Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Bethesda, Md 20084-5000

A -- BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT -- CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT OF A SHIP SERVICE FUEL CELL SOL N00167-97-BAA-0028 DUE 060297 POC Darrell Bachman, Code 3324, Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer (301) 227-5760 This is a Broad Agency Announcement for applied research as defined at FAR 35.001 and 35.016 and is subject to FAR 6.102(d)(2) This is a Broad Agency Announcement for research and development on fuel cell power systems for marine applications. The Navy is evaluating fuel cells as one technology for a more efficient and affordable shipboard electric power generator. The objectives of the BAA are as follows: to generate sufficient data to enable evaluation by the Navy of the feasibility of utilizing fuel cell power plants for the generation of electric power in future naval shipboard applications; to establish the benefits of fuel cell power plants to the Navy; to design a 2.5 MW fuel cell ship service power plant (SSFC); to build a reduced scale (nominally 0.5 MW) version of the SSFC; to conduct land-based tests to verify that the reduced scale demonstrator can meet ship service power requirements; and to obtain a scaled demonstration model of the SSFC for at-sea tests. The Navy is soliciting proposals for a two phase program to be completed by FY 00. During Phase I, the contractor will: (1) Perform a conceptual design a 2.5 MW Ship Service Fuel Cell Power Plant (SSFC), capable of operating on naval distillate fuel (NATO F-76), containing 0.5% sulfur by weight; (2) demonstrate critical components or sub-systems, as required; (3) perform tradeoff studies to determine the optimum fuel cell stack, system, and power conditioning requirements to meet voltage requirements; (4) perform shock and vibration tests on cells of the size selected for the 2.5 MW SSFC; (5) demonstrate through small scale tests that the SSFC can operate in a salt air environment; and (6) prepare a technical and cost proposal to design, build and test a nominal 0.5 MW demonstration model to validate the 2.5 MW design during Phase II; and (7) address the impact of packaging the 0.5 MW reduced scale demonstrator model SSFC in a standard marine 20 foot shipping conainer(s). The complete balance of plant and all required safety and control systems are to be included in the packaging analysis. All components shall be installed in a way that permits removal and provides access for maintenance; and (8) the contractor shall provide monthly technical and financial reports as well as a final report including the conceptual design complete with trade-off results and design calculations. During Phase II, the contractor(s) will: (1) design and build the 0.5 MW reduced scale demonstrator SSFC; (2) perform land-based tests to demonstrate that the SSFC meets ship service requirements; (3) develop a dynamic computer model of the SSFC; (4) deliver the demonstrated 0.5 MW reduced scale SSFC to the Navy for at-sea testing; and (5) the contractor(s) shall deliver to the Government monthly technical and financial status reports. In addition, design drawings for the reduced scale demonstrator, the computer model, test plan and test reports, installation drawings, the reduced scale demonstrator and a final technical report shall be provided. In general, the candidate SSFC should be based upon commercially available hardware which is or will be in production by the year 2000. The design studies will determine, in part, the modifications, cost and schedule required to make a fuel cell power plant suitable for Navy ship service application. Other interests for the Navy are: high fuel efficiency, low overall life cycle cost (acquisition, operating and maintenance), high reliability, environmental impact, low signatures (thermal and noise), reduced weight and volume, definition of operating characteristics (start-up time, liimitations on duty cycle), and definition of support equipment required. Development of power conditioning is not within the scope of this BAA, however, the bidder must provide sufficient definition of the SSFC electrical characteristics to permit the Navy to determine the design requirements for power conditioning. If power conditioning is required to meet SSFC voltage requirements during phase II tests, commercial power conditioning equipment should be used. The operating voltage of the SSFC will be 450 Vac, 3 phase, 60 Hz per Mil_Std-1399, section 300. The SSFC must be capable of operating at zero net load, and must be designed to accept load application up to 100% rated power as well as load reductions from any operating point to zero net power. The SSFC needs to meet the following transient response requirements: (1) frequency deviation plus or minus 2% and plus or minus 5% maximum voltage deviation on application or removal of rated load, and (2) recovery in 1.5 seconds maximum time to return to and remain within 1% of steady-state frequency and voltage after deviation from application or removal of rated load. The impact of having an SSFC operating voltage of 4160 Vac, 3 phase, 60 Hz or 1100 Vdc shall be addressed in the design study. All interested parties are invited to submit one inclusive technical and cost proposal for the proposed effort (Phases I & II). The scope of the proposed design effort should include: trade-off analyses to define the basic SSFC design configuration(s); technical risk and growth capability, technology state-ofthe-art and anticipated modifications or development required for militarization and marinization; calculated SSFC performance; SSFC control/regulation system and prediction of the response of the SSFC to load changes (both load drops and load increases); exhaust emission levels; estimates of SSFC and support system dimensions and weight, as well as a schematic; estimated operating life; reliability and maintainability data; and SSFC development program schedule and estimated development, qualification, acquisition and operating and maintenance cost information. The proposal should include: 1) a technical approach which addresses the scope of the proposed design/research investigation; 2) a management approach with discussions on experience in the design and manufacture of fuel cell power plants, on experience of key personnel who will be assigned to the Phase I design/research effort and on design resouces and facilities to be used; 3) a detailed cost breakdown for the Phase I tasks, as well as a cost and schedule estimate for Phase II; and 4) the identification of risk areas and plans to retire the risks. Proposals received in response to this BAA will be evaluated based on technical merit and cost considerations in accordance with the criteria established herein through peer and scientific review by an evaluation panel experienced in the field of marine machinery. Proposal format should be: 8.5 x 11 inch paper, type size no smaller than 12-point (including type in graphics and charts) and printed on one side with sequentially numbered pages. Proposal evaluation shall be as follows (listed in descending order of importance): A) technical approach, B) management approach, C) the degree to which the design can be used in other marine applications, and D) cost realism and reasonablenss. The primary basis for selecting proposals for acceptance shall be technical, cost, importance to agencyprograms, and funds availability. Awards may be pursued on a case by case basis as program funding becomes available. The Navy reserves the right to select for award, any, part of, all, or none of the eventual proposals received. The contracts expected to be negotiated are cost plus fixed fee research and development services (CPFF R&D services). Other appropriate proposed procurement approaches will be considered. The Navy may act in concert with other Government agencies in the potential award and administration of any contracts emanating from this announcement. This BAA is an expression of interest only and does not commit the Government to pay any proposal costs related to this BAA or to make any contract awards. However, it is anticipated that two or more proposals will be funded for Phase I. The information presented herein for the Phase I design effort is for guidance purposes and does not mandate requirements or limit the offeror's ability to propose a wide variety of technical approaches to thiseffort. The date of closing for receipt of proposals is forty-five calendar days after this announcement date. Offerors should submit an original and four hard copies of the proposal and an electronic copy in Microsoft Word to Joseph Woerner, Code 824, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Annapolis Detachment, 3A Leggett Circle, Annapolis, MD 21402-5067. Questions concerning this announcement can be directed on (410) 293-2148. The Navy reserves the right to select for award, any, part of (0100)

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