HC108418R0001_Amend_0005.pdf

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print)

30-105-04EXCEPTION TO SF 30

APPROVED BY OIRM 11-84

STANDARD FORM 30 (Rev. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.243

The purpose of this amendment is to make the follow ing RFP revisions:

A. Section J, List of Documents, Exhibits and Other Attachments. Updates w ere made to Exhibit B-1 ESS III Storage Price Model; all revisions are highlighted in yellow .

B. Section L, Instructions to Offerors. Updates w ere made to Attachment L-2 Questions & Answ ers Template to add a response from the

Government to Contractors questions.

C. Section M, Evaluation Factors for Aw ard. Updates w ere made to Attachment M-5 Offeror Technical Specif ications; all revisions are highlighted in yellow .

D. Proposal due date of October 11, 2018 w ill remain unchanged. The Government reserves the right to reject any further questions.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE PAGE OF PAGES

J 1 3

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

16C. DATE SIGNED

BY 26-Sep-2018

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA15C. DATE SIGNED15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

(Signature of Contracting Officer)(Signature of person authorized to sign)

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (No., Street, County, State and Zip Code) X HC108418R0001

X 9B. DATED (SEE ITEM 11)

11-Oct-2018

10B. DATED (SEE ITEM 13)

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NO.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

X The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offer is extended, X is not extended.

Offer must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended by one of the following methods:

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted;

or (c) By separate letter or telegram which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE

RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY RESULT IN

REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by telegram or letter, provided each telegram or letter makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA (If required)

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS.

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE

CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.) SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(B).

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER (Specify type of modification and authority)

E. IMPORTANT: Contractor is not, is required to sign this document and return copies to the issuing office.

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

10A. MOD. OF CONTRACT/ORDER NO.

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NO. 5. PROJECT NO.(If applicable)

6. ISSUED BY

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

26-Sep-2018

CODE

DISA/DITCO-SCOTT-PL84

2300 EAST DRIVE

SCOTT AFB IL 62225

HC1084 7. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than item 6)

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NO.

CODE

See Item 6

FACILITY CODECODE

EMAIL:TEL:

HC108418R0001

SECTION SF 30 BLOCK 14 CONTINUATION PAGE

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

SECTION J - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

The following have been modified:

LIST OF EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBITS /

ATTACHMENTS

DESCRIPTION

Exhibit B-1

ESS III Storage Price Model - (Revised September 26, 2018)

Attachment C-1 Performance Work Statement (PWS) - (Revised September 18, 2018)

* Appendix 1 - Equipment Inventory

* Appendix 2 - Enterprise Management Products

* Appendix 3 - Facilities Rack and Power Details

* Appendix 4 - Technical Assistance and Consulting Services

* Appendix 5 - Call Order Template Sample

* Appendix 6 - DISA Non-Disclosure Agreement

* Appendix 7 - Electronic Product List

* Appendix 8 - Mainframe Licensing and Enterprise Backup Software

* Appendix 9 - Risk Management Framework (RMF) and Software

Security Requirement

* Appendix 10 – Minimum Support Requirements

* Appendix 11 – Performance Thresholds

Attachment C-2 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Attachment C-3 DD Form 254 – Contract Security Classification Specification

Attachment C-4 Republic of Korea SOFA Contract Clause

Attachment C-5 Japan SOFA Contract Clause

Attachment L-1 Section L-Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents -

(Revised September 18, 2018)

Attachment L-2 Question & Answer Template - (Revised September 26, 2018)

Attachment L-3 Past Performance Information Sheet Format

Attachment L-4 Subcontractor/Teaming Partner consent Letter for the Release of Past

Performance Information to the Prime Contractor

Attachment L-5 Subcontractor Plan Review Checklist

Attachment M-1 Section M: Evaluation Factors For Award

Attachment M-2 Sample Task Order List - (Revised September 11, 2018)

Attachment M-3 Self-Certification Checklist - (Revised September 18, 2018)

Attachment M-4 Self-Certification Letter - (Revised September 04, 2018)

Attachment M-5 Offeror Technical Specifications - (Revised September 26, 2018)

(End of Summary of Changes)

Sheet1

Amendment 0001

1 PWS 6.3.4 To comply with this requirement, please provide a detailed list of communication and server infrastructure in the infrastructure in which the Contractor's solution should seamlessly operate. Communications requirements are listed in PWS section 5.3.2 (IP) and server requirements are in PWS section 5.3.1. All other connectivity is detailed in minimum requirements of Appendix 10.

2 PWS 12.8 Is Government responsible for performing sanitization and destruction? If not, who will be responsible for the sanitization and destruction if the Government is retaining the media? PWS has been updated.

3 PWS 12.8 Does Government retain drives after sanitization is complete? PWS has been updated.

4 PWS 12.8 Will Government consider adding a SLIN to allow Contractor to recover the cost of media destroyed IAW DoD and DISA Security guidance? PWS has been updated.

5 PWS 12.8.2 If the media is retained by the Government (reference paragraph 12.8) from whom would the Government request a sampling of the sanitized media? If the Government selects the vendor, please provide the negotiated cost supplied to the government by the vendor. PWS has been updated.

