Sole Source Notice for USUHS connectivity, colocation, and engineering services

Sole Source Notice

Background: The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is the Nation's federal health sciences university and is committed to excellence in military medicine and public health during peace and war. We provide the Nation with health professionals dedicated to career service in the Department of Defense and the United States Public Health Service and with scientists who serve the common good. We serve the uniformed services and the Nation as an outstanding academic health sciences center with a worldwide perspective for education, research, service, and consultation; we are unique in relating these activities to military medicine, disaster medicine, and military medical readiness. USU is located in Bethesda, MD on the grounds of the Naval Support Activity Bethesda.

The mission of the USU is to provide the highest quality education programs in the health sciences to those selected individuals who demonstrate dedication to a health profession career in the Uniformed Services.

Potential Vendor:  Mid-Atlantic Crossroads, College Park, MD 20742

Intent to Sole-Source: USU intends to award an Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery contract for certain connectivity, colocation, and engineering services.  USU requires these supplies and services to ensure educational network connectivity throughout multiple locations. 

Sole Source Justification: Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), a research and education (R&E) network provider consortium led by the University of Maryland, Georgetown University, and The George Washington University, is a GigaPoP (Gigabit Point of Presence) organization that provides innovative high performance networking architecture.  MAX is the only organization that provides its high-performance dedicated peering services, connectivity to Internet2, and various commodity Internet connections.  MAX is the only organization that can provide direct access to Internet2 and dedicated peering points. Internet2 will not allow direct participation – all member organizations must pair with their local R&E network provider – and for USU this network provider is MAX.

In accordance with FAR 5.207(c)(16)(ii), all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. Responses to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government, would not be cost or time prohibitive, and that the interested potential vendor could provide these connectivity, colocation, and engineering services.  Information received will be considered for the purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.

Responses must be received via email at brian.falasca@usuhs.edu by 12:00PM on Friday, 10 July 2020.