Inactive

Amendment 2: This RFI is updated to address the following questions: Q1: Do you need two-way communication at any time with the unit when it is in service? For example, do you have the need to "trigge... Amendment 2: This RFI is updated to address the following questions: Q1: Do you need two-way communication at any time with the unit when it is in service? For example, do you have the need to "trigger" a broadcast on demand? Or perhaps over-the-air updates, or other commands. A1: The government requires the ability to communicate to read the transponder on a given interval and provide firmware updates. Also, the ability to change the read intervals. Yes, two-way communication is necessary. Q2: If data is currently viewable (real time) on tak.gov is this acceptable? A2: No. The cellular devices will report directly to the Radio Frequency In-transit Visibility (RF-ITV) Server using an Application Protocol Interface (API) that will support direct data exchange from NGT devices to the government owned and operated RF-ITV server. For satellite devices the Contractor shall use the Iridium satellite network and provide direct feeds using EMSS through the DoD Iridium Gateway directly to the RF-ITV Server, at no cost to the users. The satellite devices will also have the same warranty requirements stated in this paragraph. Q3: For world-wide operations, will offerors have access to a Government-provided commercial cell service, or should they plan to make these arrangements themselves? A3: The cellular service uses commercial service. The cellular devices will report directly to the Radio Frequency, In-Transit Visibility (RF-ITV) Server using an Application Protocol Interface (API) that will support direct data exchange from NGT devices to the government owned and operated RF-ITV server. Amendment 1: The suspense date on this RFI has been extended to March 20, 2024 at 1200 Central Time. Original: This is a REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI), for planning/market research purposes only, and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in the response. The Government will not be liable for payment of any response preparation expenses. This is NOT a request for quotations or proposals. No solicitation exists and a formal solicitation is not guaranteed to be issued by the Government as a result of the responses received to this RFI. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained within their response known and labeled accordingly. To reiterate, this is a RFI ONLY. No solicitation will be issued at this time. Participation in this effort is strictly voluntary with no cost obligation to be incurred by the U.S. Government. Any information received as a result of this RFI will become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the respondents. Respondents are responsible for properly marking proprietary or sensitive information contained in their response. Scope: NGT technology consists of cellular, satellite, and cellular / satellite (hybrid) transponders which will be utilized within DoD to track assets world-wide. This RFI will address the availability of non-proprietary, Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) products and technical engineering services to support this initiative. Description: The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI) is seeking potential sources and information related to a possible acquisition for Next Generation Transponders (NGT) across the suite of cellular and satellite transponders with world-wide coverage that support logistics and asset in-transit visibility. Products: Under an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, the Contractor shall provide transponders capable of the following: activate, commission, decommission, deactivate, reuse, and track assets from point A to point B world-wide. The Army seeks to acquire products which may include, but is not limited to: Solar Powered Battery-Operated Cellular Transponder(s) Solar Powered Battery-Operated Satellite Transponder(s) Solar Powered Battery-Operated Hybrid Transponder(s) (cellular and satellite) The technologies required by the Government encompass the following characteristics: All transponders, when fully charged, will be required to operate for a minimum of 120 days, utilizing at minimum one ping every two hours while in motion / one ping every four hours while at rest. All transponders will be rechargeable via solar power for ease of use / reuse. No externally connected power should be required to operate. All transponders will have the capability to be fully charged prior to use. All transponders will be required to have a 14 numeric character ID with a bar coded human readable interpretation. Numeric ID will include codes to uniquely identify manufacturer and transponder type. Format will be provided post-contract award to allow data to be integrated directly into existing DoD business systems. All transponders will be required to have no antenna protrusions. All transponders will require Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO) testing to determine appropriate stand-off distance. Transponder “location data” will be made available at the Government server with position information being sent directly from the transponder / constellation to the Government server or as per an Interface Control Document (ICD) agreement developed post-contract award. All transponders will be required to be mounted on assets via various methods to include, but not limited to: tie wraps, magnetic mounts, or various other methods to ensure transponders remain attached to the assets – no special tools should be required. Removal and reuse of transponders shall be required. All transponders will provide the following minimum data elements (for example): Globally Unique Tag Identifier: 21234567890123 (14 numeric character) Event Date Time: 2018-04-25T18:30:21Z Position Coordinates: Latitude: 49.4647062 Longitude: 17.6998393 4. Battery Capacity Percent Remaining: 45 5. Transmission type: C (cellular) or S (satellite) or H (Hybrid) 6. Satellite capable transponders will communicate via the DoD iridium satellite constellation through the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) Gateway for further routing to government networks. 