SPECIAL NOTICE
58 -- Request for Information - Maritime Targeting Cell-Afloat (MTC-A)
- Notice Date
- 7/2/2018
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, NAVSEA HQ, SEA 02, 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, 20376, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20376
- Solicitation Number
- N00024-18-R-2309
- Archive Date
- 9/28/2018
- Point of Contact
- Ryan M. Ksanznak, Phone: 2027812633
- E-Mail Address
-
ryan.ksanznak1@navy.mil
(ryan.ksanznak1@navy.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- I. DISCLAIMER: This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) for the purpose of conducting market research for the Maritime Targeting Cell-Afloat (MTC-A) concept. The RFI is soliciting feedback on the MTC-A concept and related technology. Following initial feedback, in an effort to further its market research, the program office (PMS 500) may conduct an Industry Day (open to U.S. DoD contractors only) to allow for exchange of information and provide an opportunity for potential subcontractors to network/coordinate in an effort to create subcontracting arrangements. It is the responsibility of any eligible company to monitor Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) for additional information pertaining to the potential Industry Day. This RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP), a Request for Quote (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the requirements discussed in this notice. Information on the specific topics of interest is provided in the subsequent sections of this announcement. Neither the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) nor any other part of the federal government will be responsible for any cost incurred by responders in furnishing this information. II. BACKGROUND: The Department of Defense (DOD) currently uses both military and commercial satellites to meet its mission requirements. The satellites that are utilized are in various orbits including geosynchronous, geostationary, inclined elliptical, as well as low- and medium-altitude circular orbits. The Navy is interested in linking to all these satellites, several of them simultaneously. Satellite communications (SATCOM) have regulatory requirements that must be met by the earth terminal. For SATCOM, the military has protected, wideband, and narrowband segments. As an example, for a SATCOM terminal to be certified for operation over the military wideband segment, it must meet the requirements described in MIL-STD-188-164B CHANGE NOTICE 1, which is available at http://www.everyspec.com. This standard describes the critical antenna radiation pattern and polarization requirements. A notional set of requirements for a shipboard SATCOM terminal that provides communications over X-, Ku-, and Ka-bands are described in the Commercial Broadband Satellite Program (CBSP) Unit Level Variant (ULV) terminal described at https://www.harris.com/sites/default/files/downloads/solutions/d0883-cbsp-ulv-final.pdf. Unlike a satellite in a geostationary orbit, which remains stationary to an observer on the Earth’s surface, satellites in a Non-GeoStationary Orbit (NGSO) move with respect to a fixed point on the Earth, especially the satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which move at a particularly high speed relative to the Earth. These satellites in NGSO require rapid and accurate acquisition, tracking, and handoff to assure uninterrupted communications. The Navy is interested in learning about how your technologies can meet all these requirements including the requirement to close links to several different satellites simultaneously. The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is hereby issuing a Request for Information (RFI) on behalf of PEO SHIPS, PMS 500. The Navy intends to procure low radar cross section antenna system and associated radio frequency hardware in the FY19 to FY20 timeframe. Initial system demonstration is planned to occur on a DDG 1000 Class ship and must therefore connect to the existing DDG 1000 modems and digital network. The Navy is internally developing a Government-owned data fusion environment that will ingest the digital input from the antenna system. The antenna system can consist of a single antenna or multiple antennas that must meet existing signature requirements and must integrate into the existing space allocated on DDG 1000. Final frequency ranges are yet to be determined, but will likely include S-, C-, X-, Ku-, K-, Ka- and Q-band signals. Objective NAVSEA is seeking information to inform the PMS 500 MTC-A concept for the development of communications apertures, also known as the Front-End (FE) subsystem. These apertures will subsequently be integrated with a Back-End (BE) modem and data processing subsystem to be developed by the Navy. The purpose of this developmental effort is to construct and test a communication antenna system to support the MTC-A concept. This system would be used to demonstrate several important advantages of a coordinated multiple simultaneous link download system, which may have cross-platform applications for the U.S. Navy. The proposed antenna system should be designed to demonstrate the following: · Multiple simultaneous communication downlinks · Support transmit functionality · Support receive operation during Emissions Control (EMCON) · Polarization selectability o User specified polarization (Horizontal, Vertical, Right-hand Circular, or