6 PWS 15 There is no mechanism for Contractor to recover the overhead cost for additional storage hardware and associated license fees for systems ordered by the Government regardless of existing multitenancy storage capacity already being in place. Will Government consider adding a base controller/array SLIN to the B-Table? If there is no way for Contractor to recover these costs, the price per TB to the Government will necessarily be inflated to cover the overhead cost of partially populated single tenant arrays. B-Table has been updated.

7 PWS 5.3 To comply with this requirement, please provide a detailed list of processor and communications devices in the infrastructure in which the Contractor's solution should seamlessly operate. Communications requirements are listed in PWS section 5.3.2 (IP) and server requirements are in PWS section 5.3.1. All other connectivity is detailed in minimum requirements of Appendix 10.

8 PWS 5.3.1 Is compatibility with "any operating environment the Government may require" limited to those citations from the RFP? The Government has listed what is currently supported in PWS section 5.3.1.

9 PWS 5.3.3 Unclassified and Classified environments have radically different needs in terms of scale, access and ability to troubleshoot any issue. To reduce overall cost to the Government, would the Government consider separate pricing for classified and unclassified environment? No. Pricing for all classifications will be equal. Only CONUS/OCONUS pricing will be separate.

10 PWS 5.8 New generations of hardware usually mean new generations of software. Industry best practices allow for the product to mature prior to adoption. Is the latest generation required even if the contractor determines it may not meet the availability requirements? PWS has been updated.

11 PWS 5.8 In order to enable compliance with PWS 5.8, would the government please define the follow terms used in this requirement: “solution generation;” and “same relative position.” PWS has been updated.

12 PWS 5.8 This PWS section could be interpreted as a requirement for the contractor to continuously upgrade all installed instances of the storage solution “as storage technologies advance.” Is this interpretation correct? If so, what is the timeframe in which the contractor must complete the upgrade? PWS has been updated.

13 PWS 5.8 Please confirm that PWS 5.8 only applies to the “hardware” portion of the solution as indicated by its terms. PWS has been updated.

14 PWS 5.8 At the time of award, how will the Government establish and communicate the “position” of hardware for the storage solution to the Contractor so that the Contractor may monitor each OEM solution roadmap and position during performance? PWS has been updated.

15 PWS 5.9 In this context, what is intended by "Performance Drive" as opposed to a "Large Capacity Drive, if all drives are considered "high-speed, non-spinning, low-latency storage"? B-Table has been updated.

16 PWS 5.9 Will Government consider changing this requirement such that only Enterprise storage solutions are required to utilize non-spinning disks? Storage solutions such as those required for Bulk, NAS, Backup, Archive, Storage as a Service (Object) and Virtual Tape typically leverage spinning disk technology. Requiring only non-spinning disks for these solutions may limit competition and drive up the cost to the Government exponentially. PWS has been updated.

17 PWS 6.1 Given that Section 6.5.1.2 Subtask 5.1.2 - Workload Performance states that "If the Contractor provided solution is not meeting the performance requirements of the systems utilizing the resources, the Contractor shall provide an acceptable solution at no additional cost to the Government within 30 calendar days after the Government’s determination that the Contractor’s solution is not meeting the performance requirements." Is it reasonable to require any workload to run on any SLIN or SLIN configuration given this caveat? PWS has been updated.

18 PWS 6.1 How does Government define "scalable to...decreases"? When the Government submits call orders to decrease capacity it must be able to be removed without any disruption to storage services.

19 PWS 6.1 Due to the ambiguity of non-standardization of performace reqs of multiple OEMs in industry, please define how DISA intends to measure the specifications equally. The Government will rely on the OEM specifications of each solution to determine if and when a performance threshold is breached.

20 PWS 6.1 If a solution breaches an OEM performance threshold, is there process for remediation? If a solution breaches an OEM performance threshold, the Government will work with the Contractor to determine the root cause. If the results of this troubleshooting determine that the solution itself will not meet performance requirements, the Contractor will be responsible for providing an agreed upon solution to remediate the performance problems.

21 PWS 6.1 Will the government provide workload definitions so that the Contractor can meet the performance requirements? This information will allow Contractor to more accurately price the solution. PWS has been updated.

22 PWS 6.1 Will the government confirm that a single point in time does not constitute a breach? Will the government change the requirement "at any time" to a "sustained period exceeding 10 minutes"? PWS has been updated.

23 PWS 6.1 What is Government's definition of "data integrity"? Ability to maintain non-corrupted data.

24 PWS 6.1 Given that there are many licensed features that may not be required by Government, does Government intend to have all optional features offered by the OEM priced into the SLIN solution? Not all licensed features will be required for all solutions, however, the price of any license required by the Government must be included in the base price SLIN.

25 PWS 6.1 Potential conflict with "6.5.1.2 Subtask 5.1.2 - Workload Performance" where the contractor is held responsible if a provided solution is not meeting the performance requirements of the systems utilizing the resources. If the Government selects a SLIN that is inappropriate for the workload, should the contractor be held responsible? SLINs have been added for base solutions.

