26-SIMACQ-D40-0005 Red Hat Directory Server and Enterprise Linux Extended Life Cycle Support
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of the Navy (DON) has issued an Award Notice for Red Hat Directory Server and Enterprise Linux Extended Life Cycle Support, published on June 18, 2026. This notice is accompanied by a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity (JEFO), which outlines the DON's strategy to procure Red Hat brand software products through a single-vendor Agency Catalog under the NASA SEWP V GWAC contract. This approach aims to provide DON-centric terms and discounted pricing, including an Enterprise License Agreement (ELA), leveraging the DON's significant existing investment in Red Hat technologies.
Purpose & Scope
The JEFO justifies a brand-name acquisition for a full range of Red Hat commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products. This includes:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) variants (Server, Client, Workstation, HPC, Real Time)
- Management and Provisioning Tools (e.g., Red Hat Satellite)
- Add-On Subscriptions (e.g., High Availability, Resilient Storage)
- Proof of Concept products (e.g., Mobile Application Platform, Cloud Suite, JBoss, OpenShift, Ansible Tower, Gluster Storage, Ceph Storage)
- Future product upgrades or new products with similar functionality. The procurement is intended to optimize pricing and terms for DON activities utilizing Red Hat products, while not precluding the use of alternative software where appropriate.
Contract Details
- Type: Award Notice (based on a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity)
- Product/Service Code: 7A20 (Application Development Software Delivered By Perpetual License)
- Procurement Vehicle: NASA SEWP V GWAC contract, conducted under FAR Subpart 16.5.
- Agency Catalog: Expected to be available for five years, starting no later than December 27, 2021.
- Enterprise License Agreement (ELA): Anticipated 1-year subscription term from January 27, 2022, through January 26, 2023, with four 1-year options.
- Place of Performance: Port Hueneme CBC Base, CA.
Eligibility & Rationale
This acquisition is justified as a brand-name procurement due to the Department of the Navy's extensive reliance on Red Hat products. The DON currently maintains over 120,000 Red Hat subscriptions, with approximately 90% of its server operating system ecosystem running on Red Hat. The significant costs, operational impacts, and interoperability challenges associated with switching to alternative software make a competitive solicitation for these specific Red Hat products impractical.
Additional Notes
Market research is ongoing to explore alternative software products. This notice serves to inform the public about the DON's procurement strategy for Red Hat products and is not a solicitation for proposals.
Contact Information
- Primary: Amber Bruno (amber.n.bruno.civ@us.navy.mil)
- Secondary: DR. DAVID GREAVES (david.a.greaves4.civ@us.navy.mil)