DISA-DITCO/DTS42, Scott AFB IL, BLDG 3600 62225-5406

70 -- REDUNDANT ARRAY OF INEXPENSIVE DISKS (RAID) SOL DCA200-96-R-0141 POC Contact: John Herrmann, 618-256-9722 Synopsis Number 96223. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) intends to acquire (lease/buy) Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) technology. Currently the 16 DISA Defense Megacenters (DMCs) have a mix of Direct Access Storage Devices (DASD) including conventional and RAID technology. DISA plans to upgrade several existing RAID boxes and add additional RAID boxes to existing disk farms. Some DMCs still use IBM compatible 3380 and 3390 disk subsystems. DISAs disk storage requirements have grown as a result of the consolidation of numerous Information Processing Centers (IPCs). DISA would like to procure additional state-of-the-art RAID systems. The escalating cost of environmentals, maintenance and floor space continue to affect technological costs. DISAs RAID procurements must be able to support the current operating systems executing on the existing IBM370/390 platforms currently supporting the DMCs (MVS/XA, MVS/ESA. MVS OPEN EDITION, OS/390 AND VM with some DMCs). It is not the intent to acquire RAID systems for the midrange UNIX platforms such as SUN, HP, IBM RISC, etc. The intent is to acquire RAID technology to support the existing IBM, Amdahl and Hitachi mainframes. It is DISAs intent to fully promote full and open competition in acquiring RAID technology. A Pre-Solicitation conference will be held on July 30 and July 31, 1996 at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The Government intends to brief its RAID requirements in the afternoon of July 30, 1996. Following the Government presentation, a question and answer period will be held, after which Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) or their vendor partners will be afforded the opportunity to brief the Government. OEM briefings will begin on the afternoon of 30 Jul 96 and continue on throughout the day on 31 Jul 96. Vendors who want to be present during the OEM presentations will be allowed the opportunity at the OEMs discretion. This does not preclude any vendor from submitting a proposal in response to the solicitation when issued. All OEMs are encouraged to attend the Governments briefing on the afternoon of July 30, 1996. In order to protect technical disclosures, the OEM presentations will be done in a one-on-one closed environment at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Each OEM briefing shall last no more than 60 minutes with an additional 20 minute question and answer period to follow. The order or presentations will be determined by random selection. At the Pre-solicitation Conference, we encourage the open interchange of information between DISA and our industry partners. No fee is associated with attending the conference. All interested attendees must provide their company name, name(s) and titles of all attendees, mailing addresses, telephone number (voice and facsimile), and, if an OEM, whether or not it intends to make a presentation to John Herrmann via facsimile at (618) 256-9414 or e-mail at HERRMANJ@DITCO.DISA.MIL. Responses are required by close of business July 24, 1996. (0199)

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