MODIFICATION
A -- COMMENTS FOR THE SPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RADIO SYSTEM OPEN ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION
- Notice Date
- 1/26/2006
- Notice Type
- Modification
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135
- ZIP Code
- 44135
- Solicitation Number
- NNC06000001L
- Response Due
- 3/15/2006
- Archive Date
- 1/26/2007
- Description
- This is a modification to the synopsis entitled COMMENTS FOR THE SPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS RADIO SYSTEM OPEN ARCHITECTURE DESCRIPTION which was posted on January 17, 2006. THIS MODIFICATION NO. 1 REVISES THE JANUARY 17, 2006 SYNOPSIS IN ITS ENTIRETY. THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION. IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). NASA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this information, but may release an RFP at a later date based on the need for this type of technology and its feasibility based upon the responses to this request for information (RFI). This request is for information planning purposes and to allow industry an opportunity to provide information and comments on a proposed radio architecture and related technologies for space based radios. Prospective offerors are invited to submit comments or questions to the identified point of contact, no later than March 15, 2006. In responding, use reference RFI-NNC0600000L. Description The National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) is developing an open architecture description for software defined radios (SDR). The Space Telecommunciations Radio System (STRS) SDR architecture provides architecture level specifications for hardware and software development to abstract the software waveforms from hardware platforms. The architecture strives to support existing (e.g. legacy) communications needs and capabilities while providing a path to more capable, advanced network connectivity that promotes scalable, modular, reconfigurable, and upgradeable functionality and features. The NASA Software Defined Radio Architecture Team (SAT), comprised of HQ and multi-Center personnel, is responsible for the development of the architecture definition. The recommendations from the SAT will be given to NASA?s Space Communication Architecture Working Group (SCAWG) for consideration as a radio standard for NASA?s future communication architecture. The purpose of this request for information is to solicit comments that will be relevant to planning NASA?s future Space Communications Radio Architecture. The information being sought includes comments on the preliminary draft of the architecture definition and the industry?s estimate for the impact, in cost, schedule and risk, of complying with the specification during the design, development, and verification of the space radio. Comments are being sought from those developing and/or integrating radios for NASA, DoD, and commercial space applications. The SAT is requesting a written report and a summary presentation from the responder. Criteria for Summary Presentations: Companies requesting a briefing opportunity with NASA must provide, a brief description of their related technology and experience with flight radio developments for space or software systems development directly relative to the information sought, demonstrated to a maturity level acceptable for infusion into the architecture for space flight. Companies without a history in space flight technology development or products related to software defined radios applicable to space flight are welcome to provide written responses at this time and may receive an invitation to brief at a future date. Summary Presentations: Summary presentations shall be technical in nature, concise, and address the following sections. Technical accomplishments shall be clear with associated TRL. Additional material may be provided in the written responses. Generic company overview and marketing material is not necessary in the technical briefings. Please follow the suggested outline below to the extent possible: 1.Overview of NASA considering an open, standard architecture for radio communications (both space and ground-based). 2.Description of the responding organization?s programmable and/or reconfigurable radios and their associated hardware and software architectures. Provide descriptions of hardware and software module interfaces, module functions, chassis designs and current state of development. 3.Describe any architecture practices that are similar to or could apply to the STRS Architecture. Describe solutions to hardware and software interfaces to include in the STRS standard. Note willingness to release API?s or standard hardware interfaces that may be used or become standard for NASA radios. 4.Provide overview of responding organization?s comments on the STRS Architecture Description. Provide view regarding essential features and content of an open SDR architecture standard for space use. 5.Provide quantitative examples and statistics or metrics when using common architectures across product lines or with radios compliant with JTSR SCA. Show life cycle benefit. 6.Describe approach to a reusable hardware and software library that could provide building blocks for multiple radio configurations. Describe the library module functional and interface definitions used in company developments. 