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RFI for Hardware and Software Implementation for Modernized Aviation Link-16 Radio 1. NOTICE This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for informational purposes and market research only, it does n... RFI for Hardware and Software Implementation for Modernized Aviation Link-16 Radio 1. NOTICE This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for informational purposes and market research only, it does not constitute a solicitation. The Government will not reimburse any company or individual for any expenses associated with preparing/submitting information in response to this posting. The information provided may be used by the Government in developing its acquisition strategy, statement of work/statement of objectives, and performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained within their response. 2. SCOPE The United States (US) Army Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, Product Manager Aerial Communication & Mission Command (ACMC) is conducting market research to identify existing and future possible solutions that implement hardware and/or software requirements aligned with the Link-16 Component Specification Model (CSM) for Army rotary, fixed wing, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and Future Vertical Lift (FVL) aircraft. Note that ACMC will share information gathered through this RFI with PEO Command, Control, and Communications-Tactical (C3T). The CSM aims to capture the following elements: Link 16 Application (Defined in the CSM) Link 16 Terminal (Defined in the CSM) Link 16 Terminal Controller (Defined in the CSM) JREAP Application (to be defined in the CSM in a future version) The draft Link 16 CSM, inclusive of both software and hardware requirements, was collaboratively developed by PEO AVN requirement stakeholders. This same CSM was recently released as part of FAF v3.0 and is being used for the procurement and validation of future and existing Link 16 solutions (e.g., Terminal, Application). To aid in self-evaluation and response formulation, USG expectations are provided in section 4 of this RFI. Providing existing and future product offerings IAW the descriptive information requests in section 4 will aid the USG in conducting consistent and informed market research analysis. Hardware and/or software offerings at technology readiness level (TRL) 7 by 3Q FY2023 are desirable. 3. INSTRUCTIONS TO POTENTIAL RESPONDENTS Interested parties who desire to participate in this RFI are encouraged to submit responses that demonstrate they presently have the experience and devices with the technology maturity to answer this RFI. Responses shall include the following information and address the topics enumerated below in section 3.1 and 4. Respondents who responded to the RFI titled “Modernized Aviation Link-16 Radio” (Notice ID: W56JSR-21-RFI-Link16, published May 14th, 2021) are encouraged to re-submit a response to this RFI in context of the descriptive content requested (see section 4) to analyze product offerings against the Link 16 CSM. In order to respond to this RFI, interested parties are encouraged to obtain a copy of the PEO Aviation Link-16 CSM by emailing Ms. Carey Roberts at carey.r.roberts.civ@mail.mil. 3.1 RESPONDENT DATA a. Company Name b. Address c. Point of Contact (include phone number and email address) d. CAGE Code e. Web Page URL f. State the country of ownership for the company. g. State whether the company is a non-traditional defense contractor 4. SELF-EVALUATION / RESPONSE EXPECTATIONS Link-16 Host Application & Link-16 Terminal Controller Application: Please provide the information below in separate sections. Describe the configuration, functionality, and features of your solution Describe your offering based on functional/capability characterizations in the context of the CSM. Provide information about the configurability of your solution to support multiple message sets. Describe the standards supported and language/technologies employed by the design. Describe your approach to gaining compliance with the Government CSM Describe if the application conformant or planned to be conformant to the FACE™ Technical Standard (Identify Version). Describe if the application design conforms to the software component design pattern provided in the CSM and to what extent. Provide an overview of the scope, effort and timeline involved in gaining compliance to the CSM. Describe how the solution meets the Governments MOSA objectives based on modifiability and maintainability over platform lifecycle. Describe plans that allow additional compliance from networking organizations within the Army and DoD. Describe the current and any planned TRL level maturation. Describe the timeline to attain alignment/compliance with CSM and whether your design achieves TRL 7 by FY2023. Describe the application interfaces to the aviation platform and to the Link-16 Terminal Explain if the application interfaces to the platform and to Link-16 Terminal are based on specific industry or government standards. Explain the structure, configurability, and supported variability of the application interfaces to the platform and Link-16 Terminal. Describe the deployment of the application Describe current users of the application and the Link-16 Terminals the application currently supports. Describe how the application is managed. Describe