High Frequency Spectrum and Enterprise as a Service

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SAF/A6CW, Multi-Domain Integration Division Commercial High Frequency Spectrum and Commercial High Frequency Enterprise as a Service Market Research 1.0 Scope This is a Request for Information (RFI), as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e). This RFI is being issued for planning and market research purposes only and does not constitute a request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ), or invitation for bid (IFB), nor does its issuance obligate or restrict the Government to an eventual acquisition approach. This RFI is issued in an effort to understand market availability, technical characteristics, cost and functionality of commercial high frequency (HF) spectrum opportunities and the ability of industry to provide a commercial HF enterprise as a service. 1.1 Disclaimer The Government will not award a contract on the responses to this RFI, nor pay for the preparation or administrative costs of any information submitted or for the use of such information incurred in response to this RFI. Any information submitted by respondents to this request is voluntary. Any proprietary information submitted should be identified as such and will be properly protected from disclosure. The Government shall not be liable for damages related to proprietary information that is not properly identified. Any submitted proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with applicable Government regulations. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, RFP, or IFP, if any is issued. 2.0 Purpose The Air Force is developing a strategy to research, develop, and direct a long-term, resilient, and well-managed plan for HF communications equipment, capability, and training across the enterprise to ensure interoperability and effective mission execution in all domains and all levels of command. Within this strategy is an examination of spectrum availability as it relates to warfighter demand. Additionally, the Air Force will look at the structure of the HF enterprise and the ability to stay current with innovative technologies. The Air Force is interested in obtaining industry information and comments that focuses on two areas related to the HF strategy. The first is the ability of industry to provide commercial HF spectrum to the Air Force. This would potentially be used to augment the current military HF spectrum. This would support the Air Force's ability to provide reliable voice and data communications to enable command and control and military operations. The second is the ability of industry to provide a commercial HF enterprise as a service. This would potentially augment the existing military HF architecture with a commercial HF architecture. This would also support the Air Force's ability to provide reliable voice and data communications to enable command and control and military operations. 3.0 Request for Information Please describe commercially available solution sets (complete or components) for commercial HF spectrum and/or commercial HF enterprise as a service. The Air Force is seeking information on: 1. Description of commercially available spectrum capabilities. 2. Graphic representation of the spectrum architecture. 3. Information requested: a. Are you authorized to operate by the Federal Communications Commission within the 3 - 30 MHz range? b. What bands within the 3 - 30 MHz range are you authorized to operate in? c. List all countries and bands within those countries that you are authorized to operate in. d. Have you purchased or leased commercial spectrum? If you are leasing how long is the lease? e. List and describe any hardware components associated with your commercially available spectrum. 4. Description of commercial HF enterprise as a service and design approach. 5. Graphic representation of the commercial HF enterprise as a service 6. Information requested: a. Where are your ground sites located? b. What frequencies are being offered? c. What capabilities are you offering? Basic voice and data? d. Do the sites and radio systems have the range to communicate with other locations and "overlap" connectivity? e. Provide a coverage map that shows the radio systems, antennas, and ranges of these capabilities. f. What equipment is located at these sites? g. What is the power output of the radio systems? h. What does your commercial service provide that agreements and coordination with our partners cannot? i. What is the security posture of your sites? Are the locations protected and hardened from attacks? Who is responsible for security at those locations? j. Is there on-site technical support and manpower to operate and maintain the sites and radio systems? k. Provide data that demonstrates proof of the capabilities as well as the ranges of the systems. 7. Additional Information Requested. a. Identify the names of company personnel (including phone number and e-mail address) who may participate in discussions with the Government in the following functional areas (Note: limit to one person per functional area): - Contract Program Security Manager (include direct contact data) - Program Manager - Engineer - Logistics - Contracting - VP/Upper Management/Leadership b. CAGE Code, Physical Address and Performance Address c. DSS Authority Office if known. 4.0 Submission Requirements The Air Force requests that interested U.S. vendors provide responses no later than 01 March 2019 at 8:00 AM Eastern via e-mail to Colonel William Pastewait, Division Chief, Multi-Domain Integration Division, at william.p.pastewait.mil@mail.mil and to Contract Specialist Orlando Rodriguez, Sr. at orlando.rodriguez11.civ@mail.mil. The Air Force, to the extent it determines practicable, will respond to questions from offerors. At the discretion of the Air Force, questions submitted will be posted along with the Air Force's response and available for review by all potential offerors. The intent is to respond to questions via FBO. Responses should be single-spaced, Times New Roman, in 12 point font, with one inch margins all around (excluding architecture graphics and sales literature), compatible with MS Office Word 2013, with a total page count not to exceed fifteen (15) pages. You may also use the attached Excel spreadsheet to provide answers to the questions. Sales literature and technical specifications or references to web resources are encouraged and not counted as part of the page count. Each page of your submission package shall be printable on 8 1/2" x 11" papers. Cover, tab dividers, title pages, glossaries and table of contents not required. Please note that some e-mail systems may block file types such as .zip or other macro-enabled extensions; respondents should verify legible receipt by e-mail. Responses to this RFI may be reviewed by military personnel, Government civilians, and DoD contractors. The responses may be forwarded to other Government entities in consideration for applicability to other programs. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to provide feedback with respect to any information submitted. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All Government and DoD contractor personnel reviewing RFI responses understand their responsibility for proper use and protection of all submitted data from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for, or award a contract. No solicitation regarding this announcement is available. Please be aware that all information submitted in response to this request, whether written, oral, electronic, graphic, or any other medium, may be subject to disclosure upon receipt of a proper Freedom of Information Act request from any person. Responses to this RFI should properly mark and identify any material that is exempt from disclosure under FOIA, including confidential commercial or financial information or trade secrets. The Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this RFI and submittals will not be returned to the sender. Program Point of Contact: William P. Pastewait, Col, USAF SAF/A6CW Phone: (703) 695-6699 E-mail: william.p.pastewait.mil@mail.mil