SOURCES SOUGHT
58 -- Communications at Speed & Depth (Comms@S&D)
- Notice Date
- 11/12/2003
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- Contracting Office
- 4301 Pacific Highway Bldg OT4 Code 02, San Diego CA 92110-3127
- ZIP Code
- 92110-3127
- Solicitation Number
- SPAWAR_Headquarters_MKTSVY_2046E
- Response Due
- 12/19/2003
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact - Mark D Lopez, Contract Specialist, 619-524-7168
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Contract Specialist
(lopezm@spawar.navy.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 1.0 Description 1.1 The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) is seeking sources for the potential development of a Communications at Speed & Depth (Comms@S&D) capability for U.S. Navy submarines. This capability will provide two-way networked communications with submarines while they are submerged at normal operating depths and traveling at speeds required to perform tactical operations. Comms@S&D extends the FORCEnet construct to stealthy undersea Navy platforms with the purpose of increasing the effectiveness of these platforms in achieving the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) SEAPOWER 21 vision. 1.2 Interested parties are requested to provide a written response to this RFI. Parties may include industry, Government laboratories, federally-funded laboratories and academic institutions. 1.3 THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website and the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central website at https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil. It is the responsibility of the potential respondents to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this potential requirement. 2.0 Background 2.1 The U.S. Navy is seeking to implement a two-way communications capability for submerged submarines and other undersea platforms that is technically and operationally suitable for 21st Century operations employing Network Centric Warfare, Joint Task Forces, and Allied-partner forces. 2.2 Carrier Strike Group (CSG), Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and Joint Commanders require rapid Command and Control (C2) communications for assigned forces that operate in the undersea domain. U.S. Navy Fast Attack Submarines (SSN), Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBN), Guided Missile Submarines (SSGN) and Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUV) require rapid secure communications with acceptable throughputs between all levels of command while operating at tactical speeds and depths. Undersea forces? primary C4 systems must support integrated global communications for data exchange with tactical and operational commanders. The communications systems must be seamless in connectivity, scaleable in capacity, flexible in configuration, and capable of accepting technology insertion and value-added services in support of future defense requirements. 2.3 While operating in a submerged tactical stealth profile, submarines need to be able to transmit and receive voice and digital data immediately between Strike Group Commanders, Joint Force Commanders, and coalition forces. A combination of communications capabilities is needed to achieve this level of connectivity due to different geographic locations, operational security requirements, and infrastructure availability. In some locations and operations, only a satellite communications infrastructure is available; in other situations, a Line of Sight (LOS) communications capability is available due to the availability of aircraft or a close proximity to the shore or surface platforms. Regardless of the mode utilized, the digital data communications capability must be compatible with an IP-based architecture consistent with existing military satellite constellations and compatible with the Navy?s Automated Digital Network System (ADNS) architecture 2.4 It is anticipated that no single solution will provide the Comms@S&D capability on all platforms, in all locations, and for all operations. Rather, a family of solutions may be utilized to maximize the ?speed to market? insertion of new capabilities to the Fleet while minimizing overall cost. It is hoped that an initial capability can be fielded as early as 2007, significant additional capabilities can be fielded by 2012, and the envisioned capabilities can be achieved by 2015. 2.5 Available ?real estate? on SSN platforms (LOS ANGELES, SEAWOLF, and VIRGINIA Classes) is limited. Proposed solutions need to address the limitations in volume and weight that are imposed upon hardware installed on these submarines. However, the SSGN platforms provide significant volume and weight capabilities for a payload. 2.6 All candidates will be evaluated to determine their potential impact upon the submarine hulls. The majority of the Comms@S&D installations will be backfits on existing platforms. Any need to penetrate the submarine hull or make significant hull modifications on existing platforms will impose high costs. 