This Request for Information (RFI) is in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.215-3 (Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes - Oct 1997) and is published only to obtain information for use by the United States Air Force Electronic Systems Center Cryptologic Systems Division (ESC/HNC), Lackland Air Force Base, Texas for market research and planning purposes only This RFI is NOT a Request for Proposal, Invitation for Bid, or an announcement of a solicitation, it is intended for information or planning purposes only. There is no bid package or solicitation document associated with this announcement. Response to this RFI is strictly voluntary and will not affect any potential offeror's ability to submit an offer if a solicitation is released. Any requests for a solicitation package will be disregarded. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or otherwise pay for the information solicited. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of preparing submissions in response to this RFI and the Government's use of such information. Submittals will not be returned to the sender. Respondents of this RFI may be requested to provide additional information/details based on their initial submittals. ESC/HNC is investigating a miniaturized, modular, cryptographic Aerospace Vehicle Equipment (AVE) solution with decreased size, weight, and power (SWaP) via innovative processes, novel technologies, and improvement of existing products for CubeSats. If you provided a response to the March 2011 RFI entitled "AVE and GOE Cryptographic CubeSat ECU Solution", then you may respond to the following RFI questions. For those proposing for the first time, please refer to the archived RFI (Number: SMCC-0411). This RFI was for a releasable, NSA Type 1 AVE End Cryptographic Unit (ECU) for CubeSats using Suite B algorithms. The AVE cryptographic solution is for SWaP constrained platforms operating in Low Earth Orbit for a maximum mission life of 3 years. 1. The Government is interested in innovative approaches for developing a low cost, configurable, small form factor (5cm x 5cm or smaller), low power (20mW-100mW), releasable NSA Type-1 using Suite B algorithms for telemetry, tracking, and commanding (TT&C), TRANSEC and mission data decryption/encryption AVE ECU for CubeSats. For this RFI, CubeSats will be defined as having relatively short mission lives (1-3 years) and 1U form factor (10cm x 10cm x10cm). 2. Is your recommended CubeSat Cryptographic Solution (CCS) capable of providing a TRANSEC function? If TRANSEC functionality is feasible within your recommended solution/approach, please describe. 3. If feasible to combine COMSEC and TRANSEC to fit in a 1U CubeSat, then describe your CCS to meet the following requirements:a. Operate at data rates of 1kbps to 5Mbps for decrypt and encrypt functionsb. Meets NSA Type 1 certification for a TS/SCI devicec. Use AES-256 Suite B algorithmd. Store up to 8 encrypt, 8 decrypt keys, and recommended number of TRANSEC keyse. Survive up to 3 years in the LEO space environment.f. Meet SWaP restrictions (size: within 5cm x 5cm x 1cm, weight: within 100g, Power: 1kbps to 1Mbps data rate - at a maximum of 100mW, 1Mbps to 5Mbps data rate - at a maximum of 1W) 4. If feasible to combine COMSEC, TRANSEC and a transceiver within a device and fit in a 1U CubeSat, then describe your CCS while meeting the requirements listed below. Please estimate the minimum SWaP for the CCS configuration. a. Operate at data rates of 1kbps to 5Mbps for decrypt and encrypt functionsb. Meets NSA Type 1 certification for a TS/SCI devicec. Use AES-256 Suite B algorithmd. Store up to 8 encrypt, 8 decrypt keys, and recommended number of TRANSEC keyse. Survive up to 3 years in the LEO space environment 5. Please recommend an electrical interface standard for input/output with the transceiver and the Command Data & Handling (CD&H) subsystem. 6. Please identify TRANSEC initialization requirements (e.g., time of day, seed inputs, clock, etc.). 7. The Government is contemplating a two phase technology development effort. a. Please estimate (best/worst case), how long it will take to complete a prototype demonstration (phase 1) of the functionalities described in both RFIs.b. Please estimate (best/worst case), how long it will take to complete the CCS after demonstration (phase 1) through prototype completion (phase 2).Vendors who submit information for review do so with the understanding that U.S. Government personnel as well as their support contractors will review their material and data. Respondents will not be contacted regarding their submission or information gathered as a result of this notice nor the outcome of the Government's review of the solicited information unless the Government desires further information. Submitted information packages will be retained by the Government and not returned to the contractor. All interested, capable and responsible sources that wish to respond to this RFI are required to electronically supply their responses (.doc or.pdf format) in the order and format in which they are presented, to
contact@example.gov and
contact@example.gov no later than 1600hrs CT, 30 August 2011. Telephonic responses will not be accepted.
