E-IDS Draft SIR Attachment J.2 Strategic Plan.pdf

Draft

Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS)

Strategic Plan

VERSION DATE August 3, 2018

693KA7-18-R-00003

08/03/2018 Attachment J.2 – E-IDS Strategic Plan

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Table of Contents

1.0 PURPOSE 1

2.0 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

2.1 Overview of Legacy Systems Being Replaced

2.2 Benefits of E-IDS

3.0 PROGRAM SEGMENTATION

4.0 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

5.0 OVERVIEW OF E-IDS PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

5.1 System Engineering and System/Software Development

5.2 Test & Evaluation

5.3 Training

5.4 Implementation

5.4.1 Current Terminal Environment

5.4.2 Current En Route Environment

5.4.3 E-IDS Operational Cluster Concept

5.4.4 Implementation Strategy

5.5 Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

5.6 Additional E-IDS Activities

5.6.1 Add or Modify Operational Data Interfaces

5.6.2 Cloud Service Platform Transition

5.6.3 Technology Refresh

5.6.4 Transition of E-IDS Hardware and Software Maintenance to the FAA 17

5.6.5 Miscellaneous Engineering Support Services

5.7 Document References

List of Figures

Figure 1: E-IDS Program Segmentation

Figure 2: Incremental Delivery of E-IDS Capabilities and Interfaces

Figure 3: E-IDS Program on a Page – Segment 1, Phase 1, Software Release R1

Figure 4: Notional E-IDS Software Release Schedule

08/03/2018 Attachment J.2 – E-IDS Strategic Plan

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1.0 PURPOSE

The purpose of this Strategic Plan is to facilitate communication between the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) and Industry for the Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS) program. This document provides overarching program objectives and vision for the replacement of various legacy Information Display Systems (IDS) with one enterprise system.

This document also provides information about FAA processes, and provides insight on issues of importance to the FAA. The information, priorities, and schedules in this document are subject to change.

2.0 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Legacy IDSs provide operational personnel across the National Airspace System (NAS) with auxiliary information that complements the information provided on their primary displays (e.g., radar displays). The IDSs retrieve and display static information (e.g., approach plates) and dynamic information (e.g., meteorological information). Much of this information is provided through automation via the appropriate connection to an authoritative source, and some significant information (e.g. Notices to Airman (NOTAMS)) is provided through manual entry in many of the legacy IDS.

E-IDS will consolidate the legacy, stove-piped IDSs into a common NAS-wide platform and integrate the capability into the FAA Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) infrastructure using modern data formats and communication systems. E-IDS is expected to be deployed in a staged fashion, with emphasis first on replacing the oldest legacy IDSs first prior to their end-of-life dates, and next on evolving E-IDS to support and integrate with existing Next Generation Air

Transportation System (NextGen) capabilities as well as new capabilities as they come on-line.

2.1 Overview of Legacy Systems Being Replaced

E-IDS will provide an enterprise-level platform that replaces multiple types of IDSs in the NAS, including En-Route, Terminal, Traffic Flow and Oceanic domains with common hardware and software. E-IDS will replace five display systems, which are:

• Information Display System -4 (IDS-4)

• Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) Controller Equipment – IDS (ACE-IDS)

• NAS Information Display System (NIDS)

• En Route Information Display System (ERIDS)

• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Auxiliary Information Display (AAID)

These legacy display systems are installed at approximately 310 facilities and utilize over 4000 workstations.

The Terminal environment includes three distinct systems, each with a different hardware/software configuration: IDS-4, ACE-IDS and NIDS.

The En Route environment includes ERIDS that provides non-tactical information to FAA personnel in Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). The Traffic Flow domain is present

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Draft 2 in both Terminal and En Route environments consisting of large monitors that display real-time, high-level traffic and Traffic Flow Management information.

The Alaska ARTCC has developed its own IDS, AAID.

2.2 Benefits of E-IDS

E-IDS, with its enterprise-level platform, will leverage NextGen capabilities providing secure, timely, and accurate information to all service providers. Incorporating new technology will improve the safety of the NAS and efficiency of flight-specific ATC operations by providing faster access to specific information from authoritative sources.

E-IDS will be an integrated system with common hardware and software that uses an enterprise-level data center capability (referred to as the National Data Centers (NDCs)) to collect, store, correlate and distribute information from authoritative sources to operational facilities for display. E-IDS will collect, store and integrate information from local sensors at operational facilities for display. E-IDS will also collect and distribute static information from authoritative sources such as aeronautical information (e.g. aeronautical charts, airport diagrams), aircraft information (e.g. characteristics and call signs), and FAA documents (e.g. FAA orders, SOPs, LOAs, AIM and other manuals, and job aids).

