SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- Persistent Broadband Ground Connectivity for Spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Notice Date
- 2/3/2010
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Other Defense Agencies, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Contracts Management Office, 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia, 22203-1714
- ZIP Code
- 22203-1714
- Solicitation Number
- DARPA-SN-10-28
- Archive Date
- 3/21/2010
- Point of Contact
- Chris Glista,
- E-Mail Address
-
christopher.glista@darpa.mil
(christopher.glista@darpa.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Tactical Technology Office (TTO), intends to award a sole source contract to Inmarsat plc., of London, United Kingdom for the Persistent Broadband Ground Connectivity for Spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit effort. This program seeks to enable near-24/7, very-low-latency, on-demand broadband connectivity to the ground for spacecraft in low earth orbit (LEO). A persistent communications system for LEO spacecraft will enable capabilities such as time-sensitive spacecraft control (e.g., defense maneuvers), rapid transmission of critical mission data (e.g., space weather events), direct-from-theater control of spacecraft, and direct-to-theater data delivery with a small-footprint terrestrial transceiver. To search for innovative approaches to provide this service, DARPA released an RFI in October 2009 (DARPA-SN-10-02 Request for Information-"Persistent Broadband Ground Connectivity for Spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit") requesting end-to-end solutions for providing persistent, low-latency, broadband data communications between LEO spacecraft and the ground for operational use by 2012-2013. Of all the proposed solutions, and following an independent survey by Government experts, the Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) service provided by the Inmarsat I-4 communications satellite constellation was deemed to be the sole viable end-to-end solution for providing the necessary robust communications capability within the specified timeframe. Inmarsat's BGAN is currently the fastest mobile data link available using a portable terminal and offering on-demand connectivity with global coverage that could extend to LEO orbital altitudes. It provides 492 kbps full-duplex full-channel bandwidth over approximately 600 spot beams with 588 channels per beam. The system currently serves terrestrial, maritime, and airborne terminals. A space-based BGAN terminal for LEO use appears to be a technically feasible solution with only modest adaptations to the airborne version of the terminal, specifically relating to Doppler compensation, radiation hardened components, and software changes for rapid beam-to-beam handover without loss of service. The conduct of this effort will include design and development of a space-based BGAN terminal, BGAN network modifications, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, certification of a space-based BGAN terminal, and integration and on-orbit support of the space-based BGAN terminal with the System F6 fractionated spacecraft demonstration cluster. The proposed contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302-1 "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." As the owner and operator of the I-4 constellation of geostationary communications satellites, and as the provider of the BGAN service, Inmarsat plc. possesses unique knowledge, capabilities and proprietary intellectual property/data required to carry out the required research effort. No other source would be capable of satisfying the requirements for an affordable end-to-end solution within the timeframe necessary to meet the Government's needs. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation is currently available. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. Responses/proposals received within forty-five (45) days after date of publication of this notice will be considered by the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open basis is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to meet the requirements by submitting a white paper and past performance data by no later than 20 March 2010 to The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Attn: Mr. Christopher Glista, Contracts Management Office (CMO), 3701 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1714 or via email to christopher.glista@darpa.mil. Questions shall be submitted to the above email address. Please refer to Numbered Note 22. It is noted that DARPA's Tactical Technology Office (TTO) maintains an annual office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeking system and subsystem level technologies that enable revolutionary improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of the military. The "Advanced Space Systems" thrust area under this BAA specifically seeks proposals for innovative technologies and design approaches spacecraft systems such as a space-based terminal for the Inmarsat BGAN system. Parties wishing to respond to this notice are invited, as an alternative, to submit a white paper against DARPA-BAA-10-09 "Innovative Systems for Military Missions."
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-SN-10-28/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02057274-W 20100205/100203235754-08e21adc3b19b1a900dd2b8c3643cff9 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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