A -- PRE-SOLICITATION INDUSTRY BRIEF AND RFI FOR OT AGREEMENTS FOR NEXT-GENERATION NARROWBAND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM CONCEPT EXPLORATION TECH ASSESSMENTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS.

Notice Date

October 6, 2000

Contracting Office

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, 4301 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110-3127

ZIP Code

92110-3127

Solicitation Number

N00039-01-R-4001

Response Due

October 27, 2000

Point of Contact

Mike Cotner, cotnerm@spawar.navy.mil, 619-524-7164; Wayne Curles, curlesw@spawar.navy.mil, 619-524-7839

E-Mail Address

click here to contact the contracting officer via (cotnerm@spawar.navy.mil)

Description

RFI: The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), Communications Satellite Program Office, PMW 146, has a requirement for additional concept exploration (CE) activity related to the Department of Defense's (DoD's) planned next-generation narrowband tactical communication system, the Advanced Narrowband System (ANS). The goal of ANS is to create a global communications system to provide various types of narrowband communication services to mobile users. In the past two years the Navy has completed Government concept studies and an initial phase of industry-led CE studies resulting in a broad spectrum of proposed narrowband communication concepts and architectures that address DoD's narrowband communications requirements. The studies to date have focused on architectural definitions for the information transport segment of ANS known as the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS). The objective of this Request for Information is to identify worthwhile technical assessments and demonstrations, including analytical models, to further investigate: Next-generation architecture-specific high risk areas in order to better define the concepts; Related or derived, but non-architecture specific, technical issues that may lower the risk or cost of any next-generation architecture; and Performance improvements to the current narrowband system that may assist in the transition to the next-generation system. Next-generation architecture-specific demonstrations and analyses of risk areas are expected to better define architectures baselined during CE Phases I and II. However, new architectural concepts are also welcome, including such potential solutions as commercial communications systems, terrestrial wireless system concepts, hybrid systems that combine DoD and commercial communications systems, or Airborne Communications Nodes. For any new concept to be considered, the offeror must present a mature architecture with an assessment of how well it satisfies (though full compliance is not a prerequisite) the draft Operational Requirement Document (ORD) and draft MUOS Performance Specification (MPS) requirements. The Data Item Description (DID) may be used as a guide to determine the necessary level of detail. Whether based on previously baselined or new architectures, the offeror is expected to propose specific technology studies, modeling and simulation activities, and/or demonstrations relevant to its architecture to further define the concept by investigating risk areas. Examples of potential non-architecture specific demonstrations that may be considered are: Fabrication and testing of circularly polarized handheld terminal antennas to maximize equivalent isotropic radiated power while reducing body absorption; Worldwide uplink interference model of the power distribution and geographic distribution (with a resolution of 1ox1o) over the UHF frequency band; and Evaluation of coding in the presence of multi-path and fading. Other such demonstrations or analyses may be proposed. Examples of potential performance improvements to the current narrowband system that may be considered are: Optimization of voice and data throughput; Innovative multiple access schemes. SPAWAR plans to utilize Other Transaction Agreements (OTs) for any resulting award. One or more OT awards are anticipated by the end of the first quarter of FY01, and are expected to total approximately $10 million. No individual OT will exceed $2 million. Awarded OTs will be for specific demonstrations or analyses and may be of differing scope of effort and dollar value. The basic periods of performance are expected to cover six months, with an option of extending an additional three months. Longer periods may be considered depending on the expected benefits and how the efforts would support the anticipated MUOS Component Advanced Development phase. Interested sources are invited to attend a SPAWAR Industry Brief in San Diego at BoozoAllen & Hamilton, 1615 Murray Canyon Road on Friday, 13 October 2000 at 0800. The briefing will provide program information and proposal selection process information, and address common questions. After the briefing, any interested offeror will have an opportunity to discuss its identified preliminary technical assessments and demonstrations in one-on-one sessions with the government. Please notify Sheila Divelbiss of your plans to attend (please minimize the number of people) by 11 October, and to schedule approximately 30-minute one-on-one sessions, if desired. SPAWAR plans to schedule oral proposals beginning the week of 30 October. The rest of the planned pre-award schedule is attached. The solicitation, proposal, and evaluation process will be very streamlined. Anyone interested will need to be prepared to proceed interactively and electronically. Any firm that has not been involved in CE Phases I or II should be prepared to discuss its background, related experience, staffing abilities, and general approach and objectives as part of the orals. If an entirely new architecture is the basis for the envisioned investigations, the offeror should plan to submit a description of the baseline architecture and be prepared to brief it as part of the oral proposals. Any firm that has been involved in CE Phase I or II should be prepared to discuss any update or revision to its previous baseline architecture. OT awards will be based on Government evaluation of anticipated technical benefits from any given OT investment. More explicit evaluation criteria and proposal submission guidelines will be provided at a later date. This announcement and any subsequent information may be viewed on the SPAWAR Business Opportunities Page, under solicitation number N00039-01-R-4001. All correspondence and execution will be conducted electronically. The current draft MUOS ORD, draft MPS and DID can be downloaded from the Virtual Bidders Library (VBL). In case of a conflict the draft ORD takes precedence. The VBL can be accessed after registering at the website: https://vpo.spawar.navy.mil. Register for the "SPAWAR VBL" by selecting "First Time Registration" and entering the requested information. Please contact the following with any questions (preferably e-mail with copies to all): LCDR Jack Nicholson, Project Engineer, Phone 858-537-0352, Email nicholso@spawar.navy.mil Michael Cotner, Contracting Officer, Phone 619-524-7164, Email cotnerm@spawar.navy.mil Sheila Divelbiss, Scheduling and Administration, Phone 858-537-0448, Email rohrbacs@spawar.navy.mil. MUOS Concept Exploration Phase III Pre-Award Schedule CBDNet Announcement, Upload RFI to BOP 05 October 2000 Upload Draft Statement of Objectives and Draft MPS 05 October 2000 Upload Draft Solicitation ** 10 October 2000 ** Including Model Other Transaction Agreement (OT) Industry Brief in San Diego 13 October 2000 Formal Solicitation 20 October 2000 Written Proposals (Briefing Slides, SOW, OT) 27 October 2000 Oral Proposals 30 Oct -- 03 Nov 2000 Awards (May be phased) 21 Nov 00 -- 31 Jan 2001

Web Link

click here and go to Future Opportunity N00039-01-R-4001 (https://e-commerce.spawar.navy.mil/)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001011/ASOL001.HTM (W-280 SN5038T1)