DOS 5G Clear Path RFI

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS A NOTICE ISSUED ONLY TO CONDUCT A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY FOR AN ANTICIPATED REQUIREMENT. PARTICIPATION IN THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION IS VOLUNTARY. NO COMPENSATION WILL BE PROVIDED. PURPOSE: Secretary Pompeo announced April 29 the Department will require a clean path for all 5G network traffic coming into and out of U.S. diplomatic facilities at home and overseas to ensure data does not traverse equipment provided by untrustworthy vendors such as Huawei or ZTE. 5G Clean Path requirements are beginning with Department missions overseas. 5G Clean Path requirements may later be extended to include the overseas operations of some U.S. businesses in critical sectors. This requirement will only apply to the future deployment of 5G networks. A 5G Clean Path embodies the highest standards of security against untrusted, high-risk vendors ability to disrupt, deny, or tamper with telecommunications traffic and services to private citizens, financial institutions, businesses, government, or critical infrastructure. It is important that countries and telecommunications operators understand the United States is not just talking about secure 5G networks, but is also requiring and implementing them. The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 889 prohibits U.S. executive agencies from procuring, obtaining, extending, or renewing contracts for any equipment, system, or telecommunications or other service that makes use of Huawei, ZTE, Xiaomi, and other untrusted People's Republic of China (PRC) vendor equipment. As part of the Department's efforts to limit the risk to the United States from untrusted vendors, the Secretary announced, - The objective is that untrusted IT vendors will have no access to U.S. State Department systems. As the Secretary noted, - The Trump Administration has taken unprecedented action to defend our physical borders; so too are we defending America on our cyber frontiers. What is the 5G Clean Path? - The 5G Clean Path is an end-to-end communication path that does not use any 5G transmission, control, computing, or storage equipment from an untrusted vendor. - A 5G Clean Path embodies the highest standards of security against untrusted, high-risk vendors ability to disrupt or deny services to private citizens, financial institutions, or critical infrastructure. RESPONSE CONTENT: The Department of State is interested in hearing from industry about how they would implement technological systems, solutions and services that would provide a 5G Clean Path. For the purposes of this RFI, we are only considering 5G networks and are interested in securing the radio access network, the backhaul and the core infrastructure. The respondent should identify technical capabilities they could deploy to fulfill the requirement if a solicitation were to be issued. Responses should be concise, yet detailed, and include whether there is any other technical consideration, option, exception, etc. that would apply. 5G has the potential to deliver the infrastructure and services necessary to truly revolutionize mobile computing and services. It will provide bandwidth and latency characteristics comparable to today's consumer fixed access networks. These are the next generation capabilities required to build a world class network the can be the foundation for technologies such as edge computing, Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Autonomous Systems and Artificial Intelligence. ALL RESPONSES SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING VIA EMAIL TO Michael Dickson DicksonMS@state.gov and weakley-lugokf@state.gov. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL ANY RESPONDENT CONTACT ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT OF STATE PERSONNEL REGARDING THIS NOTICE. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS REQUEST IS FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION GATHERING PURPOSES OUTLINING PROCESSES THAT MAY ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN SUCCESSFULLY SATISFYING THIS REQUIREMENT AND STRUCTURING A POTENTIAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE STRATEGIES TO MAXIMIZE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION. ; QUESTIONS TO THIS RFI MAY BE SUBMITTED THROUGH JUNE 15. NO AWARD WILL BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF RESPONSES RECEIVED TO THIS NOTICE. SUBMISSION DETAILS: Respondents shall submit electronic responses; responses must be received by DicksonMS@state.gov no later than 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time on 15 August 2020. Please submit all responses electronically to DicksonMS@state.gov and weakley-lugokf@state.gov at Department of State Office of Acquisition Management prior to submittal date. Responses must be submitted electronically, formatted in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel (any version). Margins must be 1 on all sides, to print on 8 x 11 paper. Typeface must be Times New Roman, 12 point font. Responses should be specific to the Purpose noted above. The page limitation shall be twenty (20) pages, but respondents are cautioned to keep marketing materials and non-specific information to a minimum. No responses shall be accepted via US Mail or Fax. All responses shall include the company name, address and DUNS Number. The response shall also include the point-of-contract (POC) including name, phone number and e-mail address. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned.