Amendment_01_Questions and Responses_RFI 70Z02326RFI931301.pdf

No. Question Coast Guard Response

Is this is a new requirement? If not, may I have the incumbent contracts, vendors and values? This is not a new requirement. Shield AI Inc (UEI DVEJNK717BB6) provides Maritime Unmanned Aircraft System for Host Cutters (UAS for HC) under task orders issued against the single award IDIQ contract 70Z02324D93130001. The period of performance is 06/26/2024 to 09/30/2029. Insitu Inc (UEI QXMUHJ7XTF89) provides National Security Cutters (NSC) with Unmanned Aviation System (UAS) services under contract number 70Z02318C2DAU0400. The period of performance is 06/06/2018 to 06/05/2026.

Can you confirm the RFI Response due date as both May 7th and May 8th are listed in the RFI and SAM.gov, respectively.

Responses are due May 8th. Please see amendment 1 to the RFI.

To be considered, the vendor must have a system at TRL 8. When is this level required to be met? If this relates to system delivery, what is the projected timeline for award and delivery?

System TRL needs to be met at time of contract award notionaly expected NET Q3 of FY27.

In section 4.4 of the SOO you reference attachment J-12, I cannot locate this attachment and ask that you please provide it.

J-12 reference was errantly included. Disregard reference J-12 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

In section 5.1 of the SOO you reference attachment J-18 (pricing sheet). I cannot locate this attachment and ask that you please provide it.

J-18 reference was errantly included. Disregard reference J-18 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

You reference drawings in attachment J-13-01, I cannot locate this attachment and ask that you please provide it.

J-13-01 reference was errantly included. Disregard reference J-13 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

What/where is the referenced J-12 attachment where the USCG and/or DoD cybersecurity requirements are outlined?

J-12 reference was erroneously included. Disregard reference J-12 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

What is the cutter’s cybersecurity level and what does that level define? Cutter cyber security level inormation will not be provided in public documents - rather the offeror must be able to meet and maintain an Authority To Operate (ATO) at time of contract award. Additional detail will be provided after contract award.

What cybersecurity requirements make up the cutter’s cybersecurity level? Cutter cyber security level inormation will not be provided in public documents - rather the offeror must be able to meet and maintain an Authority To Operate (ATO) at time of contract award. Additional detail will be provided after contract award.

To ensure our response is appropriately scoped and responsive to your intent, we would value any clarification you can provide regarding anticipated delivery timelines and deployment expectations for shipboard UAS capabilities and associated trained crews across Coast Guard vessels and geographic regions. Understanding the notional phasing or timeframe for capability delivery will help us better align our proposed approach to your operational needs.

We fully recognize that this is an RFI and not a solicitation, and we are not seeking any information beyond what is appropriate for all respondents. Any general guidance you are able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Notionally, systems should be ready to deploy Q3 of FY27. Some ships will have delayed timelines due to new ship delivery schedule but proposed systems should be available by the notional Q3FY27 target.

Request for Information/Sources Sought; Section 5: Sources sought says RFI responses due by May 07, 2026 by 4:00pm EST. However, SAM.gov says RFI responses are due by May 08, 2026 4:00 PM EDT. Please confirm due date.

See row 5 above

J+02+and+J+03_08APR2026 "3.3 Interoperability: The UAS must integrate with the Coast Guard domain IAW GFI." What particular GFI?

Proposed systems must be capable of integration with USCG systems. Specific Coast Guard domain informaiton will be provided in subsequent requests for proposal if desired by the USCG.

Attachment J-01: "3.3 Interoperability:... must transmit sensor data and imagery to USCG cutters, boats, and aircraft equipped with a compatible Remote Video Terminal (RVT)." Are the RVTs supplied by the contractor or existing systems by the USCG? If already existing, what systems shall the contractor transmit data specifically?

RVTs must be supplied by the contractor.

Attachment J-01: "4.1 General: Provide all logistics, life support, and equipment for shore-based operations unless otherwise directed." In remote government owned locations, will the USCG be providing life support when standard civilian hospitals and clinics are not available?

Each site will have unique medical capabilities ranging from robust medical services to austere sites with little to no medical capabilities. The government will endeavor to provide initial "life-saving" services (if available) until transfer to civilian / higher level of care can be conducted.

RFI 70Z02326RFI931301 - USCG Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office – Medium Range UAS

Attachment J-01: "4.4 Security and Compliance: Ensure all personnel hold the appropriate security clearances as specified in the DD Form 254." Will all members of the program team require clearances, or only key personnel and deployers?

