DOC NOAA Regional Connectivity to NOAA Research Network

The Government intends to negotiate a noncompetitive cost reimbursement type contract with North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) for the interconnection of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facilities in Asheville NC to NOAA Research Network or N-Wave. The noncompetitive contract shall be awarded for one base year of performance with four (4) one year option periods. The Government anticipates that the base performance period will commence on March 1, 2011 through February 28, 2012. The option periods, if exercised, are from March 1, 2012 through February 28, 2016. The total performance of this contract shall not exceed five (5) years. The NOAA Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) has engineered, configured and implemented a national Wide Area Research Network, also known as N-Wave, for interconnection of NOAA's high performance research resources and the NOAA scientific community as a whole. The intent of N-Wave, when fully implemented, is to provide a national network backbone for the interconnection of all NOAA research facilities. Key factors to, and the underlying infrastructure of, N-Wave are the fiber optic circuits, waves, access to national research networks (such as Internet2, National Lambda Rail) and the associated services provided by members of the research consortiums. The proposed contract action is to expand the connectivity of the N-Wave to the southern region of the United States centered in the Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina areas. Specifically, the NCREN will be required to perform the following tasks: 1. Provide connectivity of a 10G circuit from Ashville, NC to Raleigh, NC and from Asheville, NC to Charlotte, NC. Provide the management, design and guidance for capacity and capability expansion of the N-Wave. 2. Provide overarching market research and assessment of emerging networking services and technologies that may enhance the capabilities of the research consortiums and in particular NOAA's high performance research network. 3. Provide Engineering, technical, and management support services to maintain the established networks. In contracting with NCREN, NOAA leverages substantial research investment as a long standing member of multiple research consortiums. This proposed action will also enforce NOAA's commitment to current and future network access privileges granted through consortium "Indefeasible Right of Use" agreements (IRUs). Finally, NOAA's opportunity to enhance its leadership role in research is sustained through collaboration with federal agencies, labs, non-profit organizations, universities, libraries, and technology and information service providers throughout the United States. This notice is not a request for proposals. It is the Government's belief that NCREN is the only entity capable of meeting the requirements in the attached Statement of Work. Any potential sources with the expertise and required capabilities to meet these requirements may demonstrate its ability to meet the requirements stated above in duplicate no later than 15 calendar days from the date of the posting of this announcement. Any response must include sufficient information to allow the Government to evaluate its capability relative to the technical requirements stated herein. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement for competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within its discretion. Submit responses to Contracting Officer, Michael Blumenfeld, at michael.blumenfeld@noaa.gov. THIS NOT A SOLICITATION.