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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF OCTOBER 02, 2005 FBO #1406
SOURCES SOUGHT

A -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)- JTRS APCO PROJECT 25 WAVEFORM - W91QUZ-05-T-0023

Notice Date

9/30/2005
 

Notice Type

Sources Sought
 

NAICS

541511 — Custom Computer Programming Services
 

Contracting Office

ACA, ITEC4, Directorate of Contracting , 2461 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22331-0700
 

ZIP Code

22331-0700
 

Solicitation Number

W91QUZ-05-T-0023
 

Response Due

10/31/2005
 

Archive Date

12/30/2005
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Request for Information RFI JTRS APCO Project 25 Waveform 1.0 DESCRIPTION The Army Contract Agency, Information Technology, E-Commerce, and Commercial Contracting Center ITEC4, in support of the Joint Tactical Radio Systems JTRS Joint Waveforms Program Office JWPO, is seeking information from interested parties on how the JTRS p rogram can address communications and interoperability requirements of, and strategies for the acquisition of, an APCO Project 25 software waveform that is: Compliant with the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) Compliant with the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, Inc APCO Project 25 (hereafter referred to as APCO P25) Phase 1 System Standards for Subscriber radio sets (i.e., TIA/EIA-102 Series) Suitable for the JTRS Software Def ined Radios and small form factor radio sets Upgradeable to meet the requirements of APCO P25 Phases II and III This is a request for information only, as defined in FAR 15.201e. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal RFP or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Responses to this notice shall not be construed as offers and cannot be accepted by the Gove rnment to form a binding contract. The U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative cost incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested partys expense. Not respo nding to this RFI will not preclude participation in any future RFP if issued. Release of reference technical documentation is limited to United States corporations and United States citizens. 2.0 BACKGROUND The Department of Defense established the JTRS program to provide a family of software programmable radios designed around a Software Communications Architecture SCA. As such, the JTRS will provide reliable multi-channel voice, data, imagery, and video co mmunications and eliminate communications problems caused by stovepipe legacy systems. The JTRS will achieve these objectives through the procurement and fielding of a digital, programmable, modular communication system based on software-defined radio tec hnology. JTRS will provide interoperability through the capacity to communicate with current tactical communications systems in the near term. In the future, JTRS will provide integrated information sharing through new waveforms to support joint operations. This interoperability will help meet the demands of U.S. Military forces and, when needed, communications with other government entities and first responders. As part of this initiative, the JTRS program is evaluating the means by which they can establish an APCO P25 capability within this family of communications products. This RFI is to solicit industrys views on the state of the APCO P25 initiative, provide insight into methodologies for developing a JTRS APCO P25 capability that will be interoperable with non-DoD APCO P25 standard devices, and comment on issues that could affect the affordability of the JTRS APCO P25 waveform. 3.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION This RFI requests information from industry regarding the JTRS APCO P25 waveform requirements as well as information regarding possible acquisition strategies. The questions below provide a starting point for information input. 3.1 Identification of current possible solutions: 3.1.1 Are there any existing technologies that could satisfy the JTRS APCO P25 requirements? Please quantify and explain any required modifications where possible. 3.1.2 What is the commercial market coverage and anticipated customer base (in terms of quantities) for APCO P25 technology? 3.2 Technology Information: 3.2.1 Interoperability is a primary goal of the JTRS Program What is the industry vision regarding development of radio systems with an interoperable APCO P25 waveform Are there any barriers to universally inter-operative APCO P25 radios Would a JTRS APCO P25 compliant subscriber se t be able to work with any APCO P25 compliant base station in all APCO P25 Phase 1 modes? Are the current APIs, as defined for the SCA and APCO P25, sufficient to produce and field a fully interoperable APCO P25 capability? If not, what are the issues? Does industry foresee a requirement for a standard APCO P25 capability/interoperability certification? 3.2.2 Secure communication is major concern within DoD. The JTRS APCO P25 waveform running on JTRS sets should be capable of protecting the privacy of information when operating in networks made up of commercial equipment. How would keys and other settin gs be provided from commercial key sets intomilitary JTRS Radios? What provisions for higher-grade encryption suitable for national defense unclassified and classified use would you recommend? 3.2.3 What are the projected technology trends that will support APCO P25? 