IBM Servers, Storage, and Maintenance

Description(s): 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 being utilized for this acquisition. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED. This solicitation is a Request for Quotation (RFQ). This solicitation document and incorporated clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-40. 1352.215-73 INQUIRIES (MAR 2000) Offerors must submit all questions concerning this solicitation in writing to the Contract Specialist. They must be received no later than seven (7) calendar days after the date of this solicitation. All responses to the questions will be made in writing and included in an amendment to the solicitation. Offerors will be responsible for obtaining related amendments to this solicitation, if any, from www.fbo.gov. It is the responsibility of each potential offeror to monitor www.fbo.gov for any amendments or other information related to this solicitation. Any communications regarding this acquisition must be made in writing and forwarded via email to Divya Soni at contact@example.gov and shall identify the solicitation number, company name, company address, as well as point of contact email address and phone number. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 423430. This acquisition cannot be conducted as a small business set aside because there is no U.S. Small Business Administration waiver to the non-manufacturer rule for NAICS code 423430. This requirement is being competed under unrestricted full and open competition whereby IBM-authorized resellers/business partners will be the potential offeror base. APPLICABLE PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES FOR THIS SOLICITATION: The Following FAR provisions and clauses apply to this solicitation: FAR 52.212-1; FAR 52.212-3; FAR 52.212-4; FAR 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): 52.222-3; 52.222-19; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-36; 52.225-13; 52.232-33. All provisions and clauses viewed at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, does not apply to this acquisition because the user does not interact with the EIT product directly. The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) currently runs a production environment for the Commerce Business Systems (CBS) software suite, which provides core financial, personnel, property, and travel database and application support to NIST and the Department of Commerce Office of the Secretary. These applications are deemed critical to the operation of the agency. The NIST CBS environment consists of IBM p Series servers, and IBM AIX and HA/CMP operating environments. The IBM AIX operating environment requires hardware, microcode, and device drivers that are proprietary and only available from IBM. This requirement consists of the Contract Line Items below, as described in the attached spreadsheet. Quotations shall be tailored to the exact items listed. The Contractor shall provide: CLIN 0001: Power7 Server (configuration described in attached spreadsheet) CLIN 0002: Power7 Server (configuration described in attached spreadsheet) CLIN 0003: XIV Storage (configuration described in attached spreadsheet) The Contractor shall provide for all shipping, labor, cables, components, interfaces, hardware and software necessary to upgrade the CBS pSeries AIX HA/CMP platforms and obsolete SSA drawers. The new hardware and software must be covered by at least a 3 year, 24x7 IBM support/warranty. All existing media interfaces (network, etc.) hardware devices, software licenses, including HA/CMP licenses and component configuration information must be transferred to the devices. Existing components such as cabling, HMC's, and SFs, where feasible, may be reused. BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION: The NIST CBS environment currently consists of IBM p Series servers, and IBM AIX and HA/CMP operating environments. The IBM AIX operating environment requires hardware, microcode, and device drivers that are proprietary and only available from IBM. The capacity upgrade must adhere to the current architecture for compatibility; therefore only IBM p Series hardware and AIX operating environments are acceptable. All responsible offerors that are IBM-authorized resellers/business partners are invited to submit quotations in accordance with the instructions below. All products quoted must be in the IBM support database so that support must come from IBM personnel. ADDENDUM TO PROVISION 52.212-1 - QUOTATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (a) Submission of quotations. Submit signed and dated quotations to the office specified in this solicitation at or before the exact time specified in this solicitation. Quotations may be submitted in a Microsoft Excel document, company 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) The time specified in the solicitation for receipt of offers: May 5, 2010 at 12:00 pm EST; (4) Technical description of the items being offered in sufficient detail to evaluate compliance with requirements in the solicitation. Item MUST meet exact specifications as laid out in the description attached. This may include product literature, or other documents, if necessary; (5) Terms of any expressed warranty; (6) Price and discount terms; (7) "Remit to" address, if different than mailing address; (8) Acknowledgement of solicitation amendment(s); (9) FOB Destination based firm-fixed-price for each contract line item number, and any discount terms for those prices; (10)Evidence that the offeror is authorized by IBM to provide the required hardware and software, and that the products quoted are in the IBM support database and will be available for support by IBM personnel (11) 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. (c) 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. (e) 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. (f) Late submissions, modifications, revisions, and withdrawals of offers. (1) 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 Location: NIST 100 Bureau Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1000 EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD: The award will be made to the responsible authorized offeror whose technically acceptable quotation is deemed to represent the lowest price. Delivery due date: Within 30 days after Contractor acceptance of order.