FINAL_RFP_-_ST-133R-17-RP-0057_(11-16-2017).docx

U.S. Department of Commerce

Research and Development (R&D)

High Performance Computing System (HPCS)

Systems Integration Support Services

Request for Proposal

RFP: ST-133R-17-RP-0057

November 16, 2017

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Acquisition and Grants Office Strategic Sourcing Acquisition Division

UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than item 7)

NOAA/AGO/SSAD/HPCC

1325 East West Highway, Bldg. SSMC2, Suite 11120 Silver Spring, MD 20910

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations “offer” and “offeror” mean “bid” and “bidder”.

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offer in original and ___See Section L___ copies for furnishings the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in item 8, or if hand carried, in the depository located in __See Section L_______________________________________ until 3:00 PM EST local time December 22, 2017.

(Hour) (Date) CAUTION – LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within ______ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the set opposite each item, delivered at the designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232-8)

14. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors and related documents numbered and dated):

FACILITY

16. NAME AND THE TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER (Type or print)

15b. TELEPHONE NUMBER

AWARD (To be completed by the Government)

19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

20. AMOUNT

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

ITEM

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)

41 U.S.C 3304 (a) ( )

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

IMPORTANT – Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (REV. 6/2014)

Prescribed by GSA – FAR (48 CFR) 53.214 (c)

(Base Period) Systems Integration Support Services – Provide all necessary labor, expertise, hardware, software, and associated supplies and services to support NOAA’s Research and Development High Performance Computing System (R&D HPCS)

Base Ordering Period: _______, 2018 through _______, 2027

(Base Period – Special Funding) Systems Integration Support Services – Provide all necessary labor, expertise, hardware, software, and associated supplies and services to support NOAA’s Research and Development High Performance Computing System (R&D HPCS)

-Base Ordering Period (Special Funding): _______, 2018 through _______, 2027

(Option Period I) Systems Integration Support Services – Provide all necessary labor, expertise, hardware, software, and associated supplies and services to support NOAA’s Research and Development High Performance Computing System (R&D HPCS)

-Option I Ordering Period: _______, 2027 through _______, 2028

(Option Period I – Special Funding) Systems Integration Support Services – Provide all necessary labor, expertise, hardware, software, and associated supplies and services to support NOAA’s Research and Development High Performance Computing System (R&D HPCS)

-Option I Ordering Period (Special Funding): _______, 2027 through _______, 2028 1.00

1.00

JOB

JOB

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

SECTION B

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES & PRICES OR COSTS

B.1 GENERAL

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Program, which functions out of the NOAA Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), has a requirement for continued systems integration and associated High Performance Computing (HPC) supplies and services to support its Research and Development (R&D) HPC system infrastructure. Individual supplies and service requirements under the subject contract shall be further defined at the task order level.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code associated with this contract is 541512 – Computer Systems Design Services.

The scope of work under this contract is defined in Section C.

B.2 BASE AND OPTION PERIODS

This contract consists of a nine (9) year base ordering period under CLINs 0001 and 0002, and a one (1) year optional ordering period under CLINs 1001 and 1002. If the option period is exercised, the total ordering period shall be ten (10) years. This is not a multi-year contract as defined in FAR Part 17.103.

B.2.1 Option Period I – Transition-Out Support

As further specified in Section C.5.5.2, Option CLINs 1001 and 1002 cover the one (1) year optional ordering period established to support an orderly transition of contractual support from the incumbent Contractor to the successor Contractor. Further details concerning Transition-Out Support shall be provided at the Task Order level.

B.3 CONTRACT TYPE

This is a single-award, Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract which allows for task orders to be issued on a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Time-and-Materials (T&M), Cost-Reimbursable (CR), and Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) basis. Task orders may also combine more than one pricing arrangement (e.g., FFP/CR, etc.), although separate CLINs are required for each pricing arrangement. Selection of task order contract type shall be at the full discretion of the Government.

B.4 TASK ORDER PRICING

The subject contract provides the flexibility to determine fair and reasonable pricing tailored to the delivery or task order requirements dependent upon level of subcontractor competition, risk, uncertainties, complexity, urgency, and contract type. The Contracting Officer (CO) has the authority and responsibility to determine cost or price reasonableness for task order requirements. The CO has flexibility to exceed IDIQ-level labor rates and profit or fee for unique requirements involving extensive facilities or alternative data center support, comprehensive HPC capability provisions as a service (i.e. equipment, facilities, and labor for HPC compute provided as a per use service), or other extraordinary circumstances.

The preponderance of orders placed under this contract is anticipated to be FFP. Subcontractor competition at the task order level shall be required to support subcontractor pricing for all contract types.

Some task orders may require services that do not correspond to the labor categories included in the IDIQ. Accordingly, if permitted by the task order solicitation, the Contractor may propose appropriate labor categories and labor rates necessary to meet the requirements of the solicitation despite them not being included in the IDIQ as awarded.

