The U.S. House of Representatives issued a proposal request in late October regarding colocation data center space outside of the Washington D.C. area.
Specific geographic requirements were provided in the request, eliminating many of the available data centers near the Capitol. The federal data center must be located between 300 and 350 miles point to point from Capitol Hill, as well as within 100 miles of the nearest military base. The facility also has to be at least 100 miles inward from the coast, meaning a New Jersey data center or Virginia data center would be unusable.
Along with guarantees of 100 percent uptime, the service-level agreement asks for hot aisle containment and the availability of significant outdoor space. Exterior space is required for the installation of multiple satellite antennae and protective domes, as well as room for six 800-square-foot trailers.
The proposal states that the House is looking for a colocation data center capable of supporting both day-to-day operations and disaster recovery services for multiple federal agencies. Along with the House of Representatives, the organizations utilizing the site will include the Government Printing Office, Government Accountability Office, U.S. Capitol Police, Congressional Budget Office and the Library of Congress. Each agency will need to have a dedicated, secure cage available on an as-needed basis.