7. Cellular capable transponders will communicate using, at a minimum, 5G/4G LTE networks with 3G/2G network fallback coverage. Goal: This RFI is to gather Industry comments and advice on products to support DoD’s interests in Next Generation Transponders (NGT) for asset tracking through the use of cellular, satellite, and hybrid solar powered transponders. Industry responses will be used by the Government to refine the scope of the potential future requirements for described products. Companies are encouraged not to include marketing informational materials that do not relate to the products / services described in this RFI, however, responses may include URL links to technical documentation materials (i.e., technical data sheets). Following are questions which DoD has deemed as their initial intent for information: The Government seeks industry insight and comment on how the draft Performance Work Statement could be met via your product(s) offering. The Government seeks information on Industries’ ability to transfer cellular transponder data directly to a DOD server - this would also include the cellular portion of the hybrid transponder. The Government seeks information on Industries’ ability to provide world-wide (global) solar powered battery-operated cellular transponder coverage. The Government seeks information on Industries’ ability to provide world-wide solar powered battery-operated satellite transponder coverage. The Government seeks information on Industries’ ability to provide world-wide solar powered battery-operated hybrid (cellular and satellite) transponder coverage. The Government seeks information on Industries’ solar powered battery-operated cellular transponders with operating characteristics of 1 ping every two hours while in motion / 1 ping every four hours at rest for a minimal duration of 120 days. The Government seeks information on Industries’ solar powered battery-operated satellite transponders with operating characteristics of 1 ping every two hours while in motion / 1 ping every four hours at rest for a minimum duration of 120 days. The Government seeks information on Industries’ solar powered battery-operated hybrid transponders (cellular / satellite) with operating characteristics of 1 ping every two hours while in motion / 1 ping every four hours at rest for a minimum duration of 120 days. The Government seeks information on the use of a mandated 14 numeric character transponder ID in addition to how industry currently IDs their transponders. The Government seeks information on industries’ solution of transponder data security (AES 256 or equivalent encryption / decryption) ensuring secure transmission. The Government seeks information on Industries’ ability to operate transponders world-wide in low / high temperature extremes. The Government seeks information on the methods to mount transponders – currently, most aRFID transponders are “tie-wrapped” to the assets - DoD requires mounting holes in transponders to continue this mounting method; along with magnetic options, bracketing options, and other Industry options. The Government seeks information with regard to availability of satellite transponders that utilize the Iridium Satellite Constellation with the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) enabling Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) capabilities with unlimited short burst data usage for subscribers. The Government seeks information regarding the ability by Industry to transfer satellite GPS data from the transponder through the DoD Iridium satellite network and provide direct feeds to the Iridium base station located in Hawaii, at no cost to the users - this would also include the satellite portion of the hybrid transponder. The Government seeks information regarding the price of cellular, satellite, and hybrid (cellular / satellite) transponder’s combined costs associated with said products, including, but not limited to: activation, network access, and a data plan (one ping every two hours while in motion / one ping every four hours while at rest for a minimum of 120 days) for a period of two years; with the option to buy additional bundled costs for one year increments. The Government seeks information and support in determining the cooperation from Industry to implement a communications protocol / API allowing transponder data to transfer directly to the ITV Server / Government End Point Server. The Interface Control Document), which includes the communications protocol / API, will be provided post contract award. The Government seeks information and support in determining the cooperation from Industry to implement encryption for all transponders. Cellular transponders will utilize a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, while satellite transponders will utilize AES 256 encryption to accomplish this requirement. The Government seeks information on Industry's methods to identify the battery state of charge and, when needed, to fully charge the solar powered transponders before use. The Government seeks information from Industry regarding NGT devices reporting incorrect locations when a GPS "fix" could not be obtained (in lieu of a last known GPS fix location). The Government would prefer when the device cannot obtain a GPS satellite to obtain the latitude/longitude coordinates, report a Latitude/longitude of “0.0”. RESPONSE TO THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: Please submit responses to this RFI no later than March 06, 2024. The following should be included with any response: PART I: Company Information 1. Organization Name (if organization has experienced name changes, please list previous names used) 2. Address 3. Primary point of contact and phone number 4. Company Unique Entity ID (from SAM.gov) and Cage code 5. Company ownership (public, private, joint venture) 6. Business Classification / Socio-Economic Status (e.g., large, small, 8(a), women owned, hub-zone, SDB, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned) for NAICS Code: 334111 7. Positive assertion indicating registration in the System for Award Management database (https://sam.gov/) 8. Brief overview of Products provided 9. Sales Information. Specifically, is this product (or one very similar to this specification) routinely sold to commercial customers and/or other government entities? 10. Relevant experience and any other information you deem relevant to this notice. 11. Companies with any of the specific capabilities and that are interested in providing these products to the DoD are invited to respond to this RFI with a Discussion Paper / Product Specifications detailing their ability to provide such products. Emphasis should be placed on key considerations to facilitating and transacting business within the federal marketplace. That is, the Government seeks to also understand how your company's capabilities, practices, and experience in providing such products, both in-plant and on-site, CONUS and OCONUS, and as a direct manufacturer or reseller can be structured so as to reduce administration overhead and to transact business efficiently. Proprietary and/or competition sensitive information submitted in response to this RFI announcement shall be conspicuously marked so and will be protected as such by the Government recipient. The Government’s intent is to follow up this RFI with additional questions to responders and open a dialog with interested entities to ensure DoD moves forward with NGT in the most positive position possible. All interested companies that possess the capabilities addressed herein are encouraged to respond via email to the RFI by providing the information specified. All submissions, written comments, or questions shall be submitted to both Mr. John Kerch, john.d.kerch.civ@army.mil, and Mr. Benjamin Geringer, at benjamin.l.geringer.civ@army.mil no later than 1200 Central Time, on March 06, 2024. Please ensure the Subject Line contains the following: "Company Name – RFI NGT2”