Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 14, 2011 FBO #3519
SOURCES SOUGHT

D -- RFI-Thin Client/Zero Client/Ultra-Thin Client

Notice Date

7/12/2011
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

Contracting Office

4301 Pacific Highway Bldg OT4 Code 02, San Diego CA 92110-3127
 

ZIP Code

92110-3127
 

Solicitation Number

SPAWAR_Headquarters_MKTSVY_9562E
 

Response Due

9/30/2011
 

Archive Date

10/15/2011
 

Point of Contact

Point of Contact - John H Windom, Contract Specialist, 202-433-7317
 

E-Mail Address

Contract Specialist
(john.windom@navy.mil)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

The Space and Naval Warfare SystemsCommand (SPAWAR) in support of the Naval Enterprise Networks (NEN) Program Management Office (PMW- 205) / Next Generation Enterprise (NGEN) is seeking industry comments on thin, ultra-thin, and zero client end user devices capable of supporting Department of the Navy (DON) requirements, afloat and ashore that may be applicable to supporting Department of the Navy (DON) requirements. An RFI requests responses from Industry solely for information and planning purposes. An RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future, and an RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to the RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested partys expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website and the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central website at https://e- commerce.spawar.navy.mil. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. General background information on the Next Generation Enterprise Network can be located at the publicly accessible website: http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/PEOE IS/NGEN/NGEN/Pages/NGENReferenceLib rary.aspx The DON has established a goal of reducing its non-tactical information technology (IT) or Business IT budget by 25%. To achieve this goal, the Department needs industrys best thoughts and ideas on appropriate and effective enterprise implementation of thin, ultra-thin, and zero client end user devices. The DON currently deploys several commercially procured end user devices to meet demands of the personnel and organizations that support the majority of its warfighting support (Business IT) requirements. These end user devices perform a broad spectrum of functions, including Command and Control (C2); Intelligence Community Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED); Administrative; Legal; and the other Business and Information Technology requirements of the fleet in direct support of mission requirements. The vast majority of the end user devices currently fielded by the DON are thick clients that deliver computing capabilities required to support naval missions, but they also require an extensive support framework to ensure continuity of operations. As the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN), a key component of the Naval Networking Environment (NNE), transitions to a cloud-based computing delivery model, all DON applications and databases will be analyzed, as part of an ongoing DON Portfolio System Rationalization effort. The results of the rationalization effort will be used to identify computing capabilities within the portfolio that have the greatest potential to transition to thin, ultra-thin and zero client architectures, with the intent of achieving the associated improvements in security, continuity of operations and reductions in supporting infrastructure. The vast majority of the DON systems and computing capabilities fielded in the future must be able to operate in a cloud computing/shipboard virtualization environment. This DON strategy makes the fielding of thin, ultra-thin, and zero client end user devices a desirable option for a potentially large number of users within the Naval Network Enterprise (NNE) of the future. Since many of the existing networks are limited in band-width, the vendor should address these considerations as part of this RFI. End user devices issued to naval personnel must support the following capabilities: o Fully comply with the latest version of the Department of Defense Unified Capabilities Requirements2008, Change 1. o Use Open Standards - All components of the offering should adhere to open standard best practices to ensure interoperability o Be capable of supporting Intelligence Community imagery and heavy graphics requirements o Two-factor Authentication Enforcement (or allow enforcement of) two-factor authentication, including DoD Common Access Card (CAC)/DoD Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) integration. o A thin, ultra-thin, or zero client that is lost or stolen must not present an Information Assurance or cyber-security risk. For the purposes of this RFI a zero client must comply with the following key tenets; any end user device that does not meet the specifications below shall be classified as a thin or ultra- thin device: o Plug-and-Play - The device must be a true plug-and-play appliance, capable of working "out of the box" without the need for any administrative intervention. If the installer has to do anything more than plug it in; connect the keyboard, mouse and monitor; record a serial number; and place an asset tag, is not considered plug and play. o Zero Variation - A factory- fresh zero client must do more than just work. It must, from the moment it first boots, be functionally identical to every other similar device it shares a network with. The ability to ship a device pre-configured would not qualify a device for zero client status either, as the administrative overhead of ensuring that the correct configuration is available at time of shipment can be just as burdensome as configuring it once it arrives onsite. o Zero Configuration - Once powered-on, a zero client must be able to join a network, identify and enumerate all compatible desktop/presentation virtualization environments and connect to them without further configuration. o Zero impact updates - If updates are ever needed to support new functionality or address bugs, updates must be made without any impact to users and must not impact end user operations. o Zero touch updates - If updates are ever needed to support new functionality or address bugs, updates must occur across the network without the need to engage support personnel, regardless of where the device is installed. o Low update frequency - If updates are required they should only be needed to provide additional functionality or bug fixes. Frequent security patching either scheduled Patch Tuesday style or otherwise is not acceptable. o No driver updates - It should not be necessary to install device drivers to support locally attached peripherals. o The DON is interested in whole or severable (partial) solutions. The DON will entertain mitigation or alternative solutions to include security and may trade some requirements for total cost reductions. The Department is also aware that in order for thin, ultra thin and zero state client architectures to function efficiently, back end communications, processing, storage, archiving, etc. capabilities must be enhanced. Discussion about these factors when deploying thin, ultra thin and zero state client architectures should also be part of your discussions. Vendors with For Official Use Only (FOUO) access should consult the following reference documents: Department of the Navy Networking Capabilities Based Assessment, 22 October 2010, Appendix A Department of Defense Unified Capabilities Requirements Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES), and Next Generation Network (NGEN) System Design Specifications Interested parties are requested to respond to this announcement by providing questions or suggestions to the documents. All submissions should be in Microsoft Word for Office 2003 or a compatible format and are due no later than 12 August 2011. Responses shall be submitted via e- mail only to NGEN Procuring Contracting Officer, CDR John Windom, at NGENPWS_NGENPWS@bah.com Responses to this announcement shall include the following: a. Name, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail of designated point of contact; Proprietary information WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. The Government intends to use various military and civilian Navy and Marine Corps personnel in reviewing and evaluating any responses to this announcement. The DON contracts with each company include the appropriate organizational conflict of interest and nondisclosure agreements. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted by e- mail to the Contracting Officer, at john.windom@navy.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Any Government answers, responses and/or comments will be posted to the NGEN Reference Library. Accordingly, questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/SPAWAR/SPAWARHQ/SPAWAR_Headquarters_MKTSVY_9562E/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: 1325 10th Street SE Bldg. 196 Suite 301, Washinton DC

Zip Code: 20374
 

Record

SN02496485-W 20110714/110712235334-2c8e243d6c24800c140d288cc49bbf32 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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