Legacy IDSs are incapable of capitalizing on NextGen capabilities such as System Wide

Information Management (SWIM) Business Services that provide information from authoritative sources for the NAS. E-IDS will subscribe to SWIM services and provide secure, timely, and accurate information to Air Traffic personnel. This information will include operationally significant information such as weather products, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), Special

Activity Airspace (SAA) status and schedules, Pilot Reports (PIREPs), and Traffic Management

Initiatives (TMIs).

In addition to improving data access, E-IDS will allow users to work more efficiently compared to legacy IDSs. E-IDS will enable display of multiple approach charts or an approach chart with weather information simultaneously. E-IDS will provide efficient, consistent, easy-to-use filtering, sorting and searching capabilities and quick reference information.

3.0 PROGRAM SEGMENTATION

A segmented replacement of the legacy systems is planned to occur over several years to accommodate funding constraints. The segmentation approach for development and deployment addresses end-of-life issues for legacy IDSs and aligns with service delivery schedules of interfacing SWIM services. Figure 1 provides an overview of the Program Segmentation and capabilities envisioned. Figure 2 depicts plans for incremental delivery of E-IDS capabilities and interfaces through the program segments.

In Segment 1 Phase 1 (S1P1), the E-IDS program will establish the enterprise infrastructure, including the National Data Centers at the NEMC, integrate E-IDS with SWIM infrastructure and AIMM ACS, establish connectivity through the NESG with external users, and integrate with RMLS and NCMS interfaces. Additionally, the system will interface with local sensors at

Terminal facilities to process weather information. The software will include the core functionality for displaying local weather products and basic filtering/searching. Information

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Draft 3 managed and displayed will also include

NOTAMs and Special

Activity Airspace

(SAA) schedules and status from AIMM

ACS, runway status and PIREPs. During this initial phase, deployment will target several operational clusters in the Terminal domain and several

ARTCCs.

In Segment 1 Phase 2

(S1P2), deployment will complete installations at the remaining Terminal and En Route facilities including Alaska ARTCC and oceanic sectors that currently have IDSs. The software functionality will expand to include data correlation, dynamic screen sharing, and other new enterprise capabilities. New system functionality will enable

PIREP dissemination via WMSCR. Additional SWIM interfaces will be added to receive

Figure 1: E-IDS Program Segmentation

Figure 2: Incremental Delivery of E-IDS Capabilities and Interfaces

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Draft 4 weather products from CSS-Wx and Traffic Management Initiative (TMI) information from

TFMData Flow Information Service. S1P2 will run concurrently with the latter portion of S1P1 deployment.

In Segment 2 (S2), deployment will include additional services for Oceanic sectors, Alaska FSSs and the ATCSCC. Additionally, new operational information will be added as needed, including future SWIM services such as NAS Common Reference (NCR), TBFM Metering Information

Service (MIS), and TFDM Terminal Publication (TTP).

4.0 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To facilitate the development and implementation of these capabilities and to address lessons learned from legacy systems, the E-IDS program has identified the following objectives:

• Enable timely access to essential weather, aeronautical, and NAS information

• Display this data using a common hardware and software platform

• Establish standard templates for display of information while enabling user customization through use of common Data Administration tools

• Deploy a system into the NAS following FAA procedures by 2023, or earlier, in order to avoid end-of-life issues of existing systems.

• Provide a system that can be migrated from a FAA-owned virtualized platform, e.g. the

Integrated Enterprise Services Platform (IESP), to an FAA-provided cloud service

• Provide an IP-ready platform that will facilitate the transition from legacy time division multiplexing (TDM) interfaces

• Provide a platform that will leverage NextGen information services to accommodate addition of information from new authoritative sources

• Provide a system that can be readily supported and maintained through extended deployment and operational timeframes

The legacy systems currently used by the FAA utilize operator screens that were often tailored by individual field sites, typically through updates to software or databases in the field. E-IDS will utilize newer platforms that provide for standardization of displays and allow for some site-specific customizations without the need for software development activities. The Contractor needs to be aware of the challenges associated with changing the appearance and operation of displays and obtaining acceptance by the user base and be able to overcome these challenges.

The Contractor also needs to be aware of the challenges associated with building new E-IDS displays and publishing them for operational use by Air Traffic Controllers while not impacting ongoing Air Traffic operations.

