Market Survey - Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) Performance & Interoperability Quick-look (WIQ) 5th iteration

Market Survey for Request for Information (RFI) in support of Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) Performance & Interoperability Quick-look (WIQ) 5th iteration. Synopsis: Follow on Market Survey for the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) Performance & Interoperability Quick-look (WIQ) 4th iteration posted on December 2, 2015, and modified/amended on March 24, 2016 under solicitation number: W15P7T16RWIQ4. https://www.fbo.gov/notices/f1ecf46f21dde6c48bc8504c33f53689 1.0 Purpose The purpose of this market survey is to gain knowledge of and help the Government understand vendor interest in participating in a Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) Performance & Interoperability Quick-look (WIQ) 5th iteration. Information gathered from this survey will assist the Government in determining Government personnel resources and specific test schedules required to assist vendors in the Performance & Interoperability Quicklook events. This Quick-look event will allow vendors from both Government-funded and independent Research and Development (R&D)-funded programs to test their products with the networking waveform reference standard and other network terminals. The Government's intent of the Quick-look event is to enable a mature marketplace based on the most enhanced, operationally relevant, and sustainable tactical networking waveforms available. 2.0 Background Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T) Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR) desires to create and sustain a Non-Developmental Item (NDI) Tactical Radio marketplace to support current and future full and open competition acquisitions (e.g. Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radios (MNVR) Full Rate Production and Airborne, Maritime, Fixed Station (AMF) Small Airborne Networking Radio (SANR). This RFI is intended to support this objective. PM TR envisions assisting vendors participating in the WIQ by facilitating vendor waveform porting of designated WNW variants. Further, the Government will provide all vendors meeting the entrance criteria in section 3.0 below with limited Government assistance in the porting of designated Government reference WNW v4.2.2 or equivalent software to vendor platforms. The location of the Government's assistance can be, at the Government's discretion, at the vendor's facility or at the Government's facilities, or a combination of the two. Porting assistance can be provided prior or during the test event. The WIQ5 event is planned for execution starting 3 April 2017, unless revised by the Government in attempt for maximum participation. As with prior Waveform Interoperability Quicklook events, testing will be executed in two phases. Phase I will characterize a participant's WNW performance providing comparative analysis against the reference implementation. Phase I performance analysis will utilize functional system (end-to-end) testing focusing on supported functionality and performance within a homogenous (single vendor) test bed. Phase II will execute heterogeneous network (multiple WNW platforms) testing utilizing the Government WNW Research Information Lab (WRIL) Reference Test Radio (Baseline Waveform Interoperability), Program of Record (PoR) Radio (PoR Interoperability), and permitted NDI Vendor Radio(s) (Multi-Vendor Interoperability). Phase II will perform interoperability tests demonstrating a participants' ability to interoperate with other WNW implementations, as well as characterize a participants' performance within a large scale network. Each phase execution timeline is dependent on the number of participants, but each phase is expected to last two (2) continuous weeks totaling an expected four (4) weeks for WIQ5. Upon observation of an unexpected anomaly, the WRIL may provide limited vendor assistance for root cause analysis and corrective actions. All WIQ phases will be executed at SPAWAR Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic in Charleston, SC. Test reports will be provided to participating vendors and the Government with safeguards for maintaining vendor privacy. 3.0 Entrance Criteria To participate in the WIQ5 event, vendors will be required to provide the following information, artifacts and equipment. (1) Radio quantities with ported waveform versions, as follows: a. Five (5) unclassified radios with WNW version 4.2.2 or equivalent (e.g. over-the-air (OTA) interoperable equivalent) ported. All COMSEC Controlled Items (CCI) must be received at test facility five (5) business days before start of test event. b. All necessary ancillaries to operate the radio platforms in a laboratory environment, e.g., data/voice interface cables, power cables, etc. c. Plans to address loading WNW configuration files (Radio Mission Data Sets or Radio Configuration Files). d. Documentation and procedures for implementing and accepting Communication Security and Transmission Security (COMSEC and TRANSEC) loads. e. Onsite authorized personnel supporting radio configuration and operation. (2) Documentation to enable the Government to assess the vendor's likely ability to meet the following by 1 March 2017: a. NSA User Partnership Program (UPP) or Commercial COMSEC Evaluation Program (CCEP) participation for Type 1 Encryption on a tactical radio or a valid authority to operate (ATO) recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA). b. Standing or approved application for the Joint Tactical Networking Center (JTNC) or DoD Information Repository (IR) access and requisite Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) related to WNW with effective dates that run for no less than 10 months following the completion of WIQ5. Any questions regarding these events and/or entrance criteria should be addressed with the Government Technical Point of Contact (TPOC): Brett Bendt, brett.bendt@navy.mil, (843) 218-4543. 4.0 Requested Information Interested vendors are invited to submit the system capabilities of their prospective software/hardware to include a summarized description of how they meet the requirements listed in paragraph 3.0. Additionally each vendor should provide a recommendation for schedule, location(s), and resources requested for porting assistance with respect to WNW v4.2.2 or equivalent. If a vendor is interested in participating in the subject test event but is not able to meet the entrance criteria as stated above, please contact the TPOC and PCO for further guidance. Any further recommendations with respect to test cases, test conditions, or instrumentation are welcomed. 5.0 Submission Instructions and Format Interested vendors are invited to respond to this market survey by providing the following information: (1) Name and address of applicant/company (Corporate/Principal Office) (2) Name, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of point of contact (3) Summarized description of how they meet the requirements listed in paragraph Include current version of reference implementation for WNW supported by proposed vendor platform. This is not a request for proposals. PM TR is only seeking sources through market research at this time to determine industry interest in participating in WIQ5. The Government does not make any promise or guarantee that by submitting a response to this RFI that the vendor will be selected to participate in WIQ5. The Government will respect proprietary markings submitted for this market survey. The Government requests that vendors segregate and mark proprietary documents. The Government will provide the vendor with an acknowledgement of receipt of its response to this RFI. The Government will not pay for any materials provided in response to this market survey or any follow-up information requests. Submittals will not be returned to the sender. 6.0 Submission All responses regarding this RFI announcement shall be submitted electronically to the Contract Specialist via email at gregg.g.martin.civ@mail.mil no later than 10:00 AM EST on 21 February 2017.