The US Department of Defense is making its biggest bet yet on lithium. The Defense Logistics Agency has posted a solicitation for up to 16,167 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate, with a contract ceiling of $300 million over five years.
It marks the first time the US government has pursued large-scale strategic stockpiling of lithium under the National Defense Stockpile.
What the Pentagon is actually buying
The solicitation, numbered SP8000-26-R-0021, targets approximately 16,167 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate. That works out to roughly 35.6 million pounds of the stuff over a five-year contract period.
The contract has a guaranteed minimum of just $1 million, with the $300 million figure representing the ceiling. Bids are due by July 17, 2026, and the DoD will use a lowest-price technically acceptable evaluation model.
