SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- KA-BAND DATA SERVICE CHARACTERIZATION AND DEMONSTRATION
- Notice Date
- 2/13/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 210.M, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- SN-452-KBDS
- Archive Date
- 2/13/2004
- Point of Contact
- Klaus D Sexton, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 286-2271, Fax (301) 286-6299, Email Klaus.D.Sexton.1@gsfc.nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Klaus D Sexton
(Klaus.D.Sexton.1@gsfc.nasa.gov)
- Description
- NASA/GSFC is hereby soliciting information from potential sources regarding the availability, cost, capabilities and specifications of high data rate systems applicable to Ka-Band data services within NASA's Space Network (SN) and information regarding industry's capabilities to design, analyze and demonstrate an end to end communications architecture for bandwidth efficient use and characterization of the 650MHz-wide TDRS channel. Due to increasing congestion in the S-, X-, and Ku-band frequency spectrums, and an ever-increasing demand for higher data rate transmissions by customer spacecraft, it has become necessary to explore the use of higher radio frequency spectrum for NASA space-to-ground communications requirements. The available spectrum is a finite resource, and as the data throughput requirements from space to ground increase beyond the available X and Ku-band spectrum, it will become necessary for NASA low earth orbiting (LEO) spacecraft to transition to the allocated Ka-Band spectrum for space to ground communications links via NASA's SN and Ground Network (GN). NASA/GSFC is currently implementing the next generation of tracking and data relay satellites used to support low earth orbit customer spacecraft. TDRS H was launched in July 2000 and is currently operational. TDRS I and J have also been launched, and are currently undergoing on-orbit testing, and are scheduled to be operational in early 2003. TDRS H,I,J will maintain compatibility with existing customer spacecraft at S- and Ku-bands while adding a Ka-band space-to-space link communications capability. The Ka-band space-to-space forward link will operate in the 22.55 GHz to 23.55 GHz band, with the return link from the customer spacecraft to TDRS H,I,J tunable across the 25.25 to 27.5 GHz band with a channel bandwidth up to 650 MHz. The TDRS space-to-ground links will continue to operate at Ku-band. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by NASA/GSFC to seek broad community comments and inputs concerning high data rate systems applicable to Ka-Band data services within NASA's Space Network (SN). Vendors are encouraged to provide ideas, concepts, and architectures that could be used to test and demonstrate their high data rate equipment through the TDRS 650 MHz-wide channel at rates of 1 Gbps or higher. Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently performing infrastructure upgrades within the SN, and demonstrations (up to 600 Mbps) of high rate RF equipment utilizing NASA's new Ka-band capable TDRS H,I,J spacecraft. As a next step to this upgrade, NASA intends to perform a major expansion to the SN through the procurement and implementation of high data rate (1 Gbps or higher) data demodulation, processing, and storage technologies for use in the SN. Procurement and implementation activities for the SN Ka-band data service upgrade is anticipated in FY 06. Interested firms are requested to submit a capabilities statement of 12 pages or less, and information regarding approaches to an end-to-end design, analysis and demonstration for bandwidth efficient use of the 650MHz-wide TDRS channel. Such information should include the technical approach to achieving maximum feasible data rates through the 650MHz-wide channel, detailed description of the specific equipment, and types of demonstrations available to validate and characterize the SN high data rate performance. Also, requested are associated timelines and cost estimates. Responses may be sent via regular mail, electronic mail or fax to: Yen F. Wong, Yen.F.Wong@nasa.gov, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Code 567, Bldg 12, Rm E226A, Greenbelt, MD 20771 301-286-7446, Fax 301-286-1725 All information received will be combined and used for Government purposes. Sources are urged to describe their approach in enough detail so that NASA can plan for subsequent proposal opportunities for which proprietary information may be appropriate. The information received in response to this RFI will be reviewed and summarized by a panel of Government and industry experts. Some or part of the summarized and synthesized recommendations may or may not form the basis of a future NASA solicitation. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these cites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. Technical questions should be directed to: Keiji Tasaki at 301-286-6724 or Yen Wong at 301-286-7446. Procurement related questions should be directed to: Klaus Sexton at 301-286-2271. Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-type product. A commercial item is defined in Internet "Note A". [INTERNET ONLY (commercial product definition)] Additional information regarding this announcement is available on the NASA/GSFC Business Opportunities page. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/GSFC Business Opportunities page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=C&pin=51 The Government reserves the right to consider a small business or 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. All responses shall be submitted to Yen Wong no later than March 14, 2003. In responding reference SN-452-KBDS. Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html
- Web Link
-
Click here for the latest information about this notice
(http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=51#104376)
- Record
- SN00259298-W 20030215/030213213919 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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