ROTHR DDRx Sustainment Services

This is a sources sought synopsis to determine the availability of potential sources capable of providing system sustainment support services for the Digital Receivers (DDRx) for the Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) System in Texas, Virginia, and Puerto Rico. The ROTHR System is a relocatable, land based, High Frequency (HF) Radar, which provides wide area surveillance in support of tactical forces afloat through the early detection and tracking of targets of interest, such as aircraft and ships.  The ROTHR system is tasked to provide detection and monitoring of drug smuggling aircraft and ships to support the Office of the Department of Defense Coordinator for Drug Enforcement Policy and support counterdrug operations, providing long range detection of narcotic trafficking ships and aircraft as well as filling gaps in the radar coverage provided by fixed and mobile platforms.  The U.S. Navy Forces Surveillance Support Center (FSSC) operates, maintains, and sustains three ROTHR systems in Virginia, Texas and Puerto Rico. The digital receiver system delivers significant technological advantages when compared to traditional analog receivers utilized in HF systems to include larger frequency band of operation, larger channel bandwidths, higher repetition frequencies, longer coherent processing times, ability to process different waveforms and the ability to simultaneously execute air, maritime and other missions concurrently by utilizing different digitized channels for each mission. 

The digital receivers were fielded by BAE Australia at the ROTHR Texas location under the DIA issued contract# HHM402-15-C-0059. This contract is now complete as final delivery was made in November of 2024. The Government currently has a contract with BAE Australia Limited, N00189-22-C-Z021, for additional receivers for the Puerto Rico and Virginia ROTHR locations, which was awarded on a sole source basis in September of 2022. This contract is ongoing as the final delivery under contract# N00189-22-C-Z021 is scheduled for 15 September 2027. The instant requirement is for repair and engineering support services for the DDRx System in ROTHR Texas location. 

BAE’s digital receiver technology is proprietary to BAE Australia and cannot be repaired by any other company.  Per Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between the DoD of the U.S. and the DOD of Australia signed on 5 August 2020 and 28 September 2020, the U.S. Government will not sell, transfer title to, disclose, or transfer possession of any Australian origin Defense Article and Defense services that have been provided by the Australian DOD under the MOU to any Third Party. This MOU prevents any other contractor from performing the required sustainment services on the Australian designed and produced digital receivers.

The anticipated period of performance of this Firm Fixed Priced/Cost Plus Fixed Fee/Cost procurement is 26 June 2026 to 25 January 2028, with three one-month option periods. The North American Industry Classification (NAICS) code is 811210. The Product Service Code is J059. Interested vendors possessing the requisite experience, skills, resources, and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirement are invited to respond to this market research survey/sources sought synopsis by providing their capability information via the submission of an executive summary, no more than two (2) pages in length. The submission shall include the following information: (1) company name, address, point of contact with corresponding phone number and email address; and business size; and (2) relevant corporate experience information. Relevant corporate experience information is defined as experience that is of the same or similar scope, magnitude, and complexity to that which is described herein. This relevant corporate experience information should identify a customer point of contact with corresponding telephone number and email address; and (3) address how your firm is capable of overcoming the challenges discussed above (providing sustainment support to digital receivers that are proprietary to BAE Systems Australia and would vacate MOUs between the U.S. and Australian governments). All submissions are required to be submitted via email to lauren.a.lauver.civ@us.navy.mil no later than 10:00am (local time/Philadelphia, PA) on 5 June 2026. Please direct any questions concerning this sources sought synopsis to Lauren Lauver at lauren.a.lauver.civ@us.navy.mil.