Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203-1714

A -- HIGH DATA RATE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM SOL Sources Sought 98-15 DUE 061598 POC Dr. William Jeffrey, DARPA/TTO, FAX (703) 696-2204 WEB: http://www.darpa.mil, http://www.darpa.mil. BACKGROUND: DARPA, along with other US Government agencies, is preparing to procure the design, fabrication, and on-orbit demonstration of a new generation of small, low-cost, low-Earth orbit (LEO) GMTI/SAR radar satellites tailored to support theater warfighter needs (i.e. the proposed Discoverer II initiative). The purpose of this Sources Sought announcement is to assess, for planning, the state of existing and near-term domestic high data rate communications systems. TYPE OF SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM SOUGHT: For purposes of this announcement, a high data rate space to ground and ground to space communications systems is sought. The space to ground link should be capable of an information data rate of at least 274 Mbps with scalability to 1 Gbps and a bit error rate 10E-6 scalable to 10E-9. The ground to space data link should be sufficiently sized to allow for direct in-theater tasking of the spacecraft payload. An ideal candidate link will be able to utilize existing airborne reconnaissance information infrastructure assets and involve minimum, if any, change to the Common Data Link (CDL) processing. The communications system should be able to establish (at 3 degrees above the horizon within 30 seconds) and maintain the link between a ground and a LEO satellite moving at greater than 7 km/s at an altitude of approximately 770 km. Data collected by the payload will be linked directly down into theater. For purposes of this announcement, DARPA places a premium on communications system maturity. Communications systems of greatest interest have been: (1) completely designed for the space environment; (2) completely fabricated, assembled, and tested; (3) tested in a space environment; (4) designed to be ready for launch in the 2003 timeframe; (5) designed to maximize, exploit and leverage commercial space-based telecommunications advances. Communications links that do not satisfy these requirements are lesser interest. INFORMATION SOUGHT: For each satellite communications system, potential sources areinvited to submit the following: (1) Specifications table showing key performance characteristics for both the space and ground segments such as data rates (up and down), frequency range, bandwidth required, modulation scheme, power out, estimated link budgets, weight, volume, prime power required, thermal requirements, design life, MTBF and similar information. (2) Statement of system maturity in terms of design, fabrication, assembly, and testing. (3) Statement of ability to interoperate with or leverage existing CDL compatible ground systems and what modifications will be necessary to do so. (4) Statement of suggested alternative approaches to CDL and existing infrastructure in terms of life cycle cost, performance, and warfighter utility. (5) Address applicability of space crosslinks and onboard switching/routing. (6) Address radiation effects on space segment communications system. (7) Address scalability of data rates from DS-4 to STS-24/OC-24/STM-8 in terms of size, weight, power, and relative cost. (8) Annotated photographs or figures. All of the information sought should be conveyed in no more than 10 pages. WHAT TO SUBMIT: Two original hard copies of information papers printed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Sources submitting information will not be reimbursed by the Government for any expenses incurred. WHERE TO SUBMIT: Dr. Wm. Jeffrey DARPA/TTO, ATTN SS 98-15, 3701 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714. The DARPA point of contact phone number: (703) 696 2315; for additional information, you may contact DARPA's technical support contractor, George Duchak at 703-633-8132. WHEN TO SUBMIT: On or before 15 June 1998. NOTICE REGARDING PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: Submitted material is for planning purposes only. All submitted materials will be held in strictest confidence and will be designated for Government use only. NOTICE REGARDING SOLICITATIONS: This announcement is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a BAA, IFB, or RFP. Nothing in this notice shall be construed as a commitmentby the United States Government. (0155)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0013 19980608\A-0013.SOL)