Left-hand Circular) that can be selected differently for each frequency band · Improved availability o Element-level vs. subarray-level failures (graceful degradation) In order to demonstrate these concepts, the antenna system should include the following technologies and features: · Technology exploitation o Beamforming, beam scanning and tracking technology o Provide multiple independent beams o Highly integrated Radio Frequency (RF) module electronics o Lower parts count for reduced cost o Low-noise receive chain components o Improved RF chain “flatness” for reduced calibration complexity · Affordability o Modular / Scalable / Open Architecture o All digital interfaces o Software defined functionality o Simplified hardware upgrades III. SPECIFIC INFORMATION OF INTEREST Responses to this RFI should: 1) Describe your technical capabilities and experience in potentially meeting the requirements of a Government provided performance specification for designing and producing an antenna, RF hardware and antenna controller that will meet DDG 1000 signature requirements. “Radar Cross Section”, ISBN number 1891121251 is available for reference on RF engineering. 2) Describe your engineering capabilities and experience at testing and qualifying low radar cross section and/or phased array antenna systems. What methods would you propose to test the antenna at a ground site with signal inputs that you may not currently have access to? Include your experience at locating and obtaining test facility support and your success at passing the tests and obtaining Government concurrence of the testing results. 3) Describe your manufacturing capabilities and quality production management capabilities to manufacture production antenna systems for integration on Navy ships. 4) Describe your technical capabilities to coherently combine multiple antennas together either in software or hardware. 5) Describe your technical capabilities to develop low noise RF components and wide bandwidth antenna systems or your plan to team and integrate such low noise and wide bandwidth technologies into your antenna solutions. 6) Describe trade-offs between using just one antenna to transmit and receive multiple bands versus the number of antennas needed if multiple antennas are used to cover the multiple bands, and how cost is impacted by these trade-offs. 7) Describe to the extent possible the expected effort required in terms of non-recurring effort and recurring effort, for example initial design, qualification and tooling vs production. Where possible please describe the ability for the recurring cost to be scalable at the element level so the government can understand the impact of loosening or tightening the Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) and gain-to-noise-temperature (G/T) requirements. 8) Describe numbers of antenna faces required to maintain link with multiple beams from horizon-to-horizon and cost trade-offs to be considered. Assume 16-degree ship roll. For the purposes of this RFI, assume that each operating band requires a maximum EIRP of approximately 63 dBW and a maximum G/T of approximately 19.4 dB/K. 9) Provide a system or subsystem level (for responses not providing a full system design) notional design of at least one option (multiple options may be presented) that is designed to satisfy all of the objectives stated above. System designs should include, but not be limited to, the following information: a) Description of the overall FE system architecture b) Listing of key enabling technologies that are used i. What is the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of each component / technology? The Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) Guidance document, dated April 2011 and found at the following website ( http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/publications/docs/TRA2011.pdf ), includes TRL definitions. Use those definitions for identifying the TRL. c) Estimates of measures of effectiveness, measures of performance and key performance parameters for the proposed system Subsystem designs should include, but not be limited to, the following information: a) Description of the subsystem being proposed and the general system architecture that would support use of this subsystem. b) Listing of key enabling technologies that are used i. What is the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of each component / technology? The Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) Guidance document, dated April 2011 and found at the following website ( http://www.acq.osd.mil/ddre/publications/docs/TRA2011.pdf ), includes TRL definitions. Use those definitions for identifying the TRL. c) Estimates of measures of effectiveness, measures of performance and key performance parameters for the proposed subsystem 10) Although this RFI is primarily interested in the current capabilities to produce a demonstration antenna system, there is also considerable interest in the migration path for the demonstrated capabilities to a fielded tactical system. To that end, responses should also include an assessment of the following: a) The capabilities of the notional system (as designed) to be used in a tactical shipboard environment. b) The design changes that would need to be made to transition to a fully tactical shipboard system and the ways they could be implemented within the proposed notional system architecture c) Some of the key attributes of a tactical system would include, but not be limited to: i. Full hemispherical coverage ii. Maintaining multiple, simultaneous downlinks within different frequency bands iii. Electromagnetic Interference protection against both in-band and out-of-band interference iv. Reliability and maintainability v. Compliance with MIL-STD-188-164B 11) If you are part of any professional consortiums that supports Other Transaction Authority (OTA) please identify the relevant consortiums. IV. