Network Modernization

Please note that this Special Notice is for information purposes only and does not constitute a request for proposal or call for white paper. A project award will not be awarded from this announcement. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806- 5000, on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Emerging Capabilities and Prototyping Office, has entered into a section 815 Prototype Other Transaction (OT) Agreement with the National Spectrum Consortium (NSC) for a period of five (5) years. Under this acquisition vehicle, the Government, in coordination with industry, will develop and mature technologies spectrum access technologies to enable improved cognizance of spectrum activity, protection of US activity in the electromagnetic spectrum domain, and the ability to relocate and/or share spectrum anytime, anywhere access is needed. The National Spectrum Consortium, encompasses the expertise, knowledge, technologies, and innovation to meet the program objectives and goals of the coordinated research and development program designed to advance better use of the electromagnetic spectrum. The consortium is comprised of a well-balanced and uniquely qualified mixture of traditional contractors, non-traditional contractors, utility producers, investment firms, non-governmental organizations, and academia, representing the vast majority of the key players in the industry. The purpose of this announcement is to provide industry general notification of Government's intent. The Government issued an announcement to the NSC, on behalf of the Department of Defense Network Cross Functional Team, for a Request for Prototype White Papers (RPW). The purpose of this RPW is to solicit white papers for novel and innovative prototype technologies related to the following Project Title "Network Modernization." The current network transport portfolio is not unified, is too complex and does not provide sufficient survivability, operational effectiveness, flexibility and interoperability for an expeditionary Army to successfully operate in a multi-domain battlespace. Multi-Domain Battle is an emerging concept between the Army and Marine Corps, in concert with the Joint Force, to help maintain American military dominance in all five domains - land, air, maritime, space, and cyberspace, and across the electromagnetic spectrum. The purpose of this RPW is to solicit for innovative, affordable solutions to its current network problems in a manner that enables rapid and early assessment; experimentation to inform interdependencies between technology, doctrine, tactics; and a characterization of prototype capabilities and limitations. On-going and incremental user experimentation is expected to be an integral part of prototype development and assessment. Only members of the NSC in good standing are permitted to submit whitepapers in response to this RPW. The NSC is an open consortium with a low barrier for membership. Any interested company, academic institution, or contractor can become a member and join the consortium to widen knowledge and technical expertise to continue to advance in technologies and meet Government needs. Please note: The Government shall determine which research and development endeavors to pursue and projects to fund. The Government shall provide the NSC, through its authorized agent, calls for white papers and the NSC, through its authorized agent, shall make those calls available to NSC Members who will then decide whether to submit white papers in response to such calls and, if so, will prepare their individual white paper or will individually establish a team comprised of NSC Members to prepare a team white paper. These NSC member white papers be submitted to the NSC's agent, the CMF, for transmission to the Government. The Government shall be solely responsible for evaluation and selection of white paper(s) for project funding from among the white papers submitted. Once it receives notification of selection of a project for funding, the NSC by its agent will enter into a Project Agreement with the NSC member entity or team whose proposal was selected by the Government through this competitive process. The NSC agent shall execute and administer the award and Initiative Agreement and the Government's designated Technical Manager will supervise the technical work performed by the NSC Member(s) whose proposals are selected for funding by the Government. In accordance with 10.U.S.C. 2371b(f), and upon a determination that the prototype project from a transaction has been successfully completed, a competitively awarded prototype OTA may result in the award of a follow-on production contract or transaction without the use of competitive procedures. For more information interested Parties can visit the consortium website at http://www.nationalspectrumconsortium.org/ The Point of Contact for this action is Mr. Sean McAvoy, Agreements Officer, ACC-NJ-ET; sean.p.mcavoy.civ@mail.mil