Social Security Administration, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 1710 Gwynn Oak Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21207-0696

70 -- COMMUNICATION PROCESSORS DUE 092096 POC Mary L. Biddle Tel: 410-965-9588 The Social Security Administration (SSA) is seeking information from any vendor capable of providing a communications processor with functionality equivalent to the IBM 3745 Models 31A and 61A with IBM 3746-900 expansion units. The communications processor must be capable of operating as Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN) Network Nodes, and Systems Network Architecture (SNA) Subareas controlled by the Network Control Program (NCP) Version 7 Release 4 and higher. (SSA will provide the NCP software.) The communications processor must support host connectivity via Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON) and must also support network connectivity to intelligent workstations and other communications processors via token-ring connections. The IBM devices described above are the only devices capable of meeting these requirements known by the SSA. Vendors capable of providing an equivalent product are invited to submit complete technical information to substantiate equivalency. Vendors must also supply pricing for the product they propose to be equivalent to the following three IBM configurations: (1) 15 Each - IBM 3745 Model 31A with IBM 3746-900 expansion units, each configured with, but not limited to, the following features: (a) Five (5)- Token-Ring Processors Type 2 (TRP2), (b) Nine (9)-Token-Ring Couplers (TIC3), and (c) One (1)-Network Node Processor; (2) Three Each - IBM 3745 Model 31A with IBM 3746-900 expansion units, each configured with, but not limited to, the following features: (a) Five (5)-Token-Ring Processors Type 2 (TRP2), (b) Nine (9)-Token-Ring Couplers (TIC3), (c) One (1)-Network Node Processor, (d) Two (2)-ESCON Processors Type 2 (ESCP2), and (e) Two (2)-ESCON Couplers Type 2; and, (3) Five Each - IBM 3745 Models 61A with IBM 3746-900 expansion units, each configured with, but not limited to, the following features: (a) Six (6)- Token-Ring Processors Type 2 (TRP2), (b) Nine (9)-Token-Ring Couplers (TIC3), (c) One (1)-Network Node Processor, (d) Four (4)-ESCON Processors Type 2 (ESCP2), and (e) Four (4)-ESCON Couplers Type 2. The equipment will be installed in Social Security Technical Control facilities located in the following major cities in the United States: Baltimore, Maryland; Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Kansas City, Missouri; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Richmond, California. Vendors capable of providing a product with the salient characteristics, and mandatory specifications as stated above are invited to submit complete information, product descriptions, pricing, brochures and GSA Schedule Contracts (if applicable) about their product. Interested parties must response to this notice in writing within 15 calendar days from the date of this publication. Please refer to COMMPROSS/MB. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION ONLY! This is not a request for proposal (RFP). Information received will be used in SSA's assessment of capable sources. The Government does not intend to pay for information received. REQUESTS FOR COPIES OF A SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE HONORED OR ACKNOWLEDGED. (0249)

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