Inactive

The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess proto-type development and limited production background, data, expertise, capabilities, and experience necessar... The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess proto-type development and limited production background, data, expertise, capabilities, and experience necessary to design, develop, produce, test, qualify, and field prototype aviation form factor Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Software Defined Radio (SDR) cards with residual operational capability cards to be employed as Software Defined User Equipment (SDUE) by the United States Air Force. Security classification: Security classification for this potential effort will be at the FOUO / Secret / Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) level. Information involved in this program will be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774). Top Secret clearance and facilities will be required and the potential exists for future foreign military sales. The present and future Air Force warfighting environment requires Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capability that is robust and resilient—having the ability to recognize, withstand, and recover rapidly from disruptions. PNT includes position, velocity and/or acceleration determination, point-to-point tracking, platform attitude/orientation determination, arrival prediction, and precise timing references often derived from GPS. SDUE will allow USAF, Joint, and coalition platforms too effectively and affordably operate worldwide, despite continuing advances in the PNT threat environment. The SDUE capabilities developed under this effort, when combined with other components of the PNT system (i.e. antenna, inertial navigation unit), will be required to recognize, withstand, and recover rapidly from PNT attacks. Threats in the operational environment to SDUE are numerous and diverse and may result in PNT degradation, denial, deception, and/or destruction of equipment. Threats include various electronic warfare threats, (i.e. Jammers, Spoofers), cyber threats, and natural events such as space weather (i.e. sunspots, etc.) that can degrade or deny PNT (e.g. GPS) services. These threats can be presented at any time and may occur on the tarmac or during any stage of flight. SDUE, as part of the overall PNT solution, must be able to recognize, withstand, and recover rapidly from disruptions caused by these threats. Using the Rapid Prototyping and Fielding authorities of Public Law 114-92, Section 804, the Air Force is pursuing the following three broad objectives/capabilities for SDUE: Hardening against known and expected threats: This includes anti-spoofing, second source PNT, and incrementally fielding M-code, Multi-Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and alternative Satellite Navigation (SATNAV) capabilities sequentially and over time. SDUE must have the capability to survive and operate in a cyber-contested environment against the span of anticipated adversaries and threat actors. Those actors range from amateurs and unorganized cyber criminals (includes lower threat tier capabilities) to the most sophisticated, persistent and extremely well-resourced adversaries. These later adversaries include advanced nation-state actors capable of the highest level of cyber tradecraft that can exploit known and unknown vulnerabilities, as well as develop and deploy sophisticated, stealthy implants. SDUE’s survivability must include mitigations for confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C, I, & A) compromises of internal and external information flows. Situational Awareness and PNT Assurance against threats to PNT: This includes detection and circumvention of PNT threats. SDUE must have the capability for networking to perform fusion of information available via the command, control, communications, and information systems of the host platform to support the flow of PNT situational awareness information between PNT User Equipment (UE), the warfighter, and operations centers. Situational awareness and PNT assurance will include local, theater, and global situational awareness monitoring of SATNAV broadcast signals, navigation data, and radio frequencies for anomalies, interference, jamming, spoofing, and other malicious attacks. Affordable Adaptability in the form of Modular Open System Architecture and Complementary PNT Capabilities (e.g., radar, visual navigation sensors, signals of opportunity, radio navigation aids, Link 16, etc.): PNT does not operate in static environments; threats continue to evolve in capability, sophistication, power, and number. SDUE must be able to maintain pace with this evolving, heightened threat environment and provide cost-effective means to continuously adapt. One method to ensure adaptability is through the use of a modular open system architecture (MOSA). Though MOSA is required per DoD policy, it is not the only means by which systems can achieve adaptability. Adaptability can also be achieved through machine learning, autonomy, and other methods. The Air Force requirement for SDUE is to design a prototype, develop the prototype, and field a cost effective Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based GPS receiver card that will be hosted in the Resilient Embedded GPS-INS (R-EGI) capability in the FY25 timeframe. SDUE will provide an enterprise approach to requirements, resourcing, selecting, and fielding future aviation-based PNT solutions. SDUE must be robust and resilient and is expected to build upon GPS and its modernization efforts, augment GPS with additional sources of PNT, and leverage full spectrum operations consistent with the Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) construct. SDUE must also be compatible with legacy aircraft GPS antennas as well as newer digital antenna electronics being researched by the Air Force for this application. The Government is projecting that it can furnish an FPGA-based, security-certified architecture and associated intellectual property with Government purpose data rights for this effort. The security-certified architecture and intellectual property is currently being developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory under a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contract with the MITRE Corporation on a project known as Janus. Current projections are for this security architecture to be security certified in September 2022, by the Space and Missile Center (SMC) Functional Security Engineering Team (FSET) following the Global Positioning System (GPS) Modernized Precise Positioning Service (PPS) User Equipment (UE) Compatibility Evaluation and Security Approval Process Requirements Document (PRD) GPU-PRD-705. Respondents are under no obligation to use this architecture to develop and deliver the required capability. Respondents can use or devise their own architecture as long as the Government can obtain at least Government purpose data rights for the implemented architecture and that architecture complies with the other requirements of this effort. The SDUE program will make every effort to drive down cost, schedule, and risk along with ensuring compliance to DoDI 3150.09, 8 April 2015, “The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Survivability Policy,” Incorporating Change 1, Effective 16 January 2018. The contractor shall furnish all material, support equipment, tools, test equipment, and services. The contractor is responsible for providing, maintaining, and calibrating all support equipment required at their facility or a subcontractor’s facility. Contractors/institutions responding to this market research are placed on notice that responding may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards. This Request For Information (RFI) is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. The Government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this survey. In accordance with FAR 52.215-3: The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. This solicitation is issued for the purpose of market research. INSTRUCTIONS: Below is the Contractor Capability Survey. The Survey allows Contractors to provide their company’s capability. If after reading this RFI you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability in meeting the described capabilities. Failure to provide documentation may result in the Government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities. If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.). If suggesting a joint venture or teaming arrangement with another company, please submit evidence of the other companies capabilities that would be used to overcome the lack of experience /capabilities with sufficient detail for the Government to gain confidence in the successful execution of this effort. Identify any areas of work that your organization believes should be broken out exclusively for Small Business. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research. Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are acceptable. Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed to the Procurement Contracting Officer (PCO) identified below. The Government will only accept electronic submissions; email your response to the PCO; no facsimiles or mailed responses will be not accepted, read or reviewed. Electronic responses must be received NLT 4:30pm EST on 07 August 2020. All documents received must be in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, or PDF format. Other formats will not be read/reviewed and may not be received through Air Force firewalls. Please email your response to: AFLCMC/WNKF Attn: Marcus R. Green, PCO marcus.green.7@us.af.mil ? Questions relative to this market research should be addressed to the PCO at: AFLCMC/WNKF Attn: Marcus R. Green, Contracting Officer Bldg. 300 235 Byron St., STE 19A Robins AFB GA 31098-1600 Email: marcus.green.7@us.af.mil