26 PWS 6.1 How does this work for solutions without a specific STIG at the commencement of the contract? All solutions without a specific STIG will still be required to conform to the Storage Area Network STIG.

27 PWS 6.1 Given that "The Government reserves the right to use any SLIN or SLIN configuration from the contract B-table for any customer workload or any category of existing or future workload", how can the Contractor be held responsible for a solution that breaches a manufacturer's performance threshold if DISA chooses to place a workload on a SLIN that is not appropriate for the workload's usage? SLINs have been added for base solutions.

28 PWS 6.1 Given that "The Government reserves the right to use any SLIN or SLIN configuration from the contract B-table for any customer workload or any category of existing or future workload", how can the Contractor be held responsible for preventing data integrity on a solution for which the Government's workload was not intended? SLINs have been added for base solutions.

29 PWS 6.1 Given that "The Government reserves the right to use any SLIN or SLIN configuration from the contract B-table for any customer workload or any category of existing or future workload", this conflicts with the Contractor's ability to adhere to OEM best practices. Please clarify how Contractor can meet this requirement if Government chooses a SLIN or SLIN configuration that is in conflict with OEM best practices for a given workload. SLINs have been added for base solutions.

30 PWS 6.1 Are Contractors restricted to bidding products which have published STIGs? All solutions without a specific STIG will still be required to conform to the Storage Area Network STIG.

31 PWS 6.1 Must all available licensed features of a product be included in the SLIN base unit price, even if the feature or features are not required for compliance/performance? Not all licensed features will be required for all solutions, however, the price of any license required by the Government must be included in the base price SLIN.

32 PWS 6.1.1 Performance is dependent on workload, can the Government provide the workloads for each application running to ensure the manufacturers specifications will meet this requirement? PWS has been updated.

33 PWS 6.1.1 Given that "The Government reserves the right to use any SLIN or SLIN configuration from the contract B-table for any customer workload or any category of existing or future workload", how can the Contractor be held responsible for preventing service disruption on a solution for which the Government's workload was not intended? SLINs have been added for base solutions.

34 PWS 6.1.1 Given the placement in 6.1.1 this requirement covers all the primary storage solutions including SAN switching. During replacement of a failed SAN edge switch or core blade, or even SFP or cable, it is not possible to avoid dependence on an external solution, such as host multipathing, to prevent disruption of service. This is probably the case for storage solutions based on a TCP-IP transport as well. In order to adhere to the requirements, will the Government either remove the "hardware replacement, or troubleshooting" part, or otherwise place it where it can be met? PWS has been updated.

35 PWS 6.1.1.8 Will the government provide the dedicated network bandwidth to meet these requirements? The Government will provide all IP network connectivity.

36 PWS 6.1.4.2 Are there any specific requirements for the barcode labels? Barcode requirements will be provided when an order is submitted.

37 PWS 6.10.2.2 What level of certification is required for Contractor employees? The Contractor must be certified to maintain the hardware and software solutions provided.

38 PWS 6.10.2.2 Is Contractor prohibited from bidding hardware and software for which no official certification is offered by the OEM? No. However, the Contractor employees will still be required to have training on all hardware and software provided.

39 PWS 6.12.1 This statement appears to make this a storage systems contract, not a capacity contract. Since the Government has the right to order a new storage system when required capacity may be available on an existing array, will there be a SLIN for a storage system? B-Table has been updated.

40 PWS 6.12.1 There is no mechanism for Contractor to recover the overhead cost for additional storage hardware and associated license fees for systems ordered by the Government prior to the full provisioning of any existing storage system at that location. Will Government consider adding a base controller/array SLIN to the B-Table? If there is no way for Contractor to recover these costs, the price per TB to the Government will necessarily be inflated to cover the overhead cost of partially populated arrays. B-Table has been updated.

41 PWS 6.12.1 This requirement is in conflict with multiple sections of the PWS, such as section 3 Background ("DISA’s mission requires cost effective storage capacity available for rapid deployment at capabilities at DISA-owned and other approved storage locations"), section 4 Objective ("is priced on a utility (as used) basis for the total lifecycle of the contract"), and section 6.1 TASK 1 - Storage Solutions and Capabilities ("The Contractor shall provide storage capacity that is scalable to adjust to increases and decreases in required workload."). Does the government expect this to be a more cost-effective capacity-based contract or higher-cost systems-based contract? This contract is a performance-based capacity contract.

42 PWS 6.12.1 Is Government required to order additional hardware to maintain an optimal level of performance according to the OEM best practices? SLINs have been added for base solutions. All solutions must be capable of meeting PWS requirements.

43 PWS 6.12.1 If Government is not required to order additional hardware to maintain an optimal level of performance according to the OEM best practices, is Contractor absolved from the requirement to provide an acceptable solution at no additional cost to the Government if the solution ordered does not meet the performance requirements of the system utilizing the resources? SLINs have been added for base solutions. All solutions must be capable of meeting PWS requirements.

44 PWS 6.2.3 Can a contractor’s site be a Government designated location for new technology testing? Yes, a Contractor's site may be used for new technology testing.

45 PWS 6.2.4 Will government amend the call order if the OEM changes its best practices? SLINs have been added for base solutions. All solutions must be capable of meeting PWS requirements.

