Altair Hyperworks Software Licenses

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Engineering Lab (EL), Materials and Structural Systems Division intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106(b)(1), with Altair Engineering Inc., to acquire licenses with a 12-month term for Altair Hyperworks Software, including technical support and software updates.

Background Information and Basis for Sole Source

NIST, EL, Materials and Structural Systems Division serves as the world-class resource for developing and promoting the use of science-based tools – measurements, data, models, protocols, and reference standards – to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. industry through innovations in building materials and construction technology; and the safety, security, and sustainability of the nation's buildings and physical infrastructure.

The Altair Hyperworks Software licenses are required for continuing research projects in the division related to structural performance under multiple hazards, including failure investigation. HyperWorks Software is required for mesh generation, pre-processing, and post-processing of finite element models. Full compatibility with existing HyperWorks models, macros, and results files are required.

Altair Engineering, Inc., is the only developer of HyperWorks. The company has proprietary rights. Altair Engineering, Inc., issued a letter confirming that their company is the sole provider of Hyperworks to the government customers in the US. The license is required for continuing research projects in the division related to structural performance under multiple hazards, including failure investigation. HyperWorks is the only package that offers full compatibility with the following items developed for these projects: (1) a large number of existing finite element models, (2) a large number of post-processed finite element model results files, and (3) macros created for automatic model generation. Project staff also have extensive experience and training in using the HyperWorks software.

The use of a different program would be a major interruption to these projects, and years of research effort could be lost.

As such, the Government’s intent is to negotiate with Altair Engineering Inc., to acquire licenses with a 12-month term for Altair Hyperworks Software, including technical support and software updates.

General

The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 513210-  Software Publishers. The small business size standard is $47.0M.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, responses received by the listed due date, will be considered by the Government.

A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing on or before the response due date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation. Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Seth Kaplan at seth.kaplan@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted so that they are received at seth.kaplan@nist.gov no later than the aforementioned due date.