Defense Experimentation Using the Commercial Space Internet

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation, "Call 002 – Vendor Flexibility Experiments (DEUCSI)", seeks to establish the ability to communicate with Air Force platforms using multiple commercial space internet (CSI) constellations via common user terminal hardware. The goal is to experiment with methods for the government to affordably and efficiently leverage multiple CSI providers, enabling dynamic switching between vendors based on operational or business needs.

• Use Case 1 (Standard Aircraft): Experiment with CSI terminal implementations allowing switching between CSI services from different vendors with minimal hardware modification. Focus on antennas, radios, modems, and integration software. Solutions should consider affordability, reconfigurability, and airworthiness.

• Use Case 2 (Specially Constrained Aircraft): Experiment with CSI implementations using government-specified antennas and open radio architecture approaches. Focus on high-data rate, two-way communications.

• Deliverables: Test data, potentially software, hardware (user terminal elements), interface control documents, airworthiness documentation, and final technical reports.

• Anticipated Awards: 2-4 Other Transaction Agreements and/or Contracts.

• Estimated Value: Approximately $0.5-7M per award.

• Period of Performance: Approximately 12-30 months for technical efforts, plus 3 months for reporting (total 15-33 months).

• Proposal Due Date: Proposals accepted any time after January 28, 2019, and before October 31, 2021.

• Evaluation Criteria: Technical approach (soundness, risk mitigation, experience, understanding of CSI market, relevance to goals) and Cost/Price (realism, ranked second to technical).

• Selection Process: Proposals will be categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable.

• Eligibility: Qualified US Contractors (requires DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement).

• Foreign Participation: Not authorized, except for Public Domain information.

• A supplementary data package on open radio architecture and flexible antennas is available to qualified contractors.

• Government Furnished Property/Equipment (GFE) includes aircraft and potentially open radio architecture chassis/antennas.

• Export Control information is subject to ITAR and EAR; a DD Form 2345 is required.

• Technical proposals are limited to 25 pages.

Amendment / Modification

• The proposal submittal date for Call 001 has been revised to an open period from December 15, 2017, to January 31, 2018 (no later than 4:00 PM Dayton, OH local time).

• This amendment is in response to industry concerns regarding proposal submission dates and the development/launch of commercial spacecraft.

• The primary change affects the proposal submission deadline. Sections 9 (Proposal Submission), 10 (Proposal Review Information), and 11 (Award Administration) of Call 001 remain unchanged.

• The proposal submission period has been extended.

• Individual proposal evaluations will commence around the time of receipt.

• Notifications for award recommendations are expected approximately 30 days from proposal submission.

• The sample funding profile in Call 001, Section 6, is not affected by this amendment. However, the open submission process may impact funding availability for proposals submitted later in the period as the pool of funds diminishes.

• No other changes are being accomplished by this amendment.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment revises the proposal due date for Call 001 of the Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) FA8650-17-S-9300.

• Proposal Due Date and Time: Changed from 1 December 2017, 4:00 PM Dayton, OH local time, to 15 December 2017, 4:00 PM Dayton, OH local time.

The proposal deadline has been extended by two weeks. No other changes are being made by this amendment.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment provides clarification regarding contractor eligibility criteria for the DEUCSI ARAs. It specifies that participation is limited to 'Qualified U.S. Contractors' as defined by DoDD 5230.25, which requires the certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement.

This amendment clarifies contractor eligibility criteria. It does not appear to change any specific sections of the original announcement but provides additional guidance on meeting requirements.

This amendment clarifies eligibility requirements. Offerors should ensure they meet the criteria for 'Qualified U.S. Contractors' as defined by DoDD 5230.25 and the DD Form 2345. No changes to proposal deadlines or submission instructions are indicated.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation, "Call 001 - Initial Connectivity Experiments (DEUCSI)", seeks to establish and experiment with connectivity between commercial space internet spacecraft and Air Force assets. The goal is to assess the feasibility and performance of using commercial space internet for Air Force operations, including the potential for transmitting classified information.

