SCINet Engineering Program Support

The USDA Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Departmental Management is issuing Request for Quotation (RFQ) 12314426Q0045 for comprehensive engineering support to manage and operate the Scientific Computing Initiative Network (SCINet) program. The procurement encompasses technical labor support, network engineering services, and infrastructure support for high-performance computing clusters and large-scale data storage systems. Contractors must provide two key personnel: a Strategic Initiatives Manager with at least eight years of IT program/project management experience in scientific computing, and a Senior Network Engineer with a bachelor's degree and minimum eight years of experience in HPC environments and scientific research network management. Both positions require deep knowledge of high-performance computing networking and the research and education Internet2 community, with work centered in the metro Washington, DC region. Evaluation will focus on three equally weighted non-price factors—Prior Experience, Technical Capability, and Key Personnel—which combined are weighted more heavily than Price. The deadline for quotation submission is 3:00 p.m. ET on February 18, 2026, with vendor questions due by 3:00 p.m. ET on February 10, 2026.

This opportunity is designated as a Woman-Owned Small Business Set-Aside, though all responsible sources may submit quotations for consideration. The incumbent contractor is CGI Federal Inc. under Contract #12314425C0032, which expires February 28, 2026. The Government has not disclosed estimated contract values, though the small business size standard is $34,000,000. The contract will be structured as firm-fixed price with a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods for a maximum five-year duration, with quotations required to remain valid for 60 days following the February 18 deadline. Work may be performed remotely but requires temporary on-site presence as needed, with regular on-site support required at the Beltsville, Maryland location. The SCINet program is currently funded through the end of Fiscal Year 2026, with the Government intending to seek continued Congressional appropriations for future years.