SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Request for Information -- International Satellite Communications System
- Notice Date
- 2/28/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 517410
— Satellite Telecommunications
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 - Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910
- ZIP Code
- 20910
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-RFI-ISCS
- Response Due
- 3/31/2005
- Archive Date
- 5/31/2005
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (ISCS) 1. Purpose The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking information from sources interested in providing satellite communications facilities, maintenance, and technical support services necessary to continue and maintain the International Satellite Communications System (ISCS). The NWS currently has a contract in place for the required equipment and services, and the NWS may elect to continue this contract; however, the NWS is seeking information as to what alternatives are presently available in the marketplace. Specifically, the NWS is seeking (1) capability statements, including references, from companies which think they are able to perform the work scope set forth below, (2) any comments from a technical standpoint pertinent to the work scope set forth below, and (3) any other information which the respondent considers to be pertinent. The Government will not award a contract based on this Request for Information (RFI). Notice of any solicitation for this requirement will be posted in FedBizOpps prior to issuance of the solicitation. Nothing contained herein commits the Government to issuance of any such solicitation. The Government will not pay for any information provided in response to this RFI; provided, however, that costs incurred in responding to this RFI which are properly chargeable under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subsection 31.205-18, ?Independent Research and Development Costs,? may be allocated to Government contracts as an indirect expense consistent with the terms of such contracts. Responses to this RFI should be submitted to the attention of Ed Tennant such that they are received by Mr. Tennant not later than close-of-business on March 31, 2005 at Fax Number (301) 713-0806, e-mail ed.f.tennant@noaa.gov or mail at: U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA NWS Acquisition Management Division 1305 East-West Highway, Station #7623 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3281 Attn: Ed Tennant 2. Background The United States National Weather Service (NWS) in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has implemented a satellite communications system that provides time sensitive, aviation and meteorological data to users in the Atlantic Ocean Region and the Pacific Ocean Region. This satellite communications system is called the International Satellite Communications System (ISCS) and is composed of two segments: 1) The International Civil Aviation Organization?s (ICAO) World Area Forecast System (WAFS), and 2) The World Meteorological Organization?s (WMO) Regional Meteorological Telecommunication Network (RMTN). 3. System Overview The current ISCS network provides precision meteorological coverage in much of WMO Regions 2-5, and consists of approximately 82 geographically dispersed sites in 60 countries. 3.1 World Area Forecast System (WAFS) The World Area Forecast System (WAFS) Satellite Broadcast System is a C-band global satellite broadcast system via ISCS for the one-way transmission and timely dissemination of critical aviation weather data and forecast products in support of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) operations. The broadcast is provided via the Intelsat satellite located at 325.5 degrees east for users in the Atlantic Ocean Region (AOR), and via the Intelsat satellite at 177 degrees east for users in the Pacific Ocean Region (POR). 3.2 Regional Meteorological Telecommunications Network (RMTN) The RMTN is a joint program effort between the NWS and nations in Central America and the Caribbean. The RMTN provides a reliable C-band satellite two-way communications system for the exchange and the distribution of meteorological information between the meteorological service organizations of all the countries that are part of the network. The NWS operates the RMTN through joint funding with the other nations. 3.3 VSAT Equipment The ISCS was implemented based on C-band Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology, which allows satellite to ground telecommunications. Users of the system receive ISCS products directly via the VSATs. The individual user sites own the VSAT equipment. 