U.S. Department of Commerce, Acquisition Services, 14th & Constitution Ave., N.W., Room 6516, Washington, D.C. 20230

70 -- EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTER SYSTEM POC Henrietta G. Nicholas, Contract Specialist 202/482-2062; Howard G. Price, Contracting Officer 202/482-1966 E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contracting Officer via, hprice@doc.gov. It is the intent of the U. S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) to extend the period of performance of the existing contract with IBM Corporation. This contract is for a High Performance Computer System (i.e., Supercomputer.) The Government intends with this extension to the High Performance Computer System contract to acquire these additional resources in FY 2001 and possibly in FY 2002 related to the High Performance Computer System. The Government estimates these additional resources at $1,500,000.00. The acquisition for additional resources will be in accordance with the contract's Technological Changes clause. This clause allows the Government to solicit technological changes that satisfy increased performance guarantees of the contract. The existing contract (base period and three option years) expires at the end of fiscal year 2002. In order to operationalize the NCEP climate forecast system and continue the planned implementation of weather prediction models, the Department of Commerce's NOAA intends to acquire additional resources through an extension of the existing contract through September 30, 2003. Due to the sensitive and highly complex nature of the project, it is in the best interest of the Government to maintain continuity of expertise through an extension of this contract. This notice of intent is for information purposes only; therefore, no solicitation will result from this announcement. This is not a request for a proposal. Only one source is responsible and no other supplies or services will satisfy the Agency requirement. To consider any other source would result in substantial duplication of costs to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through negotiation or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. IBM Corporation was awarded a competitive contract in 1999. The Government intends to schedule an acquisition to award a follow-on competitive contract in the fourth quarter of FY 2002. Posted 03/17/00 (W-SN435597). (0077)

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