5.0 OVERVIEW OF E-IDS PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Numerous parallel activities must occur with extensive coordination between the FAA and the

Contractor for successful development, test, deployment and operation of E-IDS through iterative software releases. The major program activities that will be performed by the FAA and the Contractor in order to reach Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the first set of key sites are shown below in Figure 3 which illustrates a subset of activities contained within the Statement of

Work, and focuses on:

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• System Engineering and Design: The set of activities by which the Contractor assesses the

SSD provided in the acquisition, works with the FAA, develops lower level system requirements as well as the system design, and formally reviews with the FAA

• Software Development: The full scope of E-IDS will include selection of hardware as well as software. The primary focus of development will be software, as hardware is anticipated to be a combination of COTS and GFE. Key challenges that the FAA anticipates are Human

Factors, integration of system data interfaces, transition of interfaces from TDM to IP, and performance of distributed applications hosted on the centrally located FAA virtualized platform and at local facilities.

• Test and Evaluation: In addition to testing within Contractor facilities, the FAA requires extensive testing at the FAA’s William J Hughes Technical Center. This facility will provide the opportunity to install applications on IESP and integrate with a number of system interfaces. The Contractor will conduct verification testing to ensure E-IDS is built to meet specifications and assist the FAA with conducting validation tests and ensuring the right product is built to fulfill E-IDS’s intended use.

• Training: The Contractor will initially train the FAA users, but a key goal will be to ensure that the FAA training teams can take on the task to train the Air Traffic (AT) operators, Technical Operations (TO) personnel, Second-Level Engineering (SLE) and Field

Automation Support Teams (FAST).

• Implementation: The FAA will need the Contractor to install E-IDS at the central National

Data Center sites as well as at the various facilities.

E-IDS Strategic Plan

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Figure 3: E-IDS Program on a Page – Segment 1, Phase 1, Software Release R1

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5.1 System Engineering and System/Software Development

The technical approach for the E-IDS Program is to develop efficient and portable software for use on COTS hardware and GFE platforms, which would address functionality shortfalls while providing an enterprise capability that is extensible and scalable. E-IDS will incorporate the following:

• Provide functionality at least equivalent to legacy IDS

• Build modular/layered applications and infrastructure

• Build efficient and usable human interfaces and supporting capabilities, allowing standardization of user displays with limited customization through the use of templates and Data Administrator tools without requiring site-specific software or databases

• Utilize existing enterprise platforms and services including, but not limited to the virtualized IESP, SWIM services, FAA Telecommunication Infrastructure Operational IP

(OPIP) and NAS Boundary Protection Services (NBPS)

• For system operations and maintenance, use built-in system capabilities together with existing NAS Security and Enterprise Operations (NASEO) capabilities and Remote

Monitoring and Maintenance (RMM) capabilities.

• Maintain current interfaces as necessary, and add, or transition to, new authoritative data sources available via SWIM services

• Build to applicable data exchange standards

The E-IDS architecture evolution strategy has been developed to define a segmentation approach for incremental design, test and implementation of functionality to fit within FAA budget constraints. The software release strategy is also aligned to the segmentation approach as outlined below in Figure 4, Notional E-IDS Software Release Schedule.

Figure 4: Notional E-IDS Software Release Schedule

The E-IDS program will utilize three major software releases to implement S1P1, S1P2 and S2 functionality. Minor software releases focus on resolving problem reports or inserting any enhancement requests as required by the FAA. Considerations for software releases include:

• The FAA test and deployment process can support three releases per year (emergency releases are excepted). As a result, the FAA anticipates 2-3 minor software releases to be deployed each year after each major release is provided in order to correct problem reports, based on past programs.

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• Given the planned timing of the major releases, the FAA anticipates 4-5 minor releases after each major release, decreasing to two releases per year thereafter.

The E-IDS Program will utilize an established FAA-standard waterfall review process throughout the system engineering effort using formal System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR) and Critical Design Reviews (CDR) to ensure system requirements are being fully incorporated and addressed. The Contractor may overlay, with

FAA permission, other internal development processes onto the waterfall process if the

Contractor determines there will be benefits to the FAA. The E-IDS program will use 2 SRR reviews (S1 and S2) and 3 rounds of design reviews (PDR, CDR as needed) for the 3 major software releases (e.g. to support S1P1, S1P2 and S2 respectively) to ensure all requirements are clear and met by the system design for S1P2 and S2.

Based on prior programs, the FAA anticipates that subsequent activities (e.g. software development, testing, and implementation) may uncover requirements gaps or identify complex derived requirements that will be assessed throughout the development program, requiring additional interactions between the various teams and with the FAA.

Because Human Factors is a critical factor for the E-IDS CHI design, the FAA will utilize Early

User Involvement Events (EUIEs). The EUIEs will be conducted at Contractor facilities during the CHI design phase and will provide early access to the “look and feel” of E-IDS displays to the FAA. As the software development process proceeds, the team will transition to Risk

Reduction Demonstrations (RRD) using more mature software. Multiple EUIEs and RRDs will be used to allow numerous stakeholders within the FAA to perform early assessment of E-IDS and provide feedback. Factors that will be assessed by the FAA will include:

• How well the Contractor’s design meets functional and human performance requirements.

