99 -- Brand Name Justification Nortel Alteon Network Load Balancer Hardware Products

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plans to procure ?brand name? Nortel-offered Alteon Network Load Balancer Switch hardware products to support existing Nortel switch infrastructure that is installed and in production for the USPTO?s PTONet infrastructure. This announcement is considered a ?brand name? justification. This acquisition will be conducted utilizing Part 13 of the FAR, Simplified Acquisition procedures, and the test program authorized in FAR subpart 13.5, and the Patent and Trademark Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG). The acquisition will be conducted utilizing existing Blanket Purchase Agreements for Information Technology products within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. USPTO has installed over twenty-five Nortel Alteon Load Balancers to support the PTONet infrastructure. The new hardware will be integrated in the existing Nortel switch infrastructure. It is essential that the USPTO acquire Nortel Alteon Network Load balancer hardware products to maintain the continuity of the network traffic and business processes and maintain compatibility. Purchase of different hardware will require additional engineering design and training, component testing, extensive lab testing, evaluations, updating Life Cycle Management documentation, and establishing new maintenance contracts, purchasing and maintaining a new spare parts inventory, and conducting training for Network Operations staff, etc. which will delay the mission critical project time and increase the costs beyond the budget limits. If you have questions regarding this notice, they may be addressed by email to Paul L. Brinckhaus at [email protected].