46 PWS 6.2.4 Coordination to achieve immediate publication is more expensive to the government. Will the government consider availability within 10 business days? PWS has been updated.

47 PWS 6.2.6 "And/Or" is ambiguous. Will the government clarify the request expecting the higher cost in-person training or the lower-cost virtual training? Is "in-person and/or virtual" at the discretion of Contractor? In-person or virtual training is at the discretion of the Contractor.

48 PWS 6.2.6 How many hours of training are required to be considered an expert level? How many hours of training are required to be considered an intermediate level? This information is required to provide accurate pricing. Number of hours of training will be based on OEM requirements.

49 PWS 6.21 Will the contract awardee be required to have its own storage facility? If not, can this be negotiated through a government-approved, third party service provider included in the utility charges of off-site Tape/Media requirements? Off-site tape requirements may be negotiated through a Government-approved third party service provider as long as all requirements are met.

50 PWS 6.21.2 Will the contractor-provided vehicle be required to be dedicated for use only for this contract? Instead, can the vehicle be provided by a third party service provider and used in accordance with the regulations set in this contract, but also for other government customers when not in use by this contract? Off-site tape requirements may be negotiated through a Government-approved third party service provider as long as all requirements are met.

51 PWS 6.21.5.2 Must this contractor facility be owned by the contract awardee? Instead, can it be outsourced to a third party service provider? Off-site tape requirements may be negotiated through a Government-approved third party service provider as long as all requirements are met.

52 PWS 6.3.2 What is the Government's technical definition of "interoperable and compatible"? Compatibility or "coexisting" is a lower bar than interoperability. Interoperable implies a two-way communication and/or exchange of data. PWS has been updated.

53 PWS 6.3.4 In order to enable compliance with PWS 6.3.4, would the government please define the follow terms used in this requirement: operate seamlessly, optimize bandwidth. PWS has been updated.

54 PWS 6.4.2 Will the government provide a cross-domain solution between NIPR and SIPR to meet the requirement for a single SRM solution? No. NIPR and SIPR must remain separate.

55 PWS 6.4.2 Must the SRM solution monitor any systems or solutions that are on contract yet not billed per raw TB, such as switch ports? Yes, the SRM solution must be able to monitor all storage solutions provided, including switch ports.

56 PWS 6.4.2 If the SRM solution must monitor systems or solutions that are on contract yet not billed per raw TB, given that there are no assurances of any minimal capacity quantities to generate SRM cost-recovery revenues, how can Contractor be certain to recover SRM costs? Cost-recovery is provided through the SRM SLIN.

57 PWS 6.4.2.1 Will the Government please identify which categories of storage will be included under the SRM solution? This information is needed to accurately price the solution. From PWS section 6.4.2. "The Contractor shall provide a single integrated SRM solution to provide business process and lifecycle management, which fully sustains all storage services, provided under this contract and maximizes the integration with the Government’s current installed inventory."

58 PWS 6.4.3 What is the Storage Centralized Resource Management requirement and how does it differ from Centralized Management and Storage Resource Management? PWS has been updated.

59 PWS 6.5.1 Are "options to deliver" a required priced item? If so, please update Exhibit B-1 ESSIII Storage Price Model.xlsx with location of where/how to price. PWS has been updated.

60 PWS 6.5.1 Please provide examples of latency caused by any contractor-provided solutions and examples of what would be considered latency introduced by causes not of contractor-provided solutions fault (ex: VM with application error causing CPU which in turn causes unexpected latency within a LUN). Hardware or software failures on Contractor solutions that result in delayed response would be some examples of contractor-provided solution latency. Hardware or software failures on Government applications that result in delayed response would be some examples of non-contractor-provided solution latency.

61 PWS 6.5.1 Please provide us with a comprehensive list of applications and the latency requirements of each application? The Government utilizes many commercial and government off the shelf products in its environment, as well as customized applications. Due to the complexity a comprehensive list of applications cannot be provided. Latency thresholds have been provided in PWS Appendix 11.

62 PWS 6.5.1 Will the government define the exact time that is considered “sustained”? PWS has been updated.

63 PWS 6.5.1 How will the government provide verification that the servers and applications are configured according to storage OEM best practices? The Government will utilize the provided OEM best practices documentation to verify servers and applications are configured appropriately.

64 PWS 6.5.1 How will the government provide verification that the servers and applications have current drivers according to storage OEM best practices? The Government will utilize the provided OEM best practices documentation to verify servers and applications are configured appropriately.

65 PWS 6.5.1 How will the government provide verification that the servers and applications have multipathing configured according to storage OEM best practices? The Government will utilize the provided OEM best practices documentation to verify servers and applications are configured appropriately.

66 PWS 6.5.1 How and where (at what place in the storage path) is this measured? This will be measured at the server and application level.

67 PWS 6.5.1 Will the Government provide the Contractor the latency thresholds for production applications? PWS has been updated.

68 PWS 6.5.1 Instead of "components must remain online", will the government amend the requirement to state "solution must remain online"? Individual components may be offline during maintenance while the redundant system/solution continues to serve data. PWS has been updated.

