National Laboratory of the Rockies Energy Systems Integration Facility High Performance Computing Request for Information

The National Laboratory of the Rockies, acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, is seeking market information to support the procurement of a next-generation high-performance computing system, designated ESIF-HPC-4, to replace the current Kestrel system at the Energy Systems Integration Facility in Golden, Colorado. The new system must deliver significant computational performance and capacity to meet mission needs between 2028 and 2032 while maintaining strict alignment with ESIF's dual objectives of energy efficiency and computational capability. Proposals must address comprehensive technical specifications covering compute architecture, AI-optimized storage with at least 50 petabytes of capacity and 100 gigabytes per second throughput, containerized development environments compliant with the Open Container Initiative, job scheduling systems, and robust security controls aligned with NIST SP 800-53, FedRAMP, CISA KEV, and ISO standards. System components must be durably labeled with unique identifiers, packaged with anti-counterfeit and tamper-evident measures, and delivered to the ESIF facility with clear coordination for installation, testing, and acceptance. The solicitation, identified as RFI-2026029603 and posted on May 5, 2026, with responses due by June 17, 2026, is structured as a market research initiative under a NAICS code of 334111 and does not constitute a formal contract award. Evaluation of responses will be based on a three-tiered requirement framework: TR-1 (mandatory), TR-2 (desirable), and TO-1 through TO-3 (optional technical options). Full compliance with TR-1 requirements is essential for responsiveness, while TR-2 and TO criteria serve as differentiators in a best-value trade-off evaluation that balances technical merit against cost. The system must achieve a 95% availability target, support accelerated computing and optimized mathematical libraries, and include detailed plans for maintenance, training, and knowledge transfer, with NLR retaining unlimited rights to training materials. Acceptance will occur on-site at ESIF following installation and testing, with security controls including endpoint detection integration, encrypted communications, configuration baseline enforcement, and media sanitization protocols. Although no formal contract clauses, funding codes, payment details, or award types are specified, the solicitation outlines a path toward a future prime contract with potential milestone-based, lease-to-own, or consumption-based payment structures