• Establish broadband connectivity between Air Force operating locations (Ground-to-Ground, Ground-to-Air, Air-to-Air) using commercial space internet.

• Measure technical performance parameters such as data transfer rate, latency, bit error rate, and link margin.

• Provide information on experimental commercial space internet data paths and network security approaches.

• Deliverable Items include: test data, user terminals for interfacing with spacecraft, interface control documents, and a final technical report.

• Anticipated Number of Awards: 2-5

• Estimated Value per Award: Approximately $2M

• Period of Performance: Approximately 12 months for technical effort, with an overall estimated period of performance of approximately 15 months (including report preparation).

• Project Kickoff: No earlier than February 2018

• End of Technical PoP: No later than December 2019

• Proposal Due Date: 1 December 2017, 4:00 PM Dayton, OH local time.

• Evaluation Criteria: Technical approach (soundness, risk mitigation, experience, understanding of market/tech, relevance, scope) and Cost/Price (realism, second order of priority).

• Proposals will be categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable.

• Foreign participation is not authorized.

• Offerors must submit a Certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, due to Export Control regulations.

• The government will provide Government Furnished Property/Equipment (GFP/GFE) including up to two surrogate ground sites and up to two test aircraft.

• Offerors must comply with OPSEC, safety, and classification requirements (activities are expected to be unclassified).

• Technical questions should be directed to Dr. Brian Beal; contracting questions to Mr. Michael Wafzig or Mr. Joel Watson.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) with Calls, issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) - Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation (SDPE), announces the "Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI)" program. This initial ARA does not request proposals at this time but will solicit requirements through "Calls for Proposals." The program aims to establish and experiment with capabilities for seamless data movement and sharing among diverse fixed and mobile operating locations using constantly available, high-bandwidth, beyond-line-of-sight communications, leveraging commercial space internet networks. The basic ARA remains open until September 1, 2022.

• The program is structured into three phases: Establish connectivity, Operational Experimentation, and Special Purpose Experimentation.

• Specific requirements and deliverables will be detailed in individual "Calls for Proposals."

• Deliverables may include Data Items, Software, Hardware, and Other items as identified in each Call.

• Offerors must address technical data and software rights, with the Government generally desiring Unlimited Rights, though less than Unlimited Rights may be considered.

• The Air Force intends to award Contract(s) and/or Other Transaction(s) (OT) pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2373.

• Anticipated contract types are Cost Reimbursement or Firm Fixed Price (FFP).

• The total estimated program value is $250,000,000, with multiple awards anticipated, ranging from $50,000 to $50,000,000 per award.

• The period of performance and specific award dates are to be determined in each Call for Proposals.

• Proposals will be solicited via "Calls for Proposals," each containing specific requirements and submission dates.

• Evaluation criteria will be established for each Call and will generally encompass technical and cost/price assessments.

• The Government reserves the right to award some, all, or none of the proposals received without negotiation/discussion, but may negotiate with selected proposals.

• This is an unrestricted solicitation; small businesses are encouraged to propose.

• Foreign participation is not authorized.

• Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may participate under specific conditions.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Export Control regulations apply, and a Certified DD Form 2345 may be required.

• Technical questions should be directed to Dr. Brian Beal; contracting questions to Mr. Michael Wafzig or Mr. Joel Watson.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is an Open Two-Step Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for the "Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI)" program. The goal is to establish and experiment with capabilities to seamlessly move and share data among various fixed and mobile operating locations using constantly available, high-bandwidth, beyond-line-of-sight communications, referred to as "path agnostic communications." This program aims to leverage developing commercial space internet networks to establish resilient, high-bandwidth, high-availability Air Force communications and data sharing capabilities.