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS and FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS 1) Defense and commercial contractors, including small businesses, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned business, HUBZone small businesses, and women-owned businesses are encouraged to participate. Academia and other research organizations are also encouraged to participate. 2) Information responses should not exceed twenty-five pages not including cover page. Responses should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, single spaced, with 1-inch margins. 3) The following is a suggested submission organization: a) A notional system design and analysis of capabilities as described in Section III entitled, “Specific Information of Interest”. b) The response should include the RFI number, company name and address and technical point of contact, with email address and telephone number. 4) The Government intends to review all responses received and may use the responses to refine the MTC-A requirements and develop a solicitation. The government may also provide feedback on technologies of particular interest. 5) Responses will not be shared outside the U.S. Government and U.S. Government support contractors. 6) If proprietary information is submitted, it must be marked at the paragraph level to indicate those specific paragraphs that contain proprietary information. 7) Responses will not be returned. 8) The information provided will assist NAVSEA in developing the hardware requirements for inclusion in future developments, procurements and acquisitions. As the hardware requirements will be publically available once published, the comments provided should not contain proprietary information. However, if some of the background on the comments provided is considered proprietary to the respondent, that portion shall be segregated and labeled as such and will be treated as Business Sensitive and will not be shared outside of Government activities and agencies without the permission of the provider. It is noted that membership of the extended Navy team includes Government support contractors, but no information will be shared with non-Government employees without express permission from the source of the information. 9) All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. 10) Responses should be received no later than 15 August 2018 at 4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Any response received after this date may be considered but may not be included in subsequent refinement of the MTC-A requirements and development of a solicitation. 11) Follow-up questions may be asked of responders for clarification, but this will not indicate a selection or preference. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP or other solicitation, if any is issued. 12) The government anticipates holding an industry day in mid to late July. When dates and information are finalized, details will be posted to FedBizOpps. 13) UNCLASSIFIED responses should be in PDF format, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and/or Microsoft PowerPoint. Please submit them to: ryan.ksanznak1@navy.mil 14) Prior to submitting classified appendices the respondent shall contact the PMS 500 point of contact, Mr. Michael Lutkenhouse, 202-781-0099 for applicable instructions. 15) The respondent may submit supplementary classified appendices up to GENSER SECRET with the submission of its RFI response, classified to the appropriate level of security and submitted in accordance with the established security procedures. The classified appendices content shall be limited to specific classified information that supplements the RFI responses. The classified appendices shall be formatted in such a manner to facilitate traceability to the response. 16) The respondent may also submit supplementary classified appendices at the SCI and/or SAP level requiring special handling and processing with the submission of its RFI response, classified to the appropriate level of security and submitted in accordance with the established security procedures. It is incumbent upon each respondent release approval in writing for classified information from the cognizant classification authority/cognizant program office prior to submission in response to this RFI. The classified appendices content shall be limited to specific classified information that supplements the response. The classified appendices shall be formatted in such a manner to facilitate traceability to the response. V. QUESTIONS UNCLASSIFIED questions regarding this RFI may be sent to the following Point of Contact: Ryan Ksanznak SEA 02233 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20375 Email: ryan.ksanznak1@navy.mil Responses to UNCLASSIFIED questions received under this RFI will be posted to the following webpages: • Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) Webpage - https://www.fbo.gov/
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