Disk storage array (jbod) (UW-MAD) [19-0022]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Purchasing Services is conducting a Request for Bid (RFB) 19-0022 for the Space Science and Engineering Center to procure disk storage array equipment. The procurement involves nine total storage arrays: six arrays with 80 hot-swap disk bays containing 80 10TB hard disk drives per array, and three arrays with 80 6TB hard disk drives per array. The equipment must meet specific technical requirements, including dual redundant I/O modules with 12Gb SAS ports, redundant hot-pluggable power supplies, 19-inch rack mounting capability with a maximum 6U height and 35.5-inch depth, and compatibility with Lustre ZFS file systems in JBOD mode. Sealed bids are due by 2:00 p.m. CDT on September 26, 2018, to be submitted in hard copy and on flash drive to the Purchasing Services office. Written questions were due by September 21, 2018. Contractors must be original manufacturers, authorized distributors, or authorized dealers with service and repair capabilities, and must provide three client references demonstrating similar installations at comparable institutions within the past three years.

The procurement includes several mandatory requirements and set-aside provisions targeting supplier diversity. Specifically, the contract includes goals for minority-owned businesses (5%), woman-owned businesses, and disabled veteran-owned businesses (1%). Contractors must provide a minimum five-year warranty with next business day advance parts replacement and use only manufacturer-trained personnel. Additional requirements include criminal background checks for contractor personnel, on-site service capabilities, 24-hour initial response time for service calls, unlimited callback maintenance during business hours, and acceptance testing within 10 days of delivery. The University reserves the right to award at the component level and will base awards on lowest overall price. All equipment must be new with manufacturer warranties, and trade-ins are not applicable. While no specific budget range is mentioned, the comprehensive technical specifications and warranty requirements suggest a significant investment in high-performance storage infrastructure for the university's research and data management needs.