7K20--NetApp SAN Storage Renewal for VA OIT VINCI

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Information Technology, awarded a firm-fixed-price delivery order under NASA’s SEWP V Governmentwide Acquisition Contract to Thundercat Technology LLC for the renewal of a NetApp C30 Storage Area Network (SAN) two-node storage array to support the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) SAS Grid at the Austin Information Technology Center. The solution includes 16 NVMe drive packs, four power supplies, cluster switches, cabling, racks, and required software such as NetApp ONTAP One and SnapMirror Cloud, with full integration into the existing proprietary infrastructure. The award was made on a sole-source basis under FAR 6.302-1(c) due to the unique technical dependencies of the VINCI system, which relies on NetApp’s proprietary software, source code, and automation scripts that no other vendor can replicate without risking operational disruption, compatibility loss, or costly migration efforts estimated at $4 million. The contract value is $560,901.94, covering the base system and a 12-month maintenance period with four additional 12-month option periods for continued support. Delivery is required within 30 days of order placement, and performance must occur at the Austin IT Center, with acceptance contingent on seamless interoperability with the current environment, including security controls and scripts. Support requirements mandate 24/7 hardware assistance with a four-hour on-site response time, non-returnable drive replacement, and NetApp SupportEdge technical services. The awardee is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and the procurement has been justified under 41 U.S.C. § 4106(c)(2) and FAR Subpart 16.507-7(b), confirming that competition is not feasible due to technical exclusivity. No formal inspection criteria, packaging standards, MIL-STD requirements, or invoicing procedures are specified, and the primary point of contact is Contract Specialist Richard Melton at the Technology Acquisition Center in Eatontown, New Jersey.