The CO will establish an appropriate Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) structure and identify the applicable contract type for all CLINs in each task order.

B.4.1 Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Orders

Firm-Fixed Price orders are defined under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 16.202, Firm-Fixed-Price Contracts.

B.4.2 Time-and-Materials (T&M) Orders

T&M orders are defined under FAR 16.601.

The Contractor may provide separate and/or blended loaded hourly labor rates at the task order level for Prime Contractor labor, each Subcontractor, and/or each Division, Subsidiary, or Affiliate in accordance with the provisions set forth in FAR 52.216-29, 52.216-30, and/or 52.216-31. The CO shall identify which provision(s) is applicable in the task order solicitation, and the Contractor shall comply with the provision(s).

B.4.3 Cost Reimbursement (CR) and Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) Orders

Cost Reimbursement Orders are defined under FAR Subpart 16.3, Cost-Reimbursement Contracts. The Contractor shall have and maintain an adequate accounting system that will permit timely development of all necessary cost data in the form required by the proposed contract type. The Contractor may be required to submit a cost proposal with supporting information for each cost element including, but not limited to: direct labor, fringe benefits, overhead, general and administrative expenses, material handling costs, facilities capital cost of money, other direct costs, and fee consistent with their cost accounting system, provisional billing rates, and forward pricing rate agreements.

B.4.4 Other Direct Costs

Other Direct Costs (ODCs) established on a cost-reimbursement basis, including travel costs, shall be pre-approved by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) at the task order level, and be allowable on the task order only if approved prior to the Contractor incurring these costs.

B.4.5 Subcontractor Competition Requirements for Task Order Proposals

In accordance with FAR 52.244-5, unless otherwise advised in writing by the CO, the Contractor is required to conduct subcontractor competitions for all subcontracted supplies and services proposed in response to task order solicitations. At a minimum, the Contractor’s task order proposals shall include documentation demonstrating the following: 1) evidence that subcontractor competitions were conducted, or, if infeasible, rationale for why subcontractor competitions could not be conducted; 2) rationale to support subcontractor selections (e.g. copies of business clearance memorandums, price analyses, proposal ranking documentation, etc.); and 3) copies of subcontractor quotes as provided to the Contractor. The Government reserves the right to request additional documentation as required in order to determine proposal acceptability and price reasonableness. In accordance with FAR 44.305, the Contractor is responsible for maintaining an approved purchasing system for the life of the IDIQ contract.

B.5 CAR 1352.216-70 ESTIMATED AND ALLOWABLE COSTS (APR 2010)

(THIS CLAUSE WILL BE FILLED IN AT THE TASK ORDER LEVEL WHEN COST-REIMBURSEMENT IS THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACT TYPE.)

(a) Estimated Costs. The estimated cost of this contract is $___________, which consists of $___________ for reimbursable costs, and $___________ for fixed/incentive fee.

These costs shall be subject to the provisions of FAR clause 52.232-20, “Limitation of Cost,” FAR clause 52.216-7, “Allowable Cost and Payments,” and FAR clause 52.216-8, “Fixed Fee.”

(b) Subject to Availability of Funds [Insert paragraph (b) when the contract is issued subject to the availability of funds].

“The amount of funding for this contract is $___________, which consists of $___________ for reimbursable costs, and $___________ for Fixed Fee. These costs shall be subject to the provisions of FAR 52.232-22, “Limitations of Funds.”

(c) Allowable Costs.

(1) Final annual indirect cost rate(s) and the appropriate base(s) shall be established in accordance with FAR Subpart 42.7, in effect for the period covered by the indirect cost rate proposal.

(2) Until final annual indirect cost rates are established for any period, the Government shall reimburse the contractor at billing rates established by the Contracting Officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) or auditor in accordance with FAR 42.704, subject to adjustment when the final rates are established. The established billing rates are currently as follows:

------------------- [Insert billing rate]

(End of Clause)

B.6 CAR 1352.216-71 LEVEL OF EFFORT (COST-PLUS-FIXED-FEE (CPFF), TERM CONTRACT) (APR 2010)

(THIS CLAUSE WILL BE FILLED IN AT THE TASK ORDER LEVEL WHEN COST-PLUS-FIXED-FEE IS THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACT TYPE.)

(a) In performance of the effort directed in this contract, the contractor shall provide the total of Direct Productive Labor Hours (DPLH) as specified in Part I, Section B during the term specified in Section ____. DPLH is defined as actual work hours exclusive of vacation, holidays, sick leave, and other absences.

(b) Only the DPLH categories indicated below shall be charged directly to the contract. It is estimated that the DPLH will be expended approximately as follows:

period Option period I

(c) The hours specified above are provided as estimates only. If the actual amount of hours incurred falls within 90% to 110% of this estimate, the fee shall not be adjusted.

