Request for Information: Platform One-Kubecost Alternatives

Closed Pre-Solicitation Posted

Solicitation number
A056967
Agency
Responses due
Set-aside
Total Small Business

Opportunity facts

Place of performance
San Antonio, Texas, United States

Notice details come from SAM.gov. Updated .

About this opportunity

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Lifecycle Management Center Joint Base San Antonio is seeking information regarding alternatives to Kubecost, a Kubernetes cost management and optimization platform. This Request for Information (RFI) is designed to identify vendors capable of providing comprehensive Kubernetes resource cost tracking and cloud cost visibility solutions. Key requirements include an HTTP-accessible API delivering detailed namespace costing, CPU, memory, and GPU usage data with no more than 24-hour latency, support for AWS cloud environments, tenant-ed resource views with access control via labels, cost forecasting capabilities, pod and container sizing recommendations, dashboard functionality with searchable labels, reporting in CSV and PDF formats, alerting through chat platforms such as Slack or Mattermost, and Single Sign-On authentication via OIDC or SAML. The solution must be deployable in air-gapped environments across Impact Levels 2, 4, 5, and 6, available as either SaaS or on-premise software. The RFI response deadline is December 3, 2025, allowing vendors seven days to submit detailed information regarding their alternative solutions, pricing structures, transition and training costs, contract flexibility options, and additional capabilities.

This procurement is designated as a Total Small Business set-aside, restricting competition to small business entities as defined by the Small Business Administration. The current incumbent software is Kubecost, though no specific award value or contract duration has been disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice. The RFI requests comprehensive vendor information including alternative license types, total cost of ownership analysis, implementation timelines, and feature comparisons to ensure the government can adequately evaluate available market alternatives. While the pre-solicitation notice does not specify a specific contract value or quantity of licenses, the emphasis on enterprise-grade functionality, security requirements, and multi-impact level deployment capabilities suggests this represents a significant procurement for the Air Force's cloud cost management operations. Vendors interested in responding to this RFI should prepare detailed technical and commercial proposals demonstrating their solution's capability to meet the stringent security, functionality, and operational requirements outlined by the government.

Notice text

Current Soffware: Kubecost
Requirement: The solution must off er an HTTP-accessible API that delivers comprehensive data on Kubernetes resource costs and usage. This includes detailed informationon name space costing, CPU, cloud memory, and other resource metrics. Additionally, the API must provide cost and usage data for GPUs utilized in AI/MLworkloads. It should also offer visibility into all cloud costs across the customer’s account(s) that are not associated with Kubernetes, ensuring compatibility with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The latency between actual usage and the reported data through this solution must not exceed 24 hours.
Furthermore, the solution must include features for recommending optimal pod, container, and node sizes. It should identify unused resources and offer cost forecasting based on current usage trends. A critical aspect is the ability to provide a ‘tenant-ed view’ of resources, allowing for resource management andaccess control via groups, which can be applied through labels.
The solution must support the aggregation of resources based on specific filters, facilitating a unified view of both Kubernetes and non-Kubernetes costs. It should also have the capability to manage shared resources at the Kubernetes level, enabling users to designate shared namespaces and allocate costs accordingly. Users need to be able to organize and filter costs using a dashboard, with labels that are searchable.
Reporting capabilities are essential, with the solution providing options to create and export reports in CSV and PDF formats. Alerting features must beincluded, allowing notifications through various chat software channels such as Slack or Mattermost. Additionally, the solution should support Single Sign-On(SSO) using OIDC or SAML for user authentication.
For highly secure environments, the solution must be deployable in fully air-gapped settings across Impact Levels 2, 4, 5, and 6. It should be available as either a SaaS (Software as a Service) or Stand-Alone deployment model,supporting on-premises cost management and optimization. Integration with cloud billing systems is crucial, enabling actions to optimize usage and apply any negotiated discounts manually. The solution must accurately handle various pricing models, including spot (preemptive) nodes, reserved instances, and savings plans.
Could you please provide information on the following:
What other soft ware solutions do you off er that can provide the requirements listed above? For each solution listed, please provide the following information:
1. Alternative License Types:
A capability summary or list that at a minimum addresses the requirements listed above.
How the capabilities diff er from Kubecost.
How the capabilities are similar to Kubecost.
Please provide a list of systems/software that the license is currently compatible with and if there are plans to expand that list.
2. Pricing Information:
What are the estimated transition costs associated with these alternative licenses for both transition from Kubecost and transitioning from the proposed alternative solution?
What are the estimated training costs for the software?
Are there maintenance costs associated with the solution?
Are the licenses priced in trial (weekly/short term), monthly, quarterly, and/or annual? If so, please provide the pricing plans and any links to existing contracts or your website.
Is your company willing to enter into longer term contracts to include options for up to 4 subsequent years? Can those subsequent years be priced or is there a parent Government contract that will control that price?
Please provide any existing Government contracts your company has on either DoD ESI or NASA SEWP.
3. Feature Comparison:
Are there any additional features or benefits associated with thediff erent licenses that we should consider? (This may include capability PDFs, website links that describe the firewall, and customer/reference information.)

We are eager to find a solution that will best support our needs and ensure continued productivity.

Please Note: No award will be made under this RFI. Only a warranted ContractingOff icer can obligate on behalf of the United States Government and that will be executed through an official request for quote (RFQ). The Government reserves the right to cancel this RFI. In the event the Government cancels this RFI, the Government has no obligation to pursue procurement or to reimburse an Offeror for any costs.

Files

File Type Posted
Kubecost Alternitives RFI FY26.xlsx XLSX spreadsheet

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