SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Narrowband (NB) SATCOM Transition, Examining UHF at Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
- Notice Date
- 5/29/2024 5:26:10 PM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334220
— Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- FA8807 MIL COMM AND PNT SSC/CGK EL SEGUNDO CA 90245-2808 USA
- ZIP Code
- 90245-2808
- Solicitation Number
- FA8807-24-RFI-CGN1
- Response Due
- 6/21/2024 5:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 07/06/2024
- Point of Contact
- CGEF Workflow
- E-Mail Address
-
SSC.CGEF.Workflow@spaceforce.mil
(SSC.CGEF.Workflow@spaceforce.mil)
- Description
- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Title: Narrowband (NB) SATCOM Transition, Examining UHF at Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) � Purpose of the Request for Information (RFI) THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes � it does not constitute a solicitation Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotations (RFQ) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. �This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. �Further, SSC is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. �Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party�s expense. �Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. �This RFI is available on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) website at https://sam.gov/SAM/. �It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI. Request for Information Objectives The Government is studying ways to transition from current MUOS/Legacy Narrowband (NB) SATCOM systems to a future NB architecture while minimizing terminal and ground impacts. �The Government is developing a vision for a future NB architecture which will likely entail multiple orbit regimes for delivery of advanced services to current and future user communities. �Additional goals are increased resilience, reduced lifecycle cost, and decreased time scales for fielding new capabilities.� A key aspect of the transition to the future being considered by the Government includes transitional elements at MEO for sustainment of Legacy and/or WCDMA services. �The objective of the questions in this RFI is to understand the current capabilities and state of the art of companies for potential to contribute to these MEO transitional capabilities. The Government is open to novel approaches; respondents should not be discouraged from responding if there are aspects of the RFI to which they cannot respond.� � Description The US military must preserve its asymmetrical advantage given a contested, degraded, and operationally limited space environment. The capabilities provided by Narrowband (NB) SATCOM are critical to the US military and its allies and they must continue to evolve in order to address expanding needs, benefit from emerging technologies, and to mitigate future threats. For the purposes of this RFI, NB is defined as the frequencies utilized for satellite communications between 244-318 MHz (legacy 5/25 kHz channels) and 280-380 MHz (5 MHz WCDMA channels). The Department of Defense, United States Space Force, Space Systems Command (SSC) is currently conducting market research by seeking industry perspectives on opportunities and challenges related to transition of NB SATCOM to a more modern architecture. �Of specific interest is the transitional period where user terminals are limited to the currently fielded hardware. �Solution opportunities are sought that allow for the continuation of critical services to these terminals while conducting an efficient transition to advanced future capabilities. Specifically, information is sought on capabilities and technologies that enable satellites to provide continued support of the NB SATCOM services provided to WCDMA-capable user terminals from a proliferated MEO space segment. �Continuation of these services to the current set of user terminals creates an opportunity to increase space segment resiliency on the path to a more capable and resilient architecture. �Additionally, if there are software or hardware modifications that user terminals may have to consider in order to be supported from MEO, those should be identified in the response. The intent of this overall effort is to explore opportunities for non-traditional and/or traditional space, ground, and terminal vendors to rapidly manufacture, integrate, and make available for launch, transitional NB SATCOM solutions that are interoperable with fielded NB SATCOM terminals, and to better understand the opportunity and pathways to gracefully and efficiently evolve space, ground, and terminal segments to deliver resilient modern NB capabilities. � Of concern, are the ability to begin transitional service delivery in 2031; the efficiency, cost, and timeliness of transitional services; and the extent to which transitional services support a pathway to resilient and modern (5G-like) services of the future. �Responses to this request will aid in shaping the NB SATCOM transition from MUOS to a future NB architecture. �In answering the specific questions below, responses should include clarity on the Responder�s ability to meet the priorities, potential tradeoffs, limitations, and risks. � Responses may address any or all of the following, relevant to the above objective: � For Receive Only (EMCON) Broadcast services delivered from MEO or GEO (geosynchronous earth orbit) What technical approach is recommended for space, ground, and network?