(d) In the event that the contractor shall be required to provide less than 90% of the estimated DPLH, the fixed fee of the contract shall be equitably adjusted by unilateral modification to the contract. The fixed fee adjustment shall be based solely upon the difference between the DPLH actually provided and 90% of the estimated DPLH, calculated as follows:

Adjusted Fixed Fee = (Actual DPLH/(.9 × Estimated DPLH)) × Specified Fixed Fee

(e) In the event that the contractor shall be required to provide more than 110% of the estimated DPLH, the fixed fee of the Contract shall be equitably adjusted by unilateral modification to the Contract. The fixed fee adjustment shall be based solely upon the difference between the DPLH actually provided and 110% of the estimated DPLH, calculated as follows:

Adjusted Fixed Fee = (Actual DPLH/(1.1 × Estimated DPLH)) × Specified Fixed Fee

(f) These terms and conditions do not supersede the requirements of either FAR clause 52.232-20 “Limitation of Cost” or FAR clause 52.232-22 “Limitation of Funds.”

(End of Clause)

B.7 CAR 1352.216-75 MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM CONTRACT AMOUNTS (APR 2010)

During the term of the contract, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $10,000.00. The amount of all orders shall not exceed $553,000,000.00.

(End of Clause)

B.8 NAM 1330-52.232-70 NOAA LIMITATION OF FUNDS ON TIME-AND- MATERIALS AND LABOR-HOUR CONTRACTS (MAY 2015)

(THIS LANGUAGE WILL BE FILLED IN AT THE TASK ORDER LEVEL WHEN TIME-AND-MATERIALS OR LABOR-HOUR IS THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACT TYPE.)

It is estimated that the total cost to the Government for the performance of this contract shall not exceed the ceiling price of _____ [Contracting Officer insert amount]. Funds in the amount of _______ [Contracting Officer insert amount] are hereby allotted. The balance of this contract’s estimated ceiling will be allotted upon availability of funds through a unilateral modification(s).

Limitation of Funds on Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contracts (MAY 2015)

(a) The parties estimate that performance of this contract will not cost the Government more than the ceiling amount specified in the contract. The Contractor agrees to use its best efforts to perform the work specified in the Schedule and all obligations under this contract within the ceiling amount.

(b) The Schedule specifies the amount of funds presently available for payment by the Government and allotted to this contract as well as the items covered. The parties contemplate that the Government will allot additional funds incrementally to the contract up to the full estimated cost to the Government specified in the Schedule, provided that funds become available. The Contractor agrees to perform work on the contract up to the point at which the total amount paid and payable by the Government under the contract approximates but does not exceed the total amount actually allotted by the Government to the contract.

(c) The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer in writing whenever it has reason to believe that the costs it expects to incur under this contract in the next 60 days, when added to all costs previously incurred, will exceed 85% of the total funded amount so far allotted to the contract by the Government. The notice shall state the additional funds required to continue performance for the period specified in the Schedule.

(d) Except as required by other provisions of this contract, specifically citing and stated to be an exception to this clause –

(1) The Government is not obligated to reimburse the Contractor for costs incurred in excess of the total amount allotted by the Government to this contract; and

(2) The Contractor is not obligated to continue performance under this contract or otherwise incur costs in excess of the amount then allotted to the contract by the Government until the Contracting Officer notifies the contractor in writing that the amount allotted by the Government has been increased and specifies an increased amount, which shall then constitute the total amount allotted by the Government to this contract.

(e) Change orders shall not be considered an authorization to exceed the amount allotted by the Government specified in the Schedule, unless they contain a statement increasing the amount allotted.

(f) Nothing in this language shall affect the right of the Government to terminate this contract. If this contract is terminated, the Government and the Contractor shall negotiate an equitable distribution of all property produced or purchased under the contract, based upon the share of costs incurred by each.

(END OF SECTION B)

SECTION C

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

C.1 PURPOSE

The purpose of this acquisition is to acquire systems integration services to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Research and Development High Performance Computing System (R&D HPCS). The R&D HPCS is managed by NOAA’s High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Program, which functions out of the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

C.2 OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this acquisition are as follows:

C.2.1 ACQUIRE HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING (HPC) SUPPORT SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT

NOAA seeks to acquire HPC support services and equipment which include, but are not limited to: systems integration, systems administration, systems operations, and support for NOAA’s Environmental Modeling Program (EMP). The term HPC includes all computational platforms and associated components, such as hardware, software (including operating systems), data storage, networking, and data center infrastructural support.

C.2.2 ADVANCE NOAA’S TARGET HPC ARCHITECTURE

NOAA seeks to implement and enhance its R&D HPC system architecture and system design; reduce system obsolescence; and increase interoperability, compatibility, flexibility, and reliability across its geographically dispersed network of data centers for the continued future evolution of its high performance computing capability.