3.4 ISCS Workstation Terminal Connected to the end-user site VSATs is a PC-based workstation terminal, which either utilizes a a Linux or MS Windows operating system. The ISCS workstation terminal permits ISCS end-users to take the received data and display it in several different text, graphic and image formats for developing weather forecast charts, aviation flight planning, and composing and transmitting meteorological products. The ISCS workstation terminal serves as a critical communications link to the WMO Global Telecommunications System (GTS). The ISCS workstation is not a part of this RFI. 3.5 Technical Description The WAFS portion of the ISCS has two World Area Forecast Centers (WAFCs) that serve as the source of data transmitted on the system. The WAFCs are located in Silver Spring, Maryland and Exeter, United Kingdom. The United States portion of WAFS is driven from the NWS Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG) in Silver Spring, Maryland via the NWS ISCS broadcast system which receives funding support from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Exeter WAFC provides backup to the Silver Spring WAFSC, in the event of a loss of the ISCS Master Ground Station. The NWS provides coverage to the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean Regions by uplinking data to INTELSAT managed satellites. The interface point between the Contractor provided ISCS system and NWS facilities will continue to be at the NWSTG, which will be the source of WAFS data to be transmitted on the Contractor provided ISCS. The United Kingdom (U.K.) provides coverage via the Satellite Distribution System (SADIS) for WAFS products to the Indian Ocean Region via the INTELSAT located at 60 degrees east. SADIS is not a part of the ISCS and is not a part of this RFI. 4. General Requirements The Contractor must plan to operate and maintain the replacement ISCS in accordance with the functional and performance requirements contained in this RFI. All Contractor provided equipment must conform to accepted commercial engineering standards, and must be suitable for continuous operation with corrective and preventive maintenance periods conforming to the specification. All Contractor provided software must be commercially available off the shelf (COTS). The Government understands that it may be necessary for an Contractor to use specially developed software. If a Contractor must develop software specifically to meet the requirements stated in this RFI, all specially developed software would become the property of the Government. If the Contractor opts to utilize an IP multicast as the means of broadcasting ISCS data, they must provide the multicast application platform. Due to the international provisos of the ISCS, change or modification to the configuration, such as addition, deletion, or relocation of a user site is to be considered likely. The Contractor must support the requirement for continued configuration flexibility of the replacement network. The following capabilities are therefore required:  The Contractor must provide disconnection and removal of Contractor provided user site equipment within 30 calendar days after notification.  The Contractor must provide installation and operational cutover of Contractor provided user site equipment within 30 calendar days after notification, providing the required permits and/or licenses have already been obtained.  The Contractor must provide relocation of Contractor provided equipment and restorations of Contractor provided service to the user site(s) within 30 calendar days after notification. The Contractor will provide maintenance and technical support (hardware, software, operational) for all ISCS components (satellite communications facilities, VSAT equipment, and interface hardware/software) located at NWS ISCS sites. In addition to these general requirements, the Contractor must meet training, documentation, and implementation requirements as stated herein. 5. ISCS Implementation Phases The replacement ISCS must be a totally independent system. Thus, although it will interface with the existing WAFS and RMTN, an effort must be made not to use any existing space segment facilities. The implementation must be in two phases. Phase one will be replacement of the RMTN space segment and associated data links, and phase two will be replacement of the WAFS space segment and associated data links. 6. System Capabilities A. Communications Channels The existing ISCS operates at the CCITT TCP/IP data rate (64 Kbps) which supports nine (9) IP sockets for ISCS data as follows: Socket 1 ? AOR/WAFS1 ? GRIB Socket 2 ? AOR/WAFS2 - TEXT Socket 3 ? AOR/WAFS3 ? FAX/BUFR* Socket 4 - RMTN1 ? GRIB Socket 5 ? RMTN2 - TEXT and Loop around of ISCS RMTN portion Socket 6 ? RMTN3 ? FAX/BUFR* and Satellite Imagery Socket 7 ? POR/WAFS1 ? GRIB Socket 8 ? POR/WAFS2 - TEXT Socket 9 ? POR/WAFS3 ? FAX/BUFR* The Contractor provided replacement ISCS must operate at the current 64 Kbps data rate at minimum and use standard TCP/IP protocol. Because of the speed, the physical connection can be with 10/100Base-T between the Contractor supplied interface equipment and the NWSTG hardware. The NWSTG will provide space for the Contractor interface equipment at the NWSTG facility located at 1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland. B. Data Types The three types of data transmitted over the RMTN are further described as follows:  Global Gridded Binary (GRIB) Data: Flight planning, wind and temperature data, and meteorological data used for preparing significant weather charts for the required altitudes and valid times.  Facsimile (FAX) Graphics: Significant weather and specified wind and temperature charts prepared at the Washington World Meteorological Center.  Satellite Imagery: Real time weather satellite images from NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES).  