7.Discuss significant technical challenges or issues associate with a open, common architecture development for NASA. The summary presentation is expected to occur in the Reston, Virginia area, tentatively planned for February 14th and if needed, the morning of February 15th, 2006. Up to 1 or 1.5 hours (depending on number of companies presenting) will be available to each company to individually brief the SAT. The audience for the presentation will include members of the SAT and possibly the Space Communication Architecture Working Group (SCAWG). The company?s history in responding to other applicable NASA solicitations, such as the Request for Information for the SCAWG, could be summarized in the presentation, but the details of the material do not have to be repeated. Presentations should be scheduled with: Michael Collins ASRC Management Services Reston, Virginia Phone: 571-262-3136 michael.collins@asrcms.com Written Response: The written response is due to the technical contacts listed below by March 15, 2006 and should contain the following items: 1.Contact information of the submitter a.Name of Organization b Name, email address, and phone number of individual responsible for the submission 2.Use of the submitted material by NASA. We desire to make all portions of the responses available to the Government community (e.g. NASA, JTRS, DoD, JPL) and contractors who have signed an NDA with the SCAWG. Therefore, unless otherwise stated or noted, all responses to this RFI shall be made publicly available. Those wishing to keep their responses confidential should state so with such wording as ??company name? Proprietary? or ?Limited distribution. Please do not disclose outside of the US Government.? 3.STRS Open Architecture Description Comments: Please provide comments specific to the Architecture Description document , considering the following items. a.Describe how the STRS Architecture Description Document may be improved to meet the needs of the radio, waveform, and component suppliers. Additional documents will accompany the architecture, see note below. The Description Document is intended to introduce the architecture concept. b.Identify any limitations in the definition framework that must be addressed. c.Provide recommendations or examples for the types of functions to be implemented as part of the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), especially when FPGAs or other specialized hardware are used. (Section 10.7) d.Identify potential parameters or specifications that may be published by the platform developer as part of the Hardware Interface Description (HID). Describe how Intellectual property could be protected while adhering to the architecture (Section 8.3). e.Suggest techniques to optimize the infrastructure and operating environment. f.Make recommendations to the lists of APIs (Section 10.2). Suggest potential reuse or alignment with JTRS APIs. g.Provide suggestions to define the different mission platform classes (Section 5.1). Suggest radio platform or operational characteristics that would determine the boundaries for developing one class versus another. h.Suggest additional high level requirements above those stated in the Concepts and Function Document (see link below). i.NASA is considering a library of waveforms to facilitate software reuse. Provide any recommendations into the structure or contents of the library. j.Provide any other comments of relative information that should be considered as the STRS Specification is further developed. 4.Radio Description: Provide a description of the responding organization?s programmable and/or reconfigurable radios and their associated hardware and software architectures. Provide descriptions of hardware and software module interfaces, module functions, chassis designs and current state of development. Provide descriptions of development, testing, prototyping, demonstration and validation plans and accomplishments. Previous Request for Information (RFI) responses can be referenced if applicable. 5.Impact of Implementation: Describe the types of modifications you predict would be required to your current radio platforms to implement this type of architecture capability on a similar platform. Provide rough order of magnitude costs for development and maintenance costs. 6.Business Case Analysis: As NASA performs a business case analysis to determine the impact of implementing an open architecture for space-based software defined radios, comments or information is sought on other, similar analysis: a.Describe non-recurring and recurring costs (rough order of magnitudes, not quotes) to adhere to the STRS architecture. Identify high cost or high risk items that drive the costs. b.Provide data or analysis from similar business cases analysis that might be of value, in both the formulation structure and the quantitative information c.Suggested approach for implementing the analysis. 7.TRL Advancement: Discuss the timeline and required steps to develop a radio that adheres to the architecture specification to a Technology Readiness Levels described below? a.TRL 6 (System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment (ground) b.TRL 8 Actual system completed and ?flight qualified? through test and demonstration (ground) Note: The first document provided in the RFI is the STRS Architecture Description Document. This document overviews the architecture purpose and plans and introduces the STRS Architecture Specification. The second document provided in the RFI is the Reconfigurable Transceiver Architecture & Technology for NASA Space Communications Concept & Functions Document. This document, originally released in September 2003 overviews the types of functions expected of a reconfigurable radio for NASA missions. Additional documents such as the STRS Architecture Requirements Document, Use Case descriptions, and Specification Document (e.g. API descriptions, interface definitions) are currently in development or review. Feedback from this RFI is intended to directly influence these documents before release. THIS RFI IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLCITATION. Responders are soley responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The presentation and written responses must be submitted as an electronic file in either Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or PDF. Questions and written responses should be directed to the points of contact lsited below: Their mailing address is as follows: Richard Reinhart, 21000 Brookpark Road, M.S. 54-8 Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Sandra Johnson, 21000 Brookpark Road, M.S. 54-4 Cleveland, Ohio 44135 The due date for responses remains the same on March 15, 2006. Documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/GRC Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=22 Offerors are responsible for monitoring this site for the release of the solicitation and any amendments. Potential offerors are responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any).
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