LOC Novel High-Density Optical Data Storage

Scope

10/15/2026 AMENDMENT 0001 The purpose of this solicitation amendment is to provide Amendment 0001 and all related updated solicitation attachments, which will provide responess to all questions submitted timely to the Library of Congress by interested parties and potential offerors.

All other solicitation terms and conditions remain unchanged. ************************************************************************************************************************************************** The Library of Congress, hereinafter referred to as the “Library” or “LOC”,” is exploring innovative preservation methods for its digital collections.

The LOC is seeking to determine the feasibility of utilizing ultra-high density optical data storage designed for the long-term preservation of a subset of the Library’s digital collections.

Currently, the Library manages over 1 billion unique objects of digital preservation data (~33 petabytes) via traditional storage methods.

For longevity and reduced migration intervals, it may be reasonable for this portion of data to be permanently stored on a novel medium.

The focus would be on a solution that exhibits high areal density, a long lifespan, reduced maintenance/migration cycles, is immutable, and displays a high level of durability.

The Library aims to demonstrate the feasibility of an innovative optical data storage solution as a high-density, scalable, and durable medium for storing its preservation collection.

The Library wishes to examine the feasibility of this method on a small subset of its digital collections.

To be successful, a variety of data formats—including video, audio, text, and images— must be encoded onto the media, errors must be detected/recorded, preservation techniques must be validated and select data must be recalled/re...