how features/enhancements are introduced and communicated to the user. Describe the operating systems and processor architectures on which the application is deployed and/or verified. Describe the software and modeling processes used to develop and manage the design and any certification, conformance, or qualification artifacts (e.g. DO-178C, FACE, etc.). Describe how updates to the design are distributed and deployed. Provide the minimum system resources needed and interface requirements on the integrator to deploy the application. Describe the technical data package, data rights and licensing Describe the technical data package supporting the design and its availability to using organizations. Describe the data rights of the TDP content including design interfaces, ICD, behavior description etc. Describe the information included in the TDP in terms of Architecture Component pattern provided in the CSM. This includes following information. External Interfaces External System Behavior External Data Model / ICD External Configuration Process External Properties Verification and Validation Artifacts User Guide Integration Guide Describe any licensing or royalties applicable to use of the products across multiple platforms within Army fleet. JREAP Application and Support: Please provide the information below in separate section. Describe if and how the Link-16 Application can interfaces with the JREAP application in the future to support BLOS Link-16 capability. Describe if a JREAP application is part of the solution offered. Describe information requested for the Link-16 Host Application above for the JREAP Application if such application exists. Link-16 Terminal: Please provide the information below in separate section. Describe the configuration, functionality, and features of your solution Describe your offering based on functional/capability characterizations in the context of the CSM. Provide information about the configurability of your solution to support multiple message sets. Describe the standards supported and language/technologies employed by the design. Describe the waveforms supported and any additional equipment required to use the complete feature set. Describe the Link-16 Terminal capability to handle unclassified and classified information. Describe the Link-16 Terminal key loading and key management use cases and interfaces. Describe the NIST controls implemented by the Link-16 Terminal and any other security features. Describes how the Link-16 Terminal can support common services and interfaces defined in the CSM (Data Storage, Data Logging, Health Reporting, Encryption etc.). Describe your approach to gaining compliance with the Government CSM Describe if the Link-16 Terminal software is conformant or planned to be conformant to the FACE™ Technical Standard (Identify Version). Describe if the Link-16 Terminal hardware meets the HOST standards and any specific profiles. Describe if the Link-16 Terminal software design conforms to the software component design pattern provided in the CSM and to what extent. Provide an overview of the scope, effort and timeline involved in gaining compliance to the CSM. Describe how the solution meets the Governments MOSA objectives based on modifiability and maintainability over platform lifecycle. Describe plans that allows additional compliance from networking organizations within the Army and DoD. Describe the current and any planned TRL level maturation. Describe the timeline to attain alignment/compliance with CSM and whether your design achieves TRL 7 by FY2023. Describe the Link-16 Terminal interfaces to the aviation platform Explain if the Link-16 Terminal interfaces are based on specific industry or government standards. Explain the structure, configurability, and supported variability of the Link-16 Terminal interface to Link-16 Host Application, platform subsystems and necessary platform communication infrastructure. Describe the configuration interface for message set configuration, crypto key loading etc. for the Link-16 Terminal. Verify that your solution is certified for high assurance operation in Link-16 crypto modernized networks beginning 1 January 2022 and is backwards compatible with current Link-16 systems within the Department of Defense. Describe the deployment of the Link-16 Terminal Describe current users of the Link-16 Host Application and the Link-16 Terminals the Host application currently supports. Describe how the Link-16 Terminal is managed Describe how features/enhancements are introduced and communicated to the user. Describe the software and hardware architecture for the Link-16 Terminal Describe the operating systems and processor architectures on which the Link-16 Terminal software is deployed and/or verified. Describe the software and modeling processes used to develop and manage the Link-16 Terminal software design and any certification, conformance, or qualification artifacts (e.g. DO-178C, FACE, etc.). Describe Link-16 Terminal hardware certification, conformance, or qualification artifacts (e.g. DO-254, HOST etc.). Describe how updates to the design are distributed and deployed. Provide the minimum system resources needed and interface requirements on the integrator to deploy the application. Provide SWAP-C information related to the product. Describe the technical data package, data rights and licensing Describe the technical data package supporting