D -- INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE FOR PAI/O DRIVER

Notice Date

May 11, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Finance Center (NFC), 13800 Old Gentilly Rd., Bldg 350, MAF, New Orleans, LA 70129

ZIP Code

70129

Solicitation Number

NFC-01-P-0014

Response Due

May 22, 2001

Point of Contact

Freddie Moses, 504-255-5911

E-Mail Address

USDA, National Finance Center (freddie.moses@usda.gpv)

Description

This announcement serves as a notice of the intent of the USDA, National Finance Center to award a contract to Performance Associates, Incorporated for an off-the-shelf software product, PAI/O Driver, and for expert technical consultation regarding short and long range planning for direct access storage device(DASD) system management in an OS390 environment. The software provides for the creation of a DASD performance model based on the I/O workload characteristic encountered. The model provides the capability to test and validate DASD vendor offerings using workload data unique to the buyer's environment before acquisition decisions are made. It allows for the identification of abnormal and unacceptable I/O workload performance encountered in day-to-day operations. It provides guidance on elimination of bottlenecks, matching of I/O demands to available device types, and balancing workload levels among the DASD subsystems available. The USDA requires that the modeling software be available, tested, and proven based on actual tests of a wide-range of original equipment manufacturer's products. Installation, demonstration, and training of technical specialists will be completed within 30 days of contract award. This is not a solicitation for a research and development effort. Interested organizations may submit their capability to provide a comparable off-the-shelf vendor-tested DASD performance modeling software package and corporate qualifications to provide expert technical and management guidance regarding planning for large storage systems to the identified point of contact not later than 3:00 PM CDST on May 22, 2001. Such capabilities and qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Since no solicitation document exists, responses received after May 22, 2001 or without the required information will be considered nonresponsive and will not be accepted.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010515/DSOL011.HTM (W-131 SN50L992)