Alphanumeric (Text) Operational Meteorological Data: Plain language, abbreviated plain language, coded information, and international Notices.  *Binary Universal Form for the Representation of Meteorological Data (BUFR) will replace FAX graphics by mid 2005. C. Equipment The VSAT equipment used by ISCS/WAFS receive-only user consists of a 2.4 m diameter antenna with RF electronics and a Comtech satellite receiver modem. RMTN two-way users utilize a Hughes PES-8000 that has transmit capability and utilizes a TCP/IP interface card. The ISCS workstation utilizes a 10Base-T interface card to connect to the VSAT interface (either Comtech modem or Turbo card). The sites own all site equipment. D. Network Sizing The replacement ISCS must support the existing number of user sites (30 two-way in AOR, 25 receive-only in AOR, and 27 receive-only in POR) at minimum with capabilities for future expansion. The replacement system must have the flexibility to efficiently allocate resources to accommodate various types of traffic simultaneously and, as necessary, on a dynamically changing basis. Means must be provided for monitoring of the complete system at the NWSTG in Silver Spring, Maryland. E. System Monitoring The Contractor shall be responsible for providing continuous monitoring of the link between the NWSTG and Contractor?s uplink hub facilities, detecting and recording any network failure, and notifying the NWS. The NWS monitors the AOR using a VSAT at the NWSTG, and the POR using a backhaul circuit from a VSAT located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The NWSTG monitors the RMTN and WAFS broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Special software (not provided by the Contractor) at the NWSTG monitors and displays the status of all operational two-way sites. Should network anomalies occur; the Contractor will work with the site on fault isolation/correction to restore full operations expeditiously. F. Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability (RMA) The vital nature of the weather data furnished by the ISCS makes consideration of RMA essential. The Contractor must design the replacement ISCS in such a way to minimize the detrimental effect of individual network component failures. The Contractor?s system must either meet or exceed the following: OA = MTBF/(MTBF + MDT) Where: MTBF = Mean Time Between Failures MDT = Mean Down Time OA = Operational Availability  Network OA (NOA) is the availability of the network (i.e., all components of the Contractor?s system that are linked to all user sites and the NWSTG. A network failure would result in a loss of service to all user sites and the NWSTG.  Network MDT is the mean time required to restore the network to operational status after a failure. The downtime begins at the instant of failure and ends when service is restored (including the time for all travel, administrative delay, logistic delay, fault isolation, and active repair).  Redundant Data Link Availability (RDLA) is the availability of the redundant data link between the NWSTG and the Contractor?s satellite communications network.  Site Operational Availability (SOA) is the availability of any site in the network.  Site Mean Downtime (SMDT) is incurred during Contractor efforts to restore the site(s) to operation after equipment failure. The time starts with notification to the Contractor of a failure and ends when service is restored at the site(s). The time includes all travel, administrative delay, logistic delay, fault isolation, and active repair. NOA = .997 over each 24-hour period = .999 over each month RDLA = .997 over each 24-hour period = .999 over each month SOA = .99 over each month (< 7 hours 18 minutes downtime per month) SMDT = 24 hours for Continental United States sites, 48 hours for all others. The following conditions may not be used in calculating availability of the network:  Downtime required for scheduled preventive maintenance  Downtime required for system upgrades  Downtime due to Government furnished equipment (GFE) failures  Downtime due to power outages at Government facilities  Downtime due to solar outages due to satellite/Sun eclipse (Sun outages) Site Failures are defined as follows:  A receive only (RO) site is unable to receive data of acceptable quality due to failures in the Contractor provided service, site equipment, software, or procedure  A transmit-receive (2-Way) site is unable to receive/disseminate or transmit/broadcast data of acceptable quality due to failures in Contractor provided service, site equipment, software, or procedure Space Segment Failures are defined as follows:  NWSTG is unable to broadcast or receive data due to failure of the Contractor provided Master Ground Station  Contractor provided master Ground Station is unable to uplink data due to failure of the Contractor provided satellite service The outage time for computing System Availability (SA) is defined as the period from the time the Contractor is notified of the maintenance problem, to the time when the system is available for use. The Contractor must provide a replacement ISCS meeting the following minimum RMA requirements:  The system must be designed to minimize total system failures caused by a single site or component failure.  