Inactive

Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) is the term the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) uses for radio communication services licensed in the bands listed under Part 27 of the FCC's rules. The Commis... Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) is the term the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) uses for radio communication services licensed in the bands listed under Part 27 of the FCC's rules. The Commission has designated several different AWS spectrum bands (AWS-1 through AWS-4) and each covers a different band of frequencies. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), working in conjunction with FCC, has given notice to all federal agencies that they must vacate the AWS-3 spectrum band (1755 to 1780 MHz). Agencies operating in this band must migrate to another frequency band in order to make room for new commercial wireless services under the AWS-3 spectrum sale. This expands on the work to the Spectrum Relocation AWS-1 effort; where federal agencies vacated the 1710 to 1755 MHz frequency band. Under this effort Army microwave radios operating in the 1755-1850 MHz band will be migrated to the 8 GHz Federal frequency band. The PdM WESS AWS-3 mission is to migrate Continental U.S. (CONUS) based Army microwave radios operating in the 1755-1780 MHz band into the 7-8 GHz Federal frequency band. This will include the U.S. Army ATC at Fort Rucker, AL; and Fort Campbell, KY., and the USACE at Sacramento, CA; and Fort Worth, TX. The AWS-3 system infrastructure, currently existing in the field, consists of communication towers, repeater sites, parabolic antennas and waveguides (a device confining and conveying microwaves), also included are management terminals and voice logging recorders for ATC functions. The same physical infrastructure for the 1755-1780 MHz band will remain for the 7 - 8 GHz band. The weight of the 7 - 8 GHz antenna is significantly greater than the 1755-1780 MHz antenna employed. For this reason, the contractor must retrofit the 7 - 8 GHz antennas to the towers. DoD policy requires the use of an Internet Protocol (IP) packet radio architecture for the re-establishment of previous microwave capabilities, or for any new microwave capabilities, and ultimately for the modernization of the microwave systems. The DOD policy for U.S. Army microwave systems consist of: 1) A requirement that microwave radios must have a Joint Frequency (JF-12) certification issued by the NTIA though the Spectrum Planning Subgroup (SPS), which exists to determine: a. if equipment can operate in spectrum bands per the national and international tables of spectrum allocation; and b. whether equipment in the Army inventory conforms to applicable spectrum management regulations, directives, standards, and specifications 1) IP packet radios are required, 2) A requirement that the microwave radio system be Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) certified for Interoperability and Information Assurance (IA) standards. Products used shall be on the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Approved Products List (APL). This requirement is necessary to support the DoD Unified Capabilities approach. All of the microwave sites in California and Kentucky are located in seismologically active zones. Any communication sites within these defined areas will utilize seismic racks for the microwave radios and associated equipment per GR-63-CORE Network Equipment Building Systems (NEBS), version 4 or latest. Department of Defense (DoD) operations in this portion of the strategic spectrum include air traffic control (ATC) as used in Fort Rucker, AL and Fort Campbell, KY as well as administrative point-to-point communications as used by the microwave towers transmitting SCADA traffic and serving the Sacramento CA and Fort Worth regions. Market research conducted supports that only Nokia and Aviat Inc. manufacture commercially-available 7-8 GHz microwave solutions that are Joint Interoperable Test Command approved, UC APL certified, on the Military Communications Electronics Board (MCEB) JF-12 certification, and approved by CIO G6 Spectrum in accordance with Army requirements. DOD components are required to fulfill their system needs by purchasing only DOD APL listed products, providing one of the listed products meets their needs. If no listed product meets the organization's needs, they may sponsor a product for testing that does meet their needs. The U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC) engineers have sponsored both Nokia and Aviat products through the Interoperability and IA certification process at the JITC. Both companies have microwave and STP devices that are on the DISA APL. As such, under this sources sought synopsis, it is being planned by the Government to award two sole source stand-alone firm-fixed price contracts, in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. As described at FAR 6.302 1(a)(2), when the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. Nokia's contract will cover the U.S. Army Aviation Network's microwave sites utilized for air traffic control on Fort Rucker, AL and Fort Campbell, KY. Aviat's contract will cover the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's microwave sites utilized for transmitting Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data from the Sacramento, CA and Fort Worth, TX areas. The ACC-RI projects award in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 using Other Procurement, Army funds. As such, no written request for proposal will be issued. Interested persons under this sources sought synopsis may identify their interest and capability to respond to the above requirements. However, this notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. All submitted information by interested parties that is received within seven (7) days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The submitted information by interested parties will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Award of the subject contract is anticipated to be no later than 30 November 2019. Email responses shall be submitted to the Contract Specialist, Brandon McKinnis, at Brandon.E.McKinnis.civ@mail.mil