� What is the maturity of space and ground system elements necessary to deliver this capability? �What evidence supports this maturity assessment? What are the key technical and schedule risks to achieving this capability by 2031? To maintain current fielded terminals (ENTRS, JTT), what estimated software modifications would be required to account for a change to MEO (from GEO)? What is the concept of operations to provide, persistent, global coverage? Are there synergies with the recommended WCDMA services approach? For Legacy and/or WCDMA services, delivered from MEO What technical approach is recommended for space, ground, and network? What is the maturity of space and ground system elements necessary to deliver this capability? �What evidence supports this maturity assessment? What are the key technical and schedule risks to achieving this capability by 2031? To maintain current fielded terminals (MIL-STD-188-187), what estimated software modifications would be required to account for change to MEO (from GEO)? �Identify any potential subset of services that are easy or difficult to service from MEO. What is the concept of operations for this transitional capability? Do the fielded elements of this transitional capability have the potential to provide advanced (5G-like) services during and after the transitional period?� Are there meaningful demonstrations you would recommend conducting to burn down risks for transitional or future NB SATCOM capabilities? Do you have specific corporate investments or capabilities that posture you for success in delivering transitional and future NB SATCOM capabilities? UHF phased array Flexible/digital UHF Payloads Adaptive beam forming (onboard or ground processed) Other anti-jam technologies Reference Documentation� MIL-STD-188-187-A, WCDMA Specification� Security/Classification Responses should be Unclassified but may contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). �Responses should be properly marked if they contain CUI and/or Proprietary information. �If a respondent thinks their paper is severely hampered by the lack of inclusion of classified information, please contact the POCs below. Respondents acknowledge that all materials and technical data provided to the Government as part of this RFI is authorized to be released or disclosed to covered Government support contractors as defined in DFARS 252.227-7015 unless specifically marked with restriction. Respondents shall conspicuously and legibly mark the appropriate legend on all technical data that qualify for such markings in accordance with DFARS 252.227-7013. Respondents that include in their submissions data that they do not want disclosed to the public for any purpose, or used by the Government and its support contractors except for evaluation purposes, shall mark the title page with the follow legend: This white paper includes data that shall not be disclosed outside the government and its support contractors and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed - in whole or in part - for any purpose other than to evaluate the white paper.� � Mark each sheet of data to be restricted with the following legend: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this white paper. Response Instructions Interested industry respondents are requested to provide a white paper organized into four sections: White Paper cover sheet (one page) Executive Summary Corporate Capabilities and technical competency, and Comments, ideas, assessments, recommendations, and information with regards to NB SATCOM Transition Objectives: � Additional instructions: 10 page limit, including coversheet,�single spaced 8.5� x 11� pages, 1� margins, 11 size font, Microsoft Word file or Portable Document Format (PDF), not to exceed 10 mb in size A non-proprietary, one-page cover sheet that identifies this RFI number and title, name of your firm/organization, and your technical and administrative Points of Contact (POCs) - including names, titles, postal address, phone and fax numbers, email addresses, and CAGE code (if applicable).� Self-contained responses only (no �link to further details� allowed) The Government is not interested in receiving company literature already publicly available, or marketing materials in response to this RFI. Please do not submit them. Significant claims or reports of success must be justified with specific citations, and/or references. � Submission deadline is 21 calendar days from posting date. Submit responses to the contacts at the bottom of this RFI with the email subject �NB SATCOM Transition: [Organization Name]� Submittal Instructions Email white papers and additional questions or security concerns to ssc.cgef.workflow@spaceforce.mil. In the body of the white paper submission email, please also provide the following information: Company/Institute Name: CAGE Code: DUNS Number: Address: Point of Contact: Phone Number: E?mail Address: Web Page URL: Is your company registered in the System Award Management (SAM) (Yes/No): List your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes: Based on the NAICS Code, state whether your company is: Small Business (Yes / No) Woman Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Small Disadvantaged Business (Yes / No) 8(a) Certified (Yes / No) HUBZone Certified (Yes / No) Veteran Owned Small Business (Yes / No) Service?Disabled Veteran Small Business (Yes / No) A statement as to whether your company is domestically or foreign owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership). State any proposed teaming/joint venture partners or major subcontracts required to support your white paper solution(s) �
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/1d9dd95088e24f46b2cbe770f4f9fc36/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: El Segundo, CA, USA
- Country: USA
- Country: USA
- Record
- SN07079131-F 20240531/240529230053 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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