The effort is divided into three phases:

• Phase I: Establish Connectivity: Experiment to establish connectivity between Air Force sites and assets using commercial space internet demonstration satellites and user terminals. This includes adapting terminals for moving platforms, ensuring interoperability with government security protocols, measuring performance attributes (bandwidth, latency), and exploring novel uses.
• Phase II: Operational Experimentation: Expand connectivity to diverse Air Force assets for enterprise-level experimentation. This involves proliferating user terminals, communicating through commercial space internet networks, and addressing challenges like network flexibility, scaling path agnostic communications, and determining technical limitations.
• Phase III: Special Purpose Experimentation: Conduct agile and cost-effective experimentation using modified commercial space internet spacecraft. This may involve modifying commercial satellites to incorporate military-unique hardware and establishing compatibility between military-unique hardware and commercial spacecraft.

Deliverables include data, software, and hardware, to be determined based on proposals and contract awards. Specific CDRLs will be used for data items.

• Contract Type: The Air Force intends to award Contracts and/or Other Transaction(s) (OTs) pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2373. Awards will generally be Cost Reimbursement or Firm Fixed Price (FFP). Cost reimbursement contracts require an adequate accounting system.
• Period of Performance: Approximately 6-36 months per award for technical performance, plus 3 additional months for the final technical report.
• Estimated Program Cost: $250,000,000, with individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $50,000,000. The government reserves the right to exceed this amount.
• Anticipated Number of Awards: Multiple awards are anticipated, but the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more.

This is a two-step solicitation:

• Step 1: White Paper: White papers are due no later than September 1, 2022, 5:00 PM local time. White papers should discuss the nature and scope of the effort and the proposed technical approach, including a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost. White papers are limited to 6 pages.
• Step 2: Proposal: Offerors whose white papers are selected will be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal within 30 working days of the request. Technical/Management proposals are limited to 35 pages, and SOWs to 10 pages.

Evaluation Criteria for White Papers:

• Soundness of the offeror's technical approach.
• Relevance and impact of the proposed technical effort.
• Offeror's understanding of the scope of the technical effort.
• Affordability (Proposed ROM Cost Estimate).

Evaluation Criteria for Proposals:

• Technical (ranked first priority).

• Cost/Price (substantial factor, ranked second priority).

• This is an unrestricted solicitation; businesses of all sizes are encouraged to propose.

• Cost sharing or matching is not required.

• Foreign participation is not authorized. Foreign Nationals may be employed by US Prime or Sub-Contractors but are limited to Public Domain information unless proper licenses are obtained.

• Contractors must be registered and certified with the Defense Logistics Services Center (DLSC) and submit an approved DD Form 2345.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Security requirements may range from Unclassified to Top Secret, potentially requiring a TOP SECRET facility clearance and safeguarding capability.

• Export control regulations apply; a Certified DD Form 2345 is required.

• Government Furnished Property (GFP) may be available for use.

• Data rights desired are Unlimited Rights for data developed with government funds, with consideration for more restrictive rights for commercially developed technologies.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document announces an Industry Day for "Defense Experimentation Using the Commercial Space Internet" hosted by the Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation Office (SDPE). The event aims to provide a familiarization briefing on the topic and facilitate industry interactions with government personnel.

• Attendance is restricted to US contractors possessing a valid DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement.

• An ITAR-restricted package with background information and a detailed agenda will be available after August 9, 2017.

• Requests for the ITAR package must include company name, address, technical point of contact (POC) name, phone number, and email address.

• Proof of ability to access ITAR information is required.

• All recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

• The estimated dollar value for the overall program is $250M.

• To request the ITAR package, eligible contractors must email a copy of their DD Form 2345 to Dr. Brian Beal (brian.beal.1@us.af.mil) on or after August 9, 2017.

• Attendance and access to ITAR information are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are contractors possessing a valid DD Form 2345.

• The Industry Day is scheduled for August 25, 2017, at 0800 EDT at the Tec^Edge Innovation and Collaboration Center in Dayton, OH.

• The solicitation number is FA8650-17-S-9300.

• Primary POC: Michael Wafzig, Contracting Officer.

• Secondary POC: Joel Watson, Contracting Officer.