Slocum Glider Lithium Battery - Procurement Service - Sole Source

Oregon State University intends to contract for the provision of lithium batteries for Slocum gliders from Teledyne Instruments Inc. as a sole source because of the contractor being the single provide of the goods and/or services and the only provider able to meet critical parameters or timeframes to support the research and/or business needs of the university. Battery packs must meet the following minimum specifications to be compatible with OSU's Slocum G2 and G3 glider fleet: 1. Form factor: Must physically fit the Slocum glider battery bay (proprietary internal geometry designed and manufactured by Teledyne Webb Research). 2. Voltage: Must deliver the correct nominal voltage profile required by the Slocum vehicle electronics (14.4V nominal for standard lithium packs). 3. Chemistry: Primary lithium thionyl chloride (Li-SOCl2) cells, required for the energy density necessary to achieve mission endurance targets of 3-4 weeks at sea. 4. Communication interface: Must interface with the Slocum onboard battery monitoring system, which reads state-of-charge and health data via a proprietary Teledyne protocol. 5. Pressure rating: Must be rated for the operational depth range of the glider (200m for coastal units, 1000m for offshore units). 6. Certification: Must comply with IATA/DOT regulations for lithium battery transport as configured for glider deployment, with manufacturer documentation. 7. Compatibility: Must be qualified and approved for use in Teledyne Webb Research Slocum gliders per the manufacturer's specifications to maintain warranty coverage and operational support eligibility. Teledyne Instruments Inc, is the only supplier who can meet all of the required specifications needed. An entity may challenge this determination no later than the closing date indicated on the website. Challenges must be submitted to Cassandra Hurd by email at cassandra.hurd@oregonstate.edu.