C.2.3 MAXIMIZE ACQUISITION EFFICIENCY AND EXPEDIENCY, AND

LEVERAGE PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERTISE

NOAA seeks to acquire HPC services efficiently and expeditiously to allow the Government to concentrate on its core missions, while also leveraging private sector expertise in managing state-of-the art high performance computing. NOAA seeks a partnership with Industry which would maximize effective use of available funding resources to align NOAA’s R&D HPC system architecture with leading edge technology and industry best practices.

C.2.4 ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

NOAA seeks to enhance the performance and engineering of its user community applications, software, and HPC systems, thereby enabling the advancement of life-saving environmental science.

C.3 BACKGROUND

C.3.1 AGENCY MISSION AND HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING

C.3.1.1 The mission of NOAA, found at www.noaa.gov, is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. NOAA's mission is embodied in four strategic goals:

C.3.1.1.1 Climate Adaptation and Mitigation

C.3.1.1.2 Weather-Ready Nation

C.3.1.1.3 Healthy Oceans

C.3.1.1.4 Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies

C.3.1.2 In support of its mission and goals, NOAA conducts research and gathers data on Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun; and applies this knowledge in the form of science and services that touch the lives of all Americans.

C.3.1.3 The ability to predict changes in Earth’s environment depends primarily on a diverse set of environmental models which require considerable computational resources. These models are developed through Research and Development (R&D) HPC efforts within NOAA.

C.3.1.4 Computational modeling continues to emerge throughout NOAA, and is germane to the daily operation of many of its laboratories. Organizations such as the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), and Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) use models for studying the atmosphere, ocean, climate, air quality, and ecosystem behavior.

C.3.1.5 NOAA collaborates with numerous external organizations in developing models that can be used and reused for the needs of each agency’s mission. NOAA employs the use of community-developed models to improve collaboration, and to accelerate the transition of model enhancements from R&D to operational use. Recently, NOAA has inaugurated a program to produce the Next Generation Global Prediction System (NGGPS) as a multi-organizational, community development effort. The objective is to deploy this new Global Forecast System in Operation by the beginning of Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.

C.3.1.6 Environmental modeling helps NOAA meet its mission in other ways as well. NOAA is developing improved air quality models that incorporate the changing chemistry and radiative properties of the atmosphere in severe smog events into weather models. To this end, NOAA is executing on a vision to provide a National Air Quality Forecast System with sufficient accuracy and advance notice to take action to prevent or reduce adverse effects. Exploratory work is also going on in very high resolution hurricane models to lay the foundation for further improvements, not just in track forecasts, but also in the rapid intensification that can occur shortly before landfall increasing the destructive power of the hurricane.

C.3.2 CURRENT R&D HPC TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT

In support of NOAA’s mission, the HPCC Program manages the R&D HPCS, which in turn supports over 1,000 users. The R&D HPCS currently consists of four (4) systems, geographically dispersed across the United States, that are connected through NOAA’s ultra-high speed network. A detailed description of the current R&D HPCS architecture is provided in Section C, Appendix A. The four (4) systems and respective locations which constitute NOAA’s R&D HPCS are as follows:

C.3.2.1 National Climate-Computing Research Center (NCRC) (www.ncrc.gov/)

The Gaea system is located at the NCRC in Oak Ridge, TN, and is currently operated and maintained through an Interagency Agreement (IA) between NOAA and the Department of Energy (DOE). The Gaea system is hosted at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), located in Oak Ridge, TN.

C.3.2.2 National Environmental Security Computing Center (NESCC) (www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20101013_fairmont.html)

The Theia system is located at the NESCC in Fairmont, WV, and is used for weather and climate model research, exploring advanced methods of using satellite data in weather models, and developing improved climate forecasts on seasonal-through-inter‐annual scales (e.g. El Niño forecasts).

Currently, the NESCC houses a Cray CS400, with 1,208 nodes in the compute partition. Each node is comprised of two (2) Intel Haswell sockets with twelve (12) cores/socket, with a clock speed of 2.6GHz. Most of the nodes have 64GB of RAM (14 have 256GB of RAM). There is a total of 11PB of disk storage supplied by Panasas (totaling greater than 100GB/s). Attached to the CS400 Infiniband fabric are one-hundred (100) Cray CS Storm nodes. Each node is comprised of two (2) 8-Core Haswell nodes, 256 GB of RAM, and eight (8) NVIDIA Pascal GPUs. Additionally, the NESCC houses a hierarchical storage system based upon the High Performance Storage System (HPSS). There are also three (3) Oracle SL8500 robots, 4 PB of disk cache, and approximately 120 PB of tape storage.

