Flow 3-D Hydro Modeling Licenses

Notice of Intent: THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. It is a market research tool being used to determine the availability of other qualified sources that can provide the software and maintenance identified above. The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of this notice of intent. All responses received within 15 days of the posting of this notice of intent will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. to require the brand name for the software and maintenance based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determine whether to allow alternate system manufacturers. CONTRACTING AGENCY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Jacksonville District (SAJ), Contracting (CT), 701 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207 DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: 24 cores 1 solver instance tokens for the CFD software Flow 3-D Hydro DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES OR NATURE OF PROCUREMENT: This requirement is for the brand-name software Flow 3-Dimentional Hydro and its associated product maintenance and support. The product is particular to one manufacturer (Flow Science). The product allows the ability to research, create, and test water models as used by other USACE districts and our sponsors. AUTHORITY CITED: The statutory authority permitting other than full an open competition for this procurement is 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(1): "For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. (i) Contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization)." REASON FOR AUTHORITY CITED: Background: The Jacksonville District Water Management Branch currently performs 2-Dimentional analysis with HEC-RAS or ADH and is unable to collaborate on 3-Dimensional water models that are researched, created, and tested between AE Firms, water management divisions (WMD), other USACE districts, and our sponsors like the water management districts and local agencies. The software used is a specialized software that can only be procured from the original creator and publisher of the software. This software will allow Water Management Branch and its team members an effective and time efficient way for producing high-quality water models for currently and future assigned projects as well as giving us the ability to share these models between other USACE districts and our sponsors who utilize this software as their go to water-modeling solution. Justification: This requirement is for the brand-name software Flow 3-D Hydro and its associated product maintenance, support and training. This software product is particular to one manufacturer (Flow Science). Key Salient Characteristics: Must have inoperability with the existing models that our sponsors and other USACE districts use. Other USACE Districts like Sacramento, Portland, Pittsburg and Walla Walla currently own Flow 3-D Hydro license and use it in many of their computational fluid modeling (CFD) projects and structure designs. Must be user friendly and non-complex to operate by novice users. Complex software is defined to be suitable for well-seasoned senior expert modelers with training to effectively use the software. The software must be streamlined (simplified) for hydraulic structures and problems. This simplified software will not include a variety of modeling options for complicated applications such as heat transfer. The software is streamlined to speed up computation speed and 3-D simulation. The requirement for the software is to compute and complete a simulation in a manner of hours not days. OpenFOAM model software is recommended by the USACE community of practice (CoP) because it's free. ERDC is currently developing a more user-friendly interface to use in conjunction with OpenFOAM platform for hydraulic applications but will not be available for at least a year. The software is highly complex and difficult to operate, especially for beginners and younger users. It is not streamlined (simplified) for hydraulic structures, therefore, currently not widely use in hydraulic problems because is intended to be used in other fields such as heat transfer. This software platform requires additional support and purchase of other software tools to process data during pre- (model input) and post-processing (results) phases. Software must not require purchasing other supporting software tools to run simulations for processing inputs to accept AutoCAD or other CAD inputs as well as post-processing simulation results. This software is widely used by AE firms, USACE districts, sponsors, and local agencies due to its easy-to-use operability by beginner or experienced modelers. The software is streamlined (simplified) for hydraulic structures model simulations and provides reliable results very quickly. Flow 3-D Hydro usability is very similar to HEC-RAS, which many of current employees use with relatively ease. Therefore, it will facilitate the coordination of reviews and sharing of information of water models with AE firms submitting 3-D models as a deliverable as well as project sponsors like the water management districts. Submit any inquiries within 15 days of the posting of this notice of intent via email to: chad.d.manson@usace.army.mil.