• The overall operability and usability of the user workstations

• The ability of Data Administrators to customize information presented on displays to a facility’s operational preferences without requiring software code changes through the use of standard tools

After software development begins, the Contractor will be asked provide Risk Reduction

Demonstrations (RRDs) leading to major test events, including FAT, DT and OT to demonstrate to the FAA how the CHI is being developed based on the approved design.

Through the EUIEs and RRDs, the formal review process, technical interchange meetings and informal working group meetings, the FAA will assess the E-IDS CHI design and determine how

E-IDS capabilities and design will be adjusted to better meet the user needs. This collaborative process is also intended to assist the Contractor with gaining full understanding of FAA needs.

5.2 Test & Evaluation

The E-IDS test program will verify contractual requirements and validate that E-IDS is operationally ready for use in the NAS. As documented in the E-IDS Preliminary Test and

Evaluation Master Plan (pTEMP), all testing will be planned, conducted and reported on in

Draft 9 accordance with the most recent version of Acquisition Management System (AMS) Guidance, Test and Evaluation Process Guidelines, the AMS Policy, Section 4.4 Test and Evaluation

(T&E), FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Test and Evaluation Handbook, and FAA

William J. Hughes Technical Center’s Test and Evaluation Policy.

The Contractor is expected to setup the necessary testbeds within the Contractor’s facilities that will support internal development testing. Then, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) will be performed with the FAA at the Contractor’s facility to validate an initial set of requirements and to demonstrate readiness to start E-IDS testing at FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center

(WJHTC) test facilities. Where possible, FAA intends to provide accredited simulators for data interfaces that have been developed by other FAA programs to reduce E-IDS program risk, and to assist with conducting FAT. The Contractor will need to assess any GFE simulators for suitability for the E-IDS test program, and the Contractor will need to develop all simulators needed to test the E-IDS and accredit any Contractor-developed simulators.

The Contractor will also need to run Production Acceptance Testing (PAT) to validate hardware components comply with requirements documentation and site implementation plans. This testing will include spares and will also be performed when any component changes occur.

Sampling will be done as agreed with the FAA. PAT will be done prior to shipping hardware to the FAA.

Upon successful completion of FAT, testing will move to the FAA WJHTC test facility to conduct additional Development Test (DT) activities. The WJHTC test lab is not readily

Internet-accessible and dedicated remote connections to Contractor facilities are unlikely to be approved quickly by the FAA, so all testing must be performed onsite at the WJHTC. The

Contractor will install the E-IDS and all Contractor-provided test environments, test tools and test scripts prior to proceeding with any test activities. For the initial deployment of each release, E-IDS tests performed at the William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) will consist of:

• DT Installation & Integration Testing. The FAA will provide physical access to the test lab where the Contractor will install E-IDS hardware, software, and the E-IDS test environment for the DT and OT test activities. The IESP and a subset of data sources are accessible at the WJHTC. The FAA will support and witness Contractor-performed testing at the WJHTC to integrate E-IDS with the IESP and FAA-provided data sources.

The FAA will formally accept and adjudicate the results.

• DT System Testing. The Contractor conducts formal System Testing on E-IDS while the government personnel witness test execution. System Testing is performed under conditions that emulate the projected operational environment to verify the DT contractual requirements in the FAA provided E-IDS System/Subsystem Specification

(SSS) as well as verifying system stability.

• Operational Test (OT). The FAA conducts OT to validate the E-IDS functionality, stability and system performance to determine operational readiness (effectiveness and suitability) of a new or modified system for use in the NAS and that the NAS infrastructure is ready to accept the system. OT will commence following the completion of E-IDS DT System Testing and a formal FAA Acceptance (GA) process. OT focuses on the end-user usability aspects of the system along with system performance and

Draft 10 stability. The FAA will develop the test plans, test procedures, and the test report as well as lead the Test Readiness Review (TRR). The Contractor will provide all necessary onsite or remote support to the FAA to ensure successful completion of OT. Support includes providing document inputs, participating in planning meetings, the TRR and exit reviews, as well as fixing any problem reports generated during FAA test activities.

