19AQMM26N0223 RFI Instructions (FINAL).pdf

SBU - CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITIONS

Network Technologies Office

Global Tactical Communications Division

(DT/EI/NT/GTC)

Remote Expeditionary Area Communications Hub (REACH) Program

Request for Information

19AQMM26N0223

May 26, 2026

Bureau of Diplomatic Technology Request for Information DT/EI/NT/GTC REACH program 19AQMM26N0223

The purpose of this notice is to accomplish market research pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10, and to identify qualified and experienced HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, and small businesses capable of and interested in providing the services described herein. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute an Invitation for Bid (IFB), Request for Quotation (RFQ), or Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation or commitment on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described within this notice now or in the future. The Government does not intend to award any contract(s) based solely on the submission of this notice. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this notice, nor will it compensate respondents for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. The Government will not entertain telephone calls or questions for this RFI notice. Please note that a decision not to submit a response will not preclude a vendor from participating in any future solicitation.

The Government is providing a draft Statement of Work (SOW) as a courtesy to inform potential offerors of anticipated requirements. The Government will not accept questions on the SOW at this time. However, submission of comments and recommendations are optional.

BACKGROUND

The Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, Enterprise Infrastructure Directorate, Network Technologies Office, Global Tactical Communications Division (DT/EI/NT/GTC) administers the Remote Expeditionary Area Communications Hub (REACH) program. The mission of REACH is to provide humanitarian communication, contingency communications and crisis IT response capabilities domestically and to 277 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions worldwide.

The REACH program office was established in 2008 to facilitate, through technology, a greater level of expeditionary and transitional diplomacy providing scalable tactical IT services to meet the demands of expeditionary diplomacy off the grid, redundancy at overseas Posts and addressing the longstanding requirement for reliable tactical communications during a crisis.

These systems are used in support of special/non-standard missions off grid, solutions for diplomats operating outside of the normal IT infrastructure, overseas posts in situations such as local election monitoring, consular support in remote areas for evacuations and American Citizen Services, and Public Diplomacy requirements that may be “off the beaten path.” REACH has enabled missions with “off-the-grid” communications ranging from basic Internet and voice to fully functional secure Embassy-like IT capabilities – all independent from local infrastructure.

The REACH program seeks to identify strategic sources that can allow DOS to manage and allocate these communications systems more effectively in its deployment office and help fulfill its communications missions worldwide.

Purpose:

This Request for Information (RFI) is to identify qualified and experienced vendors capable of providing Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite equipment and services to the REACH program. The desired outcomes for its customers and end-users are:

1) offer DOS contingency communications to maximize global coverage to all embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions worldwide;

2) achieve economies of scale from the use of equipment pooling (when available);

3) able to purchase systems and components commercially off the shelf or customized configurations;

4) allow (near) real time usage, system monitoring, and outrage reporting;

5) provide individual Posts/customer base to purchase airtime;

6) offer help desk support via 24x7 help desk technical support for users worldwide.

7) provide a portal capable of performing administrative function enable/disable and move location.

RFI Instructions:

RFI responses shall be submitted in writing via email to: Nicolas Wilhelm, Contracting Officer at WilhelmNA@state.gov; James Tyson, Contract Specialist at TysonJC@state.gov and Annie Harlow, Contract Specialist at HarlowAL@state.gov no later than 12:00 noon, EST on June 22, 2026.

All responses shall be submitted electronically (Adobe PDF format). Responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite to bid on a subsequent RFP, if one is issued. All responses must adhere to the page limits of fourteen (14) pages total (font Times New Roman 12). Please note, cover pages do not count towards the page limit. The submission shall be logically assembled. Each response section shall be clearly identified and shall begin at the top of a page. All pages of each response section shall be appropriately numbered and identified by the complete company name, date, and referenced number listed on the Notice in the header and/or footer.