C.3.2.3 Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) (www.esrl.noaa.gov/gsd)

The Jet system is located at ESRL in Boulder, CO, and supports NOAA's Hurricane Forecast Improvement Program (HFIP) model development, which includes models for real-time R&D forecasts during hurricane season. Jet also supports real-time R&D for a number of NOAA's global, regional, and advanced modeling projects, as well as a diverse group of projects from several NOAA laboratories.

C.3.2.4 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) (www.gfdl.noaa.gov)

HPC post-processing and analysis is performed at GFDL, which functions out NOAA’s Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR), and is located on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, NJ. Roughly 50-100 TB of model output flow through GFDL each day, with data moving from NOAA’s R&D HPCS computing assets (primarily the NCRC at this time), across NOAA’s dedicated Wide Area Network (WAN), and back to GFDL for post-processing and analysis. To support this, GFDL maintains a cluster of approximately 100 post-processing nodes, and an SGI Data Migration Facility (DMF) archiving solution which currently stores approximately 120PB of data. Archive growth exceeds 1PB per month.

C.3.3 OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES

NOAA also partners with other Federal Agencies to leverage the use of their HPC resources. Of note, collaborations with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE) have proved highly beneficial to NOAA.

For instance, NOAA has worked closely with NASA in developing an atmospheric dynamical core, capable of scaling to very high processor counts. Atmospheric models built on this core have scaled to over 128,000 MPI ranks, with over 1,000,000 shared memory threads on one of DOE’s largest computers: the IBM BG/Q (Mira) at Argonne National Laboratory. NOAA anticipates continued collaboration and partnerships with other federal agencies over the life of this contract.

C.4 SCOPE

C.4.1 SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT

The scope of this contract is to provide systems integration support services for NOAA’s R&D HPC infrastructure, which includes support for all HPC assets at the following NOAA locations: 1) NESCC, located in Fairmont, WV; 2) ESRL, located in Boulder, CO; 3) GFDL, located in Princeton, NJ; and 4) Other HPC locations as specified in the future. Support for the Gaea equipment, for which NOAA currently receives systems integration and data center support services through an Interagency Agreement with DOE ORNL, is also included in the scope of this contract; however, requirements for supporting this system under the subject contract are not anticipated unless otherwise specified in the future. Notwithstanding, NOAA reserves the right to transfer systems integration and data center support requirements from DOE ORNL to the subject contract at any time during the life of this contract, as specified via Task Order issuance.

Throughout the life of this contract, the Contractor shall provide the necessary labor, materials, HPC components (e.g. equipment, software, facilities support, etc.), and technical expertise required to operate, maintain, and enhance NOAA’s R&D HPCS. Specific requirements shall be defined at the Task Order level. In addition to the Performance Work Statement (PWS) requirements set forth herein, the scope of this contract includes, at the discretion of the Government, technological enhancements, service improvements, end user application support and training, and the ancillary equipment and professional services necessary to align NOAA’s R&D HPC infrastructure with the latest technology and best practices available to Industry.

C.4.2 SCOPE CONSIDERATIONS – NOAA’S ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY HPC

ARCHITECTURE

NOAA’s HPC architecture is called the Environmental Security Architecture (ESA). This acquisition is designed to support NOAA’s ongoing efforts to operate, maintain, and enhance this architecture. This procurement focuses on the R&D HPC segment of the ESA. See Section C, Appendix C – NOAA R&D Environmental Security Architecture for further details.

C.4.3 SCOPE CONSIDERATIONS – GOVERNMENT-RETAINED FUNCTIONS

AND GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

In consideration of the scope of work defined in Sections C.4.1 – C.4.2, there are functions and system components in support of NOAA’s R&D HPCS which shall be retained in whole or in part by the Government, or shall be provided as Government Furnished Property (GFP) in accordance with FAR 52.245-1. Specific Government functions to be retained during contract performance shall be further defined at the Task Order level. The Government reserves the right to modify and/or negotiate the list of Government-retained functions throughout the life of the contract. For informational purposes only, functions and/or components which may be retained or shared by the Government throughout the life of the contract are provided below:

C.4.3.1 HPC Functions Which May be Retained by the Government:

C.4.3.1.1 Government-Furnished Portal for Documentation

In accordance with Section C.5.4.3, the Government shall provide a document repository website, which the Contractor shall use throughout the life of this contract to access and upload documentation related to this effort.

C.4.3.1.2 Network Connectivity Between Data Centers

In accordance with Section C.5.3.5, the Government shall furnish and maintain an ultra-high speed networking infrastructure for use in networking the HPC compute infrastructures in Fairmont, WV; Boulder, CO; Princeton, NJ; and other HPC locations as specified in the future.

