Navy wants more info on NGEN proposals

Before moving ahead with the next iteration of its $3.4 billion Next Generation Enterprise Network contract, the Navy wants ideas from industry on several subjects, including cloud computing and network reliability.

The Navy in 2013 awarded the current contract for NGEN to Hewlett-Packard, which was the incumbent on the predecessor NMCI contract. In a request for information  issued late last week, the service is looking for prospective vendors to submit white papers on three issues that are priorities: the Navy Private Cloud, command and control reliability, and optimized productivity.

The three areas are somewhat related—the question on productivity, for example, asks about the relative benefits of private, commercial and hybrid clouds, as well as operating cloud infrastructures on premises or off premises. Prospective vendors are asked to submit a separate white paper on each of the three areas, due by Aug. 11.

The Navy’s move to cloud computing grows out of a directive issued in 2013 to take advantage of cloud to save money while providing a centralized infrastructure.