Award Notice- Apple Hardware

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FAR SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. FAR PART 13, SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES, ARE UTILIZED IN THIS PROCUREMENT. THIS ANNOUCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation is a request for quotation. The solicitation document incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-46. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 423430- Computer and Computer Peripheral Equipment and Software Merchant Wholesalers. This requirement will be competed as a total small business set aside under the corresponding size standard of 500 employees. The Government anticipates the award of a fixed price purchase order to the lowest priced, technically acceptable offeror that is a small business under the applicable size standard. The Following FAR provisions and clauses apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1 52.212-3 52.212-4 52.212-5, including 52.222-50, 52.233-3 and 52.233-4 in paragraph (a) (1), and the following fill-ins in paragraph (b): 52.219-6, 52.219-28, 52.222-3, 52.222.19, 522.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.225-13 and 52.232-33. The full text for the applicable FAR clauses and provisions can be found at the following link: https://www.acquisition.gov/far/html/FARTOCP52.html The following CAR provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition: 1352.201-70 Contracting Officer's Authority 1352.209-73 Compliance with the Laws 1352.239-71 Electronic and Information Technology The following standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply to this acquisition: 1194.26: Desktop and portable computers 1194.31: Functional performance criteria 1194.41: Information, documentation and support Description of Requirement: The mission of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Software Reference Library (NSRL) is to provide date for use in computer forensic investigations to national, state and local law enforcement. The data provided is derived from software which the NSRL stores in a repository. As a result of software acquisitions over several years, the NSRL now possesses one of the largest known repositories of software applications. The core of the NSRL computational infrastructure needs to be replaced as it is end-of-life, and its capabilities expanded to keep pace with increasing demand. This requirement is for the purchase of a hardware platform with similar functionality to that of the current system, which is built around Apple Xserve servers with an Apple XSAN storage area network. The attached document entitled "List of Requirements" details exactly what is required by NIST. Offerors shall quote submit quotations in accordance with this attachment. In order to be technically acceptable, an offeror's submission must be in accordance with the attachment. Brand Name Justification for Apple hardware with the required specifications: As stated earlier, this purchase is for a hardware platform similar to that of the current system, which is built around Apple Xserve servers with an Apple XSAN storage area network. The current system embodies approximately 9 staff years of NSRL-specific programming. NIST also has well-established methods and policies for local and remote system administration in place for the current systems which are easily adapted to cover new Apple systems without the learning curve involved in mastering new procedures and software, and without the burden of ongoing side-by-side operation of parallel systems administration regimens. If NIST were to purchase components of a hardware platform other than Apple, NIST staff would endure the burden of training to implement new procedures and software, and also the operation of two separate, parallel systems administration regimens. Additionally, the specification for NVIDIA graphics cards on the Apple Xserve servers is required because Apple does not offer specifications with any other graphics cards on these particular servers. Therefore, NVIDIA graphics cards are required. As the discipline of computer forensics advances, NIST stakeholders require NIST to perform ever more complex manipulations on the NSRL software data repository. The current system is not well-suited for these requirements. Modern compatible hardware will allow NIST to meet the demands of their stakeholders. The required products are available through authorized resellers/business partners of Apple. ADDENDUM TO PROVISION 52.212-1 - QUOTATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (a) Submission of offers. Submit signed and dated offers to contact@example.gov. Offers must be received by December 29, 2010 at 12:00 pm EST. Offers must be submitted on letterhead stationery, or as otherwise specified in the solicitation. As a minimum, quotations must include- (1) The solicitation number; (2) The name, address, and telephone number of the offeror; (3) Evidence that the offeror meets the small business size standard of 500 employees. (4) Evidence that the offeror is an authorized reseller/business partner of Apple and NVIDIA products. (5) The time specified in the solicitation for receipt of offers; (6) Technical description of the items being offered in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with requirements in the solicitation. Offerors must demonstrate that their solution meets each of the specifications/requirements detailed in the attachment entitled "List of Requirements." It must be clear on the face of the quotation that the solution includes each of the specified components. (7) Evidence that the proposed solution is compliant with the applicable Section 508 standards. For more information on Section 508, please visit www.section508.gov. Reference CAR clause 1352.239-71. (8) Price and discount terms; (9) "Remit to" address, if different than mailing address; (10) Acknowledgement of any solicitation amendment(s); (11) FOB Destination based firm-fixed-price for each of the two CLINs listed in the attachment and any discount terms for those prices; (12) Include a statement specifying the extent of agreement with all terms, conditions, and provisions included in the solicitation. Quotations that fail to furnish required representations or information, or reject the terms and conditions of the solicitation may be excluded from consideration. (b) Period for acceptance of offers. The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 30 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers, unless another time period is specified in an addendum to the solicitation. (c) Multiple offers. Offerors are encouraged to submit multiple offers presenting alternative terms and conditions or commercial items for satisfying the requirements of this solicitation. Each offer submitted will be evaluated separately. (d) Late submissions, modifications, revisions, and withdrawals of offers. (e) Offerors are responsible for submitting offers, and any modifications, revisions, or withdrawals, so as to reach the Government office designated in the solicitation by the time specified in the solicitation. If no time is specified in the solicitation, the time for receipt is 4:30 p.m., local time, for the designated Government office on the date that offers or revisions are due. (2)(i) Any offer, modification, revision, or withdrawal of an offer received at the Government office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers is "late" and will not be considered unless it is received before award is made, the Contracting Officer determines that accepting the late offer would not unduly delay the acquisition; and- (A) If it was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation, it was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of offers; or (B) There is acceptable evidence to establish that it was received at the Government installation designated for receipt of offers and was under the Government's control prior to the time set for receipt of offers; or (C) If this solicitation is a request for proposals, it was the only proposal received. (ii) However, a late modification of an otherwise successful offer, that makes its terms more favorable to the Government, will be considered at any time it is received and may be accepted. (3) Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the Government installation includes the time/date stamp of that installation on the offer wrapper, other documentary evidence of receipt maintained by the installation, or oral testimony or statements of Government personnel. (4) If an emergency or unanticipated event interrupts normal Government processes so that offers cannot be received at the Government office designated for receipt of offers by the exact time specified in the solicitation, and urgent Government requirements preclude amendment of the solicitation or other notice of an extension of the closing date, the time specified for receipt of offers will be deemed to be extended to the same time of day specified in the solicitation on the first work day on which normal Government processes resume. Delivery shall be FOB DESTINATION. Delivery shall be within 30 days of award. All quotes shall be submitted so that they are received no later than 12:00 pm EST on December 29, 2010 at contact@example.gov. Faxed quotes will not be accepted. Evaluation Factors for Award: The Government anticipates awarding a fixed price purchase order to the lowest priced/technically acceptable offeror. In order to be technically acceptable, an offeror must meet all of the requirements detailed in this solicitation, including compliance with each of the requirements/specifications from the List of Requirements attachment.