69 PWS 6.5.1 Will "application degradation" be measured using the same metrics and under identical conditions used by OEMs to advertise their performance? PWS has been updated.

70 PWS 6.5.1 What defines acceptable latency versus unacceptable latency? PWS has been updated.

71 PWS 6.5.1 In a multi-tenet solution, can the Government provide a formula that determines the percentage of array availability for a single application outage? Availability is defined in PWS section 6.5.1.

72 PWS 6.5.1 Is “loss of data access” due to “hardware/software failure” entirely limited to the on-contract hardware and software? Yes, this is limited to solutions provided in this contract.

73 PWS 6.5.1.2 OEM documented performance specifications are typically built using single workload examples that are favorable to provide maximum numbers. OEM documentation typically lists performance "up to" meaning that if all these same conditions exist. Does the government expect multi-tenant, multi workload environments to meet such specifications, or within single tenant single workload environments that have been tested, verified, and documented by the OEM? PWS has been updated.

74 PWS 6.5.1.2 Manufacturer's published performance is based on specific workloads for which a number of parameters must be taken into account, such as Block Size, Read/Write Ratio, Access Patterns, Working Set Size, IO Rate Unit of Measure, and Demand Intensity. Given that Government states in section 6.1 Task 1 that "The Government reserves the right to use any SLIN or SLIN configuration from the contract B-table for any customer workload or any category of existing or future workload." how can bidder guarantee that the actual workload performance will not fall below the manufacturer's published performance which was based on a specific workload? PWS has been updated.

75 PWS 6.5.1.2 Will the performance requirements for each application of the systems utilizing the resources be identified prior to a call order being placed? PWS has been updated.

76 PWS 6.5.1.2 Does Government intend to measure workload performance using identical metrics and identical conditions to those used in manufacturer's documented performance capabilities? PWS has been updated.

77 PWS 6.5.1.2 If Government does not intend to measure workload performance using identical metrics and conditions to those used in manufacturer's documented performance capabilities, what method will Government use to measure workload performance? PWS has been updated.

78 PWS 6.5.1.2 OEM document performance specifications are typically built using single workload examples that are favorable to provide maximum numbers. OEM documentation typically lists performance "up to" meaning that if all these same conditions exist. Does the government expect multi-tenant, multi workload environments to meet such specifications, or within single tenant single workload environments that have been tested, verified, and documented by the OEM? PWS has been updated.

79 PWS 6.5.1.2 What are the performance requirements of the systems utilizing the resources provided in each solution category? We need this to ensure proposed solutions can satisfactorily meet this requirement. PWS has been updated.

80 PWS 6.5.1.2 Most manufacturers don’t release performance numbers. What criteria will be used if the manufacturer doesn’t release these numbers. If the released numbers are theoretical numbers, will the contractor be able to document their own numbers? The Contractor is free to document their own performance metrics, however all solutions must meet the latency and response time requirements listed in PWS Appendix 11.

81 PWS 6.5.1.2 If the performance requirements of the systems utilizing the resources increase after the call order for storage is placed, is the Contractor still responsible for providing an acceptable solution at no additional cost? SLINs have been added for base solutions. All solutions must be capable of meeting PWS requirements.

82 PWS 6.6.2 Please clarify the definition of RFU in section 15.14 (Delivery, installation, power-up, configuration, and functional turnover of a solution from the Contractor to the Government) to be “power-up configuration” and not just “final configuration” PWS has been updated.

83 PWS 6.7.7 Sections 6.7.7 and 6.7.7.2 appear to contradict each other. Does new technology have to be added within 6 months of availability or upon EOL of an existing solution? PWS has been updated.

84 PWS 6.7.7 Under what circumstances would the Government determine to refresh technology that has not reached end of support and why? Does this refer to equipment under a call order or does this refer to a SLIN refresh? PWS has been updated.

85 PWS 6.7.7 It appears that the Contractor could be required to "update existing hardware" soon after deploying a solution. How can offerors be assured that hardware placed on contract will remain on contract to recover the cost? PWS has been updated.

86 PWS 6.7.7.2 EOL and becoming unsupportable is different than end-of-sale. Could the Government please clarify the requirement? PWS has been updated.

87 PWS 6.7.7.2 Please explain the rationale for technology advances to be lower in price since there is generally an higher cost to advances in technology. PWS has been updated.

88 PWS 6.7.7.2 Disk drive technology, specifically as described in 5.9 Disk Drives, can result in price increases due to a variety of factors such as a natural disaster causing a worldwide shortage. Can the per TB cost to the Government increase in these situations? PWS has been updated.

89 PWS 6.7.7.2 When disk drive technology advances, the cost per Terabyte to purchase new technology is not always lower than the cost per Terabyte of a technology it is replacing. Will Government consider changing this requirement? PWS has been updated.

90 PWS Appendix 1 Government has identified existing Mainframe Enterprise Storage capacity as less than 1 PB of RAW storage which appears to represent less than 5% of total Enterprise storage requirement, yet Government is requiring all Enterprise Block Storage solutions to support mainframe. Requiring mainframe support on all Enterprise Block storage solutions, the price to government will be unnecessarily inflated. Will Government consider creating a separate storage SLIN for mainframe storage? No. The Government requires Enterprise Block Storage solutions to meet all requirements listed.

