d. "Driver" means a remote terminal emulation component, external to the SUT, which introduces specified workload demands to the ADP system being tested.

e. "Monitor" means a remote terminal emulation component, external to the SUT, which records data descriptive of the remote terminal emulator/ SUT interaction.

f. "Remote terminal emulator" (RTE) means a specific hardware and software implementation of a teleprocessing workload driver (a monitor may or may not be an integral part of an RTE).

6. Policy on the use of benchmarks for low dollar value ADP systems procurements and of remote terminal emulation in the procurement of ADP systems and services.

a. Use of benchmarks in the procurement of low dollar value ADP systems.

(1) Solicitations involving low dollar value procurements shall not require benchmarks where performance can be validated by some other means. When the use of benchmarks is necessary, solicitations shall not require the running of "worst case" benchmark programs which are not representative of the using agency's data processing needs.

(2) Mandatory benchmarks shall not be used in solicitations for ADP systems of $300,000 (purchase value) or less unless the using agency determines that there is no other acceptable means of validation.

(3) For ADP systems of $300,000 or less, the following validating methods shall be considered:

(i) Validation of performance by the technical evaluation of proposed ADPE and software; or

(ii) Evaluation of an operational ADP installation processing a similar workload on comparable equipment.

b. Use of remote terminal emulation for ADP systems procurements.

(1) Solicitations shall not require the mandatory use of remote terminal emulation for performance validation of ADP systems unless the using agency determines that the use of remote terminal emulation is the only practicable means of measuring teleprocessing performance.

(2) The use of RTE supplied by an offeror for installation acceptance testing shall not be made mandatory under any circumstances.

c. Use of remote terminal emulation for ADP services procurements.

(1) Solicitations shall not require the mandatory use of remote terminal emulation in ADP services procurements except for:

(i) Dedicated teleprocessing requirements, and

(ii) Unusually large and complex shared teleprocessing requirements.

(2) Agencies desiring to make use of remote terminal emulation mandatory in the procurement of ADP services for requirements other than those listed in paragraph 6c(1) shall identify and justify to GSA the need for the use of the comtemplated remote terminal emulation. This information will be provided to GSA along with the submission of GSA Form 2068, Request for ADP Services.

7. Agency implementation of remote terminal emulation policy.

a. Remote terminal emulation and alternative methods for validating acceptable teleprocessing performance shall be considered and evaluated before specifying the use of any approach or combination of approaches in the procurement of a specific ADP system or service. Examples of alternatives which may be acceptable are:

(1) Evaluation of an operational ADP installation that has a comparable ADPE configuration installed and is processing a similar workload;

(2) Use of internal emulation; and (3) Benchmarking of a logical subset of the teleprocessing capability and using the results to project total system teleprocessing performance through extrapolation.

b. If it is determined that there is no acceptable alternative to a remote terminal emulation for measuring teleprocessing performance in the procurement of ADP systems or services, a RTE implementation may be specified as mandatory in the solicitation document. However, potential offerors must be given detailed instructions at least 30 days prior to release of the solicitation which specify the exact manner in which the RTE is to be implemented. A notice indicating the

availability of these materials shall be published in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD).

c. At the same time that the availability notice is published in the CBD, using agencies shall furnish the General Services Administration (CDS), Washington, DC 20405 with the following:

(1) The detailed justification which is the basis for the use of the RTE, and

(2) the relevant solicitation provisions and related material. The related material shall, as a minimum, include the LTD specification, description of the benchmark test programs and associated data, description of how the tests are to be administered and observed, how data resulting from execution of the tests are to be gathered and analyzed, the criteria to be employed in evaluating these data, and how evaluation of these data is expected to contribute to the evaluation of the proposal.

8. GSA assistance. Preliminary results of the joint Government-industry study on RTE's may be helpful to

agencies in evaluating validation alternatives set forth in paragraph 7. Agencies can obtain these results by contacting the General Services Administration (CDD), Washington, DC 20405 (202-566-1076; FTS 566-1076).

9. Effect on other directives. This regulation supplements the requirements prescribed in Subpart 1-4.11 of the Federal Procurement Regulations, Subparts 101-36.2 and 101-36.4 of the Federal Property Management Regulations, and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 42-1.

10. Solicitation of comments. The views of agencies and other interested parties are invited regarding the effect or impact of this regulation and the policy and procedures that should be adopted in the future. Comments should be submitted within 90 days after this regulation is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER. The comments will be considered in the development of the final regulation.

Dated: April 4, 1979.

PAUL E. GOULDING, Acting Administrator

of General Services.