To support these tests for the initial software release of E-IDS plus verification of subsequent releases, the Contractor must supply and install an E-IDS test environment capable of supporting parallel DT and OT test activities utilizing different E-IDS releases. The test environment must be capable of emulating at least three clusters operating simultaneously at a minimum and be reconfigurable to emulate additional clusters operating simultaneously. The E-IDS test environment must support the ability to switch between simulated or live data sources for any/all data sources. Once OT has been completed and problem reports have been resolved as agreed, the Contractor will need to perform regression testing at the WJHTC to validate the E-IDS operation has not degraded with the insertion of problem fixes.

Once OT is completed and problem reports have been resolved as directed, the Contractor will need to perform regression testing at the WJHTC to validate the E-IDS operation has not degraded with the insertion of problem fixes.

Then, the Contractor will begin installing E-IDS onto the operational IESP as well as field sites within key operational clusters defined by the FAA. The operational cluster concept is discussed in section 5.4.3.

The Contractor will conduct field-testing that the FAA will formally witness:

• Site Acceptance Test for the Operational Cluster (SATOC). Allows the Contractor to demonstrate that all sites within each cluster can communicate with the NDC and local sensors, are interoperable within the cluster and if required, demonstrate interoperability between clusters. As clusters are added into the system and become operational, then inter-cluster testing will be incorporated.

• Installation and Checkout Testing. These tests are a subset of the SATOC and allow the

Contractor to validate that each site is correctly installed and integrated with data sources.

The Contractor also needs to validate any infrastructure preparation work performed by the FAA prior to installation and checkout.

The FAA will optionally conduct additional OT testing at field sites once SATOC is complete for the cluster.

As problems are discovered through the test process, or need for new/revised functionality is discovered, PTRs and Enhancement requests will be processed by the FAA with Contractor input resulting in direction to the contractor on accepted, prioritized, and scheduled changes into the software baseline. The contractor will internally test the changes then perform regression testing at the WJHTC prior to release of new software to the field sites. The FAA is interested in how the Contractor’s processes will minimize the need for changes or problem resolutions

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5.3 Training

The FAA internally trains Technical Operations, Air Traffic Control, Second Level Engineering /

Field Automation Support Teams staff on all systems utilized within the NAS. Because of the E-

IDS design and impact to FAA staff, the FAA is adding another training activity that focuses on

Data Administration, Security and Content Management.

• TO courses are currently expected to cover two different topic areas, System

Management and System Maintenance at the national level and at the facility level. TO courses are expected to use a combination of eLMS and instructor-led training forums.

• AT courses will cover a wide range of topics, including E-IDS System Overview, Operations of the System, and a series of courses focusing on views of information from various interfacing systems (e.g. NOTAMS, RVR, Weather). Overall, there will likely be at least 16 courses, all currently expected to be delivered via eLMS.

• SLE/FAST courses will provide more in-depth training to diagnose and correct problems, performance issues, etc. that could potentially occur with the E-IDS. These courses will also train the FAA on using the lab environments, performing system testing, and E-IDS release management, etc. As with the TO courses, this material will likely use both eLMS and instructor-led forums.

• Data Administration, Security and Content Management courses are currently expected to focus on the national and the cluster level operation of the E-IDS system. These courses are also expected to use both eLMS and instructor-led forums.

The Contractor will need to develop a comprehensive training program that the FAA will teach at the FAA Training academy, at the WJHTC, at field sites, and through online courses. When

E-IDS is initially deployed, the Contractor will provide training to ATC site staff and TO staff and train the FAA’s training staff. A key challenge for the Contractor is to fully understand the tasks performed by various users and to develop a comprehensive training program to address the variety of activities performed by the FAA, and to ensure that the FAA has enough knowledge of E-IDS to transfer O&M responsibility to the FAA and also to ensure the FAA training staff can provide training thereafter.

As the Contractor provides updated software releases to incorporate problem fixes or enhancement requests, the Contractor will need to update the training courses to address any operational changes. Periodically, the FAA will need the Contractor to consolidate any delta changes into a new training baseline.

Training will be developed and delivered in accordance with the latest version of FAA-STD-

028C, Contract Training Program, and FAA Order 6000.15, General Maintenance Handbook for

National Airspace System (NAS) Facilities, as modified by the Government. The training program also needs to meet FAA safety and security regulations and orders. Because of the number of courses, the Contractor will likely need to coordinate and stagger the specific scheduling of deliverables and events (e.g. Tasks and Skills Analysis (TASA), training conferences, in-process reviews, etc.) to ensure effective FAA reviews.

