Sources sought for the 2011 Joint Terminal Engineering Office (JTEO) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Terminal Technology Conference (TTC).

Amendment 2: The official date for the Joint Terminal Engineering Office (JTEO) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Terminal Technology Conference (TTC) has been set for 20-21 July 2011 in McLean, Virginia. A review committee has completed the evaluation of the submitted request for information (RFI) responses. All Vendors have been notified via e-mail as to whether or not their technologies were selected to participate in the conference. Only Government Panel members and selected Vendor representatives will be able to register and attend the 2011 JTEO-DISA TTC. This RFI is now closed. For additional information about the conference, please contact Mr. Doug Ferguson, JTEO, at ferguson_douglas@bah.com or (703) 377-0378. Amendment 1: This amendment/modification changes the response date from 7 Mar 11 to 14 Mar 11. The submission time remains unchanged. PURPOSE: The Joint Terminal Engineering Office (JTEO) has once again partnered with the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to bring our Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) stakeholders the best of which Industry has to offer in terminal and networking technologies that will enhance the Department of Defense (DoD) communication services and products delivered to the warfighter in the 2020 to 2030 timeframe. The tentative date and location for the conference is 15-16 June 2011 in McLean, Virginia. The JTEO and DISA will select between 5 to 6 vendors from Industry to present on Day #2 of the conference. The objective of the Terminal Technology Conference (TTC) 2011 request for information (RFI) is to solicit terminal and networking technologies information from Industry that align with the Terminal & Networking Roadmap's (TNR) Vision. The TNR Vision is "To achieve affordable acquisitions in the MILSATCOM terminal and network segments by utilizing strategic decision opportunities to identify and incorporate technological innovations, meet Warfighter-defined requirements, and enhance net-centric capabilities." The attributes of the TNR Vision are listed in the Technology Criteria section of this request for information (RFI). MILSATCOM stakeholders would like to know just what Industry investments exist or are planned that will allow the DoD to realize its TNR Vision. Focus should be, but not limited to, the insertion of emerging technologies, the integration of commercial information technology (IT) advances into MILSATCOM architecture elements (i.e. terminal, network, and other ground infrastructure), and the offerings that go beyond what DoD is currently envisioning. These terminal and networking technologies can include both advanced hardware and software solutions that can enhance existing capabilities as well as provide a feasible solution to future challenges of a an increasingly flexible and mobile military, augment/compliment SATCOM capabilities, provide network operations/management services, deliver affordable terminal and networking technologies, as well as address the size, weight, and power (SWAP) constraints of the warfighter and the platforms that house this equipment. These technologies should span but are not limited to government MILSATCOM Terminal programs from Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF), Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), and Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) to commercial SATCOM terminals. Terminal technologies may include hardware/networking components (i.e., modems, encryptors, switches, power amplifiers, routers), software modules, and software applications to improve overall terminal capabilities. SUBMISSION INFORMATION: Please submit the following information as part of the RFI response. All RFI responses containing proprietary data should have the cover page and each page containing proprietary data clearly marked as containing proprietary data. It is the Vendor's responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data. RFI Response Format 1. Cover Sheet a. Company Information (name, address, contact information) b. Name of Technology (to present at conference, if selected) 2. Executive Summary of Technology {maximum 1 page; at least a half of page} 3. Detailed Description of Technology {maximum 12 pages; at least 4 } 4. NO SLICKSHEETS or MAGAZINE ARTICLES; please provide thorough and professional documentation Vendors are advised that data included in their submission to the Government in response to this RFI will be released for review and analysis to DISA's and JTEO's System Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) advisors. These advisors will serve strictly in an advisory capacity to the Government evaluators. All of these individuals have executed general Non-Disclosure Agreements with the Government. It will be the Vendor's responsibility to initiate any desired additional Non-Disclosure Agreements prior to submission of RFI responses. Submission of a technology does not guarantee inclusion in the conference. Selected vendors will not be required to present proprietary data in the conference itself. Again, the overall intent is to capture future terminal and networking technologies from Industry in the TNR. Also, submissions should not contain any classified material. Technology Criteria The following statements are intended to help structure the technologies to be included in this conference. The statements will be used to qualify and select relevant technologies. Synopses for proposed technologies should meet as many of these criteria as possible. The technology criteria serve as