U.S. Customs Service, Procurement Division, Room 4210, 1301 Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C. 20229

70 -- PROTOTYPE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS Contact: Mark Weinstein, Contract Specialist, 202-927-0567; Michael Rebain, Contracting Officer, 202-927-0598. This announcement is not a formal solicitation. The U.S. Customs Service has a requirement for data warehouse application development tools. The required data warehouse application development tools must have multi-dimensional analysis functionality with the following capabilities: Multidimensional View, a multi-dimensional view of the data warehouse is required to shield users from the complexities of the underlying data structures and algorithms. Pivot/Rotation, this functionality is needed so users will be able to view and present analytical results from an unlimited number of perspectives as well as enable them to perform cross-dimension calculations. Intelligent Drilling, an intelligent drilling (search and retrieve) capability will enable users to dynamically explore their data at any level of detail by drilling up and down and by skipping mulitple hierarchy levels on any dimension at any time without predefining drill paths. Cross-Dimension Calculations, this capability is needed to provide the ability to create, save and share simple and complex specialized calculations without writing stored procedures. Dynamic Sets, this capability is required to create and share specialized item groupings and summaries across any dimension. This capability will also define a hierarchy of selected groupings and immediately drill up and down through the hierarchy so that unforeseen occurrences can be analyzed and defined. Filters, this functionality is needed to define report contents by moving the filters that constrain the data appearing on the report to items meeting a specific criteria. Filters associated with one dimension will be needed to be combined with filters from other dimensions at any time. Also needed is the ability to create, save and share filters. Decision Groupware, this is needed to provide the capability to create and share any decision support information object (such as reports, analyses, sets, calculations, filters, alerts and triggers) across work groups or the entire organization. Collapsible Browsing, this capability is needed to define report content by quickly and flexibly browsing a list of all valid choices in the data warehouse and selecting from this list items to be included in the rport. The user shall be able to expand or collapse browse lists by simply pointing and clicking. Flexible Period Definitions, multidimensional analysis logic is required to determine non-standard periods (i.e. fiscal year to calendar year), period ranges, period calculations and period variables, including ``most recent.'' Users need to create period calculations and define non-standard time period analysis without storing this data in advance. Direct Access to Relational Databases, multidimensional analysis must be performed directly against standard Relational Data Base Management Systems (RDBMSs) without the need to extract and place data in a proprietary multidimensional environment. Systems must support any combination of relational databases required by the application including simultaneous access to multiple heterogenous databases. Using relational databases, the flexibility and openness of the data warehouse will be maintained. Meta Data, a directory that describes the data warehouse to the applciation, is needed as an architectural component to reduce development time and user support requirements in addition to being used as a card catalog of the data. The meta data should transparently manage business rules to allow instant drill-up/drill-down, user created calculations, and specialized groupings required. The database structure changes shall all be done without having to change the application. Sparse Matrix Schema Support, Sparse matrix schema support is a feature that is needed to help reduce the size of the database. Read and Write, Users and applications need to be able to read and write to the data warehouse. Query generation, users need unlimited interactive exploration of the data warehouse. This can be provided by generating a programming language, such as SQL at runtime based on user requests and applications requirements. Openness, accessibility to all Customs PC development and productivity tools (i.e., Visual Basic, Access, Excel) is required. Access is also required to either standard local or distributed relational databases. A firm fixed price contract with a five year systems life is planned. Software Development Tool must have a one year warranty and an annual maintenance program. Sources interested in submitting information in response to this CBD notice are requested to provide two (2) copies of all applicable technical literature, brochures, catalogs, published pricelists and any other information which would indicate that your data warehouse application development software tools meets the Government requirement. Responses should be mailed to Mr. Mark Weinstein, Contract Specialist, U.S. Customs Service, Procurement Division, Room 4210, 1301 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20229, and should be received not later than fifteen (15) days from the date of this notice. If no respones are received by this date, then this requirement will be negotiated on a sole source basis with Information Advantage, Inc. Telephone or facsimile responses will not be honored. This is a sources sought synopsis; therefore, requests for copies of a Solicitation will not be honored. Interested vendors are requested to provide the requested information voluntarily to the Government at no cost or obligation. No payment will be made to Vendors for the information submitted. (163)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0464 19950614\70-0013.SOL)