NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BE

59 -- PRIMARY LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR X-38 SOL 9-BE13-48-8-13P DUE 021598 POC Caroline M. Root, Contracting Officer, Phone (281) 483-4140, Fax (281) 244-5337, Email croot@ems.jsc.nasa.gov -- Lisa Rea-Phillips, Contracting Officer, Phone (281) 483-8395, Fax (281) 244-5337, Email lreaphil@ems.jsc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/JSC/date.html#9-BE13-48-8-13P. E-MAIL: Caroline M. Root, croot@ems.jsc.nasa.gov. NASA/JSC plans to issue a Request for Offer (RFO) for provisioning the Experimental Crew Return Vehicle (X-38) with primary lithium batteries. The X-38 program is an activity to demonstrate key technologies associated with the development of the Crew Return Vehicle for the International Space Station. The X-38 will consist of a lifting body spacecraft and a Deorbit Propulsion Stage (DPS). The DPS provides on-orbit attitude control and 28V power for the CRV for up to 7 hours. After performing the deorbit burn, the DPS will be jettisoned to allow the CRV to re-enter. The battery program will consist of a basic program followed by two options. The basic program will design, assemble, and qualify a modular lithium battery using one of four approved commercial cell designs as the building block cell. The four cell designs are as follows in alphabetical order: a) Li-BCX DD-cell (P/N 3B3100-PB from Wilson Greatbatch, Ltd.) b) Li-MnO2 M25 or M62 cell (from Friwo-Silberkraft) c) Li-SO2 G62 cell (from Friwo-Silberkraft) d) Li-SOCl2 DD-cell (P/N LIRDD-HT from Yardney Technical Products) In the basic program, the contractor shall deliver enough flight battery modules to satisfy a 29.4 kWh mission requirement prior to 10 months after contract start date. The first option consists of delivering another flight set of battery modules within 9 months of option start date for a second unmanned X-38 flight test. The second option consist of modifying the design, requalifying it, and providing up to 5 flight sets of batteries for the operational CRV. This option must be completed within 4 years of its start date. The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. The SIC Code and Size Standard are 3692 and 1,000 employees, respectively. The DPAS Rating for this procurement is DO-C9. The provisions and clauses in the RFO and model contract are those in effect through FAC 97-3. All qualified responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. The anticipated release date of the RFO is on or about February 1, 1998 with an anticipated offer due date of on or about February 15, 1998. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See Internet Note "B". The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office Suite (Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, PowerPoint 4.0) format and will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The WWW address, or URL of the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities home page is http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/JSC/class.html. Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities home page for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nnotes.htm. (0008)

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