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5.4 Implementation

5.4.1 Current Terminal Environment

Today’s FAA and non-FAA sites equipped with IDS-4, ACE-IDS, and NIDS operate in a physical, direct-connected cluster that adheres to a hub-and-spoke architecture. A typical cluster is composed of a Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), or Center Radar Approach

Control (CERAP), and its connected FAA Air Traffic Control Towers (ATCTs) and interfaces to that airport’s surface sensors. This architecture supports the operations where the TRACON provides arrival and departure control to all the towers for which it is responsible, and they share aeronautical, weather and NAS status information pertinent to their area’s operation, using the legacy IDS. Some of the operational clusters also include the airport operator, the aircraft operators (e.g. airline ramp towers), DoD-operated ATCTs, and non-FAA owned Contract

Towers. A single combined CERAP/TRACON and ATCT (aka Up/Down Terminal Facility) can also be part of an operational cluster.

All information from all sites is available to connected and configured sites in the cluster. Each operational cluster of facilities is uniquely configured and independent without the ability to back-up each other.

5.4.2 Current En Route Environment

Each CONUS ARTCC is equipped with an ERIDS and is considered to be an operational cluster.

Each sector in the ARTCC is equipped with ERIDS displays. ERIDS is also used by supervisors and the Traffic Management Unit. ERIDS in an ARTCC is a closed network, sharing information within the facility and does not connect to ERIDS in another ARTCC. ERIDS’ only external interface is for receiving NOTAMS.

The Anchorage ARTCC (ZAN) is different from CONUS implementations in that it provides En

Route, Oceanic, and for selected airports, Terminal Services. It has a unique IDS called AAID, and some IDS-4. AAID receives its data through a variety of public and FAA sources.

5.4.3 E-IDS Operational Cluster Concept

E-IDS must be able to maintain the current operational cluster connectivity and concept for data exchange among a set of facilities while introducing a National Data Center (NDC) capability.

E-IDS cluster connectivity and information exchange will be facilitated logically vs. physically through its nationally centralized, redundant National Data Centers. NDCs will be hosted on the

FAA’s IESP virtualized platform located at the National Enterprise Management Centers

(NEMC) in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The operational clusters will be defined as logical entities that capture the operational needs for information sharing across a set of facilities. The logical structures will be based on the same structure that exists today, and modified it as needed.

The data from authorized data sources, such as SWIM business services, will be collected, filtered, correlated and distributed to these operational clusters by the NDC.

Each facility will be equipped with a facility server. E-IDS using redundant or high availability local facility servers will continue to collect local sensor information at each airport using this

Draft 13 facility server. Each facility server will connect to the NDC for data exchange, and distribute information received from the NDCs to configured user positions.

These components will be architected to support the E-IDS Essential service availability requirement of 0.999. In addition, E-IDS will have the capability to facilitate FAA continuity of operations using the NDC. The logical nature of operational cluster definition will enable the

NDC to re-constitute local information and position configurations of a facility experiencing an outage, at another operational facility of the FAA’s choosing.

In case of ZAN, the FAA intends to replace AAID and IDS-4s with E-IDS. ZAN and the airports it supports with legacy IDS will likely be considered one operational cluster.

During transition from the legacy IDS to E-IDS systems, the information exchanged between

FAA and non-FAA facilities will be converted from a direct connection to a communication path through the FAA Boundary Protection System (BPS) using SWIM applications or adapters.

The requirements for the number of positions, monitor locations, and required mounting will be revised where necessary for E-IDS.

5.4.4 Implementation Strategy

Given that the new, logical Terminal Operational Clusters with multiple towers must provide the same degree of service without disrupting operations across the logical cluster, a standard waterfall site deployment and acceptance for each site in the cluster is unlikely to be feasible.

Additionally, the ATCSCC, ARTCCs, and the up/down TRACON/ATCT sites will be their own operational clusters and will be treated as sites.

For the Terminal Operational Clusters with multiple towers, the E-IDS PO will work with the

Contractor, Engineering Services (ES), and the facilities to install equipment on a funding available basis for each Operational Cluster with site checkout. All sites within an Operational

Cluster must be activated and communicating with the NDCs and FAA and non-FAA interfaces, prior to conducting SATOC and simultaneously achieving Operational Cluster IOC.

The E-IDS PO is considering at least two (2) Operational Clusters for Key Site testing: a medium sized CERAP or TRACON/ATCT Operational Cluster and an ARTCC Operational Cluster in order to obtain System IOC.

Current planning for E-IDS S1P1 is to implement approximately 380 sites including ARTCCs, CERAPS, TRACONs, Level 4 & above FAA ATCTs and FAA Contract Towers, but the number of sites could potentially increase. In S1P1, the program will accomplish a number of key goals, including:

• Install E-IDS at the NDC, and establish SWIM service interfaces, and SWIM services for any non-FAA sites

• Activate the NDCs, validate switchover functionality

• Install new facility servers, networking equipment, and user position equipment at individual ATCTs, TRACONs, and an ARTCCs and establish local interfaces

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• Establish connectivity from each facility to the NDCs

• Perform system burn-in and stability testing

• Perform acceptance testing, training, and commissioning activities within each operational cluster and at the NDCs.