91 PWS Appendix 10 Will Government consider changing “32GB” requirement to “32 Gb” to allow compliance with requirement? PWS has been updated.

92 PWS Appendix 10 Will Government consider changing “32GB” and "64GB" requirement to “32 Gb” and "64 Gb" to allow compliance with requirement? PWS has been updated.

93 PWS Appendix 10 Will Government consider changing “32GB” requirement to “32 Gb” to allow compliance with requirement? PWS has been updated.

94 PWS Appendix 10 Will Government consider changing “32GB” and "64GB" requirement to “32 Gb” and "64 Gb" to allow compliance with requirement? PWS has been updated.

95 PWS Appendix 10 Will Government consider changing “32GB” requirement to “32 Gb” to allow compliance with requirement? PWS has been updated.

96 PWS Appendix 10 Market research indicates that there is currently no product available that is compliant with all requirements, specifically item "g" and "n" on the same array, for the Enterprise Block Storage Solution in Table A10-1. Will Government consider changing “32GB Fibre Channel” requirement to “16 Gb Fibre Channel” to allow bidders to offer a compliant solution? PWS has been updated.

97 PWS Appendix 10 If SSD is the only tier required, why is dynamic tiering required? PWS has been updated.

98 PWS 6.9 The advances in VoIP services and cell phone technologies are making toll-free numbers obsolete. Request the Government remove the "toll-free" requirement. The Government requires all phone numbers to be free from charges, thus the toll-free requirement.

99 SSP L-1 Requirement states the offeror's proposal must include a scanned copy of the signed cover page (Section A) and of Sections I and K of the solicitation (as described in L.2.4.b). What is expected of the offeror for Section I Contract Clauses in order to be returned with the proposal? Section I includes clause(s) that the offeror must fill in, sign, and return with their proposal.

100 SSP L-1 Volume instructions identify Self-Certification Checklist (Attachment M-2), Self-Certification Letter (Attachment M-3), and Offeror Technical Specifications (Attachment M-4). There is a discrepancy in the attachment numbering. Please confirm that the Self-Certification Checklist is Attachment M-3, the Self-Certification Letter is Attachment M-4 and Offeror Technical Specifications is Attachment M-5. Attachment L-1 Section L-Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents and attachment M-1 Evaluation Factors For Award was revised to correct the attachment numbering discrepancy. The Government confirms that the self-Certification Checklist is Attachment M-3, the Self-Certification Letter is Attachment M-4 and Offeror Technical Specifications is Attachment M-5.

101 SSP L-1 L.3.1 Narrative Summary is not listed on Table L.1 - Proposal Organization. Does the Narrative Summary have a page limit? An entry for a Narrative Summary with a 1-page limit was added to Table L.1 under Amendment 0001.

102 SSP L-1 The term “assumptions” could include information provided about the offeror’s approach consistent with the requirements of the solicitation, especially when the solicitation is silent in a particular area and the offeror is merely clarifying its approach. Can the Government please clarify what it means by “assumptions” in L.9.1.8? Assumptions are an offerors unvalidated belief or guess. Any assumptions offerors may have regarding the requirements within this solicitation should be clarified during the question and answer period. Offerors may include information consistent with the terms of the solicitation to clarify their pricing solution in the 'Offeror Technical Specifications' (Attachment M-5).

103 SSP L-1 The term “assumptions” could include information provided about the offeror’s approach consistent with the requirements of the solicitation, especially when the solicitation is silent in a particular area and the offeror is merely clarifying its approach. Can the Government please clarify what it means by “assumptions” in L.2.7? Assumptions are an offerors unvalidated belief or guess. Any assumptions offerors may have regarding the requirements within this solicitation should be clarified during the question and answer period. Offerors may include information consistent with the terms of the solicitation to clarify their pricing solution in the 'Offeror Technical Specifications' (Attachment M-5).

104 SSP L-1 Pricing notes could include information submitted by the offeror entirely consistent with the terms of the solicitation where the offeror is merely clarifying its proposal. Can the Government please clarify what it means by “pricing notes”? Offerors may include information consistent with the terms of the solicitation to clarify their pricing solution in the 'Offeror Technical Specifications' (Attachment M-5).

105 SSP L-1 The term “assumptions” could include information provided about the offeror’s approach consistent with the requirements of the solicitation, especially when the solicitation is silent in a particular area and the offeror is merely clarifying its approach. Can the Government please clarify what it means by “assumptions” in L.6.2.1? Assumptions include belief/guess that is not validated. Any assumptions offerors may have regarding the requirement should be clarified during the questions and answers process. Offerors may include information consistent with the terms of the solicitation to clarify their pricing solution in the 'Offeror Technical Specifications' (Attachment M-5).

106 SSP M-2 Should Contractor assume that Total Multi-Tenant Front-End Throughput does not change due to growth? For the purposes of the Table M-1-4 evaluation, there is no change to Front-End Throughput.