3.2.4 Are there any critical issues associated with integrating APCO P25 capabilities onto handheld/small form factor sets? 3.2.5 Commercial Status What is the status of commercial implementation of APCO P25 Phases 1, and 2? What is the expected evolution of APCO P25 Phase 3? 3.2.6 How can current industry life cycle support to APCO P25 products be leveraged to support the JTRS APCO P25? 3.2.7 Which requirement(s) would drive cost/schedule for an APCO P25 waveform application development effort? 3.2.8 Are there changes to the JTRS APCO P25 Waveform Performance Specification that could positively impact the cost/schedule of a development/procurement effort? 3.3 What acquisition strategies may be available that could reduce implementation technical, schedule, and/or cost risk? 4.0 TECHNICAL REFERENCES. The Government has the following documentation available for use in formulating responses to this RFI: 4.1 Performance Specification, JTRS Waveform, for the APCO P25 Public Safety Land Mobile Radio Subscriber Unit, December 2003 (DRAFT) 4.2 Software Communications Architecture (Version 3.0) Electronic copies of these references may be requested thru the JTRS JWPO. Requests should be submitted via e-mail to james.helm1@us.army.mil and must include the name, company/organization, phone number, and e-mail address of a designated point of conta ct. 5.0 RESPONSES Interested parties should respond to this RFI with a white paper. Please be advised that all responses become government property. White papers, in Microsoft Word compatible format, are due to the JTRS JWPO no later than 15:00 EST, October 31, 2005. T he government recommends the white paper should not exceed 15 pages. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to james.helm@hqda.army.mil and Gail.strickland@hqda.army.mil. All questions must be received by October 14, 2005 for response by October 19, 20 05. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and, if present, clearly marked. To aid Government planners, please segregate proprietary information. 5.1 Section One: Administrative Information Provide company name and address and the phone number, fax number, and e-mail of a designated point of contact. 5.2 Section Two: Identification of current technologies Describe any technical capabilities that exist or could be modified to satisfy JTRS APCO P25 requirements. This description should include assumptions, feasibility, and risk for these options. 5.3 Section Three: Question Responses This section shall be used to address the questions posed in Section 3 of this RFI. Any assumptions, technical feasibility, or overall risk considered in answering these questions should be addressed. 5.4 Section Four: Questions to the Government: This section shall be used by responders to pose questions to the Government for consideration and response at Industry Day. 5.5 Optional presentations If the responders wish to provide the Government further information, they shall provide any briefing material, in Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 compatible format, via e-mail to jame s.helm@hqa.army.mil and gail.strickland@hqda.army.mil These materials are due no later than 15:00 EST, November 03, 2005. As with the white paper, proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and must be clearly marked. Presentations must be re quested to the Contracting Officer by October 14, 2005. The Contracting Officer will notify the respondent of time, date and location by October 21, 2005. 6.0 INDUSTRY DAY The Government plans to conduct an Industry Day for the JTRS APCO P25 waveform effort. The tentative date for the Industry Day is November 07, 2005 in Northern Virginia. Further details on the Industry Day will be published. 7.0 Government Support Contractors The Government will utilize contractors from the following organizations to assist in the review of RFI responses. These vendors have executed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and are bound to safeguard any proprietary information supplied by responders. Additional companies may be added at a later date which the NDA will apply. Alion Science and Technology; Engineering, Management, and Integration EM&I; SRA International; Booze Allen and Hamilton BAH; MITRE Responders should note FAR 9.505-4b. A contractor that gains access to proprietary information of other companies in performing advisory and assistance services for the Government must agree with the other companies to protect their information from unauth orized use or disclosure for as long as it remains proprietary and refrain from using the information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished. The contracting office shall obtain copies of these agreements and ensure that they are prope rly executed. 8.0 Points of Contact This is a JTRS JWPO RFI. Any questions regarding this request should be submitted by mailto: gail.strickland@hqda.army.mil. Responses to questions will be answered via FedBizOpps; it is the responsibility of the respondent to monitor FedBizOpps for any revisions to this RFI. All responses to this RFI must be received by 1500 EST, October 31. 2005. Gail Strickland, Contracting Officer
 

Place of Performance

Address: ACA, ITEC4 Directorate of Contracting , 2461 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria VA

Zip Code: 22331-0700

Country: US
 

Record

SN00907376-W 20051002/050930211931 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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