USDA, Agriculture Research Services, Roman L Hruska US Meat Animal Research Center, Bldg. 1, Clay Center, Nebraska 68933

70 -- SOLE SOURCE MODIFIED VERSION OF SPARSPAK SOFTWARE SOL 5438-11-00 DUE 052500 POC Carol L. Gill, 402/762-4144 The USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada to incorporate parts of a copyrighted software package called Sparspak into a USDA application program called MTDFREML. Sparspak is a software package developed at the University of Waterloo (UW) and is distributed under license by UW. UW is the only known source capable of fulfilling the requirement. The following is a summary of the statement of work: The USDA, ARS, US Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE has developed a software program called MTDFREML. MTDFREML is used to estimate the variance and covariance components for messy multiple trait genetic models using a derivative-free algorithm for obtaining restricted maximum likelihood estimates based on Henderson's mixed model equations. Those systems of equations are generally quite sparse (mostly zero coefficients). Under license from UW, MTDFREML has used one of the six computational methods available in Sparspak to solve sparse systems of equations. UW has developed a new package called Sparspak-90 that is implemented in the language Fortran 90. It employs new, faster algorithms and more efficient data structures than those used in the original Sparspak package. MTDFREML uses Fortran 77, the precursor to Fortran 90. The purpose of the proposed contract is to have UW personnel incorporate into MTDFREML the Sparspak code used by MTDFREML to solve sparse matrices, and to adapt several performance enhancing features of Sparspak-90 for use by MTDFREML. Sparspak-90 features that will be adapted to MTDFREML include: 1) software for finding, given the initial reordering provided by the minimum degree algorithm, a reordering (equivalently good in terms of flop-count) that optimizes the utilization of cache memory; 2) software for performing the symbolic factorization (data structure set-up) for the Cholesky factor.(The software and algorithms employed are significantly different from and faster than those in employed in Sparspak); 3) software for performing the Cholesky factorization to obtain the logarithm of the determinant and the triangular solution. The new software will be modified in a manner similar to modifications made in the original Sparspak software to meet MTDFREML's special requirements to handle rank-deficient problems. The USDA will provide a copy of MTDFREML and a collection of test routines and test data to provide a performance benchmark and for validation purposes. UW will create and convert code and will integrate that code into MTDFREML. The USDA will own the modified MTDFREML and will have all distribution rights. Expected performance period is eight months. Evaluation factors for the award of the contract are: 1) Technical capabilities of proposed software including addressing the probability that this software can be successfully adapted to this project; 2) Experience of the offeror using this software in previous projects (to include number, quality, and difficulty of past projects); and 3) Cost. This is a simplified acquisition with an estimated value of less than $50,000. Questions regarding this acquisition can be directed to Carol Gill at 402/762-4144 or email at gill@email.marc.usda.gov. Interested parties are required to submit a quote and technical information by 200 p.m. CDT within ten working days of publication of this notice. Posted 05/11/00 (W-SN454084). (0132)

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