the design and its availability to using organizations. Describe the data rights of the TDP content including design interfaces, ICD, behavior description etc. Describe the information included in the TDP in terms of Architecture Component pattern provided in the CSM. This includes following information. External Interfaces External System Behavior External Data Model / ICD External Configuration Process External Properties Verification and Validation Artifacts User Guide Integration Guide Describe any licensing or royalties applicable to use of the products across multiple platforms within Army fleet. Describe products, manufactured by your company, which meet the requirements for hardware physical characteristics and performance capabilities shown below. If any part of this proposal requires a development effort, clearly describe the approach and estimated timeline. Explain where the unit is not compliant with the requirements below and discuss any plans to gain compliance along with the timeline. Configuration of your proposed solution, including: Number of channels – if more than one, describe the waveforms supported on each non-Link-16 channel and if any additional equipment is needed to support the full frequency band of each waveform. Number of power amplifiers – indicate if internal or external to the RT, the peak and average power of each power amplifier, and whether the power is sufficient to achieve an air-to-air threshold range of 200 nautical miles and air-to-ground threshold range of 60-90 kilometers. Indicate maximum ranges, whether due to power or waveform limitations, if these ranges are not attainable. Indicate assumed path and platform losses. Assume necessary line-of-sight geometries are present for these range estimates. Number of other ancillaries by channel. If devices such as tablets or kneeboards are included, indicate if they are NVIS compatible per MIL-STD-3009. Number and type of ports (e.g., data/audio I/O, control, discrete, antenna, key fill, Ethernet, MIL-STD-1553, serial, RF). Dimensions of each major component (e.g., RT, PA(s), power conditioning). Any mounting hardware required (e.g., shock isolators, cooling plates). Total weight of all components of your proposed solution. Provide an itemized list of individual components by name, weight, size and total quantity along with the total assembly weight. Input power requirements of your proposed solution. Include voltage and current. Indicate frequency if AC is accepted. Roadmap for reducing size and weight of your proposed solution. Cooling methods used on proposed solution. Describe the Link-16 platform interface(s) supported (e.g., Platform A, Platform J) and describe how the Link-16 platform architecture supports deployment on future yet-to-be defined platforms. Provide the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of your proposed solution and describe how the MTBF was determined. Note that the Army considers MIL-HDBK-217F an unacceptable source for reliability estimates. Describe how the system architecture of the proposed solution would operate functionally and physically in PEO Aviation’s Open System Architecture (MOSA) to include C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Mounted Form Factor (CMFF). Describe any experience with the Hardware Open Systems Technologies (HOST) Technical Standard and how the standard applies to the Link-16 solution. Describe how the solution may operate as a standalone radio chassis or card inside a third-party software defined radio chassis (SRDC). Explain past experience with similar Department of Defense (DoD) implementations and lessons learned from past experiences. Explain advantages/disadvantages to a card-based approach vs. standalone approach. Include a comparison of cost (non-recurring, recurring production, and sustainment) and schedule (development, qualification, and production lead times) between these two approaches. Describe knowledge and experience in Product Line Engineering (PLE). Describe how the solution instantiates across different platforms using the PLE approach to support variations of SWAP-C, specific Concept of Operations (CONOPS) Concept of Employment (CONEMP) driving performance requirement variations, and message set variation across different platforms. Describe the rights for the external interface, external configuration, external behavior, and external properties. If other than Government Purpose Rights (GPR), provide an explanation. Describe experience and plans for certification of the Link-16 solution to get approval to operate. Verify that your solution implements the Link-16 advanced capabilities of Concurrent Multi-Netting (CMN), Concurrent Contention Receive (CCR), and Enhanced Throughput (ET). Describe how many simultaneous receptions support your CMN and CCR implementations. In an appendix or separate section, include any recommendations you may have for how to relay multiple receptions. Describe the ET modes supported by your implementation. Describe the status of the EMC Features certification for the Link-16 channel in your proposed solution. Describe the status of meeting the FAA frequency-remapping mandate and provide timeline to implement if not currently met. Describe the control’s compliance with the following environmental specifications and specified tests below. If not compliant, discuss plans to gain compliance. Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Characteristics of subsystems, equipment, all ancillaries for EMI / Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) requirements defined in MIL-STD-461G and MIL-STD-464D, as modified by ADS-37A-PRF. Indicate results of testing and the method(s) from MIL-STD-810H that were used to test the following: Altitude: 55,000 Operational temperature: -54 to +71 C Thermal Shock: -85 to +55 C Humidity: <= 95% Dripping Rain Salt Fog Sand and Dust Fungus Shock and Crash Safety Explosive Atmosphere Decompression Vibration Acceleration Human Factors IAW MIL-STD-1472H. Include: Results of voice recognition/intelligibility testing using Modified Rhyme Tests. Sound levels of components such as cooling fan(s) included with your proposed solution. Human factors characteristics of any displays included with your proposed solution. How your proposed solution is designed for maintainability. Applicable documentation provided below. Document Title / Version Date MIL-STD-461G Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and Equipment 11 December 2015 MIL-STD-464D Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Requirements for Systems 24 December 2020 MIL-STD-704F Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics, Notice 2 25 October 2013 MIL-HDBK-781A Handbook for Reliability Test Methods, Plans, and Environments for Engineering, Development Qualification, and Production, Notice 1 30 January 2015 MIL-STD-810H Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests 31 January 2019 MIL-STD-1472H Human Engineering 15 September 2020 MIL-STD-3009 Lighting, Aircraft, Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) Compatible, Notice 1 4 October 2002 MIL-STD-6016G Tactical Data Link (TDL) 16 Message Standard 8 July 2020 ADS-37A-PRF Aeronautical Design Standard, Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) Performance and Verification Requirements 28 May 1996 MSIP LL0060-200 Qualification Test Criteria for Gunfire Vibration on AH-64D Longbow Apache April 1996 5. RESPONSES, COMMUNCIATIONS, AND ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: a. The Government may contact respondents to obtain additional information or clarification in order to understand a company's response. This may include discussions, site visits, demonstrations, etc. to further the Government's understanding of a proposed solution, as well as a company's understanding of the Government's requirements. b. Responses shall not exceed 30 pages (including any cover page). Include technical and descriptive text, functional block diagrams, and illustrations to provide sufficient detail. The submitted documentation becomes the property of the United States Government. c. Respondents shall clearly mark proprietary data with the appropriate markings. Any proprietary information received in response to this request is protected from any unauthorized disclosure. Any material that is not marked is publicly releasable. d. When submitting a response, please be aware that the Army workforce is supplemented by contracted support personnel. Any proprietary data submitted may be handled by contract support services personnel who have signed the same Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). e. Responses are due electronically by 20 August 2020 3:00 PM EST via email to the following (must include responses to ALL officials): Name: Ms. Carey Roberts Title: System Acquisition Manager (SAM) Organization: PdM ACMC, PM Aviation Mission Systems and Architecture (AMSA), PEO Aviation Email: carey.r.roberts.civ@mail.mil Name: Mr. Fabian McAlpine Title: APM Organization, PdM HAMMR, PM Tactical Radio, PEO C3T Email: Fabian.r.mcalpine.civ@mail.mil Contractors shall not contact any Government personnel regarding this RFI other than the individuals designated above. Contacting any Government personnel other than the individual designated above may result in an organizational conflict of interest (OCI) and may result in a contractor being excluded from the competition and consideration for award. f. Subject line must read RFI for Hardware and Software Implementation for Modernized Aviation Link-16 Radio-[Company Name].Example: RFI for Hardware and Software Implementation for Modernized Aviation Link-16 Radio -ABC Inc. g. For more information on this RFI, please contact the point of contact identified above. E-mail communication is preferred. 6. DISCLAIMER This RFI is not a request for proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this RFI. This RFI is for market research purposes only, and the US reserves the right to use the funding arrangement or contract type most appropriate for the effort in subsequent solicitations. Potential funding instruments include, but are not limited to Procurement Contracts consistent with 31 U.S.C 6303 or Other Transaction for Prototype (OTA) consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2371 (as supplemented by Section 845 of Public Law 104-201 and Section 804 of Public Law 104-201) and 10 U.S.C. 2371b. All information contained in the RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. FAR clause 52.215-3,"Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes", is incorporated by reference in this RFI. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This RFI will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received in this RFI that is marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.