The FAA may need to accelerate, or slow implementation based on available funding and status of legacy IDS systems. If the FAA chooses to go faster it is likely that more sites in a cluster and more clusters will be done in parallel based on funding, it is important that the Contractor be able to support surge efforts with knowledgeable personnel and be able to retain trained and qualified personnel during slower periods.

The E-IDS Program Office will lead coordination of implementation activities with a large group of stakeholders and the Contractor will need to participate in these discussions to ensure that lower level requirements are captured to stakeholder satisfaction. Key stakeholders involved with the E-IDS program include:

• FAA Engineering and Training Teams

• Regional Program Implementation Managers (PIM)

• National and Facility Technical Operations

• National and Facility Air Traffic Management

• National and Local National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Professional

Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), and National Association of Government Employees

(NAGE) representatives

• SWIM Service Leads

• Other FAA interfacing systems

• PO/SLE Representatives (Several legacy interfaces are going through tech refresh or combined into a single service or system)

• Non-FAA legacy partners:

o National Weather Service (NWS) o Department of Defense (DoD) o Airlines o Airports o Non-FAA Contract Towers

The Contractor will need to plan and perform site surveys, and then develop a detailed site installation plan for each site. Although the E-IDS will have a standardized and flexible workstation that will meet all user needs, the site survey will identify any additional functionality to be included into the software release plan. Changes will be processed as Enhancement

Requests, and the FAA will work with the Contractor to prioritize, budget and schedule these requests into some future software release.

The original IDS-4, ACE-IDS, AAID systems were initially purchased and installed in an ad-hoc environment. IDS-4 and ACE-IDS became supported nationally during the development and implementation of NIDS. As such, records and drawings for all IDS-4, ACE-IDS, and the AAID implementations may not have the exact same level of information in terms of locations, workstations, interfaces, and databases. The IDS-4 and ACE-IDS represent the bulk of the legacy inventory of systems and are the oldest and least supportable in the inventory. NIDS and ERIDS

Draft 15 are nationally developed and supported systems that have more detailed documentation as a result.

To aid in the development, transition, and implementation of the E-IDS, the E-IDS Program

Office (PO) is developing a site database to collect pertinent site characteristics to aid the

Contractor in the development of E-IDS as well as to assist the Contractor and the FAA in the installation and transition to E-IDS. This information will be provided to the Contractor as GFI at the post award conference to aid in requirements analysis, design, and deployment/transition planning and execution. Where possible, FAA site drawings will be made available in advance to the Contractor to prepare for site surveys.

Typically, the FAA Engineering Services team will perform site infrastructure work at each site to prepare for installation of the E-IDS system. However, there is potential for the FAA to request the Contractor to perform this work at some sites.

After the site preparation work has been completed, training has been provided to the FAA and the software testing has been completed at the WJHTC, the Contractor will establish the E-IDS

NDCs. The Contractor will also install E-IDS components at each local facility, integrate with data sources and the NDC, and demonstrate E-IDS functionality that has been tested at the

WJHTC.

The FAA, like other large users of TDM service is being impacted by telecommunications industry’s discontinuation of this service. The E-IDS program may be impacted by the speed at which the FAA converts from TDM to IP Services during implementation. FAA is currently pursuing a hybrid solution approach that includes, but is not limited to, implementing a pseudowire solution, using network-provided services such as encapsulation, implementation of

IP interfaces within the impacted existing systems, and requiring IP compliance in future systems. Even though E-IDS will be an IP-compliant system, several of the systems E-interfaces with (e.g. local sensors like RVR) may not yet have been converted to IP, depending on the how the agency and programs choose to address the TDM-to-IP conversion and schedule.

E-IDS is currently planning to rely on network-provided services to address this issue, which will be provided by FAA’s network provider.

Several Non-FAA IDSs are directly connected to FAA IDSs at CERAP, TRACON and ATCT to facilitate the exchange of weather and other pertinent operational information from surrounding facilities for enhanced situational awareness of FAA Controllers. These sites include DoD operated airports, Weather Service Field Offices (WSFO), Non-FAA Federal Contract Towers

(FCT), Airports Authorities, Coast Guard and airline ramp towers. During installation and transition from legacy IDS to E-IDS systems, connection between FAA and Non-FAA facilities will be converted from a direct connection to a communication path to the FAA via its Boundary

Protection System (BPS).

