U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Operations Dir, Fort Monmouth Site Contracts Branch, ATTN:AMSRL-OP-FM-PR(LGW) Fort Monmouth, New Jersey 07703-5601

A -- USA ELECTRONICS AND POWER SOURCES DIRECTORATE PART I OF II BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE POWER SOURCES DIVISION'S FY95 BATTERY/FUEL CELL REQUIREMENTS SOL DAAL01-95-BAA-3002 DUE 050195 POC Lisa Walengewicz, Contract Specialist, (908)544-3456 This Broad Agency Announcement - Solicitation DAAL01-95-BAA-3002 is issued under the Provisions of paragraph 6.102(d)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) which provides for the competitive selection of basic research proposals. Proposals submitted in response to this BAA that are selected for award are considered to be the result of Full and Open Competition and are in full compliance with the Provisions of Public Law 98-369, ''The Competition in Contracting Act of 1984''. Questions concerning contractual, cost or pricing proposal format matters may be directed to Lisa Walengewicz, Contract Specialist at (908)544-3456. Individuals with questions on technical matters may contact the technical representative Donald Foster at (908)532-0293. CLOSING DATE: PROPOSALS ARE DUE 1 MAY 1995. EPSD is interested in receiving proposals for the research and development toward UPC P001 Low Cost Rechargeable Alkaline Manganese Batteries BACKGROUND: The Army needs low cost rechargeable batteries to replace a significant quantity of general purpose army primary batteries (e.g. BA-5590, BA-4386) which are used to provide power to an increasingly wide range of Manportable electronics equipment. Low cost batteries such as rechargeable alkaline manganese dioxide (RAM) offer the potential for achieving a significant reduction in life cycle cost (i.e., 10 times or greater) and a significant reduction in the disposal costs over environmentally damaging zinc amalgam alkaline batteries. RAM may also offer an advantage to Army secondary batteries such as BB-590 Nickel Calcium batteries due to lighter weight, better storability and lower initial cost. The EPSD is interested in receiving proposals for the study, development and delivery of a minimum of 20 each proof of principle prototype RAM batteries in the BA-5590 configuration of 5 prototype battery charges for these batteries. The study phase will also identify at least one additional configuration that addresses an economical, human factored alternative packaging of RAM technology for fielded, manporatable Army electronic equipment. Topics of interest include the following increased discharge rate capability, reduced capability fade and abuse tolerance to voltage reversal, overcharge, shock and vibration. Approaches for accomplishing the improvements might include study of the effect of corrosion inhibitors on rate capability, the study of mechanical parameters of the zinc anode such as particle size and distribution, varying cathode porosity to improve the rate capability, the addition of hollow fibers or electronically conductive polymers to the cathode and using substitute materials for the anode nail material to improve tolerance to voltage reversal. Proposals for the delivery of low cost RAM must include for the test and evaluation of cell and battery objectives and should consider a RAM equivalent of the BB-5590/U Nickel Cadmium and BA-5590/U Lithium Sulfur Dioxide Batteries because of their large quantity usage within the Army (Note BB-590/U and BA-5990/U requirements are contained in MIL-B-49436 and MIL-B-49430 respectively.) Proposals for the delivery of a prototype RAM type BB-X590 should address the following minimum consideration 2 Ampere-hours to an end point voltage of 20 Volts at 25 degrees Celseium at a 2 Ampere constant discharge rate; storability and operation over the widest possible temperature range (minus 20 to 55 degrees Celsius is essential); safety under all conditions of use and abuse and weight of 3.7 lb or less. The cycle life at all applicable discharge rates of the normal Singars duty cycle under tactical operation conditions should be 20 cycles at a capacity greater than 40 Wh when discharge to an end point voltage of 10V (parallel operation) and 100 cycles when the battery's discharge is limited to 40 Wh of useful energy. A design that minimizes the battery cost is essential. For estimating purposes, the Government anticipates the approximately 9,000 man hours over a period of 18 months will be required in order to accomplish this program. Programs for lesser amounts and/or stand alone subsets of effort, each individually priced are encouraged. Other Requirements. Any resultant contract will include the requirement for 2 contractor trips at Fort Monmouth, NJ during the course of performance. Additionally, contract reporting requirements will include quarterly technical reports and monthly financial reports, a final technical report, safety assessment report and prototype test and evaluation data. UPC P002 High Rate Lithium Carbon Monofluoride Batteries BACKGROUND: The Army needs low cost, high energy and high power batteries to replace a significant quantity of Army general purpose primary batteries (e.g., lithium sulfur dioxide BA-5590) which are used to be provide an increasing) wide range of Manportable electronics equipment. Low cost batteries such as primary lithium carbon monofluoride offer the potential of a significant reduction in cost over batteries used only for military applications such as lithium sulfur dioxide. Lithium carbon monoflurodie also offers an advantage over lithium sulfur dioxide or lithium manganese dioxide due to its superior energy density. EPSD is interested in receiving proposals for the study, development and delivery of a minimum of 100 each proof-of-principle size AA Lithium Carbon Monofluroide cells the study phase will also identify a least one additional configuration that address an economical, light weight, comfortable alternative packaging of lithium carbon monofluoride technology for fielded manportable Army electronics equipment. Topics of interested include the following increased discharge rate capability, improved low temperature performance, reduction of cell heating at high rate discharge, increased cell open circuit and operating voltages, elimination of the voltage dip at the beginning of discharge and the effect of the fluorocarbon structure, bonding stoichiometry and method of preparation on cell performance and cost. Additional areas of interest include: the effect of cathode processing, cathode thickness and cathode substrate on cell storability and rate capability, the effect of solvent and electrolyte selection on cell performance and the effect of adding other cathode active materials such as manganese dioxide to carbon monofluoride to form a composite cathode on cell performance. Proposals for the delivery of lithium carbon monofluoride must include provision for the test and evaluation of cell objectives and should consider a lithium carbon monofluoride AA cell as proof of concept. It is anticipated that initial studies could proceed on coin size cells before scale up to size AA cells. Proposals for the delivery of prototype size AA lithium carbon monofluroide cells should address the following minimum consideration discharge energy density of 175 Wh/kg at a discharge rate of 50 W/kg to a 2 V cutoff at 25 degrees Celsius, storgeability and operation over the widest possible temperature range (minus 30 to 55 degrees Celsius is essential, minus 40 to 65 degrees Celsius preferred), and safety under all condition of use and abuse. For estimating purposes, the Government anticipates that approximately 4,500 man hours over a period of 15 months will be required in order to accomplish this program. Programs of lesser amounts and/or stand alone subsets of efforts, each individually priced are encouraged. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Any resultant contract will include the requirements for 2 contractor trips to Fort Monmouth, NJ during the course of performance. Additionally, contract reporting requirements will include quarterly technical reports, monthly financial reports, final technical report, safety assessment report and test and evaluation data of the prototype size AA cells. Proposals will be considered for the total anticipated effort or for a lesser amount or stand alone subset of the effort. As a minimum, all offerors will be required to submit monthly financial technical and quarterly technical status reports, and a final technical report in accordance with the requirements of DI-F-6004B and DI-MISC-80711, respectively. It is anticipated that travel will be required from the contractor's facility to EPSD at Fort Monmouth, NJ (approximately 2 trip(s), TYPES OF CONTRACT: Cost Plus Fixed Fee. (0089)

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