REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/COMMENT ON NATIONAL DISTRESS SYSTEM Contact Teri Snyder, Contracting Officer, 860-444-8242, FAX 860-444-8299. The United States Coast Guard requests information/comment from industry concerning modernizing/replacing its current VHF-FM based short range communication system. The existing system, the National Distress System (NDS), serves as the primary means for the maritime community to notify the US Coast Guard of distress calls, coordinate response efforts of CG forces in coastal and inland waterways. The Coast Guard is interested in the perspectives of industry so it may structure the acquisition in a way to maximize competition and use of Commercial Government-Off-The-Shelf (COTS/GOTS) equipment. We are also seeking comments on the feasibility of implementing the requirements as defined in the draft preliminary Operational Requirements document using COTS/GOTS. Interested parties are invited to submit a five to ten page prospectus outlining their ideas. This is not a solicitation it is for planning purposes only. A contract will not be awarded from this announcement. The Coast Guard is not obligated to respond to comments. The Coast Guard will not provide any other information than is provided in the CBD announcement and obtainable from the Internet or this announcement. For more detailed information concerning the operational requirement for a replacement system, interested parties are highly encouraged to access the draft U.S. Coast Guard Preliminary Operational Requirements document for the National Distress System Modernization Project from the internet at http://www.rdc.uscg.mil.rdcpages.ongoing.html. The draft U.S. Coast Guard Preliminary Operational Requirements document for the National Distress System Modernization Project can also be obtained by writing LT. Greg Johnson at U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1082 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340-6096 or fax (860) 441-2792. Please send all comments to LT. Greg Johnson at U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1082 Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340-6096 or via the internet Gjohnson gamma.rdc.uscg.mil. CBD responses are due no later than 10/11/96.

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