RFI for U.S. Army Closed Emergency Service IP Network (ESINet)

Request For Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by the Army Contracting Command - Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) on behalf of Product Director Base Emergency Communications Systems (PD BECS) to conduct market research. The government is seeking industry input on technical approaches and deployment considerations for establishing a closed Army Emergency Service IP Network (ESINet) with Next Generation Core Services (NGCS). This network will integrate with the existing Army Voice Modernization (VMOD) 2.0 infrastructure and support Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) services.

• Objective: To gather information on industry capabilities, technical feasibility, integration, scalability, and cost drivers for an Army ESINet with NGCS.

• Scope: Information sought includes engineering, installation, spare parts, training, and documentation requirements for policy engines and security stack technologies to establish the ESINet within the Army VMOD network. Future PSAPs will interconnect with the ESINet for SIP-based 9-1-1 calls.

• Standards: Proposed solutions should align with NENA i3 standards and relevant Department of War (DoW) and Army Risk Management Framework (RMF) requirements.

• Response Format: White paper-style narrative, limited to five (5) pages, submitted as a Microsoft Word document. Optional tables, diagrams, or figures are permitted. Focus should be on technical considerations, assumptions, and lessons learned, not product-specific proposals.

• Submission Deadline: March 6, 2026, 12:00 PM Eastern Time.

• Submission Method: Electronic email to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer.

• Evaluation: Information provided is for planning and market research purposes only and will not be used for evaluation, scoring, or determining vendor eligibility for future procurements.

• RFI Nature: This RFI does not constitute a solicitation or commit the government to a contract. Participation is voluntary, and no costs incurred will be reimbursed.

• Anticipated Fielding: Initial Army ESINet capability is tentatively planned for late FY27 to early FY28, subject to change.

Not applicable for this RFI.

• The government is seeking information on a broad range of topics including system hardware/software, ECRF capabilities, route query considerations, service boundary considerations, location validation, call handling environments, call authentication, communications paths, and regional distributed architecture considerations.
• Respondents are encouraged to describe experience-based, notional approaches and lessons learned.
• All submitted information must be controlled, unclassified, and releasable.

Other / Unclassified

This document is the Systems Requirements Document (SRD) for the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system, specifically focusing on the Global Public Safety Communications (GPSC) initiative. It details the technical requirements, specifications, systems, and interface requirements for the Next Generation Core Services (NGCS) and the Public Safety IP Network (PSInet).

This document serves as a foundational technical reference for building test plans and certifying systems for the DoD Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (APL). It outlines the architecture, functional elements, common protocols, and supported standards for the NG9-1-1 system, including components like the Public Safety IP Network (PSInet), Next Generation Core Services (NGCS), and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP)/Emergency Communications Centers (ECC). Vendors involved in developing or supplying components for public safety communication systems, particularly within the DoD, will find this document crucial for understanding the technical landscape, interoperability requirements, and specific standards that govern these systems.