3.0 Requested Information 3.1 For respondents providing information regarding complete end-to-end Comms@S&D system concepts, these are the goals to be addressed in the white paper: 1. Data Rate, Speed, Depth, and Latency a. Less than 2.4 kbps: Available at all submarine depths and speeds. Ideally, this capability would be available continuously. If it is not, then the total latency required to reliably transfer data should be less than two minutes. b. 2.4 to 9.6 kbps: Available at all submarine depths and speeds up to 15 knots. If this capability is not available continuously, then the latency to establish a reliable link and transfer data should be less than five minutes. c. 9.6 to 128 kbps: Available at submarine depths of at least 300 feet and at speeds up to 8 knots. Intermittent operation is acceptable at this data rate, but with a latency of less than two hours. d. Greater than 128 kbps: No requirement has been identified for two-way Comms@S&D at these data rates. However, this capability would be desirable if the above requirements are also achieved. 2. Communications Modes: There are no specific requirements regarding the mode of communications to be used (e.g., RF Line of Sight (LOS), satellite communications, aircraft-based communications, acoustic, or optical.) The communications link may be asymmetrical, using two different modes, frequency bands, data rates, etc., for receive and transmit. If the selected mode requires the deployment of a new infrastructure that is not likely to be available in the corresponding time frame based upon known DoD and commercial plans (e.g., satellite-based blue-green lasers), this fact will be considered as a cost or risk issue. 3. Deployment Methods: If hardware must be deployed to utilize the capability (e.g., towed, tethered, or launched), then the impact to the submarine?s maneuverability, mission, and vulnerability must be minimal. An attachment to this document provides additional information regarding the configuration of submarine sails and hulls. This data is provided for information only and is not to be considered by the respondent as a specification or definition of a preferred solution. 4. Stealth a. Mechanical: The installation of this system on the submarine should not impact its stealth characteristics. The deployment of this system, if required, should have a minimal impact upon the stealth characteristics of the platform. If the impact regarding stealth is significant, then the operations in which this capability can be utilized will be limited. b. Communications: The compromise to the platform?s vulnerability while transmitting energy should be minimal. It is also essential that data transmission security requirements are met, but it is anticipated that conventional crypto techniques and equipment will be used to achieve this capability. 5. Environmental Conditions: The Comms@S&D capability will be used in both littoral and ?blue water? environments at many geographical locations. The system should be able to maintain a high level of availability, reliability, and survivability within the impacts of typical weather patterns, sea states, fishing and surface craft densities, noise, pollution, and other environmental variables. 6. Network Capability: The Comms@S&D capability is envisioned to be inherently ?network-centric? rather than ?point-to-point.? If the communications mode of the candidate utilizes an infrastructure that is not currently planned for implementation by the DoD or industry, then the integration of the proposed infrastructure into the FORCEnet architecture should be addressed in the white paper. 7. Undersea Communications with Non-Submarine Undersea Platforms and Off-board Sensors: Although this RFI specifically addresses submarine communications at speed and depth, the U.S. Navy is also interested in capabilities for communications with UUVs, undersea sensors, and other undersea devices. Specific requirements for this capability have not yet been defined. Respondents who choose to provide information regarding this capability may do so as an extension of their submarine Comms@S&D white paper or as a separate white paper. 3.2 Respondents who are providing information regarding a specific concept, technology development, or subsystem applicable to the end-to-end Comms@S&D capability should provide a subset of the information requested in paragraph 3.1 as is appropriate. However, to improve the Navy?s understanding of the potential capability, it is recommended that the respondent describe the potential impact of the technology or concept when integrated into a complete Comms@S&D capability. 4.0 Responses 4.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper. 4.2 White papers in Microsoft Office 2000 compatible or Adobe PDF format are due no later than 15 December 2003. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail only to mark.lopez@navy.mil. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and must be clearly marked. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become government property. If any respondent does not currently have a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that would permit the SPAWAR support contractors listed in Section 4.3 of this RFI to review and evaluate white papers submitted in response to this RFI, the respondent is requested to sign NDAs with these SPAWAR support contractors for this purpose. 