The Department of the Interior released a request for proposal on Wednesday for cloud-based application and data storage solutions in the latest part of the department’s information technology modernization project.
The multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a base of 3 years and options through 2022.
“IT modernization presents a great opportunity for the department,” said Rhea Suh, DOI assistant secretary for policy, management, and budget. “This RFP will provide us with more options and access to outside vendors and will build on our internal efforts towards our overarching goal of enabling DOI’s Bureaus to continue to deliver on their critical missions with modern technology and at lower costs, allowing us to reinvest savings within the department.”
By using a modern cloud-hosting strategy, the department hopes to provide cutting edge capabilities to support mission applications like detailed climate change data and computers programs that measure earthquake activity.
“We see DOI as being a leader among federal agencies in taking full advantage of cloud-based services, and this RFP helps us by incorporating extensive market feedback we received earlier this year through our Request for Information,” said Andrew Jackson, DOI deputy assistant secretary for technology, information and business services. “It will help us be in the first wave of agencies to provide broad access to modern cloud-hosting strategies that implement best practices outlined by the federal chief information officer.”
DOI’s new cloud-based hosting options will also allow for a more secure way to transfer important files and will provide hosting for DOI’s many different websites, such as DOI.gov, the agency said.
“We developed this RFP as a broad sourcing vehicle to provide capabilities for the full scope of our potential commercial hosting needs,” said DOI Chief information Officer Bernard Mazer. “Through these contracts, we will be able to provide our bureaus access to a full suite of technically advanced storage and software services. We anticipate that this contract will ultimately serve as our one-stop shop for all DOI’s outside, contractor-supplied, hosting.”