C.4.3.2 HPC Functions Which Shall be Shared by the Government and the HPC Integrator:

C.4.3.2.1 Help Desk Support

In accordance with Section C.5.13, the Government shall furnish a help desk ticketing system, which shall be available for Contractor use unless otherwise specified at the Task Order level. The Contractor shall use this system to monitor, track, and resolve all help desk tickets associated with the R&D HPCS, as further specified in Section C.5.13, as well as at the Task Order level.

C.4.3.2.2 R&D HPC System Monitoring

The Government shall provide the Contractor access to its R&D HPCS monitoring systems in support of this contract. The Contractor shall make use of these systems, and shall provide the necessary supplies and services required to maintain minimum system and data availability levels as specified in Section C.7.7.

C.4.3.2.3 IT Security Support

In accordance with Section C.5.3, the Government Security Team is required to monitor, identify, and resolve all IT security-related issues associated with the R&D HPCS. The Contractor shall coordinate with the Government Security Team to ensure that all Federal, department-level, and NOAA-level policies related to IT Security are followed in the performance of this contract, and that all emergent IT security issues are resolved.

C.4.3.3 HPC System Components Provided as GFP:

The following is a general description of the HPC system components which shall be provided as GFP in support of this contract. See Section C, Appendices A.1 – A.6, and Appendices B, C, and E for specific details concerning Government-furnished facilities; and Section C, Appendix D for details related to Government-furnished HPC equipment:

C.4.3.3.1 Existing R&D HPC Compute Components

The Government shall furnish as GFP the existing hardware, software, networking equipment, and maintenance agreements which collectively constitute the compute architectures at NESCC, ESRL, and GFDL. In addition, the Government reserves the right to furnish by future task order the existing compute architectural items located at DOE ORNL, or other locations as specified in the future for support under this contract. The Contractor shall have access to these items in “AS-IS CONDITION” in accordance with FAR 45.201(a)(5), and shall operate, maintain, and enhance these items as a single overarching HPC system.

C.4.3.3.1.1 Long-Term Storage (Tape)

NOAA possesses significant long-term storage systems at GFDL and NESCC. Both the GFDL and NESCC subsystems employ Sun/StorageTek SL8500 tape silos. As of October 2017, there are four (4) silos located at GFDL, and three (3) silos located at NESCC. The silos at GFDL are managed by an SGI (DMF) system, and the silos at NESCC are part of an IBM High Performance Storage System (HPSS). Each of these systems currently stores over 120 PB of data. The Contractor shall continue to maintain and support these systems throughout the life of the contract. Long-term storage assets shall be owned by the Government.

C.4.3.3.2 R&D HPCS Facilities and Utilities

C.4.3.3.2.1 The facilities at Fairmont, WV, Boulder, CO, and Princeton, NJ shall be provided as Government-Furnished Property (GFP) in support of this contract. Unless otherwise negotiated between the Contractor and the Government, all management responsibilities related to space, utilities, cooling, and physical security at these locations shall remain with the Government. These Government facilities are available as GFP. Additional facility information is provided in Section C.6, as well as Section C, Appendices A.1 – A.4, Appendix B, and Appendix E.

C.4.3.3.2.2 In addition to the aforementioned Government-furnished facilities, the Government may offer additional facilities to house HPC resources. Any change to the list of available Government-furnished facilities shall be executed via modification to the base Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, or via Task Order execution.

C.4.3.3.2.3 As required, the Contractor shall retain the capability to provide an alternative facility and/or data center support services to house HPC resources. Specific requirements and specifications for facilities-related support shall be further defined at the Task Order level, and shall be subject to negotiation between the Contractor and the Government.

C.4.4 SCOPE CONSIDERATIONS – TRANSITION ACTIVITIES

May 7, 2018 - May 6, 2019 is a transition year for the predecessor R&D HPCS contract. Upon award of the subject contract, the Government shall issue a Task Order which will include requirements to transition current R&D system integration support services from the incumbent Contractor to the successful offeror. The Contractor shall be required to coordinate with the Government, the incumbent Contractor, and NOAA’s HPC end user community to manage transition activities. In a similar fashion, upon completion of the period of performance for the subject contract, the Contractor shall coordinate with the follow-on contract awardee and Government team to transition R&D systems integration support services.

C.5 REQUIREMENTS

The following section describes the requirements for this contract. Specific requirements shall be further defined at the Task Order level. Unless otherwise noted, personnel security requirements for the items listed below are considered “Low Risk” in accordance with Commerce Acquisition Regulation (CAR) 1337.110-70(a) and (c), and shall follow the security requirements prescribed in CAR 1352.237-71 – Security Processing Requirements – Low Risk Contracts. Notwithstanding, CAR 1352.237-70 - Security Processing Requirements—High or Moderate Risk Contracts, is also included in the subject contract to support functions that may require security requirements above “Low Risk.” Thus, the Contractor shall adhere to the security requirements as applicable to the job functions and level of system access required for each labor category provided, as further specified at the Task Order level.

