Feasibility Evaluation Of Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battery Technology To Determine Acceptability For Use In Nuclear Facilities

THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) is issuing this Sources Sought Synopsis as a means of conducting market research or as a market survey to determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, and labor for the Regulatory Requirements and Feasibility evaluation of Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) battery technology to determine acceptability for use in nuclear facilities. Specific activities include: (1) expertise and familiarity with the use of VRLA batteries in nuclear applications (direct current [dc] power system);(2) Familiarity with implementation plans for Small Modular and Advanced Reactors to implement the use VRLA batteries; (3) expertise with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standards 535, 1187, 1188; (4) In depth understanding of the types, failure mechanism, operation, and limitations of VRLA batteries; (5) understanding of the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission’s regulatory requirements for dc systems vital loads; and (6) familiarity with the operations of battery management systems and condition monitoring methods. Services are to be provided to the NRC in Rockville, Maryland. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services.THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for sources and vendor information does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. The purpose of this announcement is to provide potential sources the opportunity to submit information regarding their capabilities to perform work for the NRC free of conflict of interest (COI). For information on NRC COI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation Subpart 2009.5 (http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/contracting/48cfr-ch20.html).All interested parties, including all categories of small businesses (small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses) are invited to submit a response. The capabilities package submitted by a vendor should demonstrate the firm's ability, capability, and responsibility to perform the principal components of work listed below. The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed.Organizations responding to this market survey should keep in mind that only focused and pertinent information is requested. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged.BACKGROUNDNRC staff has reviewed the NuScale Design Certification Application (DCA) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) applications. Both NuScale DCA and MIT applications employ the use of VRLA batteries. Additionally, the NRC staff is currently reviewing NuScale Standard Design Application. The reliability, capacity, and capability of VRLA batteries has not been ascertained to make a reasonable confidence finding. Manufacturer or vendor data could demonstrate the capacity, capability, reliability, failure rates, and assessments of design and service life of VRLA batteries in standby applications. Furthermore, data from other industries (i.e. military, renewables, telecommunications, etc.) could be leveraged to assess the suitability of VRLA batteries in standby applications.Significant aging mechanisms are those that progressively and appreciably render the equipment vulnerable to failure to perform its safety function(s). According to IEEE Standard 535-2022, the objective of qualification for Class 1E service is to demonstrate that the vented lead-acid (VLA) batteries and racks will perform their required Class 1E function throughout their qualified life. Currently, only VLA batteries are included in the scope of IEEE 535 (i.e. VRLA are not within the scope of IEEE 535).IEEE Standard 1187,” IEEE Recommended Practice for Installation Design and Installation of Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid Batteries for Stationary Applications,” and IEEE Standard 1188, “IEEE Recommended Practice for Maintenance, Testing, and Replacement and Installation of Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid Batteries for Stationary Applications” provide additional information on VRLA batteries. The NRC is considering endorsing these standards in a Regulatory Guide, and this research could inform the guidance.For VRLA batteries the cell containers are sealed, and refilling is not a normal maintenance activity. Therefore, if left uncorrected hydrogen evolution at the negative plates, can cause water loss, which results in loss of electrolyte volume, additional internal heat production, increased acid concentration, and negative plate sulfation, which impacts both discharge capacity and service life.Currently, there are two primary methods used to immobilize the electrolyte inside VRLA cells: GEL battery and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. In GEL battery the electrolyte is distributed around the cell plates and separators and prevented from flowing by adding a gel thickening agent. In AGM battery, a highly porous and absorbent glass fiber mat separate the plates and keeps electrolyte in contact with them. Both GEL and AGM battery are recombinant batteries. This means that the oxygen normally produced on the positive plates of all lead acid battery is absorbed by the negative plates. Water (H2O) is produced as a result of the recombination.Design life is the service period the manufacturer expects the battery to operate for the specified operational conditions (i.e., cycles, depth of discharge, temperature, seismic vibration, etc.). Service life is the actual time from the installation of the VRLA battery until it is removed from service. Service life is usually shorter than the design life. Battery service life is usually determined through a complex qualification process to determine performance metrics to provide reasonable assurance that the battery can perform its safety function in a specific application while it is installed in a nuclear power plant.The qualification program also provides valuable information for the establishment of a surveillance program for assessing the overall health of the battery with limits for determining when a battery replacement is warranted. Depending on the operational conditions, the service life can be significantly shorter than the design life. It has been shown in other industries that when properly applied and maintenance performed the VRLA battery can remain in service for the majority of its design life.CAPABILITY SOUGHTThe vendor must provide a team of key personnel that as a whole possess the following qualifications:In depth knowledge of the regulatory requirements associated with the dc power systems ant nuclear facilities.In depth knowledge of the implementation of VRLA batteries in standby applications in nuclear and non-nuclear sites.Familiarity with the implementation of VRLA batteries in the designs of small modular and advanced reactors.Understanding of current protocols to qualify lead acid batteries (IEEE Standard 535)In depth understanding of the failure mechanisms that affect both VLA and VRLA batteries.In depth understanding of the VRLA specific failures mechanisms.In depth knowledge and understanding of effective condition monitoring methods that can be employed to track the life of VRLA batteries.Understanding of the environmental factors that affect the life of VRLA batteries.Vast knowledge of the proper installation, operation, and maintenance requirements for VRLA batteriesHOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICEIf your organization has the capability and capacity to perform, as a prime contractor, one or more of the services described in this notice, then please respond to this notice and provide written responses to the following information. Please do not include any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information in the response, and do not submit a proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.Organization name, address, emails address, Web site address and telephone number.What size is your organization with respect to NAICS code identified in this notice (i.e., "small" or "other than small")? If your organization is a small business under the aforementioned NAICS code, what type of small business (i.e., small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, 8(a), or HUBZone small business)? Specify all that apply.Although no geographic restriction is anticipated, if responding organizations are located outside the Washington Metropolitan area (Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia), indicate how the organization would coordinate with the NRC program office located in Rockville, Maryland to provide the support services.Separately and distinctly describe which of the required capabilities listed above that your organization possesses and indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, thorough description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, indication of how they differ from the required capabilities described in this notice, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.Separately and distinctly describe your organizations past performance in the areas described above under the above section, Capability Sought. Please indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, detailed description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.For any federal customers that your agency has for the required capabilities, indicate how your company complies with applicable environmental laws and Federal regulations (See NRC’s Green Purchasing Plan at: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1219/ML12191A130.pdf).Indicate whether your organization offers any of the required capabilities described in this notice on one or more of your company's own Federal Government contracts (i.e., GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract or Government wide Acquisition Contracts) that the NRC could order from and, if so, which services are offered. Also, provide the contract number(s) and indicate what is currently available for ordering from each of those contract(s).Provide a standard, non-proprietary commercial price list or similar standard non-proprietary commercial pricing information for how your company sells, as a prime contractor, required capabilities described in this notice that your organization has experience providing. Also, indicate what is included in that pricing.Is your organization currently performing or have in the past performed same or similar services as those listed above for any of the licensees regulated by the NRC? If so, which licensees? See http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/licensing.html for more information on NRC licensing.Has your organization previously faced organizational conflict of interest issues with NRC? If so, what were they and how were they mitigated or resolved?Interested organizations responding to this Sources Sought Synopsis are encouraged to structure capability statements in the order of the area of consideration noted above. All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to Emarsha Whitt, at emarsha.whitt@nrc.gov, either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), on March 5, 2024, by 5:00 PM EST.DISCLAIMER AND NOTES: Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s potential capability and capacity to perform the subject work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.