Amendment 005 Description.pdf

AMDTC-01419

Immersive Visualization Environment Upgrade for High Performance Computing and Visualization Research Amendment 005

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The purpose of this amendment is to respond to questions posed by prospective vendors and amend the draft specifications based on questions received and the Government’s responses. The following questions and responses are hereby provided:

Question 1: What is the power availability?

Response to Question 1: The Government will ensure that any required power parameters are included in any resultant solicitation. For the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, as part of vendors responses, vendors shall provide power requirements for its system.

Question 2: Please provide a list of software compatibility requirements.

Response to Question 2: Software compatibility requirements include Vrui, VRPN, FreeVR, ParaView, LidarViewer, OpenSceneGraph, and OpenGL.

Question 3: What is the height limit?

Response to Question 3: Reference Question 11 and the corresponding response to Question 11.

Question 4: How does the Government plan to use the dual view as compared to the single view?

Response to Question 4: The Government’s intent for the dual view system is so two users can collaborate using the same system.

Question 5: Are there any weight requirements on the raised floor of the laboratory?

Response to Question 5: Weight requirements for the raised floor of the laboratory are unknown at this time. The Government will ensure that any required weight parameters are included in any resultant solicitation. For the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, as part of vendors’ capability narratives, vendors shall specify the floor holding capacity required by the display and structure.

Question 6: Is the room fully temperature controlled?

Response to Question 6: Yes, the room is fully temperature controlled.

Question 7: Is there any classified information?

Response to Question 7: No classified information will be used.

Question 8: Would the Government consider including annual maintenance?

Response to Question 8: Annual maintenance is not required at this time.

Question 9: What/Why is the need for encapsulation?

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Response to Question 9: To protect the screen surfaces, and in particular the floor, which will be walked on.

Question 10: Could you please provide the rationale to change the NAICS from 334310 to 541519 from the original solicitation?

Response to Question 10: As documented within the Sources Sought Notice documentation, this notice is strictly for market research and information purposes only. Subsequently, this Sources Sought Notice is not a Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation. For the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, the anticipated NAICS code is 541519. However, if and when an official request for quotation (solicitation) is posted/released, the official solicitation will state the applicable NAICS code.

Question 11: Could you please clarify the vertical specification for the Wall Display System (both single and dual) as the Draft Specifications appears to be inconsistent?

Response to Question 11: The Government has corrected the Draft Specifications accordingly to reflect a vertical pixel count of a minimum of 2,000 pixels.

Question 12: The Sources Sought Notice asks for “A listing of at least three prior completed Linux- Based immersive visualization systems, which include multiple screen surfaces in differing spatial planes (i.e. tiling is insufficient) with minimal seams (3mm or less), and head and hand controller tracking. For each listing, vendors shall provide the following information -

Question 12a: Linux-based refers to the computer system and software system, both of which according to the Draft Specifications are NIST-supplied and not part of the Draft Specifications.

Could the Sources Sought Notice be amended to remove a requirement to provide past performance on items that are not part of the Draft Specifications?

Response to Question 12a: For the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, this requested submittal will remain as-is. As documented within the Draft Specifications, the vendor will be given the computer to install the provided software on. It is the vendor’s responsibility to ensure the provided system works with the required software listed herein. Subsequently, NIST is seeking information on vendors’ experience and capabilities in this area (i.e., Linux-Based immersive visualization systems) for market research purposes. Note that this information is being requested only for market research purposes in this Sources Sought Notice.

Question 12b: This describes a system that is identical to the system described in the Draft Specifications. However, during the site visit, it was stated by the Government that producing this system with LED display and multi-viewer stereoscopic vision was considered a new capability and would be the first application used by NIST. Therefore, the requirement to have three prior completed Linux-Based immersive visualization systems for this leading-edge system appears to be overly restrictive and may be only achievable by a single vendor. It is recommended that the past performance requirement, for both the Sources Sought Notice and the eventual RFQ, be changed to “projects of similar scope and complexity rather than the present requirement.

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Response to Question 12b: The Government will take this into consideration for any subsequent solicitation resulting from this Sources Sought Notice. However, for the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, the requested information will remain as-is. Note that this Sources Sought Notice is requesting this information for market research purposes only. Any submission requirements for any official request for quotation that may be released will be documented in the official request for quotation.

Question 13: The requirement described in this notice is essentially unchanged from the withdrawn RFQ 1333ND23QNB770595. That RFQ was a Small Business set aside, which means the government had a “reasonable expectation of obtaining offers from two or more responsible small business concerns.”

Does the Government still expect those SB firms to submit an offer? If so, why has the same requirement gone back to Sources Sought?

Response to Question 13: The previous referenced solicitation was cancelled in its entirety. The Government is now conducting additional market research to further refine its requirement and to assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method/strategy.

Question 14: What is the change that justified a cancellation of RFQ 1333ND23QNB770595 and return to a market survey?

Response to Question 14: The Government elected to cancel the referenced solicitation in its entirety and is now conducting additional market research in an effort to further refine its requirement . This Sources Sought Notice also provides Industry an opportunity to attend a site-visit that took place on January 26, 2024, to comment on the Government’s Draft Specifications associated with this Sources Sought Notice, and to provide relevant information regarding their capabilities to meet the anticipated requirement.

Question 15: Is the Government providing the computing capabilities?

Response to Question 15: Yes, the Government will provide the computing capabilities.

Question 16: Could you please confirm if this Sources Sought Notice is considered as a potential new requirement or is there an incumbent contract currently performing these services? If there are incumbent vendor(s), would you be able to provide the contract details (such as: Vendor Name, Contract Number, Award, and end dates, total contract value)? Lastly, is an estimated value available for the potential requirement?

Response to Question 16: This Sources Sought Notice is considered as a potential new requirement.

The most recent CAVE Automatic Visualization Environment full upgrade was performed by Mechdyne Corporation via Purchase Order SB1341-13-SE-0466. The total value of the aforementioned Purchase Order was $580,082.01. An estimated value of this potential requirement will not be provided.

Question 17: Is there a requirement for TAA compliancy?

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Response to Question 17: Any resultant solicitation will clearly identify all applicable terms and conditions.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.