Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) and Network Operations Center as a Service (NOCaaS)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Services (ARS) has issued a Special Notice regarding a sole-source procurement for Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) and Network Operations Center as a Service (NOCaaS). The notice pertains to the scientific research computing environment, specifically the Scientific Computing Initiative Network (SCINet). The procurement will be conducted under the statutory authority of 41 U.S. Code 3304(a)(1), which allows for other than full and open competition when only one responsible source can satisfy agency requirements. The notice emphasizes that this is an informational document and not a formal request for proposals or quotes. The intended contract will be awarded to support high-performance computing networks essential for agricultural research.

Interested contractors can submit capability statements by 4:00 PM ET on February 13, 2025, via email to mindy.klask@usda.gov and bryana.jordan@usda.gov. The government seeks clear and convincing evidence from potential offerors demonstrating their ability to fulfill the specified requirements. While the notice indicates no specific set-aside, it invites all interested and responsible sources to respond. The procurement process allows the government sole discretion in determining whether to proceed with a competitive or non-competitive procurement based on the responses received. The attached Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) document suggests that the current intention is to sole-source the contract to Indiana University's OmniSOC and GlobalNOC services, which are deemed uniquely capable of providing the specialized security and network operations needed for the SCINet infrastructure. All submitted information must be provided at no cost or obligation to the government and will be evaluated strictly for determining the best procurement approach.