The definition of HPC as provided in Section C, Appendix H shall be referenced as the basis for all HPC requirements outlined in this section. This definition states the following:

“"High Performance Computing (HPC) is the unified system used for solving NOAA's largest computational problems, composed of supercomputer systems and associated communications, analysis, visualization and storage systems, and application and systems software with all components well integrated and linked over a high speed network. The typical application run on the main compute platform is a large, 3-dimensional, multi-physics, floating point intensive simulation requiring a high degree of tightly coupled communication among the job processes. The job process counts generally number from hundreds to tens of thousands, but have reached as high as 1 million for a single simulation. Additional systems supporting the compute platform(s) must support I/O; and/or small core count compute intensive; and/or large data set jobs that provide pre-processing for data used by the simulations, as well as post-processing for data produced by the simulations.”

(NOTE: For referencing purposes, in accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 199 – Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, the R&D HPCS is categorized as a “Moderate Impact” system. See the following link for details:

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.199.pdf)

C.5.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Throughout the life of this contract, the Contractor shall furnish HPC supplies and services based upon the definition of HPC as provided in Section C, Appendix H. Systems integration requirements shall adhere to the following general requirements, to be further specified in this section, as well as at the Task Order level:

C.5.0.1 Balanced HPC capabilities (e.g. hardware, software, networking support, facilities support, etc.) and support services, to include, but not be limited to: systems integration and optimization support; systems administration and maintenance; program management; hardware and software sourcing and upgrades; equipment installation, testing and configuration support; support for computational science (i.e. the use of computers, networks, storage devices, software, and algorithms to solve problems, perform simulations, or create new knowledge); help desk support, etc.;

C.5.0.2 Services in support of the overarching HPC infrastructure, including, but not limited to: storage, compute, data management, data movement, alternative facilities provisions and/or enhancements (as needed), and alternative utilities support (as needed);

C.5.0.3 Technical guidance and recommendations for augmenting existing systems and configurations to further optimize R&D HPCS performance, increase NOAA’s research capabilities, and assist NOAA in acquiring additional large-scale high performance computing to support model research; and

C.5.0.4 Technical advice and insight on existing, near-term, and long-term hardware and software technology trends, as well as alternative approaches suited to more effectively support NOAA’s HPC objectives.

C.5.1 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SERVICES

The Contractor shall establish a Program Management Services team to provide management and oversight of all aspects of contract performance. Specific requirements for Program Management shall be further defined at the Task Order level. In addition, the Contractor shall establish an organizational structure which shall include, at a minimum, the following Key Personnel positions:

a. Program Manager;

b. Contracts Manager;

c. Lead System Architect (See Section C.5.2 for details)

C.5.1.1 Program Manager (Key Personnel)

The Contractor shall appoint a Program Manager, and shall identify this labor category as Key Personnel. The Program Manager shall have a PMP certification. At a minimum, the PM shall perform the following duties:

C.5.1.1.1 Integration

C.5.1.1.1.1 Ensure integration across all contract elements

C.5.1.1.1.2 Implement contract strategic and tactical planning

C.5.1.1.2 Collaboration, Communication and Coordination

C.5.1.1.2.1 Communicate R&D HPCS and contract priorities to the NOAA Integrated Management Team (IMT);

C.5.1.1.2.2 Seek innovative approaches and foster collaboration among R&D HPCS data centers to improve effectiveness and efficiency; promote teamwork and synergy;

C.5.1.1.2.3 Ensure that all Contractor staff (including subcontractors) actively collaborate, communicate, and coordinate among each other, as well as with Government personnel both within the R&D HPCS centers, and across the HPCC Program (including HPC end users);

C.5.1.1.2.4 Ensure information exchanges are timely, thorough, and accurate; and

C.5.1.1.2.5 Ensure that the Contractor’s staff use NOAA communication tools (e.g. email, calendars, documentation, etc.) when working with NOAA or its collaborators. The Program Manager shall ensure that all official communications from the Contractor’s staff originate with a “noaa.gov” email address.

C.5.1.1.3 Customer Satisfaction

C.5.1.1.3.1 Work with the Government to achieve and maintain high customer (i.e. system end user) satisfaction;

C.5.1.1.3.2 Provide an escalation path for resolution of customer issues;

C.5.1.1.3.3 Identify the customer’s principal needs and interests;

C.5.1.1.3.4 Manage the customer’s expectations to avoid unanticipated requirements; and

C.5.1.1.3.5 Solicit feedback, and use it constructively to improve customer service.