key attributes of the TNR Vision (2020 to 2030 timeframe). Technology candidates: Should be an affordable commodity that can be added to the terminal and networking segments. Should be compatible and compliant to common Industry communications standards for global communications. Should provide the flexibility to operate with multiple frequency bands and multiple communications protocols. Should improve the SWAP performance of terminals. Should improve bandwidth efficiency. Should increase the ability to provide protected communications. Should acknowledge the cybersecurity needs of terminal and networking technologies. Should be antenna technologies that can improve throughput, improve protection, and/or improve the ability for On-The-Move operations. Should support seamless connectivity across network layers and wired or wireless networks (i.e. SATCOM, Aerial, Wireless, Cellular and Ground communications). Should support seamless handover and relay between heterogeneous networks and between beams or space vehicles; multi-mode protocol. Should support seamless user access to "converged" services (e.g. voice, data, video). Should address end-to-end network operations/management services that ensures shared network situational awareness (SA) and can support the evolution towards seamless shared SA. Should support over the network software and data file updating; autonomous software baseline synchronization. Should be dynamically and rapidly reconfigurable. Should allow for dynamic reallocation of unused capacity. Should include Commercial SATCOM terminals and networking technologies, systems, and managed services that will complement military systems. Should support adaptive coding/modulation. Should leverage COTS technology and subsystems. Should provide user friendly operation. Should not require modifications to terminal hardware to work on multiple SATCOM systems. Should permit selectable security operational modes (i.e. anti-jam communication). BACKGROUND INFORMATION: DoD is developing a Terminal & Networking Roadmap (TNR) that engages with the DoD Laboratories to identify future technology insertion opportunities, that solicits gaps and issues from the Operational Community to determine communications needs as captured in DoD Roadmaps/Visions (i.e. Air Force 2020 Vision), and that discovers emerging technologies within Industry developed through research and development (R&D) or from leveraging existing commercial IT advancements. The TNR will provide decision makers with an enterprise level "strategic view" that lays out a timeline for making key decisions about terminal and networking technologies and defines the data required to make those decisions. MILSATCOM is a vital piece of the DoD communications architecture as it provides the space-based network connectivity needed to deliver global communications to tactical national security operations in areas that lack terrestrial infrastructure, as well as to mobile platforms. The TNR will help decision makers within the DoD to examine all current, evolving, and futuristic ground networking infrastructure, and terminal architecture technologies that will be available in the 2020 to 2030 timeframe. This examination will allow the DoD to take advantage of these capabilities and move forward on a path towards developing mitigation strategies for existing capability/requirement gaps and threats. With the current cancellation of the TSAT program, the role of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) and Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) constellations is anticipated to expand to fill MILSATCOM capability and functionality gaps. DoD also turns to commercial SATCOM (COMSATCOM) assets to fill in essential bandwidth gaps, and appears willing to continue exploring SATCOM options such as leased capability and hosted payloads in the future. The operational requirements of the MILSATCOM terminal architecture are moving towards full functionality across multiple frequency bands and communication protocols. As such, future MILSATCOM architecture components (terminals, systems, ground infrastructure, etc.) should be designed with both the flexibility and adaptability to operate across different MILSATCOM satellite systems and communications layers. Commonality at the component level would increase terminal affordability and interoperability. In order for DoD to maximize the use of its existing SATCOM resources while leveraging new technologies, joint service collaboration and planning must be a part of a forward-moving strategy that focuses on; increased terminal capabilities, affordability, a unified approach to network management and connectivity, and decreased IA vulnerabilities. The path to develop enhanced satellite terminals is challenging because many of the legacy satellite terminals and associated satellite systems were designed to function as independent systems. Integrating these legacy systems with new technologies to meet DoD demands for a more interoperable, integrated SATCOM architecture is a huge challenge. An integral piece of this new architecture is the interoperability of the space, aerial, and terrestrial communications layers. Changes in SATCOM demand (increased AISR and Communications On The Move (COTM), for example) within this integrated architecture require us to leverage legacy assets while exploring new technologies, incorporating a mix of SATCOM options to successfully meet the warfighter's operational requirements. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: DATES: Responses Due: 2:00 p.m. EST on 14 March 2011 Notify Selected Vendors: 21 March 2011 NUMBER OF VENDORS TO BE SELECTED: 5 to 6 SELECTED VENDORS: Will present on Day #2 of the conference