The system must be designed such that the interruption of service to one user site will not impair the service provided to any other user site.  The Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) for outages must be as follows: 1. Equipment at the NWSTG = 6 hours 2. Other NWS sites (Hawaii, San Juan, Miami) = 12 hours 3. Any other locations = 48 hours 4. Loss of Satellite / Space Segment = 6 hours  The availability of the network must be at least .997 over each base time period of 24 hours and at least .999 over each month. 7. Warranty and Maintenance Services required to maintain the ISCS network at a 99.7 percent operational availability must include a 7x24x365 Call Center for problem/trouble reporting and response, and preventive and corrective electronic maintenance for very small aperture terminal (VSAT) equipment, consisting of transmitters, receivers, administrative work stations, antennas, couplers, masts/towers, and in some cases deicing equipment. The NWS has anticipated that some maintenance may be fixed price and other work may be done on a time and material or cost reimbursement basis. The NWS envisions the future Contractor(s) having an international network of technicians dispersed in selected localities that could respond to an outage within a few hours as dispatched from its central Toll-free Call Center. Potential Contractor?s should have experience with maintenance and repair of similar equipment as will be required in any potential future solicitation. 8. Documentation The Documentation for the replacement ISCS system shall include a Network Manual and a User Manual as described below:  The Contractor must develop and deliver a comprehensive Network Manual to be used by NWSTG staff. The Network Manual must include an overview of the system as a whole plus provide information and detailed procedures sufficient to guide the operation, and monitoring of the network by NWSTG personnel. The Network Manual must also address system diagnostics, test equipment (if required), support equipment, safety, and must include the telephone numbers of points-of-contact for maintenance support.  The Contractor must develop and deliver a comprehensive User Manual for each type of data communications equipment (DCE) provided. The User Manual must include an overview of the entire system plus provide detailed information and procedures sufficient to guide the user in operating the DCE and in monitoring and diagnosing problems that they may encounter with the network. It must also include the telephone numbers of points-of-contact for maintenance support. The User Manual must be available in both English and Spanish. 9. Training The Contractor must present a system training course at NWS Headquarters, Silver Spring Maryland., for approximately thirty (30) Government personnel. The course must encompass the theory and operation of the replacement ISCS. This course must also focus on training for NWSTG operators and users plus user training for U.S. Government employees. The Contractor must submit a complete course outline of the training session(s) for Government approval. 10. Summary and Conclusion The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking interested sources to provide satellite communications facilities, maintenance, and technical support services necessary to continue operations and maintenance of the International Satellite Communications System (ISCS). The ISCS is a satellite based communications system that encompasses two major data services that address requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The two data services are the World Area Forecast System (WAFS) Satellite Broadcast System, and the Regional Meteorological Telecommunications Network (RMTN). NWS implemented the ISCS in 1995, and it is fully operational. The replacement ISCS must be a totally independent system. Thus, although it will interface with the existing WAFS and RMTN, an effort must be made not to use any existing space segment facilities. The implementation must be in two phases. Phase one will be replacement of the WAFS space segment and associated data links, and phase two will be replacement of the RMTN space segment and associated data links. The Contractor provided replacement ISCS must operate at the current 64 Kbps data rate at minimum, and use standard TCP/IP protocol. If the Contractor opts to utilize an IP multicast as the means of broadcasting ISCS data, they must provide the multicast application platform. In addition, the Contractor must meet training, documentation, and implementation requirements as stated herein. The Contractor must operate and maintain the replacement ISCS system in accordance with the requirements of this RFI and the functional and performance requirements as specified herein. The Contractor must provide onsite maintenance and repair service dispatch capability as well as a 7x24x365 Call Center for problem/trouble reporting and response, for all countries utilizing the ISCS. No solicitation for this requirement exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. Information pertinent to the submission of responses to this RFI is set forth above in the first section of this RFI. Questions concerning this RFI should be directed to Ed Tennant, telephone (301) 713-0828 extension 117.
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