D-REQUEST FOR INFORMATION; DEFENSE RESEARCH & ENGINEERING NETWORK (DREN) NETWORKING SERVICES THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) AND NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). The High Performance Computing Modernization Office (HPCMO) is requesting information for obtaining state-of-the-art Wide Area Networking (WAN) services to support the Department of Defense (DoD) High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) and DoD users in various technical communities. The HPCMP is chartered to provide high speed wide area networking (WAN) services to enable over 6000 scientists and engineers at defense laboratories, test centers, universities, and industry sites throughout the United States use HPCMP computing resources. The current network that links the HPC users together is called the Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN). The networking capability is currently being provided under the DREN Inter-site Services Contract (DISC), which expires in July 2001. The Government plans to continue the DREN network capability by issuing a follow-on contract for network services. HPCMO is seeking the RFI information to assist them in preparing the final DREN Inter-Site Services Requirements Package. The current DISC contract provides for digital data transfer services between defined service delivery points (SDPs) that make up the DREN. SDPs are specified in terms of their bandwidth requirements and the physical and transport protocols that they must support. DREN provides interoperable asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and internet protocol (IP) services for video, audio, imaging, and digital data. DREN has more than 60 sites: of which more than 40 percent are ATM sites and the remainder IP sites. The current network provides DS3 through OC12 connectivity. The HPCMP plans to continue to upgrade DREN to establish connectivity at OC12 and higher speeds. You are invited to prepare a white paper to address the Draft DREN Statement of Work and RFI questions. The Government seeks industry comment on the draft SOW, the overall acquisition strategy, and recommendations for satisfying the HPCMP networking requirements in light of the fact that high-speed technologies are rapidly evolving. Although the Government has made significant investment in ATM, the Government will consider alternative cost-effective approaches for satisfying HPC users' bandwidth and performance requirements. Note: The Government understands vendors may not be able to respond to all requested information, as such, the Government will accept partial responses to this RFI. The RFI will be posted to the DITCO Web Page on or about 18 July 2000 at http://www.ditco.disa.mil/dcop/public/asp/dcop.asp. All questions concerning this RFI shall be directed to Ms. Deborah Wellen, Contract Specialist, Ph. 618-229-9547, Email wellend@scott.disa.mil or to Mr. Cary Smith, Communications Specialist, Ph. 618-229-9457, Email Smith1c@scott.disa.mil. WEB: DISA/DITCO Contracting Opportunities Web Page, http://www.ditco.disa.mil/dcop/public/asp/dcop.asp. Posted 07/17/00 (W-SN475647).

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