SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Data Communications Program
- Notice Date
- 10/31/2008
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Headquarters, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, ATO-A HQ - FAA Headquarters (Washington, DC)
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- 7279
- Response Due
- 11/21/2008
- Archive Date
- 12/6/2008
- Point of Contact
- Sue Handy, 202-493-5942<br />
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This announcement is a follow up to prior Request for Information (RFI)/Market Surveys. This announcement is NOT A SCREENING INFORMATION REQUEST (SIR) OR REQUEST FOR OFFER (RFO). Further, the FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. Background The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released three prior Requests for Information (RFI); one seeking information on the air-ground network and related infrastructure (#5470), one related to the ground system, en route automation, and related processing functions (#6034) and one on industry perspectives regarding options for a potential service that integrates the components of the air-ground system into an overall Data Communication service. (#6513). After the third RFI, the FAA conducted a series of one-on-one sessions with industry. The FAA has determined that prior to issuing further Requests for Comment, it would be beneficial to summarize the FAA's understanding of the environment in which Data Communications will operate and provide some information on decisions that have been made. Current Status The FAA has completed the initial investment analysis process for the Data Communications Program, and plans to pursue an alternative to acquire Air/Ground air traffic data communication services. Data Communications Services are a critical element in achieving the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) vision for air traffic control. The FAA is now entering the final investment analysis phase, and beginning to develop the acquisition strategy and related documentation. Approach The Data Communications Program will develop its strategy while considering the input of industry. In that light this communication with Industry is the first of three planned over the next several months. Subsequent communications requesting Industry comment will include a draft acquisition strategy paper, and may include the draft subnet specification or equivalent Subnet Description Document. Separate announcements will be used to forward each of those documents for industry comment. Overview The Data Communications Program is considering a single contractor to provide the air/ground VHF data link service between the FAA automation systems and the NAS users. The exact scope of the service and contract are still under development. The FAA intends to communicate with Industry on the details of the service acquisition in another communication as mentioned above. This service will have a significant impact on both the FAA and NAS users, including operational, infrastructure, standards, equipage, and financial impacts. The challenge facing the Data Communications Network Service (DCNS) contractor will be to deliver a capability in the near-term, yet evolve this capability over time. This challenge is compounded by the potential requirement for NAS users to equip in order to receive this new service. Since Data Communications benefits for the FAA and NAS users can only be achieved when all elements of the service are in place, the challenge of the Service Provider will be to assist the FAA in balancing and harmonizing the implementation of the automation, air-ground, avionics, and applications elements of the program. The Data Communications Program wishes to establish a true partnership with the DCNS contractor in which the DCNS contractor would assist the FAA in meeting the Data Communications Program goals in addition to providing the FAA with a high quality air/ground VHF data service. The Data Communications program is looking for innovative, yet practical approaches to providing this partnership This document is provided for information. It outlines the FAA's views in several key areas, including some important considerations that any Data Communication Network Service solution must address to be successful. This paper provides the context which the envisioned service will be offered. Industry comments are welcome, as are other thoughts on workarounds or alternatives. Please provide any input in writing to the Contracting Officer, Sue Handy, by November 21, 2008, email address Sue.Handy@faa.gov. All interested parties are advised that the FAA will not pay for any information or any administrative costs incurred that are associated with any response received from industry in response to this announcement. Therefore, any costs associated will be solely at the interested party's expense.
- Web Link
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- Record
- SN01699458-W 20081102/081031215402-2943957ab77c9ba2bf67e3cecc77b5e9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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