SAM #REQUIREMENTS-25-1463-27

NOAA GFDL scientific software, HPC, cybersecurity, and facilities support services

NOAA is conducting market research for integrated scientific software, high-performance computing, cybersecurity, endpoint, administrative, and facilities support for its research computing environment. - Government buyer - Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). - Primary customer: Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR); work also supports NOAA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and Modeling Systems Division (MSD). - NOAA’s Western Acquisition Division is identified in the initial notice. - Scope of work - Agile software engineering and scientific modeling for NOAA Earth system models and software infrastructure, including FMS, FRE, MOM6, FV3, UFS, MDTF, and ESGF; includes testing, CI/CD, containers, data services, diagnostics, and AI/ML workflows. - Endpoint and user support for about 300 devices—approximately 250 Linux and 50 Windows—with patching, security, refresh, help desk, and graphics support. - 24/7/365 operations for HPC, networks, storage, data transfer, and user support; named systems include Gaea (HPE-Cray EX 3000), Hera, Ursa, Rhea, and Dell PPAN nodes. The work supports transfers up to 80 TB per day and archived data exceeding half an exabyte and approaching an exabyte. - HPC cybersecurity, vulnerability remediation, continuous threat monitoring, incident response, cloud/DevSecOps security, and authorization and audit documentation. Critical security incidents must be isolated and reported within one hour. - Facilities and data center operations, preventive maintenance, project planning, and approved minor repairs and alterations. Identified infrastructure includes six Lochinvar boilers, three chillers, and two generators; generator fuel polishing covers 4,000 gallons. - Related administrative and operational support includes travel, property, purchasing documentation, visitor processing, reception and access operations, audiovisual support, printing, and disaster recovery coordination. - Named OEMs and commercial platforms - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)/Cray and Dell equipment are identified in the computing environment; Lochinvar equipment is identified in facilities requirements. - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are named cloud platforms. Genetec and C-Cure 9000 are named security and access-control systems. - No products are being procured as standalone equipment or software; direct HPC hardware procurement is excluded. - Notable requirements and service quantities - Embedded scientific and software support is currently estimated at four FTEs: two Scientific Programmer III, one Scientific Programmer IV, and one System Architect V. - Development includes baseline four-week Agile sprint blocks and optional two-week surge sprint increments. A separate PWS specifies surge-team stand-up within two business days. - Endpoint support covers approximately 300 devices, with about 20% refreshed annually. Operations include continuous coverage, monthly patching and vulnerability scanning, and high-volume data and archival storage support. - Facilities requirements include a goal of zero unplanned downtime, a five-minute emergency response during designated core hours, and completion of work orders within five business days. - The draft materials describe the requirement as services, not a purchase of equipment or software. No product part numbers or direct procurement quantities are specified. - Opportunity status and value - This is market research based on draft requirements, not an award or a final solicitation. - The initial notice anticipates a one-year base ordering period with four one-year options; draft attachments do not establish an overall period of performance. - No government-provided contract value is stated. A preliminary planning estimate is $30 million–$75 million for the broad, multi-year service scope.

Description

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

High-Performance Computing 

Software Development and Technical Services

REQUIREMENTS-25-1463-27

This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal or Quotation. It is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract nor will the Government pay for any information provided; no basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this Sources Sought Notice or Government use of any information provided.

Pursuant to FAR Part 10 (Market Research), the purpose of this notice is to:

Determine if sources capable of satisfying the agency's requirements exist. Determine whether the acquisition should utilize any of the small business programs in accordance with FAR Part 19.

Pursuant to FAR Part 6 and FAR Part 19, competition and set-aside decisions may be based on the results of this market research. This notice in no way obligates the Government to any further action.

Requirement: This notice is issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Western Acquisition Division (WAD) and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) to identify sources capable of providing the following:

The GFDL, located on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus, Princeton, NJ, is a NOAA research laboratory in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). GFDL’s mission is to be a world leader in the development of comprehensive, integrated and unified models of the Earth system comprising the atmosphere, oceans, land, biosphere, cryosphere, and ecosystems; and application of these models for the seamless understanding, predictions and projections of the Earth system, from hours to decades and from global-to-regional spatial scales, accounting for natural variations and forced changes.

This procurement is to obtain High-Performance Computing (HPC) software development and technical support services for the GFDL. This support is essential to ensuring that users are provided with the necessary support for the systems, network, and software needed to continue to advance the GFDL and NOAA mission. This effort does not include procuring IT equipment or software, per se, though contract personnel may help define requirements for equipment, software, and services to be acquired by the Government

The Statement of Objectives, Performance Work Statements and other supporting documents outline the primary performance-based tasks required to successfully satisfy the need in Management Support Services, Technical Support Services, and Scientific Support Services.  The scope of this effort shall encompass all of the task areas described in the Performance Work Statements.

See the following documents for further details on this requirement:

Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives - Software Development and Technical Support Attachment 2 - Draft Performance Work Statement - Objective 1: Adaptive Earth System Model Development Attachment 3 - Draft Performance Work Statement - Objective 2: Standardized & Secure Endpoints Attachment 4 - Draft PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT - OBJECTIVE 3: HPC Support & Network Security Attachment 5 - Draft PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT - OBJECTIVE 4: Facilities Management, Maintenance, Project Management, and Ancillary Repairs and Alteration Services Attachment 6 - Draft Exhibit A - NOAA/GFDL Computing and Data Storage Resources Attachment 7 - SOO QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN Attachment 8 - Resource Only - Current Organization 2026_Rev20260929_positions (This document serves as an informational reference only regarding the current labor breakdown and does not specify the labor mix or positions required for the new requirement.)

Anticipated Contract Vehicle: The anticipated contract vehicle will be a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) or an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with Fixed-Price and Time-and-Materials Call Orders or Task Orders.  The period of performance is anticipated to be a one-year base ordering period, with four additional one-year optional ordering periods. 

NAICS Code/Size Standard: The applicable NAICS Code is 541511, Custom Computer Programming Services, and the size standard is $34.0M.

Submission of Information: Companies having capabilities necessary to meet or exceed the stated requirements are invited to provide information to contribute to this market survey/sources sought notice.

Companies may respond to this Sources Sought Notice by using the Google Portal Link below.

https://forms.gle/ekHGrdX3agAPuk3TA  (Copy and paste into web browser) 

Responses shall be received no later than October 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time.

Interested parties: Need to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).  Failure to submit sufficient detailed information may result in considering a company as not a viable source and may influence competition and set-aside decisions. Regardless of the information obtained from this Sources Sought Notice, the Government reserves the right to consider any arrangement as deemed appropriate for this requirement.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.

After a review of the responses received from this notice, a pre-solicitation notice and solicitation may be published on the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor the GPE for release of any future solicitation that may result from this Sources Sought Notice. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will not be considered adequate responses to any resultant solicitation.

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