COP purchase-enterprise-storage environment

The State of Maine, Division of Purchases, is soliciting bids for enterprise storage equipment under a cooperative purchasing vehicle, with bids due December 2, 2010. A 5% in-state preference applies to tie bids; Maine-manufactured commodities receive preference where in-state vendors respond competitively.

The scope comprises NetApp Storage Appliance (NSX) configurations specified in the Data Mover bill of materials. Line 1 includes one NSX EXP chassis without blade upgrade, one NSX XB60 expansion unit with 4GB memory and up to eight compute units, CIFS and iSCSI for CIFS licenses, and premium software support. Line 2 specifies the NSX XB60 expansion unit, CIFS and iSCSI for CIFS licenses, and premium software support. The equipment is configured to support CIFS and iSCSI protocol environments for enterprise-level storage infrastructure. All items are specified with part numbers; vendors must provide unit prices for each line item as separately configured.

Awards will be made to the lowest responsible bidder evaluated on best value factors including quality, conformity with specifications, delivery date, and ultimate cost. Bidders must prepay all transportation charges. Cash discounts with periods shorter than 20 days will not be considered in award calculations. The State is exempt from Federal taxes and Maine State Sales and Use Taxes; bidders should quote without tax inclusion. Contractors cannot assign, sublet, or transfer the contract without written consent from the Director. Suppliers of hazardous chemicals must provide current Material Safety Data Sheets under Maine's Chemical Substance Identification Law. Bids must be submitted electronically to the Division of Purchases, Room 119, 9 State House Station, State Office Building, Augusta, Maine.