Defense Information Systems Agency, DITCO-NCR, 701 South Court House Road, Arlington, VA 22204-2199

D -- EXECUTIVE AIRBORNE WIDE BAND TERMINAL (TRANSPORT A/C)- SOURCES SOUGHT POC POC: Mr. Gerry Hart, DISA-JEEDD, (703) 696-7167, Facimile (703) 696-1944; E-Mail: Hartg@ncr.disa.mil. Contracting Officer, Rhonda LaGarde, (703) 607-6912 The defense information systems agency (DISA), Joint Interoperability and Engineering Organization (JIEO), NCA and Nuclear C3 Division, Senior Leadership and Strategic Airborne Engineering Branch (JEEDD), is investigating the availability, capability and maturity of wide band airborne data and video terminals applicable to a family of special use jet transport aircraft. These aircraft include but are not limited to the VC-25A, E-4B, C-32a, C-37a, C-20 (v). DISA is seeking information regarding aeronautical terminals and terrestrial services for reception of broadband data services and commercial video at C, Ku, and/or Ka band. Information on a structured migration to transmit capability is also requested. The timeframe for which the terminals and services are desired and in a production status is FY 01/02/03. The intent of this Request For Information (RFI) is to clearly understand and accurately assess the status of currently offered or planned wide band airborne terminals of commercial, as well as military origin. This RFI is focused not only on the airborne terminal, but also terrestrial capabilities and services to provide a total system/ information broadband transfer capability. The use of the system is envisioned to be predominantly over CONUS; however, worldwide reception (and eventually transmission) including use in transit over the Atlantic and Pacific is desired. It is envisioned that the system will be used to receive broadcast video, and also multiple video and data channels. Receive channel rates range from several mbps up to an objective of approximately 20/25 Mbps. No request herein intends to direct respondents to initiate systems engineering in any way. Terminal: Please provide information on available or planned terminals that could be applicable to the various candidate aircraft and support the desired information transfer. Implementations at C or Ku band and Ka band are of interest. Growth to service at ka band receive is of interest if not available initially. Finally, any information concerning an objective transmit terminal is desired. The terminal by definition consists of an antenna, (and radome if appropriate), an LNA/LNB amplifier down-converter, polarization conversion (a circular and linear capability), an antenna pointing capability (an auto-tracking capability is of special interest) and a multiple receiver decoder unit (MRDU) capability (also the transmitter/encoder/etc. portion, if applicable). Desired antenna characteristics would be minimum size, low installed height (within the platform boundary layer), as unobtrusive as possible, and a paintable antenna or radome. Information is requested on the listed key antenna performance parameters and others as available: G/T, polarization (circular/linear), slew rate for pointing (AZ/EL), pointing scan angles, antenna beam width (AZ/EL) and frequency tuning range. Please provide performance information such as link budget over the various transponders and expected BER. Identify specific link margin allowances for fade/rain fade andslant range losses. Provide link margin at cruise (above 0 isotherm) and also on the ground. Please provide details on the physical characteristics (size, weight, power, cooling etc.) of your candidate antenna system components as well as any applicable aircraft installation information or any unique installation constraints. Also include the physical and functional characteristics of the recommended receiver decoder unit(s) and identify the video and data output interface standards that are provided. Provide details on the terminal components reliability (actual and predicted), and any unique maintainability requirements, maintainability parameters and maintenance philosophy. Other specific information: 1. Does the lna/lnb have the capability to drive more than one mrdu? 2. Can the individual receiver-decoder cards pre-store multiple access codes, for conus and worldwide use? 3. How are codes loaded/edited? 4. Can codes be remotely selected? 5. Is your MRDU compatible with Type I encryption equipment? 6. Does your system provide video/data storage/buffering and/or a direct server interface between the MRDU(s) and any onboard video/data distribution system? 7. Describe the terminal control system available to the onboard operator. 8. Can the operator select and point the terminal to a specific satellite/transponder? 