Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN), 5

The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the fifth iteration of the Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN 5), aimed at gathering industry input to support future acquisition planning. This RFI, posted in April 2026, covers a broad scope involving approximately 250 U.S. and international sites providing high-performance, low-latency network connectivity for DoD research and supercomputing communities. Key functional areas include transmission circuits, carrier-neutral data centers (CNDC), nodal and site equipment, network operations center (NOC) services, and technical support. The Government is exploring a shift from the single-award contract model used in previous DREN contracts to a more flexible multi-award or multi-contract approach, seeking vendor insights on performance, security, cost, and innovation within this framework. Industry responses are specifically requested to substantiate observations with references to best practices, emerging technologies, and operational considerations, without marketing collateral. This RFI is purely informational and does not contain finalized contract clauses, evaluation factors, pricing, or delivery terms; those will be established in a subsequent formal solicitation. The only referenced Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause is 52.219-14 concerning limitations on subcontracting tied to small business considerations. Security requirements, contract types, performance periods, inspection and acceptance criteria, packaging, marking standards, and special contract conditions remain undefined pending industry feedback and future RFP formulation. The Government encourages recommendations on integration management across potential multiple contracts, handling of international compliance issues such as ITAR/EAR, and subcontracting strategies including minority business and small business participation. The contracting office is located at Scott AFB, Illinois, with points of contact designated for RFI submissions. Responses are limited to electronic white papers subject to specific formatting and size constraints, and the RFI aims to inform a more efficient, risk-mitigated procurement strategy that addresses prior transition challenges experienced in earlier DREN contracts.