70 -- SSA SEEKING SOURCES FOR COTS SOFTWARE PACKAGE(S)

Notice Date

July 19, 2001

Contracting Office

Social Security Administration, Deputy Commissioner for Finance, Assessment and Management, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21207-5279

ZIP Code

21207-5279

Solicitation Number

071901

Response Due

August 6, 2001

Point of Contact

Cynthia Spencer, Contract Specialist, Phone 4109653369, Fax 4109659560, Email cynthia.spencer@ssa.gov -- Wayne Mcdonald, Contract Specialist, Phone 4109659480, Fax 4109659560, Email wayne.mcdonald@ssa.gov

Description

This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. When responding to this announcement, respondents should refer to NS Elite S/W 071901. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is seeking sources for a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) emulation package(s) to 1) directly replace NS-Elite 3.12.02 and 2) to support SSA migration to a thin-client emulator. The term "thin client" refers to a workstation that uses browser-based emulation, meaning the software is downloaded from the browser, not installed on the workstation itself. The term "fat client" refers to a workstation that has the emulation code installed on it. The reference to "3270" cited below is a generic term for a display on a PC for showing information on the host system; i.e. in SNA, a logical connection between two network addressable units that can be activated and deactivated as requested, such as a session between a mainframe and a PC. The reference to "5250" cited below is another such generic terms for display stations and printers designed to connect to an AS/400 system. The product(s) sought by SSA must support the following salient 3270 and 5250 Fat and Thin Client characteristics as specified: 1) be "Certified for Windows 2000? and carry corporate commitment for Windows 2002 certification; 2) non-native Telnet client support for 3270 and 5250 (client/server); 3) include web-based software to implement: ActiveX automation objects, Object Linking and Embedding Data Base (OLEDB) and ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) database access support; 4)File Transfer (5250 and 3270) capability for IND$file and standard capabilities; and 5)support (TelNet) TN3270, TN3270E, TN5250 and TN5250E and support of TN3270 and TN5250 Print (client/server). The COTS emulation package(s) must support the following salient 3270 and 5250 Fat Client salient characteristics: 1)Systems Network Architecture (SNA) emulation needs including native node support for SNA PUT2.0 and PUT2.1; 2)provide Transaction level security by using pin and password; 3)APPC/LU6.2 transaction (conversation) security allowing programmatic insertion of authentication credentials (pin and password) by use of standard CPIC Verbs; 4)APPC/LU6.2 (Dependent LU and Independent LU) functionality including: session-level (aka BIND) and conversation-level (aka transaction) security; programmatic insertion of authentication credentials (pin and password); programmatic selection of at least 14 desired Partner LUs and dynamic pairing to choice of Local LU; 5)3270 (display and print) (all model types ? 2,3, 4, and 5) for mainframe, and 5250 (display and print) for AS/400; 6)support APPC/LU6.2 Dependent LU (WICS and ESI) including the CPI-C API calls implemented by SSA in-house developed applications; 7)single session APPC/LU6.2 dependent logical units for applications that must employ the Customer Information Control System (CICS) auto-install facility for workstation connectivity; 8)API support must include EHLLAPI, WHLLAPI extensions, and CPIC (complete set of API calls) as well as toolbox facilities for testing verb sets; 9)support ILU and 255 DLU protocol independent (5250, 3270, and APPC) sessions on a single LLC SAP; 10)all 3270 and APPC native SNA services (e.g., ILU and 255 DLUs) concurrently on a single LLC SAP (e.g., SAP=3D04), and must support multiple 5250 sessions concurrently to multiple AS/400 hosts; 11)have the ability to run all protocol sessions simultaneously; 12)have the ability to configure and save a table of 10 remote PLUs (partner) which can be dynamically paired with either of two LLUs; 13)multiple 5250 sessions concurrently to multiple AS/400 hosts; and 14)provide the ability to control Users' access to diagnostic and administrative tools, which could be used to compromise security parameters (such as: PIN and Password, bind password, etc.). The User Fat Client must have the ability to configure a locally attached printer, support network printing and support Print screen capability with respect to inverse field attributes (such as: passwords). The COTS emulation package must have following User (Fat and Thin Client) salient characteristics: 1)Power Key Pad -- the ability to support the extended terminal keys (including PF13-24, attention keys, the full 3270 key set functionality, etc.) via the mouse and keyboard; 2)the ability to write and run Macros including the following: record, play, and edit functionality of macros; support assignment of macros to keystrokes. Must have presentation capture capability used for ?demo-playback;?3)support Cut/Copy/Paste using the Windows Clipboard. This ability must be configurable; 4)menus and commands must be keyboard accessible; 5)the ability to: import/export all settings programmatically through a GUI; 6)the ability to create, modify, save and distribute keyboard-mapping files (must include all EBCDIC and ASCII character sets); 7)the ability to Set User Defined Color Changes and save them in a file (as opposed to the registry); 8)the ability to configure cursor (shape, character, reverse video, blink rate, etc.) and save changes to a file (as opposed to the registry); 9)the ability to scale font and point size for optimal results when window resized, whereby changes may be saved to a file (as opposed to the registry); 10)the printer session must be dynamically configurable; 11)provide the ability for multiple users of same workstation to save color, cursor, font, keyboard mapping, etc. preferences; and 12)have the ability to toggle between full screen capability and a smaller window. The COTS emulation package(s) must encompass the following Section 508/EWD Compliant Fat and Thin Client features: 1)any mouse action and or toolbars must have a corresponding keyboard equivalent; 2)help screens must have keyboard access to the help text itself; 3)have a status line that is in text format (non-iconic representation of status); 4)support GDDM vector graphics; and 5)support mouse commands in graphics mode. Furthermore, SSA is seeking a Product with the following Fat and Thin Client Software Distribution and Maintenance features: 1)must have diagnostics functionality with the ability to limit byte size and provide ability to control Users' access to diagnostic and administrative tools; 2)must have the ability to create and modify keyboard-mapping files that can be saved and distributed. Support must include all EBCDIC and ASCII character sets; and 3)the product must be capable of preserving settings and users preferences during product upgrades. Responses should be submitted to the address cited at the beginning of this RFI. FAXED RESPONSES SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED. This is not a request for quotations or an announcement of a forthcoming solicitation. Requests for copies of a solicitation in response hereto will not be honored or acknowledged. The Government does not intend to pay for information provided in response to this announcement. Respondents should refer to NS Elite S/W 071901.

Web Link

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Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010723/70SOL007.HTM (D-200 SN50S3S6)