Key personnel and deployers.

Attachment J-3: Please confirm the intended content for the “Technical Volume Reference” column in the J-3 tabs. Given the 15-page limit for the Technical Volume, it will not be feasible to fully address every performance characteristic.

"Technical Volume Reference" can be a name of the reference only. The Program may need to verify documents, but specific verbiage is not required.

MRUAS RFI Attachment J-01 SOO 08APR2026.pdf Page 3, Section 4.4: Will the Government make Attachment J-12 available or confirm if this was referenced in error?

J-12 reference was erroneously included. Disregard reference J-12 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

RFI Introduction Page 2, Section 3)i): Will the USCG clarify its intended competitive structure for each cutter class? Does the USCG intend to qualify multiple BOA holders for each ship class and compete orders among them, or will the USCG select a single vendor per cutter class at the BOA or ordering stage?

The USCG intends to qualify multiple BOA holders for each cutter class and compete orders among them. RFPs will be issued at the ordering level for each cutter class and award will be made to a single vendor for each cutter class. A single vendor could potentially win multiple cutter classes. The Coast Guard may break up the shore-based sites to multiple vendors.

J 02 and J 03 E.g., J-3-01 WMSL RVTM “Physical space for the UAS and ancillary support equipment is extremely limited. The flight deck of the host cutter is available for launch and recovery of the UA; however, the flight deck must be able to be cleared and made available for helicopter operations with a 15-minute notification” Please confirm that grey cells below headings in J3 RVTMs (specifically Columns F-V, rows 13, 41, 50, 72) are intended to be responded to with compliance statements.

The vendor should address the grey cells in J-02 and J-03 in the capability statement package. For clarity, those paramaters are the following:

*The UA must launch and recover from the host cutter flight deck *The flight deck of the host cutter is available for launch and recovery of the UA; however, the flight deck must be able to be cleared and made available for helicopter operations with a 15-minute notification.

*The GCS must be installed within the host cutter’s Operations Center (OPCEN).

*The UAS must be an unclassified system. UAS servicing and maintenance must be performed at the Unclassified level.

J-2 SPS System Footprint 01-WMSL The UAS cutter-based antenna system must be within the space, weight, and power allocated within the UAS A-Kit infrastructure without modification aboard the host cutter (see J-13- 01). Please clarify whether the clause “without modification” refers to the allocation (space, weight, and power), or to the physical host cutter itself and provide J-13-01 or confirm it was referenced in error. Please also confirm that the text on each J-3 is the intended requirement (J-2 for MEC 270, MEX 210, OPC and ICE differ from J-3).

J-13-01 reference was erroneously included. Disregard reference J-13 for this RFI. Additional guidance will be provided in subsequent request for proposals if desired by the USCG.

J-2 SPS System Footprint 03-MEC 210 “The vendor will be responsible for all aspects of commercial shipping of equipment and required shipping containers to include clearing customs.” The text in this cell on the J-2 SPS does not match up to the text provided in the J-3-03 MEC 210 RVTM tab. Please confirm which is the correct requirement. This is only one example; there are numerous inconsistencies between the J-2 specifications and their respective specifications on the individual J-3 tabs.

J-2 SPS reflects the correct requirements and specifications. Please refer to J-2 as the master document wherever any inconsistencies are noted.

J-2 SPS Sensor, Communication, Navigation, and Identification Systems (CNI) Requirements "The UA Must have the space, weight, and power to concurrently operate the following sensors: 1. AIS 2. ADS-B 3.

Transponder 4. IR Laser Designator 5. Weather sensor 6. VHF/UHF Comms Relay 7. EO/IR 8. Wide Area Sensor" Please confirm the USCG intends to include laser designator and not laser illuminator, as referenced elsewhere, in this list.

Confirmed. The USCG is requesting a laser designator, not an illuminator.

J-O1 SOO 3.4 Shipboard Integration "Laser systems must be certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)" Can the USCG clarify this requirement as the FDA does not formally approve laser pointers for non-medical usage.

The vendor must be able to turn on the laser legally. Please note that the Coast Guard is not DoD and cannot receive a DoD exemption.

J-2 SPS Sensor, Communication, Navigation, and Identification Systems (CNI) Requirements "The UA must provide an FDA-approved non-visible, near-IR marker or FDA approved illuminator to aid manned assets using NVDs for target acquisition at night. FDA approval must be provided in proposal for immediate use." Can the USCG clarify this requirement as the FDA does not formally approve laser pointers for non-medical usage.

