SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Enhanced Flight Termination System (EFTS) Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) Unit (TDU)
- Notice Date
- 7/21/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFFTC - AF Flight Test Center, 5 S WOLFE AVE, Edwards AFB, CA, 93524-1185
- ZIP Code
- 93524-1185
- Solicitation Number
- FA9300-04-R-0009
- Response Due
- 7/30/2004
- Point of Contact
- Senah Williams, Contracting Officer, Phone 661-277-7708, Fax 661-275-7806, - Joanne Eldredge, Contract Negotiator, Phone 661-277-7707, Fax 661-275-7852,
- E-Mail Address
-
senah.williams@edwards.af.mil, joanne.eldredge@edwards.af.mil
- Description
- THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) seeks qualification packages from firms capable of providing a Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) Unit (TDU) for the Enhanced Flight Termination System (EFTS) Program. The EFTS will use digital communication techniques and encryption to increase command link security and immunity to interference. National test ranges use flight termination systems (FTS) to maintain positive control over Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), launch vehicles and munitions in the event the vehicle goes off trajectory. The need to improve the current analog-based FTS was identified because of vulnerability to unauthorized users transmissions and signal interference. EFTS project began as the RS-38 study by the Range Commander?s Council (RCC) Range Safety Group (RSG) Flight Termination Standing Committee (FTSC). The test range community conducted this study to determine what steps were necessary to maintain its excellent record of range safety. Completed in March 2002, the study determined that the current systems were not adequate to meet the anticipated needs of current and future missions, and recommended a system be developed that: (1) maintains the main features of the current flight termination systems; (2) overcomes the security and interference deficiencies of existing systems, and; (3) provides capabilities that address the needs of current and future test programs. Furthermore, the study prompted a recommendation from the National Security Agency (NSA) on the vulnerabilities of the existing systems. Their recommendation stated that all new vehicles should move to a system that uses an NSA certified encryption algorithm coupled with a post-decryption authentication algorithm. The EFTS design is based on the result of the RS-38 study and the NSA recommendation. The RS-38 Final Report is located at the following URL: http://jcs.mil/RCC/manuals/EFTS/index.htm. The scope of work required would consist of the development, manufacture, and test of a device called TDU. The TDU will be a small, mechanically keyed plug-in-module that enters from the front panel on either the ground command transmitter system encoder or monitor. The TDU will automatically attach the 2 digital (red and black) and 1 power interface connectors with the encoder or monitor. The two TDU digital interfaces are used to process command messages and encrypt or decrypt them. Unencrypted messages are processed on the red interface, encrypted, and output on the black interface. Encrypted messages are processed on the black interface, decrypted, and output on the red interface. Requirements include: (1) design, document, manufacture, and test of TDES encryption and decryption circuitry; (2) design, document, manufacture, and test of TEMPEST related power supply circuitry; (3) design, document, manufacture, and test of TDES encryption key loading circuitry to interface with a standard key loading device such as the AN/CYZ-10 or AN/CYZ-10(v3), or DTD-2000 using DS-102 protocol; (4) design, manufacture, and test of a mechanical insertion and extraction approach for inserting the TDU into encoder or monitor device, including design interface for encoder and monitor connection; (5) Information Security (INFOSEC) procedures requiring a COMSEC account. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code applicable to this requirement is 334220 with a size standard of 750 employees. The following criteria will be used to evaluate responses to this notice in order to determine whether or not this will be a full and open competition: (1) experience designing encryption units based upon TDES; (2) COMSEC account; (3) experience designing mechanical systems for embedded applications; (4) experience developing highly reliable systems; (5) experience in developing TEMPEST power supply designs; (6) experience interfacing to encryption key loading devices; (7) experience designing, developing, testing, and producing small quantity lots (less than 100) of equipment over multiple year contracts. Required qualification packages, in response to this sources sought synopsis, shall be limited to 15 pages and should include, as a minimum: (1) evidence of past experience and related projects that covers the aforementioned evaluation criteria, with value/price of past efforts; (2) the size of the firm (i.e. large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, woman owned business or veteran owned business); (3) whether or not these services are provided commercially to non-government agencies. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. This notice is for planning purposes only. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for any information provided under this notice. The qualification packages shall be sent via U.S. Mail, express/overnight deliveries, and/or courier service for receipt at Edwards AFB no later than 30 Jul 2004, addressed to: Senah Williams, Contracting Officer, Directorate of Contracting, 5 South Wolfe Avenue, Building 2800, Edwards AFB, CA 93524-1185. All questions must be submitted to Senah Williams, Contracting Officer, via email to: Senah.Williams@edwards.af.mil or by fax to: (661) 275-7806. Telephone requests to be placed on a mailing list will not be honored.
- Record
- SN00627678-W 20040723/040721212207 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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