107 SSP M-2 RAID 5 (7 + 1) may not be the appropriate RAID level to meet the performance requirement. Does table M-1-4 indicate that all Multi-Tenant Enterprise storage should be configured in a RAID 5 (7+1) configuration? For the purposes of the Table M-1-4 evaluation, all Multi-Tenant Enterprise storage should be configured in a RAID 5(7+1) configuration.

108 SSP M-2 Heading for the column in Table M-1-4 is TB of RAW Storage. Is the RAID configuration relevant? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

109 SSP M-2 Heading for the column in Table M-1-4 is TB of RAW Storage. Should contractor therefore assume that 100 TB of RAW storage is required regardless of RAID level? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

110 SSP M-2 Should Contractor assume that FC switch fabric port counts do not change due to growth? For the purposes of the Table M-1-4 evaluation, there is no change to switch fabric port counts.

111 SSP M-2 Is Storage Resource Management (SRM) required to be identified for this scenario to support the solutions in Table M-1-3? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

112 SSP M-2 Is Storage Resource Management (SRM) required to be identified for this scenario to support the solutions in Table M-1-2? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

113 SSP M-2 Are the Core and Edge fabric port counts in table M-1-1 intended to be inclusive of any ports required for storage arrays required to support the Multi-Tenant Enterprise, Single Tenant Enterprise and Enterprise Block Storage Asynchronous Replication solutions in the Datacenter A Operational Storage Environment? Quantities listed in Table M-1-1 are for evaluation purposes.

114 SSP M-2 If the switch fabric has not been sized appropriately, performance can be impacted. Are the Core and Edge fabric port counts in table M-1-1 required in addition to any ports required for storage arrays required to support the Multi-Tenant Enterprise, Single Tenant Enterprise and Enterprise Block Storage Asynchronous Replication solutions in the Datacenter A Operational Storage Environment? Quantities listed in Table M-1-1 are for evaluation purposes.

115 SSP M-2 The Government calling out a sole source requirement for IBM branded mainframe storage. Will Government consider changing "Mainframe IBM" to "IBM mainframe FICON compatible" for consistency with PWS? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

116 SSP M-2 Will Government consider providing a more granular breakout of front-end throughput required by server type so Contractor can provide a more accurate design for Multi-Tenant Enterprise? See requirements listed in Table M-1-1.

117 SSP M-2 Will Government consider providing a more granular breakout of front-end throughput required by each tenant so Contractor can provide a more accurate design for Single-Tenant Enterprise? See requirements listed in Table M-1-1.

118 SSP M-2 Can government clarify if the Physical and Virtual systems referenced in table M-1-1 Single Tenant Enterprise represent servers? Multi-Tenant Enterprise indicates Physical and Virtual Servers, so it is not clear if these are intended to be server counts, array counts or something else. Attachment M-2 has been updated.

119 SSP M-2 Can government clarify if the Physical and Virtual systems referenced in table M-1-1 Single Tenant Enterprise represent arrays? Multi-Tenant Enterprise indicates Physical and Virtual Servers, so it is not clear if these are intended to be server counts, array counts or something else. Attachment M-2 has been updated.

120 SSP M-2 Is Storage Resource Management (SRM) required to be identified for this scenario to support the solutions in Table M-1-1? Attachment M-2 has been updated.

121 SSP M-2 Is the Analytics SLIN required to be identified for this scenario to support the solutions in Table M-1-1? No.

122 SSP M-5 Can Government provide an example of the level of detail to be provided in Column E of the M-5 spreadsheet? The spreadsheet provides only a single cell in which to describe SLINs and it is not clear what details should be placed here. Reference Attachment L-1 Section L.4.2.1.

123 Exhibit B-1 Given that Contractor's storage solutions must run at maximum performance (PWS 6.1), shouldn't every array include the maximum possible amount of cache at time of order? Maximum cache is not necessarily required to meet performance requirements for all locations. The Contractor may provide maximum cache for each system at their discretion, while still meeting all minimum requirements.

124 Exhibit B-1 As technology improves and storage density increases, drive sizes will continue to grow. If offer states a minimum orderable amount of storage and drive sizes double during the contract, a system could conceivably be ordered that meets the minimum amount of storage stated at the time of bid, but does not meet the technical requirements for quantity of drives to support OEM best practices for performance or reliability. Will Government consider changing this from "minimum orderable amount of storage" to "minimum orderable number of disks"? PWS and B-table have been updated.

125 Exhibit B-1 If all drives must be "performance, non-spinning disk(s)" what is the purpose of requiring Dynamic Tiering for Enterprise Block Storage? Contractor recommends removing this requirement for dynamic tiering. Dynamic tiering is required to tier between different sizes of SSD/flash disks.

126 Exhibit B-1 If all drives must be "performance, non-spinning disk(s)" what is the purpose of requiring Dynamic Tiering for Enterprise Virtual Environment Storage? Contractor recommends removing this requirement for dynamic tiering. Dynamic tiering is required to tier between different sizes of SSD/flash disks.

127 Exhibit B-1 If all drives must be "performance, non-spinning disk(s)" why are some SLINs explicitly identified as Performance Drives? PWS and B-table have been updated.

128 PWS 5.6 Can hardware in use at a non-government customer be used to satisfy the capacity service requirements? No. Reference PWS section 5.6.

