Communication services from MAX Gigapop (MAX)

The contract solicitation, identified by number 75N98026Q00256 and titled "Communication services from MAX Gigapop (MAX)," seeks a firm fixed-price award for high-speed network services to support the National Institutes of Health’s research infrastructure. The core requirement is the provision of 10 Gbps dedicated connectivity via Internet2, eRA.MAX.DirectConnect, Equinix cross-connects, and direct links to major cloud platforms including Azure, OCI, and AWS. Services must ensure 24x7 availability with a minimum of 99.9% uptime, continuous monitoring, prompt incident response, and weekly maintenance notifications. All data must be stored within the Continental United States, encrypted using HHS-approved mechanisms, and comply with FedRAMP security baselines, FIPS 199 categorization, NARA records management standards, and Privacy Act requirements. Performance is centered in Bethesda, Maryland, with key interconnection points in Chandler, Arizona, Ashburn, Virginia, and Dallas, Texas, supporting NIH Institutes, the National Library of Medicine, and CIT/NBS cloud systems. The base performance period runs from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2027, with options for additional services to be exercised via contract modification. The solicitation is issued under the NAICS code 517111 with no set-aside, and award will follow a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) process, where only technically compliant quotations are eligible and selection is based solely on the lowest price. Offerors must submit complete responses via email to Teferi.Gebremariam@hhs.gov by the deadline of April 28, 2026, including their UEI, CAGE code, taxpayer identification number, business size designation, and remit-to information. Submissions must demonstrate full compliance without exceptions and include detailed pricing for each of 12 CLINs, though all pricing fields remain TBD until award. Critical contractual requirements include adherence to far-reaching security clauses, such as HHSAR 352.224-71 for confidentiality, 352.239-71 and -77 for IT security and cloud computing, and 352.239-78 and -79 for accessibility and ICT standards. All FAR and HHSAR clauses are modified or extended with deviation dates as of November 20