Virtulisation Platform

Overview The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA), on behalf of the Australian Government, invites information on virtualisation platform options that could help agencies sustain or optimise existing environments, operate different platforms together, or transition to replacement or modernised environments. Options may apply across on-premises, public cloud and hybrid environments, including approaches that preserve choice, portability and future flexibility. Purpose Responses will help the DTA understand: What the market can deliver How available options could be implemented The full cost of available options over time Security and sovereignty considerations Workforce impacts Purchasing options Realistic transition timeframes The DTA seeks information on available virtualisation platform options, where they fit, how they integrate with existing environments, the dependencies they create or reduce, and their technical, commercial and operational implications over time. This RFI is an information-gathering exercise. The DTA may decide not to proceed further. The DTA may also invite respondents to clarify their responses, present their capabilities or provide further information. The DTA may use the information received to refine the requirement and decide whether and how to approach the market, including through a request for tender or request for proposal. Any later activity would be separate and at the DTA's discretion. The DTA may also provide information received through this RFI to other agencies to support market analysis, planning and future activities. Scope This RFI is focused on compute and virtualisation solutions. The scope includes: A concise overview of available compute and virtualisation offerings, including the types and scale of agency environments they are suited to How offerings could work with or reuse existing agency infrastructure How offerings could support optimisation, coexistence or transition Material dependencies or interactions with storage, networking, cloud, security, management and other infrastructure, only where these form part of, support or materially affect the proposed compute and virtualisation solution The DTA is not seeking standalone responses for these other infrastructure areas. Respondents may provide information already available about their offering. End-user devices, desktop environments and productivity tools are out of scope. Information Requested The DTA seeks a concise overview of available offerings, the types and scale of agency environments they are suited to, how they could work with existing infrastructure, and what would be needed to explore them further. Detailed designs or quotations are not expected at this stage. A full description is provided in the attached document: dta-rfi-93304 Virtulisation Platforms.dox Eligibility Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and specialist providers may respond independently, as part of a consortium, or in partnership with other providers to deliver implementation, integration, support or innovation services An end-to-end solution or coverage of every technology layer is not required Instructions to Respondents RFI Format and Submission To submit a response to this RFI, respondents must complete the provided RFI Response form.xlsx with company and contact details and up to 10 distinct offerings at Attachment A. A supporting response may also be provided in addition to the RFI Response form. The same offering names should be used in the supporting response. Company and contact details do not need to be repeated in the supporting response. The supporting response and all attachments must not exceed 10 pages in total across all offerings. The completed RFI Response form.xlsx is excluded from this limit. Conditions of this RFI Respondents should not make any public statements about the process described in this document without the prior written consent of the DTA Nothing in this document is intended to limit, derogate from or otherwise affect the DTA's discretion in connection with the process described in this document, including any Application Process No binding contract (including a process contract) or other understanding (including any form of contractual, quasi-contractual, restitution rights, or rights based upon similar legal or equitable grounds) will exist between the DTA and a respondent in relation to this RFI DTA may (in its discretion and without any liability to respondents) cease, suspend, vary or terminate the process referred to in this document, including if DTA considers that it is in the public interest to do so DTA will not be liable or in any way responsible to a respondent for any costs or losses incurred by a respondent in connection with the process described in this document All responses become DTA's property when submitted on AusTender DTA may use any material contained in a response, or otherwise provided, for purposes related to this RFI process (including any resultant Application Process), and may reproduce, adapt, modify and publish that material DTA reserves the right not to utilise any information provided in a response Respondents should clearly identify information they consider confidential or commercially sensitive and explain the basis for that claim. Subject to applicable law and obligations, the Commonwealth may use, copy and disclose response information for market analysis, internal decision-making, assurance, audit, obtaining internal or external advice, agency support and planning future activities Respondents, by submitting a response to this RFI, are deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to the conditions set out in this RFI Respondents are responsible for all costs of preparing and submitting a response and participating in any clarification or further engagement; the Australian Government will not reimburse those costs Respondents retain ownership of pre-existing intellectual property in their responses. By submitting a response, each respondent grants the Australian Government a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce and adapt the response for the purposes of the RFI, internal analysis, assurance, agency support and planning future activities, subject to identified confidentiality and intellectual property restrictions The Australian Government does not represent or warrant that information in the RFI is complete, accurate or suitable for a respondent's purposes. Respondents should make their own enquiries and state all material assumptions Respondents must disclose actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest relevant to the RFI or proposed further engagement. The Australian Government may establish additional probity arrangements for any later activity Respondents should take reasonable care to ensure information is accurate, current and not misleading. The response must be submitted by an authorised representative. Material changes identified after submission should be notified through the RFI contact Respondents must not rely on the RFI as a commitment to acquire goods or services, provide funding, undertake a pilot, commence a procurement or enter into any contractual relationship. No binding relationship arises unless a written contract is executed by authorised parties following an applicable process Enquiries Allison Radovanovic allison.Radovanovic@dta.gov.au