Cover Page:

Company Name:

Company Point of Contact (POC):

POC Email:

POC Phone:

Contractor Address:

UEI Number:

Facility Clearance Level Identify GSA Schedule Contracts (with applicable MAS SINs) or other GWAC:

State Socioeconomic Status under any of the following NAICS Codes:

5415XX, 541611, 541618

Examples:

541511-541519: Small 541611 and 541618: Other than Small

List Applicable Socioeconomic Classification

Example: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business; HUBZone; Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned; Service-Disabled Veteran Owned;

8(a)

Requested Information:

Bureau of Diplomatic Technology (DT) seeks information from interested vendors that can provide capabilities and services for low earth orbit satellite antennas that will satisfy the draft Statement of Work. Citing examples, please describe your capabilities, services, and experience meeting requirements similar in scope and complexity to the requirements of the draft SOW. In addition to a description of capabilities and experience, DT seeks responses to the following questions:

mailto:TysonJC@state.gov mailto:HarlowAL@state.gov

A. Corporate Experience & Authorization (Manufacturers and Resellers) (maximum one

(1) page response):

1. Authorization: Provide proof of authorized distribution/resale for each LEO terminal, antenna, or service your company manufactures or resells. Identify the scope of authorization (product family, region, partner level, etc.).

2. Federal past performance: List LEO-related projects performed for Federal customers, including:

• Contract dollar value

• Period of performance

• Prime vs. subcontractor role

• Summary of project challenges and how they were resolved

3. Mission analogs: Describe experience supporting contingency, crisis, tactical, expeditionary, or “off-grid” communications missions.

B. Global Coverage, Contingency & Crisis Communications (maximum two (2) page response)

1. Provide global LEO coverage maps, service availability by region, and any licensing limitations that may impact delivery to U.S. embassies, consulates, or remote deployments.

2. Describe your ability to ship equipment domestically and overseas, including standard, expedited, and emergency shipment options and any logistical partners used.

3. Explain how your organization supports rapid surge deployments during crisis events and the lead times associated with delivering terminals, activations, or replacement units.

C. Equipment Portfolio & Technical Characteristics (maximum two (2) page response)

1. Identify all LEO terminals, antennas, and associated equipment you offer (COTS or customized), including size, weight, environmental ratings, and supported satellite networks.

D. Equipment Pooling & Economies of Scale (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Describe your company’s ability to support equipment or service pooling, including how pooled resources are allocated, monitored, and billed.

2. Provide details on any rollover or resource-sharing policies (e.g., pooled terminal-months, bandwidth pools).

3. Explain how pooled airtime service covering services for multiple terminals in a geographical region can be segmented allowing administration of individual terminals?

E. System Monitoring, Reporting & Account Management (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Describe your customer portal’s capabilities, including:

• Single-account management

• User administration

• Real-time or near-real-time usage monitoring

• Reporting dashboards

• Alerting/thresholds

• API availability

2. Explain how outage reporting, service incidents, and ticketing integration operate.

F. Airtime Purchase by Customer / End-User (maximum one (1) page response)

1. List available airtime plans (fixed/mobile terminals, pooled, dedicated, paused/suspended service options).

2. State typical and peak performance characteristics, including expected throughput, latency, and any network management policies (e.g., fair-use, throttling).

3. Describe how individual Posts or end-users may purchase airtime independently while remaining within a unified REACH program structure.

G. Technical Support, Warranty & Field Services (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Describe your 24×7 global help desk, including languages supported, average response times, escalation paths, and remote troubleshooting capabilities.

2. Outline warranty terms, repair processes (in-warranty and out-of-warranty), and availability.

3. Provide details on user and administrator training offerings, documentation, and knowledge-base access.

H. Security, Compliance & Risk Management (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Supply chain & SCRM: Detail Supply Chain Risk Management controls, including vendor vetting, component provenance, and tamper detection.

2. Information assurance: If an online portal is used, state hosting and compliance posture

(e.g., FedRAMP, NIST SP 800 53 mapping) and data residency.

3. Accessibility: Provide approach to Section 508 accessibility for user portals and documentation.

I. Delivery, Packaging & Acceptance (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Lead times: Confirm ability to deliver equipment within 45 days of order and describe exceptions/mitigations.

2. Delivery points: Acknowledge delivery to the REACH deployment office (Springfield, VA) and any OCONUS Post deliveries; specify International Commercial Terms (incoterms) and responsibilities.

J. Pricing & Contracting Administration (maximum one (1) page response)

1. Ordering vehicles: Indicate ability to accept orders under GSA MAS/GWACs, NASW

SEWP, BPA/IDIQ, and direct purchase; include any Post funded airtime workflows.

2. Billing: Explain consolidated billing for pooled services and per Post sub accounts;

include invoice granularity and reporting cadence.

NOTE: The information derived from this RFI will assist DT in identifying sources that can satisfy the low earth orbit requirements. The information and specifications provided in the RFI are subject to change and are not binding on the Government. DT has not made a commitment to procure any of the items presented, and release of this RFI should not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought.

All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.