NSK Non-Stop Itanium Drives for HHSv3

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Procurement and Contracting Services division, on behalf of HHSC and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), issued a formal Invitation for Bids (IFB) posted April 17, 2026, for the procurement of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Non-Stop (Itanium) Self-Storage Disk Drives (SSDs). The solicitation seeks competitive bids to establish contracts for 400 GB capacity drives with SAS 12Gb/s interface, 2.5-inch form factor, and MLC or high-endurance TLC NAND type, featuring HPE digitally signed firmware with dual-port SAS design for compatibility with Non-Stop Itanium systems serving the Claims Engines located in Austin and Dallas. Bidders must submit sealed responses by May 7, 2026, at 10:30 AM Central Time, with a questions and clarifications deadline of April 24, 2026, and responses to questions posted by May 1, 2026. The initial contract term runs from the anticipated start date of May 12, 2026, through August 31, 2026, with an optional extension of up to one year at HHSC's sole discretion. Evaluation criteria include the bidder meeting or exceeding all technical specifications, the ability to meet delivery requirements, and pricing considerations, with HHSC retaining the right to award to the bidder offering best value rather than the lowest price. Pricing must be firm and fixed for the contract life, submitted on the provided Pricing Sheet (Exhibit C), and is considered all-inclusive of labor, equipment, materials, supplies, and all related expenses.

A HUB Subcontracting Plan is encouraged but not required for this procurement. The historical annual spend for similar goods is $80,000, provided as a guideline only and does not represent guaranteed purchase volumes. Price adjustments are not automatic and may only be permitted at HHSC's sole discretion when correlated with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) using specified formulas and supporting documentation; contractors must immediately implement any price decreases and notify the HHSC Contract Manager in writing. HHSC reserves the right to reject any or all responses, cancel the IFB, make single or multiple awards, and conduct vendor performance verification through the Texas Comptroller's Vendor Performance Tracking System. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents provided. The contract award value is anticipated to fall within the $80,000 annual spend range, though this represents historical spending and not a guaranteed budget commitment for the contract period.