A Small Business Set-Aside for enterprise hard drives, encrypted USB storage, and Synology-compatible media. Quotes due August 14, 2026. LPTA evaluation.
Snapshot
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation (CI) Division, has released RFQ No. 2023H2-26-Q-5000230631 seeking qualified vendors to provide enterprise-grade hard drives, encrypted USB flash drives, and related delivery services in support of its Digital Forensics Program. This opportunity is particularly relevant for OEMs, authorized resellers, distributors, and IT hardware providers specializing in enterprise storage solutions, secure removable media, and data management technologies.
IRS Criminal Investigation serves as the law enforcement arm of the IRS and conducts investigations involving financial crimes, cybercrime, money laundering, tax fraud, and other complex criminal activities. The agency’s Digital Forensics Program requires reliable storage solutions to preserve, process, transfer, and analyze digital evidence collected during investigations. Through this procurement, the Government is seeking storage products that can support demanding forensic workloads while ensuring reliability, security, and long-term data integrity.
Short runway: Quotes are due August 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM CT, with questions due just three days prior. Vendors should begin preparing documentation now.
Opportunity in a Nutshell
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | Enterprise Storage and Forensic Data Solutions – IRS Digital Forensics Program |
| Agency / Issuing Office | Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation (CI) Division |
| Solicitation Number | 2023H2-26-Q-5000230631 |
| Contract Type | Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) |
| Set-Aside | Small Business |
| Evaluation Method | Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) |
| Question Deadline | August 11, 2026, at 12:00 PM CT |
| Quote Due Date | August 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM CT |
| Requested Delivery | Within 90 days of contract award, to a designated CONUS location |
Scope of Requirement
The solicitation includes the procurement of:
Enterprise Hard Drives – Enterprise-class SATA hard drives ranging from 2TB to 16TB, including Seagate Exos series or equivalent products and Western Digital Gold series or equivalent products, offering high-reliability, enterprise-grade storage for continuous operation.
Encrypted USB Storage Devices – 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB encrypted flash drives that are FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, with hardware-based encryption and PIN authentication requirements.
Synology-Compatible Storage Media – 16TB enterprise-grade SATA drives compatible with the Government’s existing Synology DS1621+ environment, supporting enterprise NAS and high-volume storage workloads.
Shipping and Delivery Services – Palletized shipment of hard drives, with freight and dock delivery included, to a designated CONUS location within the requested timeframe.
Key Considerations for Interested Vendors
Vendors planning to pursue this opportunity should pay particular attention to the Government’s technical acceptability requirements. The solicitation allows vendors to propose brand-name or equal products; however, any alternative products must be fully supported with manufacturer documentation demonstrating compliance with all stated technical requirements.
Key documentation requirements include:
- Product datasheets and technical specifications
- Manufacturer model and part numbers
- Warranty documentation
- FIPS 140-2 certification documentation for encrypted USB devices
- Synology compatibility documentation for applicable storage products
- Delivery and shipping confirmations
Evaluation Approach
The Government intends to award this requirement using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology. Under this approach, vendors must first demonstrate compliance with all solicitation requirements. Once technical acceptability is established, award is expected to be made to the vendor offering the lowest evaluated price.
As a result, successful offerors should focus on:
- Complete technical compliance
- Accurate documentation
- Competitive pricing
- Timely submission of quotations
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Questions Due | August 11, 2026, 12:00 PM CT |
| Quotation Deadline | August 14, 2026, 12:00 PM CT |
| Requested Delivery | Within 90 days of contract award |
How iQuasar Helps
This RFQ represents a strong opportunity for companies operating in the enterprise storage and secure media marketplace to support a mission-critical federal law enforcement organization. Vendors with experience supplying enterprise hard drives, encrypted storage devices, and data storage infrastructure should review the solicitation carefully and begin preparing their quotation packages ahead of the submission deadline.
iQuasar can support qualified vendors pursuing opportunities like this by:
- Helping interpret solicitation requirements
- Organizing compliant response documentation
- Coordinating technical inputs
- Preparing timely, submission-ready quotation packages
With quotes due August 14, the sooner preparation begins, the stronger the submission.
