SAM #36C10B26Q0444

VA Unified Communications Server Replacement Lifecycle Refresh (Cisco M5 Replacement)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking information from industry for a large-scale Unified Communications Server Replacement Lifecycle Refresh across its enterprise environment. - Government Buyer: - Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Information & Technology (OIT), Connectivity & Collaboration Services (CCS), Unified Communications - Contracting office: VA Technology Acquisition Center, Eatontown, NJ - OEMs and Vendors: - Cisco (current OEM for M5 servers) - Products/Services Requested: - Replacement of End of Life (EOL) and End of Service (EOS) Cisco M5 Servers with new, maintainable, and supported hardware - Cluster servers (VMware VSAN Certified) with 128GB memory, 2.50 GHz CPU (16 pCPU), 32GB ESXi storage, 5TB NVMe VSAN, quad 1GB Ethernet, quad 25GB fiber, dual power supplies, 2RU rack, OBM management, rail kit, and cables - Single servers with 64GB memory, 2.50 GHz CPU (8 pCPU), 1TB SSD RAID-5 storage, quad 1GB Ethernet, dual 25GB fiber, dual power supplies, 1RU rack, OBM management, rail kit, and cables - Installation services including site surveys, project management, shipping, unboxing, racking, cabling, OBM configuration, verification, and documentation - 1-year standard manufacturer’s warranty and maintenance support for hardware and software - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Hardware must be delivered within 90 days of award; installation completed within 180 days - Compliance with Section 508 accessibility, VA security/privacy policies, Zero Trust controls, IPv6, AI trustworthiness, and supply chain integrity - Ongoing compliance monitoring and reporting for AI systems - Cost estimates requested on a per seated, per user basis - Deployment and installation at multiple VA facilities nationwide

Description

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Page 1 of 3 Unified Communications Server Replacement Lifecycle Refresh This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation nor does it restrict the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as to the ultimate acquisition approach. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ)/Invitation for Bid (IFB)/Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFQ, IFB or RFP in the future. This notice does not commit the VA to contract for any supply or service. Further, the VA is not seeking quotes, bids or proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals in response to this source sought notice. The VA will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. Submittals will not be returned to the responder. Not responding to this notice does not preclude participation in any future RFQ or IFB or RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Governmentwide Point of Entry. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the Governmentwide Point of Entry for additional information pertaining to this requirement. A brief synopsis of the required product is provided below: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Information & Technology (OIT), Connectivity & Collaboration Services (CCS), Unified Communications, has a requirement for Unified Communications Server Replacement Lifecycle Refresh. This is a mission critical OIT project intended to replace End of Life (EOL) End of Service (EOS) Cisco M5 Servers currently in service at multiple facilities within the VA s Enterprise UC environment. This new replacement hardware shall refresh the equipment with new hardware which will be able to be maintained and supported for several years. This hardware is needed to enhance and sustain operations. This Hardware shall be delivered to the site within 90 days of award. A list of requirements can be found in the table below. Installation efforts shall be included in this effort and completed within 180 days.

The Contractor shall provide the 1-year standard manufacturer s Warranty/Maintenance support for the hardware and software in addition to the maintenance and technical support.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION Please submit responses via email to Anthony.browner@va.gov and mary.accomando@va.gov by 3:00 PM EST, June 5, 2026

Please include the subject line VA Server Refresh Project[Your company Name] in your submission. The response should not exceed a 5 MB e-mail limit for all items associated with the RFI response. If your submission exceeds this limitation, please send multiple emails that comply with this requirement. Do not send zipped files as the email server will strip the attachments. Oral communications are not permissible. SAM.gov will be the sole repository for all information related to this RFI. VA reserves the right not to respond to any or all emails or materials submitted. Response Guidelines: Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a capability statement. The capability statement should be concise and cannot exceed five (5) pages, and address only the information requested below. The response shall include the following:
Company Information: Company name, address, telephone number, Point of Contact (POC) name and email address SAM UEI and business size (for small businesses, including socioeconomic status). Acquisition Recommendations: Identify Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) and Federal Supply Schedule(s) under which your company can offer services aligned with this requirement. Provide a response to VA assigning NAICs 334111, Electronic Computer Manufacturing with a Small Business Size standard of 1,250 employees Recommend contract type, duration, and pricing structure based on Federal Acquisition Regulation and commercial best practices. Recommend evaluation discriminators VA should consider for source selection. Technical capability and Expertise: Describe your company s demonstrated capability and experience in performing the work described in the attached draft Product Description (PD). Include supporting information showing your ability to meet specific PD task, including: Deployment and installation of large-scale server replacement Describe specific tools, platforms, or methodologies your organization uses to manage complex IT infrastructure and service delivery Knowledge and experience delivering and installing servers Detail your experience with delivering and installing replacement servers Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Management:
Describe your experience managing OEM relationships, particularly where multiple technology vendors are involved. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Validation: The VA is considering 334111, Electronic Computer Manufacturing Indicate whether this NAICS code is appropriate for the work described. If not, recommend a more suitable NAICs code with justification. Feedback on the Draft PD. The page limitation does not apply to providing feedback on the PD. Identify supply chain or other business considerations VA should consider. Cost Estimate Provide recommended CLIN structure Please provide a cost estimate on a per seated, per user basis

Oral communications are not permissible. SAM.gov will be the sole repository for all information related to this RFI. VA reserves the right not to respond to any or all emails or materials submitted. DISCLAIMER Reminder: This Sources Sought issued solely for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this Sources Sought that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this Source Sought.

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