9. What is the transition scheme from one satellite to another, and what is the expected reacquisition time? 10. Does the control system provide any continuous performance data (i.e. receive signal level, etc.), and is any bit monitoring and display provided? Provide details on any proposed transmit terminal (descriptions, size, weight, power, reliability, maintainability, and operational characteristics). Describe proposed timeframe that this would be available for installation. Terrestrial Infrastructure: Provide information on your recommended approach for continual information flow to and from the aircraft platform. Use of current narrow band down links to request information that would be collected and aggregated for wide band data link transfer to the aircraft is a viable approach in an asymmetrical link environment. What other information transfer approaches are recommended? Discuss the issues involved with transfer of encrypted files from a CONUS data aggregation site to a potential commercial OCONUS up-link Ground Entry Site (GES). Consider both commercial infrastructure and world-wide GES (non-US) as well as integration to near term DoD infrastructures, such as the DISN (NIPRNET, SIPRNET) or other government nets/ systems. How would your terminal interface and function with either infrastructure. What are the advantages and disadvantages for each approach? If appropriate, how rapidly can your recommended commercial infrastructure respond to requests for service, transponder access, and GES coordination on a worldwide basis? Would you/your service provider(s) provide 24x7x365 coverage and support? What level of redundancy for GES would be offered? Would the redundancy be covered via collocated sites or geographically dispersed sites? Address the approach that would provide worldwide coverage and the approach to providing this coverage in the years 2002 and beyond (e.g., satellites to be used and interface). Address the coverage for transit across the Atlantic and pacific oceans and any other ongoing plans for covering theses transit routes. Address other customers utilizing the equipment and/ or the terrestrial services now and also potential customers. AIRBORNE PLATFORM: The target aircraft are commercial aircraft in government service and are "Type Certified" by the FAA. Equipment aboard these aircraft is also FAA certified and typically meets DO-160C/D. The installations are in accordance with a FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for that aircraft type/series. Does your recommended terminal system meet these FAA/airborne commercial DO-160C/D requirements, or, if not, can it be brought into compliance? Has your terminal or any component been installed in a FAA commercial aircraft application?If so, is there a TSO? Has any terminal installation (on one of the target aircraft) received an STC, if so, please describe and identify the type aircraft? Who owns the STC for this installation? Does any other FAA certification source data related to terminal components or installations exist? Describe any certified production equipment installations on which your system (terminal and/ or service) is presently utilized. Provide the actual number of operational hours for which this equipment has been utilized in a production status. Provide the same detail for engineering models for which this equipment has been operational. Assure that the data is clearly depicted as production/ certified installations versus developmental. Provide test data for any developmental wideband transmit capability. Include any unique installation constraints in the planned installation of the transmit antenna. Address the transmit/ receive antenna installations separation and other unique features. DISA, Senior Leadership and Strategic Airborne Systems Engineering Branch (JEEDD) are issuing this RFI to enable the broadest possible search for applicable terminal/system technology and services. Please respond no later than 21 days after the date of this notice with 3 copies of selected data, product information, and/or brochures concerning current and planned airborne terminals and supporting infrastructure technology. Related technical information should be sent to them at the following address: Booz Allen & Hamilton, Inc., Suite 804, 8283 Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA. 22102, attention Mr. Chuck Nowak. Questions may be addressed to Mr. Nowak at (703) 917-2663 V, (703) 917-2418 fax or via e-mail at nowak_chuck@bah.com. The DISA/government point of contact is Mr. Gerry Hart. Questions may be addressed to Mr. Hart at (703) 696-7167 V, (703) 696-1944 fax or via e-mail at hartg@ncr.disa.mil. General estimated cost and schedule data on terminal equipment and terrestrial services are desired for planning purposes only. Briefings to DISAand other governmental staff should be planned approximately 35 days after the date of this notice or as scheduled on a case-by-case basis. All information provided will be controlled as marked (e.g., proprietary). The JIEO contractor support staff have in place nondisclosure statements. This RFI or "sources sought" shall not be construed as a request for proposal or as an obligation on the part of the government for any follow-on acquisitions. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI. No request herein intends to direct respondents to initiate systems engineering in any way. Industry participation is at no cost to the government. Posted 03/21/00 (W-SN436498). (0081)

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