4.3 Section One of the white paper shall provide administrative information and shall include as a minimum the name, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the designated point of contact. All industry respondents should indicate their company small business status and the extent for which they can include SB, SDB, or 8(a) participation in any potential resulting procurement. Industry respondents should include a statement that the respondent has a signed NDA with the following SPAWAR support contractors that would permit these contractors to review and evaluate white papers submitted in response to this RFI: Anteon and Booz Allen Hamilton. If no such NDA exists, respondents should execute an NDA with the aforementioned contractors supporting SPAWAR in technical evaluations. 4.4 Section Two of the white paper shall address the respondent?s technical concept (or concepts) that address the requirements described in section 3.1. Multiple solutions can be addressed by a single respondent in either a single white paper or multiple white papers. However, the combining of multiple technology concepts into an integrated system solution that meets the requirements of section 3.1 is encouraged. To increase the Navy?s understanding of the value of the capability, the respondent is encouraged to provide a description of the potential Concept of Operations for the system in fictional geographic locations (to prevent the inadvertent classification of the white paper.) A Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate may be included to assist the Navy in performing an independent cost estimate for the production, installation, and use of the required system. 4.5 Section Three of the white paper shall address the maturity of the technology and provide a ?road ahead? to the development of the capability described in section 3.1. The maturity of the technology shall be described using the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) metrics defined in DoD 5000 2-R, accompanied with supporting comments or data. An outline of the development efforts and timeline required to achieve TRL 6 (?prototype demonstration in a relevant environment?) should be included. A ROM cost estimate may be included to assist the Navy in performing an independent cost estimate for the technology development prior to Milestone B of an acquisition program. 4.6 Section Four of the white paper shall describe the experience and capabilities of the respondent (or partnership of respondents.) If the respondent is an organization (or team of organizations) capable of producing and fielding a complete system, then documentation is requested to demonstrate applicable experience and capability per the following: ? Successful development, production, installation, and maintenance of DoD communication systems ? Successful development, production, installation, and maintenance of undersea or submarine systems ? Successful implementation of documented processes such as project management, systems engineering, Earned Value Management (EVM), risk management, subcontractor and purchasing management, and configuration management. ? If applicable, certifications and processes for software engineering and testing If the respondent is a small business, laboratory, or university that is either not capable or not interested in producing and fielding a complete system, then documentation is requested to demonstrate experience and capability per the following, as is applicable to the organization: ? Successful development of communications or undersea systems to TRL 6 or beyond ? Successful subsequent transition of developed technologies into funded acquisition programs. ? Successful technology transfers, teaming arrangements, or technical leadership roles which enabled the developed technologies to be utilized by other organizations and fielded to users 4.7 Section Five of the white paper shall be a single page ?quad chart? in a Microsoft PowerPoint format that includes at a minimum the following data: ? One or more graphics or photos that illustrate the technical concept addressed in the response. ? Highlights of primary capabilities referenced to the requirements of section 3.1 ? Maturity of the concept and the relevant technology components ? An estimate of the date of Initial Operational Capability (IOC) to the fleet for the fielding of Limited Rate Initial Production (LRIP) systems 4.8 Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to mark.lopez@navy.mil. Interested parties are invited to subscribe to the SPAWAR website https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil to ensure they receive any important information updates connected with this RFI. 4.9 The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The U.S. Government does not make a commitment to procure any of the items discussed in this RFI. Further, the release of the RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. It is emphasized that this is a Request for Information. It is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) of any kind and is a not to be interpreted that such an RFP for the above will be issued. Respondents are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party?s expense. Failure to respond to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future RFP, if issued.
- Web Link
-
Click on this link to access the SPAWAR E-Commerce Central Web Site
(https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil/command/02/acq/navhome.nsf/homepage?readform&db=navbusopor.nsf&whichdoc=994320928B86141088256DDC0082066C&editflag=0)
- Record
- SN00468289-W 20031114/031112212234 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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