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Announcement Type : Special Notice Announcement Number: NIST-NOI-26-77-01612 PSC Code: DA01 - IT and Telecom – Business Application/Application Development Support Services (Labor) Subject: Modifications and Enhancements to the ParaView/VTK Software for Immersive Scientific Visualization Introduction This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested. Purpose The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate a firm-fixed priced purchase order on a sole source basis with Kitware, Inc. located at 1712 Route 9, Suite 300, Clifton Park, NY 12065-3104. The purchase order will be for follow-on contractor support services to improve ParaView software's virtual reality capability in relation to NIST's high performance computing and visualization research and to move ParaView towards the OpenXR standard. The purchase order will be for a 12-month period of performance. Authority This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106(b)(1) allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541511 – Custom Computer Programming Services with a size standard of $34 Million. Description The High Performance Computing and Visualization Group (HPCVG) within NIST's Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) requires specialized contractor support to transition its Immersive Visualization Environment (IVE) to the ParaView open-source framework. This transition is critical to leverage recent advances in visualization hardware, such as real-time path tracing and global illumination. Specific technical objectives include: Adding the open-source Slang Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) shading language for the next-generation WebGPU rendering backend in VTK. Implementing a scenegraph capability within ParaView to align with NIST's existing internal frameworks. Developing support for interfacing ParaView to external tools to ensure minimal disruption to diverse research projects spanning nanotechnology, medical, and materials science. Sole Source Determination The sole source determination is based on the following: The NIST Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) High-Performance Computing and Visualization Group operates a fully Immersive Visualization Environment (IVE) and has developed high end visualization software that runs this environment. The HPCVG is moving their IVE and custom software to the fully open-source software environment ParaView. The HPCVG therefore requires contractor support to integrate and enhance ParaView virtual reality capabilities with NIST's IVE. This requirement is a follow-on to contract 1333ND25PNB770188 with Kitware, Inc. which implemented Phase II of the Modifications and Enhancements to the ParaView/VTK Software for Immersive Scientific Visualization. The purpose of this requirement is to perform …

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