Satellite Communications System Engineering Analysis Support

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to conduct market research for Satellite Communications Systems Engineering Analysis support. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue a RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Respondents are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Responses from qualified small business firms are encouraged. These requirements are currently being performed under contract with Artel, Inc. BACKGROUND: The Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) Global Information Grid (GIG) Engineering Center (GE2) is the Department of Defense (DoD) Systems Engineer for SATCOM (SES) as prescribed in CJCSI 6250.01C. DISA is responsible for assessing and evaluating all of the existing and planned SATCOM systems used by the DoD. This responsibility includes analysis of the following military and commercial systems/production of the following system design documents: a. Narrowband military systems, to include UHF systems UHF Follow-on (UFO), Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), the Integrated Waveform and subsequent proposed systems. b. Wideband military systems, to include Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), the legacy Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and subsequent proposed systems. c. Protected military systems, to include Milstar, Advanced EHF (AEHF), Transformational SATCOM System (TSAT), and subsequent proposed systems. d. Global Broadcast System (GBS) e. Narrow commercial systems, to include INMARSAT, IRIDIUM, and all other existing and proposed narrowband Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) providers that are commercially leased to the Department of Defense. f. Wideband commercial systems, to include Intelsat, Eutelsat, and all other global and regional Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) providers, to include C, X, Ku, and Ka bands that may be commercially leased to the Department of Defense. g. DoD SATCOM and Ground Segment Architecture Design h. Generation of the DOD Roadmap for SATCOM INFORMATION REQUEST: Interested vendors are requested to submit a maximum 10-page statement of their knowledge and capabilities to include the following: a. Demonstrate recent experience (within the last three years) in supporting efforts in the various DOD SATCOM areas. The contractor must have proven experience delivering complicated Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) services within the Military SATCOM Community with special emphasis in SATCOM Architecture Assessment and Analysis. b. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years in the integration of Internet Protocol (IP) traffic into the SATCOM environment. The DoD has directed that IP be integrated into the entire GIG As such, the SATCOM architecture is evolving into an all IP based architecture. c. Demonstrate recent experience in the use and/or development of SATCOM loading tools. In order to assess the effectiveness of a particular satellite architecture/design, satellite loading tools are needed to determine the satellite resources needed to support any particular scenario. d. Demonstrate recent (within the last 3 years) experience in modulation and coding theory, satellite phase noise degradation of performance, satellite capacity, antenna performance, the use of the SATCOM channelizers to optimize system performance and other various technical issues to assess the SATCOM system performance. Vendors are requested to demonstrate the incorporation of this knowledge base in the production of system optimization efforts. e. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years with DOD Wideband Global SATCOM System (WGS). f. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years in the design of the proposed TSAT system, including space segment design, ground control and the major technological innovations to be included in the TSAT design including routers in space, and demand bandwidth resource allocation (DBRA). g. Demonstrate recent experience in the design and operation of the Advanced EHF (AEHF) SATCOM system including space and ground assets. h. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years in production of SATCOM system level design documents. The vendor should show experience interacting with the DoD in the development of SATCOM system documentation. Demonstrate experience in the space segment, the ground segment, the control segment, interface to terrestrial networks including the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) Global Information Grid (GIG), integration of the Internet Protocol into the overall architecture, terminal deployment plans and all other relevant issues associated with the overall MILSATCOM architecture. i. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years in DoD SATCOM and Ground Segment Architecture Design. The vendor will demonstrate previous work to optimize SATCOM architecture, terminal deployments, and terminal upgrades with respect to the terrestrial infrastructure. The vendor is requested to demonstrate experience with worldwide SATCOM coverage requirements, terminal programs within the DoD, the SATCOM Tactical Enterprise Program (STEP) program, the Modernization Earth Terminal (METS) program, and GIG Points of Presence (POPs). j. Demonstrate experience within the last 3 years in working with the various DoD Departments, DoD Services, COCOMs, and Agencies in developing SATCOM requirements, space segment architectures, ground segment requirements, various control segments, analysis of SATCOM requirements including space, terminals and ground control, interfacing to the Global Information Grid (GIG). Please submit responses to both Mr. David Poole via email at david.poole@disa.mil and Mr. Ian Rothfuss at ian.rothfuss@disa.mil.