129 PWS 5.6 Can hardware used at a non-government location that has been recertified or refurbished as new be used to satisfy the capacity service requirement. No. Reference PWS section 5.6.

130 PWS 6.1.1 Given the placement in 6.1.1 this requirement covers all the primary storage solutions including SAN switching. During replacement of a failed SAN edge switch or core blade, or even SFP or cable, it is not possible to avoid dependence on an external solution, such as host multipathing, to prevent disruption of service. This is probably the case for storage solutions based on a TCP-IP transport as well. In order to adhere to the requirements, will the Government either remove the "hardware replacement, or troubleshooting" part, or otherwise place it where it can be met? PWS has been updated.

131 Standard Form 33 Given the size and scope requirements of this solicitation, will the Government consider extending the due date for Offeror submissions by two weeks? The proposal due date was extended to October 01, 2018.

132 SSP L-1 What is the page limit for the “Narrative Summary” (L.3.1) section of the Executive Summary volume? An entry for a Narrative Summary with a 1-page limit was added to Table L.1 under Amendment 0001.

133 SSP L-1 Are all proposal volumes to be submitted in PDF & Excel file format (L.2.4 (b)), or in ZIP format (L.2.4 (c))? All files shall be submitted in PDF or Excel file format per the solicitation requirements. If a volume includes multiple files, the volume shall be uploaded in ZIP format.

134 SSP L-1 To meet the requirements of L.2.4 (b), is it the Government’s intention that attachments M-3 and M-5 be converted to PDF and submitted as discrete files, or should the content from both forms be included in the body of a “master” Technical/Volume PDF file? All files shall be submitted in PDF or Excel file format per the solicitation requirements. If a volume includes multiple files, the volume shall be uploaded in ZIP format. Attachments M-3 and M-5 shall be submitted as discrete files and should be included in the body of the "master" Technical Volume if room permits.

135 SSP M-1 In section M.2.1.1.3, for referenced Subfactors 1.2 and 1.4, does the phrase “exclusive of subtasks within” specifically apply to all subtasks that appear under PWS sections 6.4.1, 6.4.2, 6.5.2, 6.5.4, and 6.12? Yes, the phrase "exclusive of subtasks within" applies to all subtasks that appear in a given section.

136 SSP L-1 Section L.6.2.1 includes a statement that “pricing notes and assumptions shall not be included in the “Price Proposal”. Does the Government mean to say that bidders should not include notes and assumptions in the “Price Model” Exhibit B-1? Given that the government is requesting “supporting documentation” which is “sufficiently detailed” to demonstrate “price reasonableness”, this supporting documentation would typically include pricing assumptions. Please advise. Offerors may include information consistent with the terms of the solicitation to clarify their pricing solution in the 'Offeror Technical Specifications' (Attachment M-5). Pricing notes and assumptions shall not be included in the Price proposal or Price Model. If an offeror includes pricing notes or assumptions, they will be ineligible for award.

137 PWS 6.1.2 Please explain DISA’s interpretation of the word “compatible” Occur together without conflict.

138 PWS 6.1.2 Does the gov’t intent to provide backup and archiving software for the contractor’s use? All backup and archiving software will be provided by the Government for Government use.

139 PWS 6.1.2.2 Does the gov't intend to provide the backup and archiving software? All backup and archiving software will be provided by the Government for Government use. The Contractor will be required to provide software to manage their backup and archiving disk solution.

140 PWS 6.1.2.2 Does the gov't want the contractor to provide the backup and archiving software? All backup and archiving software will be provided by the Government for Government use. The Contractor will be required to provide software to manage their backup and archiving disk solution.

141 Exhibit B-1 Will the government consider adding columns and formulas for an Economic Life Discount to the ESS III B-Table? The Contractor is free to provide economic life discounts utilizing SLINs in the ESS III B-Table.

142 Exhibit B-1 Will the government consider unlocking the quantity input sections for SSP tables M-1-2, M-1-3 and M-1-4? B-Table has been updated.

143 Exhibit B-1 Is there an OCONUS equivalent SLIN for CONUS SLIN 001AC04 - Core Blade (Enterprise FICON) - 32 ports? No, the Government does not require FICON at OCONUS locations.

144 Exhibit B-1 Is there a CONUS equivalent SLIN for OCONUS SLIN 003AC04 - Optional - Fibre Channel-based high-speed interface? B-Table has been updated.

145 Exhibit B-1 Is there an OCONUS equivalent SLIN for CONUS SLIN 001AO04 - Migration Tool - Content Addressable Storage (CAS)? No, the Government does not require a migration tool for CAS in OCONUS locations.

146 Exhibit B-1 Is there an OCONUS equivalent SLIN for CONUS SLIN 001AO05 - Migration Tool - Storage as a Service (STaaS)? No, the Government does not require a migration tool for STaaS in OCONUS locations.

147 PWS 6.21 Will Off-site Tape/Media Services be required for OCONUS locations? If so, will corresponding OCONUS SLINs be provided? No, the Government will not require off-site tape/media services at OCONUS locations.

148 Exhibit B-1 It appears that some evaluation quantities are less than whole numbers.