5.5 Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

When E-IDS is deployed, the FAA may utilize the Contractor to provide O&M support to the

FAA to operate and maintain the system. This will include help desk support, remote diagnosis

Draft 16 support, and onsite support. The Contractor will also need to track obsolescence and assist in tech refresh of the system; this activity will begin during system implementation due to the large number of sites where E-IDS systems will be installed and FAA constraints on supporting installations.

Once E-IDS has been implemented at the NDCs and at field sites, the Contractor needs to work with FAA Second Level Engineering to deploy software updates to field sites with no impact to the NAS and minimal operational downtime of E-IDS through a controlled release process designed into E-IDS. Software release deployment needs to address all purchased software products including operating systems, virtualization software and other purchased software in addition to any Contractor-developed software. As with the WJHTC labs, the field systems do not have Internet access or remote connections to Contractor facilities, which affects the design for how patch updates are obtained and deployed for E-IDS.

Local FAA facility managers have significant control over when software releases can be deployed to their facility because of local operational constraints that may be in place during some period, but the FAA requires field sites to upgrade within 6 months of release availability.

Given the E-IDS system architecture and the Contractor’s release deployment schedule, the

Contractor should expect a mix of release levels (e.g. at least two different release levels are anticipated to be in operation at the field sites vs. NDC sites). Support for multiple releases is also needed to support emergency rollbacks during installations at all sites.

The Contractor will transfer all Operations and Maintenance (O&M) responsibility for the E-IDS hardware and software to the FAA, including but not limited to performing software modifications, patch updates, tech refresh, etc. The Contractor will need to assist and ensure the success of the transfer of responsibilities. The timing of this transfer to the FAA will be based on a Program Office cost-benefit analysis.

5.6 Additional E-IDS Activities

During the development, testing and implementation of E-IDS, the FAA anticipates that additional activities may be needed to provide for long-term E-IDS usability for the NAS operation.

5.6.1 Add or Modify Operational Data Interfaces

E-IDS will ingest, process, and display data provided by 20+ data sources that are generated by systems managed by other FAA program offices. As technology or data needs change, the respective program office will modify interfacing systems to meet evolving FAA needs. The

Contractor may be requested to update E-IDS, as needed, to accommodate changes made at any interface data layer.

5.6.2 Cloud Service Platform Transition

As the FAA evolves its cloud service offerings, the E-IDS program may need the Contractor to migrate the E-IDS capabilities hosted on the IESP to another FAA-provided cloud service.

Draft 17

5.6.3 Technology Refresh

E-IDS consolidates operational support within the FAA to a single IDS system and is expected to have an operational life of at least 15 years based on current systems installed within the NAS.

This lengthy operational timeframe is a key design consideration of initial E-IDS hardware and software selection. Over time, as hardware and software obsolescence are identified, the

Contractor may need to provide support to the FAA with long-term product refresh.

5.6.4 Transition of E-IDS Hardware and Software Maintenance to the FAA

When E-IDS is initially deployed, the Contractor will perform all hardware and software maintenance services for the FAA. After IOC, the FAA will fully transition this effort from the

Contractor to the FAA. The Contractor will need to support and facilitate this transition. The

FAA may request Contractor Assisted Maintenance for staff augmentation to assist with this transition.

Because of the extended development process needed to support the program segmentation approach, the Contractor needs to provide a low-risk approach to the FAA that will support transition of maintenance to the FAA in parallel with ongoing development activities.

5.6.5 Miscellaneous Engineering Support Services

The FAA may need the Contractor to provide miscellaneous engineering support services throughout the E-IDS lifecycle including studies, new feature development, additional testing, onsite support, maintenance, site infrastructure work normally performed by the FAA prior to E-

IDS installation, and logistics. Removal and disposal of legacy IDS systems is typically a FAA-internal activity, but the FAA may require Contractor assistance.

5.7 Document References

Links to current versions of FAA documentation referenced by this Strategic Plan are listed in the table below. The Contractor will utilize more recent versions when they are issued and the

FAA requires their use.

# Document Web Link

1 Acquisition Management Policy, Test and

Evaluation Process Guidelines http://fast.faa.gov/docs/teguidelines.doc

2 Acquisition Management Policy, Section 4.4, Test and Evaluation http://fast.faa.gov/docs/acquisitionManagementPolicy/Acquisi tionManagementPolicy4.4.pdf

3 Acquisition Management Policy, Test and

Evaluation Handbook http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/standards/vvspt-a2-pdd-

013%20tne%20handbook.pdf

4 William J. Hughes Technical Center Test and

Evaluation Policy https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/index

.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/1028467

5 Contract Training Program https://faaco.faa.gov/index.cfm/attachment/download/9282

6 Current order for General Maintenance

Handbook for Airway Facilities https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/index

.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/1021786