RECOVERY - Network Operations Center (NOC) Support Services

RECOVERY Network Operations Center (NOC) Support Services for the Operation and Management of the NOAA Research Network IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS PROVIDED BY THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 (ARRA), PUBLIC LAW 111-5, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA), ACQUISITION AND GRANTS OFFICE (AGO), INTENDS TO ISSUE A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT TO INDIANA UNIVERSITY FOR NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTER (NOC) SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NOAA RESEARCH NETWORK. THIS IS A SPECIAL NOTICE. The Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has determined Indiana University is the sole source capable of performing the requirements necessary for support services from a vendor that has (1) extensive knowledge and experience in providing Network Operations Center (NOC) support for high performance research networks and (2) partnerships with the Regional Optical Networks (RON) consortiums. NOAA shall execute a sole source firm fixed price contract to Indiana University with the demonstrated ability of provide the required NOC Services characteristics (below) with a base period and four option years. The anticipated award date is on or about March 2, 2010. The NAICS code is 541513 - Computer Facilities Management Services. This Special Notice does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. Nor does this Special Notice constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise that any procurement action that may be issued for the Government's requirements related Network Operations Center (NOC) support for high performance research networks. The Department of Commerce (DOC) / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is undertaking efforts to design, engineer, build and operate a national-wide high-performance research network to interconnect NOAA research supercomputing facilities. NOC Services Characteristics Required Important characteristics of Network Operations Center Support services are further defined to require: A. 24x7x365 technical support of the NRN network for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 support levels. B. DOC/NOAA security-approved configuration management techniques to ensure optimal network operation and uptime characteristics C. Continuous monitoring of the operational status of the NRN, which is built on the I2 and NLR research networks. D. Analysis and optimization of the NRN network utilizing networking tools developed specifically for research and education networks. E. On-going visualization of NRN network status, for the purpose of analysis and optimization of data transfer F. Consultation on NRN design in order to optimize operation and to monitor services. The vendor must have a longstanding knowledge and experience within the national research networking community to provide the unique NOC services that are needed for the NOAA Research Network. Required Critical Elements for Performance Achievement Defined critical elements that are required for the NRN project within the strict time requirements: A. A well-established, longstanding working relationship with all Regional Optical Networks (RONs) cited for the NRN project. NOAA will be installing government networking equipment at various RON sites and upon successful installation, will need immediate operation and monitoring support. Preexisting RON relationships will meet this requirement, and interested parties should articulate their preexisting relationships with all Regional Optical Networks (RONs). B. A well-established, longstanding working relationship and technical involvement with Internet-2 (I2) and the National Lambda Rail (NLR), both of which will provide the communications backbone for NRN. The NRN will be built with government owned equipment, installed at RON sites, and interconnected via I2 and NLR networks to establish a NOAA private research network. Use and access to I2/NLR has stringent membership requirements. The proposed vendor must meet this requirement to currently provide NOC services for both I2 and NLR to a number of clients within the research and education community C. Immediate access and familiarity with RON facility collocation sites. The proposed vendor must currently provide the NOC services for the two US Academic Research and Education (R&E) WAN networks (I2 & NLR) as well as the trans-Pacific WAN (TransPAC2.) They must also provide NOC services for multiple RONs and GigaPops (AMPATH, CIC OmniPOP). This meets the strict timeline and research network experience needed by the NRN. D. Fully integrated and deployed custom monitoring and analysis tools that have been developed to address the specific requirements of the research networking community. The proposed vendor must have extensive integration, support, and NOC services supplied to I2, NLR, RONs and the Research Networking community as a whole, and they must have developed, proofed and deployed multiple network monitoring tool sets customized specifically to support R&E ultra-high speed networks such as PerfSonar. E. Nation-wide, consolidated research network operation and maintenance support. As stated in element three above, the vendor must have, and continues to provide critical NOC services for the key network resources that will be used to build NRN. In order to ensure that NRN operates as a highly available, stable flexible, R&E network, the NOC provider must be the binding agent of the independent individual entities. Because this network is integrated from multiple existing networks including I2, NLR, and the RONs the vendor must be uniquely suited to be the binding element to create a single working infrastructure out of separate networks. This existing relationship is mandatory to produce this binding agent within the time required to meet the deadlines of the project. F. Cost-effective NOC services that provide the best value to the Government. The I2, NLR, the many Regional Optical Networks, GigaPops, participating universities and government entities together make up a community whose main goal is to enable scientific research and education through the integration of these ultra-high speed data networks. The nature of this community is to collaborate, support, and leverage the community's collective talents to provide fiscally responsible networking services to promote their science and research objectives. Because the proposed vendor must be a part of this collaborative community and a not a commercial provider their services, NOAA anticipates services will be provided at a substantially lower cost than a vendor without this historical knowledge and relationship(s). Vendors who believe they can satisfy the Government's requirements are invited to submit an affirmative response. NOAA's HPC program requires a national, secure, low cost, low latency, highly stable and highly available 10GB per second fiber optic communication network to support its mission requirements. To be considered an affirmative response, vendors must submit written data and documentation which demonstrates an ability to operate and monitor NOAA's high-speed fiber optic National Research Network (NRN) supporting NOAA's high performance computing (HPC), video, voice and data communications. All responsible sources must submit a written narrative statement of capability including detailed technical information and other technical literature sufficient to permit agency analysis in order to determine a bona fide capability to meet the requirements contained in this Special Notice. A determination by the Government not to open the requirement for competition based upon responses to this notice is solely within its discretion. Affirmative responses must be received no later than noon Eastern Time on January 7, 2010. Any questions or responses regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via e-mail to the above e-mail address. Responses shall be e-mailed to contact@example.gov. THIS NOT A SOLICITATION.