70 -- High Performance Computing System for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hereby announces its intention to initiate two separate acquisitions for acquiring advanced high performance computing systems (HPCS) to meet its (1) research and development (R&D) and (2) operational computing requirements. NOAA's goal is to acquire agency-wide high performance computing resources while providing the maximum return on investment and flexibility in the resulting contracts. Outstanding computational power is essential for NOAA to meet its strategic goals related to weather, air quality, climate, coastal and ocean resource management, and support for the Nation's commerce, thereby providing improved services to the Public. Formal acquisition activities are expected to begin within the next few months and continue through FY 2005 with system deliveries in FY 2006. The new HPCS will replace or augment the current performance computing systems of NOAA's Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL) in Boulder, Colorado; the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) in Princeton, New Jersey; and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) in Camp Springs, Maryland. It is estimated that NOAA will expend a minimum of $20 million per year for HPCS in support of R&D and a minimum of $18 million per year in support of its operational requirements. The contracts are expected to extend, with option years, at least though FY 2014. Interested vendors and system integrators should monitor FedBizOpps for formal announcements of opportunity to participate in these acquisitions. In addition, NOAA, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201, is interested in meeting with potential offerors, prior to release of the solicitations, to discuss any possible concerns with the proposed acquisition strategy, and other matters concerning these requirements. Please contact the contracting officer by email message to schedule such a market research meeting.