In an Invitation for Bid (IFB) released Feb. 21 by the California Department of Technology (CDT), its Office of Technology Services (OTech) indicates it hopes to procure “new infrastructure materials for the data center.” OTech provides IT services to state, county, federal and local government agencies. It also performs duties including supporting the statewide network and hosting multiple mainframes and mid-range server platforms, according to the IFB. Responses are due by 10 a.m. Friday. Among the takeaways:
• The current CDT data center requires “new infrastructure materials to support all layer one infrastructure aspects of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) cabling and the basic power and cabinet infrastructure for the CDT Computer Rooms,” according to the IFB.
Layer one ICT at the CDT Data Center is “all of the fiber optic and copper cabling,” CDT told Techwire via email: “From high-pair count backbone trunking cabling to the individual fiber optic and UTP copper patch cords.” The infrastructure in this procurement, CDT said, “is the basics of data center operations: cabinets, power strips, fiber optic and copper cabling, etc.”
• The IFB’s estimated bid cost is roughly $2.5 million over the course of up to three years, CDT said. The contract term is one year, from April 1 through March 31, 2021, with the option of two one-year extensions. The bid, CDT added, is designed to allow the agency to procure from a list of specific materials as is needed. Contracted labor isn’t included; any installation labor would be done by CDT staff.
• The procurement, CDT said, is “for the ongoing moves, adds and changes” within its “very dynamic data center computer room environment” — not an expansion of the data center’s “electrical distribution infrastructure.” CDT’s customers for both data centers, it said, include “several state departments.”
“In theory, this procurement has the potential to support all CDT platforms and their customers,” CDT added.
• Per the IFB, the procurement may require the bidder to make a demonstration in response to “specific requirements” including benchmark requirements prior to final selection “in order to verify the claims made in the bid,” corroborate bid evaluation and confirm hardware and software are actually in operation. If a demo is needed, bidders will be notified, and will have the opportunity to determine the location of the demonstration. However, demos in California are preferred and officials will attend demos outside California “only if approved by the state” and if the bidder reimburses the state for travel and per diem.