C.5.1.2 Contracts Manager (Key Personnel)

The Contractor shall appoint a Contracts Manager in support of its Program Management Services delivery, and shall identify this labor category as Key Personnel. The Contracts Manager shall perform the following duties, and possess the following qualifications as specified below:

C.5.1.2.1 Ensure all activities are within scope and comply with contract requirements;

C.5.1.2.2 Develop responses to Performance Work Statements (PWS) and/or Statements of Objectives (SOO) that are in compliance with NOAA’s mission, and are in the best interest of the Government;

C.5.1.2.3 Compete, award, and administer subcontracts;

C.5.1.2.4 Ensure performance of the business and administrative aspects of the contract;

C.5.1.2.5 Ensure that resources are efficiently and effectively managed, and that contract status (including the use of Government-furnished resources) is reported to Government representatives as required;

C.5.1.2.6 Develop, implement, and manage formal associate Contractor agreements as required;

C.5.1.2.7 Possess a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree;

C.5.1.2.8 Have at least ten (10) prior years of work experience with acquisition law and regulations, applying organizational standards when developing proposals, and negotiating terms; and

C.5.1.2.9 Possess strong communication and negotiation skills, as well as leadership skills.

C.5.1.3 Program Management Best Practices

In addition to the specific requirements set forth at the Task Order level, the Contractor shall perform Program Management Services in accordance with the management best practices identified in Figure C.5.1.3 below:

Fig. C.5.1.3: Management Best Practices

Quality customer relations Actionable responses to customer issues are identified, and actions are assigned in a timely manner; actions are completed by the negotiated deadline

(See Section C.5.1.5.5 for further details relating to staffing requirements.)

C.5.1.4 Meetings and Reports

The following items shall be implemented at the Task Order level in order to facilitate overall Program Management:

C.5.1.4.1 Program Kickoff Meeting

The Contractor shall schedule and coordinate a Program Kick-Off Meeting at the location determined by the Government upon issuance of a task order. The meeting will provide an introduction between the Contractor personnel and Government personnel who will be involved with the contract. The meeting will provide the opportunity to discuss technical, management, security issues, and reporting procedures. At a minimum, the attendees shall include key Contractor personnel and key Government personnel.

C.5.1.4.2 Weekly Status Meeting

The Contractor shall hold a brief weekly status meeting with the Government management team each Tuesday from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Eastern Time). Adjustments to this schedule will be made to accommodate Federal holidays or by mutual agreement. These meetings will generally be teleconferences hosted by the Government. Government hosted video teleconferences may also be held periodically. The content for these meetings shall be based on the content from the Weekly Status Reports.

C.5.1.4.2.1 Weekly Status Report (WSR)

The Contractor shall provide a weekly report to the COR electronically by noon Eastern Time the day before the Weekly Status Report. The target audience for this report is the Government Integrated Management Team. Adjustments to this schedule will be made to accommodate Federal holidays. This report will be the focus of the weekly meetings. The Government will work with the Contractor to develop and refine the format for the report after contract award.

C.5.1.4.2.1.1 WSR Content

At a minimum, the WSR shall include the following for each center and for the entire system as a whole:

a. Risks/issues/concerns technical and other programmatic issues;

b. Out of the ordinary events;

c. High level summary of change management;

d. System metrics to be updated monthly, including but not limited to: uptime statistics, run-time variability, data integrity, system utilization, job wait times, storage system utilization, storage capacity remaining, and data migration status;

e. System status, including, but not limited to: HPC system(s), local systems (analysis cluster), storage systems and interconnects;

f. Security Issues;

g. Maintenance Report;

h. Status of contract management including status of change proposals, payments, and any other contractual issue that may arise; and

i. Upcoming plans at each center.

C.5.1.4.2.1.2 WSR Color Scheme

The Contractor shall initially use the following color scheme and definitions to provide status reports to the Government on the major areas of the R&D HPCS. The Government may modify the color scheme, definitions and reporting boundaries at its discretion. The Government shall work with the Contractor after contract award to identify those areas of the system that the color codes will be applied to for reporting purposes. The color scheme is provided below via Figure C.5.1.4.2.1.2:

Fig. C.5.1.4.2.1.2: WSR Color Scheme

Yellow

Contract performance metrics are not being met. A Government-approved plan is being implemented to bring the issue back to green.

Red

Contract performance metrics are not being met. A Government-approved plan is required to bring the issue back to green.

C.5.1.4.3 Quarterly Management Meetings

The Contractor shall hold recurring Quarterly Management Meetings with the Government. The Contractor shall schedule these meetings. These meetings will generally be face-to-face meetings hosted by the Government. Video teleconferences, hosted by the Government, may also be held periodically. The content for this meeting shall be based on the content from the Quarterly Status Reports.

C.5.1.4.3.1 Quarterly Status Report (QSR)

The QSR shall be provided to the COR and Integrated Management Team at least two (2) business days prior to the quarterly management meeting. Adjustments to this schedule will be made to accommodate Federal holidays. At a minimum, the QSR shall include:

a. A summary of activities which occurred during the reporting period, by task.