UNITED STATES COAST GUARD'S REQUEST FOR COMMENTS US COAST GUARD'S REQUEST FOR COMMENTS ON THE NATIONAL DISTRESS SYSTEM MODERNIZATION PROJECT (NDSMP). The USCG solicits comments on updated and new documents for the NDSMP posted to the Internet site on or about 23 February 1998. These draft documents are the Statement of Work (SOW), Performance Based Specification, Acquisition Schedule and NDS Technical Baseline information. The USCG anticipates a second posting of information to the Internet on or about 2 March 1998, which will be a request for comments on draft evaluation factors and other pre-solicitation documents and activities. The CG's Research and Development Center's (R&DC) Internet site where documents related to the NDSMP can be found is: http://comms.rdc.uscg.mil/NDSmod/NDS.html. The CG strongly encourages interested parties to submit substantive comments on the subject documents. The CG requests that comments be submitted not later than 25 March 1998. Industry comments will be fully considered in preparation for the solicitation phase of the acquisition. The CG will not provide individual responses. This is a major systems acquisition project to modernize the current VHF-FM-based NDS. The existing NDS enables CG to monitor the international VHF-FM distress frequency (CH16), coordinate search and rescue operations, communicate with commercial and recreational vessels, and provide C3 (Command, Control, and Communications) for CG units performing missions in coastal and inland waterways. CG desires to streamline and improve acquisition activity by providing information throughout the acquisition process. Documents may be updated or new documents added to the Internet with no additional notification of their posting. Consequently the CG recommends that interested parties use URL-minder for notification of changes to the Internet. The CG requests that no general telephone or e-mail inquiries be made to the Contract Specialist or to any CG employee. Limited resources do not allow for individual responses to such inquiries as project status. However, we do encourage notification of any problems encountered with the Internet or posted information. No updated or new information will be discussed until it is posted on the Internet. Newly interested firms are encouraged to download and read the project documents already posted on the Internet. Responses to our Request for Comments may be transmitted to Elois Evans, Contract Specialist via electronic mail (preferred) to eevans@comdt.uscg.mil, by telefax at 202.267.4475-Attn: Elois Evans or first class mail addressed to Commandant (G-ACS-5/ee/nds), US Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW, Washington, DC 20593-0001. Please use only one of the three (3) options provided.THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) AND IN NO WAY COMMITS THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT.

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