SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- NATO NC3A Notification of Intent (NOI) to invite bids related to its plan to provide Long Term SATCOM and FOC CIS Services to support ISAF expansion in Afghanistan
- Notice Date
- 3/9/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 517410
— Satellite Telecommunications
- Contracting Office
- Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry & Security, Defense Programs Division, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security 14th and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 3876, Washington, DC, 20230
- ZIP Code
- 20230
- Solicitation Number
- IFB-CO-11482-OPL
- Response Due
- 3/24/2005
- Archive Date
- 3/25/2005
- Description
- The NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) has issued a Notification of Intent (NOI) of its Intention for Bidding (IFB) from all NATO countries for the provision of Long Term Satellite Communications System (SATCOM) and Final Operational Capability (FOC) Communications Information Systems (CIS) services to support the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Expansion in Afghanistan. The Infrastructure Committee of the North Atlantic Council noted that the project will be handled under the Two-Stage Authorization Procedure. This project will be funded by the NATO Security Investment Program with a potential estimated cost of over 70 million Euros ($90 million USD). NC3A will procure the capability through the use of NATO International Competitive Bidding (ICB) procedures (AC/4-D/2261 1996 Edition). Contractor selection will be based on the lowest compliant bid (One Envelope Procedure). The reference of the Invitation For Bid (IFB) is IFB-CO-11482-OPL and all correspondence concerning this procurement shall reference this number. This opportunity was previously advertised by the U.S. Department of Commerce on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website on 26 October 2004 using its project number, 2004-5VA30224-0-9, as its solicitation number. The new solicitation number / reference number, IFB-CO-11482-OPL, supersedes the previous one. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The North Atlantic Council has approved the expansion of the ISAF mission to support a number of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and forward operating bases expanding the current ISAF area of operation. This has resulted in a very urgent operational requirement to provide the long-term communications and Communications and Information Systems (CIS) infrastructure to enable the Commander of ISAF to exercise command and control over this enlarged mission. In addition to the urgency of this requirement, there is a critical shortage of available deployable NATO CIS capability, both in terms of equipment and manpower. Analysis conducted by Allied Command Operations concluded that it is inappropriate to use military equipment to provide satellite baseband support for the ISAF mission expansion. These scarce assets are required for the NATO Response Force (NRF) and there is a very high cost of deploying military containers and vehicles to Afghanistan. This ISAF CIS solution is expected to be needed for at least five (5) years. Discussions with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) showed even if this capability was available today, the scalable and expected long term nature of CIS support to ISAF would still best be served by outsourcing a service to provide this capability. NATO will require its limited deployable CIS assets for the NRF which may be tasked with rapid and short duration deployments. The required capability will provide CIS services and their embedded communications services from a NATO manned facility in Kabul to over 30 remote locations, or Points of Presence (POP), within Afghanistan where other NATO units will be based. This includes local CIS network infrastructure, equipment and personnel. Any contractor delivered solution must be capable of supporting further ISAF mission expansion if and when this is authorized by NATO. This project considers and uses, where possible, equipment from earlier projects, specifically serial 2004/5VA30223 Provide Commercial SATCOM to Support ISAF Expansion (IOC). Only equipment and services considered essential to expand and support ISAF expansion complying with the Minimum Military Requirement (MMR) are requested. SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS Operational Technical: This SATCOM/CIS system shall have the capability to support up to 30 Points of Presence (POP) located in remote sites. Each site will include SATCOM ground terminals; and associated data and voice networking equipment to support voice and data communications between the remote site and the ISAF Headquarters. The SATCOM/CIS system provides intra-theater support and up to three strategic rear links (inter-theater) to the ISAF (Afghanistan) Theater of Operations. Current ISAF Capability: NATO has deployed a SATCOM/CIS system in a limited number of sites with data and voice processing capability for a small number of users (2004/5VA30223). This was provided through commercial Ku-band and remote user data processing capability. Small PABXs were provided for secure and non-secure voice communications. The current number of sites is insufficient to support the expanded ISAF mission. Technical Solution: The technical solution is composed of two parts: a bearer sub-system and an end-user sub-system. The bearer sub-system consists of the SATCOM links between the various sites and the associated terminal equipment. The NATO SATCOM Post 2000 SHF Space Segment (X-band) will be used to support this bearer system. The respective ground terminals and associated equipment will be provided by the contractor. The end-user segment consists of the CIS equipment to include data networking equipment and voice equipment. This project seeks a solution where a specific level of service is provided by the contractor. Therefore proposed solutions for the end-user segment must consider available SATCOM bandwidth and applicable NATO security guidance on Information Exchange. Each remote site shall include two communication links: one link between the remote site and its respective Regional Center and a second link between the same remote site and one of the two Theater hubs. The SATCOM Terminal and CIS equipment shall be housed in a self-contained, climate controlled shelter. Each shelter shall come with a generator to provide initial and back-up electrical power. Each shelter shall be transportable so redeployment is possible. Security: System security accreditation shall be NATO SECRET releasable to ISAF. To this end, potential bidders will be asked to provide a system that has been certified by their National Accreditation Authority for the protection of National SECRET Information and that this system has been authorized by that nation for release to NATO for ISAF Operations. NATO will provide the cryptographic hardware which shall be operated by the contractor. FOC: The implementation will be completed in stages with the first stage completed by mid-2006. Final Operational Capability must be achieved by the beginning of 2007 with a total of 30 sites installed to include 3 Regional Centers and 2 Theater Hubs. IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES: 1. Deadline to be certified and nominated to the bidder list: 24 March 2005 2. Planned IFB issue date: April 2005 3. Planned bid closing date: August 2005 4. Planned selection and contract award: December 2005 It is required that NC3A be provided with a list no later than 24 March 2005 of qualified and certified firms which may be interested in receiving an IFB for this project. Furthermore, it is requested that all firms interested in participating in this procurement be introduced by their NATO National Delegations (or the Diplomatic representatives of the country of origin in Brussels) with the required Declaration of Eligibility. REQUESTS FOR PARTICIPATION RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM FIRMS CANNOT BE CONSIDERED. The National Delegations are advised that the IFB package shall contain material of a classified nature which shall be processed through the respective national delegation/mission to NATO. The successful contractor, however, may be required to handle and store material at the level of NATO RESTRICTED and, therefore, prospective bidders must have the appropriate security clearance for storage and handling of such information. Prospective bidders should also be aware that contractor personnel may be called upon to work at a NATO site in connection with the contract and such contractor personnel will be required to have security clearances of the level of NATO SECRET. All such personnel clearances must be in place prior to contract award. YOUR FIRM MUST BE CERTIFIED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE BID MATERIALS FOR THIS PROCUREMENT. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE DOES NOT SERVE AS THE CONTRACTING AGENCY FOR NATO PROJECTS. The contracting entity is NC3A. However, only firms that the U.S. Department of Commerce has deemed eligible and has nominated to the bidder list by the 24 March 2005 deadline will be allowed to bid. For those firms that have already been certified and nominated to bid on this project in response to the previous U.S. Department of Commerce announcement on 26 October 2004 (solicitation number: 2004-5VA30224-0-9), your nomination has automatically been transferred to the U.S. bidder list under this new solicitation number, IFB-CO-11482-OPL. PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING CERTIFICATION FOR NATO PROCUREMENTS: http://www.bis.doc.gov/defenseindustrialbaseprograms/OSIES/NATOprograms/index.htm
- Place of Performance
- Address: Kabul
- Country: Afghanistan
- Country: Afghanistan
- Record
- SN00765313-W 20050311/050309211657 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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