DISA/DITCO, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Room 9178, Falls Church, VA 22041- 3205

D -- COMMERCIAL SATELLITE SURGE COMMUNICATION FOR THE WARFIGHTER POC Contact, Lt Col Charles M. Coffin, Jr., 703/681-0328/Contracting Specialist, Peter G. Smingler, Contracting Officer, 703/681-1235 Synopsis Number 96131. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) hereby issues a Request For Information (RFI) to identify sources interested in providing DOD with a cost effective worldwide commercial satellite surge capability during international crises and national emergencies, at a minimum. DISA's interest is to have assured worldwide commercial satellite access on relatively short notice and for limited time periods (less than one year). This capability supports DISA's strategy to evolve the DOD's global, seamless, interoperable Defense Information System Network (DISN) to support command and control information transport requirements of warfighters anywhere in the world. This strategy will maximize exploitation of available commercial products and services, while providing the DOD with the degree of network control necessary to ensure rapid response to the needs of warfighters engaged in dynamic and often unpredictable missions. A small monthly fee would be paid throughout the term of a contract when capacity is not accessed by DOD. However, a higher monthly fee would be paid when the surge capability is accessed. The responses to this RFI announcement will be used as a basis for determining whether or not a full and open competitive procurement is feasible. The Government may acquire this service on an other than full and open competitive procurement basis if only a single vendor can meet the requirements set forth herein. The required service is for bandwidth on demand, which means anytime, anywhere call up, for a minimum 1.544 Mbs to full transponder capacity. Multiple T1 carriers should be possible between one or more transportables in theater and one or several large gateways located out of theater and overseas. Transportable terminals should not require repointing. Support is envisioned at the C, Ku, and X-band. In addition, support to new bands, as they are developed, e.g., Ka and specialized frequencies, such as EHF, may be required in the future. The commercial surge may be required in support of the following conditions: (1) Formally declared national emergencies; (2) Worldwide crises; (3) Domestic emergency conditions; and (4) Military training exercises. If you are interested in responding to this RFI, please prepare a white paper and address the following questions in order as listed: (l) Are you willing to support a commercial satellite surge concept that supports a ''bandwidth on demand'' approach? (2) What is your concept for commercial use of bandwidth on demand? (2a) What are your views on how such a worldwide commercial satellite augmentation could be structured? (2b) What actions do you need to take to make this concept viable? (2c) What actions does the Government need to take to make this concept viable? (2d) When do you envision this service will be available? (2e) Would surge service represent a specialized communications service available only to DISA or could any industrial entity (e.g., the news media) subscribe to it? (2f) Is sufficient capacity likely to be available to satisfy all such customers? (3) Describe the technical features of your proposed concept. (3a) Describe the satellite constellation(s) (Include information on satellites, locations, type orbits, type antennas, polarization, antenna gain, number and BW of transponders, surge capacity per transponder/coverage area, frequency band, satellite mobility, reserve satellites, age, satellite replenishment schedule, EIRP, coverage areas). (3b) Describe your payload and network control mechanisms and how you envision future payload and network control procedures to accommodate the Government's bandwidth on demand requirements. (3c) Describe your ground entry points, identify transportable ground entry points, if any, and the equipment/terminal interfaces required. (3d) Would the capacity be available on a circuit basis, or (partial or) full transponder basis? How much capacity would be available (e.g., number of 64Kbps or T1 circuits, or transponder power and bandwidth), in which ocean areas, using what satellites, stationed at what sublongitudes? (4) What improvements or modifications are planned from a systems perspective? (Include technical details related to the constellation, ground terminals, and control.) (5) Given your proposed concept, what will your response time to the Government's request for bandwidth on demand? Please provide an estimate for current and future capabilities. How soon could the service begin and what is the proposed lease term? How much notice would DISA have to provide before accessing the capacity? Would there be any assurance of continuing availability of the service beyond the initial period? (6) How far along this spectrum of access conditions are you willing to assume the risk of arranging for normal use by other customers, but on terms that would permit pre-emption of the capacity by DISA? (7) What are the international issues that need to be addressed in establishing this capability worldwide, i.e., connection approvals and landing rights? How would you establish the myriad of host nation agreements that need to be established to provide worldwide capability? (8) What are the legal issues associated with providing satellite surge capacity? (8a) On a domestic basis? (8b) On an international basis given Host Nation Approval, Landing Rights, and Connection Approval process? (9) Do you have confidence in the existence of a worldwide market for service that can be pre-empted? Are you willing to commit to firm lease rates for surge service before the customer base that would normally access that capacity is assured? (10) What estimated fee structure would be envisioned with this service? DISA assumes that the service provider would lease the capacity of interest to one or several other customers, on terms that would permit DISA's pre-emption of this capacity when required. If not, what is the basis on which DISA can expect cost savings in satisfying surge requirements, in comparison with the cost of a conventional full period lease? Please provide a basis upon which DISA can understand the level of cost savings that could be forecast, e.g., estimated monthly DISA costs when DISA uses it, along with the monthly costs for a full period lease of the same capacity. Describe key terms and conditions of those arrangements (notice periods, conditions under which pre-emption can take place, estimated cost savings over a five year period to the pre- empting user in comparison with the costs of a full time lease of the same capacity, supporting the basis of that savings estimate). Please include any expected foreign access charges in some reasonable way. Would there be an implementation fee every time the surge capacity is accessed? (11) What should the appropriate contract mechanism be to accomplish this? The point of contact for technical issues concerning this announcement is Mr. Robert Clayton, DISA/D21 at (703) 681- 681-0308, Fax 681-0342. The point of contract for contractual issues is Lt Col Charles M. Coffin, Jr., DISA/DITCO/PAD at (703) 681-0328, Fax (703) 681-0342 or Mr. Peter G. Smingler, Contracting Officer, (703) 681-1235. It is requested that an original and 10 paper copies plus one (1) 3.25'' high density disk using Word Perfect 6.1 be provided. Proprietary information should be identified as such. Responses should be mailed, no later than 15 May 1996, to: DISA/PAD; 5111 Leesburg Pike, Room 9178; Falls Church, VA 22041-3205. Sources submitting a white paper who are interested in also making a technical presentation between 20 and 31 May 1996 may arrange to do so by contacting Mr. Robert Clayton at (703) 681-0308, Fax 681-0342. (0113)

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