Hardware and Software Maintenance for Hewlett Packard equipment

Notice Type: Notice of Intent to Sole Source to Hewlett Packard The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) intends to negotiate a sole source contract with Hewlett Packard for a service and maintenance contract. (we are hoping to use the Hewlett Packard GSA contract) The period of performance will be January 1, 2010 thru December 31, 2010. NTIS intends to enter into a sole source contract, under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253 c (1) only one responsible source, with Hewlett Packard Company, Bethesda, Maryland to perform hardware and software maintenace on Hewlett Packard equipment. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.5 - Test Program for Certain Commercial Items. This acquisition is being conducted under simplifed acquistion procedures (FAR 13). The NAICS for this requirement is 541511 and the FSC is 70. Our rationale for the sole source procurement is listed below: NTIS currently uses Hewlett-Packard (HP) workstations and servers in its IT Data Center. Request NTIS continues to use HP Engineers for the following reasons: - Third Party Maintainers (TPMs) cannot access, use or distribute SW in the contractual area legally without HP service coverage that is linked to the product experiencing the issue. This could put our environment at risk of additional downtime due to product failures. - TPMs can only support hardware; they may have problems diagnosing and resolving issues that involve multiple technology areas (e.g., Operating System software, networking). - TPMs do not have access to all the proprietary tools available to HP technicians and authorized resellers. These are the tools that can help reduce downtime and ensure expert repairs through quick identification of failures. - TPMs will not have the on-going training and information that HP engineers have. They would not know when new electronic tools are released and would not have the connection into HP specialist resources. - Some of NTIS' servers are HP9000 models. TPMs are not authorized by HP to support HP9000 and Integrity Servers, or high-end HP storage products. This means that HP is not - standing behind' any support they may deliver to these products. Maintaining exclusive use of HP Engineers preserves NTIS' investment in hardware, software, and peripherals. HP has developed unique and powerful tools to diagnose and fix problems quickly and completely, including: - Proprietary Diagnostics and tools - Extensive knowledge databases - HP Service Essentials, an industry-leading remote support solution that provides proactive monitoring, remote hardware event management and remote network access. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. However, interested firms may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Responses received by December 4, 2009 will be considered by the Government. A determination not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a non competitive procurement. Written responses to this synopsis are required to contain sufficent documentation to establish a bona fide capability to fulfill this requirement within the discretion of the Government. Information can be mailed to the Contracting Officer at Mscheuchenzuber@ntis.gov.