has been verified by testing to show that thermal runaway in a single cell will not propagate to any other cell.
- The battery modules shall be based on an architecture that has been verified by testing to show that module and pack level short circuits will not result in thermal runaway of any cell.
- The battery modules shall be based on an architecture that has been tested to and passed the following destructive safety tests of DO-311A:
2.4.4.12 Short-circuit test with protection enabled;
2.4.4.13 Overdischarge test;
2.4.4.14 Overcharge test;
2.4.5.4 Single cell thermal runaway containment test with the following modification: the vendor shall select and substantiate the location of the cell forced into thermal runaway such that it is the most conservative case.
The system shall remain functional while operating and exposed to the following orthogonal accelerations:
X ±3.5g
Y ±3.5g
Z ±3.5g
- The battery modules shall be based on an architecture that has been tested to and passed the following DO-160 environmental tests:
4.5.1 Ground Survival Low Temperature Test and Operating Low Temperature Test:
System maintained at -20°C while operated for 30 minutes.
4.5.4 Operating High Temperature Test
System maintained at 65°C while operated for 2 hours.
4.6.1 Altitude
The system shall remain functional at pressure altitudes from sea level up to 15,000ft for 2 hours as specified in DO-160 4.6.1.
7.2 Operational Shock
The system shall be functional after being subjected to the shock specified in DO-160, Section 7 - Category A;
The system shall have three of the following shocks applied to each axis: terminal saw-tooth wave shape with an acceleration peak value of 6g and pulse duration of 11ms.
7.3 Crash Safety
The system shall not fragment nor undergo thermal runaway following application of the following peak accelerations:
Up: 3.0g;
Forward: 18.0g;
Side: 4.5g;
Down: 6.0g.
8 Vibration
The system shall remain functional during and after being subjected to the random vibration specified in DO-160, Curve C + 3dB in each of three orthogonal axes for a duration of 1 hour per axis.
Magnetic Effects per DO-160 Section 15, Category Z.
Power Input per DO-160 Section 17.
AF Conducted Susceptibility per DO-160 Section 18.
Induced Signal Susceptibility per DO-160 Section 19.
RF Susceptibility per DO-160 Section 20.
Emission of RF Energy per DO-160 Section 21.
Electrostatic Discharge per DO-160 Section 25.
COST ESTIMATE
$ 487,000.00 USD
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REGULATIONS EXCEPTION
The Treasury Board’s Government Contract Regulations, Part 10.2.1 Section 6 states there are four exceptions that permit the contracting authority to set aside the requirement to solicit bids. This includes:
d. "only one supplier person or firm is capable of performing the contract."
Delivery Date: Above-mentioned
You are hereby notified that the government intends to negotiate with one firm only as identified above. Should you have any questions concerning this requirement, contact the contracting officer identified above.
An Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) allows departments and agencies to post a notice, for no less than fifteen (15) calendar days, indicating to the supplier community that it intends to award a good, service or construction contract to a pre-identified contractor. If no other supplier submits, on or before the closing date, a Statement of Capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, the contracting authority may then proceed with the award. However, should a Statement of Capabilities be found to meet the requirements set out in the ACAN, then the contracting authority will proceed to a full tendering process.
Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the services/goods described herein, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this Notice on or before the closing date of this Notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.
The PWGSC file number, the contracting officer's name and the closing date of the ACAN must appear on the outside of the envelope in block letters or, in the case of a facsimile transmission, on the covering page.
The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.
Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.