The vendor must be able to turn on the laser legally. Please note that the Coast Guard is not DoD and cannot receive a DoD exemption.

J-2 SPS Payload, 01-WMSL “Wide Area can constitute as a WAMI (Wide Area Motion Imagery) or active sensor (e.g., Radar, SAR).” Why is this payload requirement different for the WMSL ship class than for all other ship classes? WAMI typically refers to a specific subset of payloads that monitor a large area and records continuous motion video over time whereas Wide Area Maritime Search payloads are generally a broader set of payloads that includes sensors with a narrower instantaneous view that scan large areas over time.

The difference in WMSL requirement was an oversight on our part. The WMSL requirement should match the other ships.

"Simultaneous, multi-intelligence (multi-INT) capable with FMV sensor(s) and an Electronic Warfare (EW) type sensor or Wide Area Maritime Search (WAMS) sensor"

The Coast Guard is looking for a wide-area detection device, but puposely does not specify passive or active.

J-2 SPS Full Motion video (FMV) & Still Imagery Quality "Electro Optic (EO)/ Infrared (IR) – National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (NIIRS) of Level 8.4 or above for EO and 7.2 or above for IR when taken from the UAV at an altitude of 5,000 feet above ground level (AGL) at a 45-degree slant range. Optical sensors must auto-track and distinguish finite details (3-inch lettering on vessel, deck/load details, visible weapons, etc.)

for a 20- foot boat traveling at 25 knots with both EO and IR optical sensors in no visible moisture or particulates from an altitude and/or stand-off distance sufficient for the UA to remain acoustically undetectable from an altitude no higher than 5,000 feet." Recommend replacing NIIRS requirements which are most suitable for evaluating static, single-frame imagery with VNIIRS requirements which are better suited for evaluating motion imagery. If the USCG chooses to retain the NIIRS requirements, recommend the parenthetical examples for "finite details" be aligned to the formal criteria for the NIIRS Levels specified

Thank you for the recommendation. We will leave this as-is for now, but we will make a proper adjustment for the RFP phase of the requirement.

J2 Flight Deck "The UA must launch and recover from the host cutter flight deck. The nominal dimensions for the unmanned aircraft launch and recover are 20' x' 20'. (4.1-8.2’ seas, Brettschneider scale) with calculated parameters given below." All the J-3 tabs list the requirement as 20 feet x 20 feet. The J-2 changes the value to 15 feet x 15 feet for 06 – ICE, 02 – MEC; and 12 feet x 12 feet for 03 – MEC Please confirm that the J-3 requirements are correct.

J-2 SPS reflects the correct requirements and specifications. Please refer to J-2 as the master document wherever any inconsistencies are noted.

J-2 SPS Takeoff & Recovery relative Wind Limits – Minimum Wind – 04-SHORE Objective: “45 Knots from any ships relative direction.” Since this is the objective requirement for the shore, should this be “45 knots from any true direction?”

Yes, the Minimum Wind-04-SHORE objective requirement should be stated as "45 knots from any true direction".

J-2 SPS Full Motion Video (FMV) & Still Imagery Output "If standard definition motion imagery is used, then it must be Motion Imagery System Matrix (MISM) Level 3-compliant to MISP Recommended Practice 9720d."

Does the Government intend to reference “MISB” instead of “MISP”? MISB Recommended Practice 9720 was deprecated by the MISB in 2014 and is no longer found in the NGA registry. Will the USCG provide a copy of it or change a reference to a current MISB document?

Thank you for the feedback. We will leave as-is for now, but will make a proper adjustment for the RFP phase of the requirement.

J 02 & J 03 J2 SPS & J3 04 SHORE Based There is a difference in the J2 SPS for Shore Based on Scene Time and Range (Row 17) for Threshold and Objective (Threshold 24hr @100 miles, Objective 48hr @ 200 miles), and the J3 for the Shore which is listed as at (Threshold 10hrs 40 miles, Objective 20 hrs. @ 100miles). Question - Which values does the USCG desire for the Shore based requirements?

J-2 SPS reflects the correct requirements and specifications. Please refer to J-2 as the master document wherever any inconsistencies are noted.

In this instance, Scene Time and Range (Row 17) for Threshold and Objective (Threshold 24hr @100 miles, Objective 48hr @ 200 miles) are the correct values.

All the J-3 Technical Volume Reference, columns S-V Technical Volume Reference- Is the “Technical Volume Reference” referring to the “Capabilities Statement”?

J-3 Technical Volume Reference, columns S-V are where a vendor can reference where requested information is found in their capablity statement package, if not solely addressed in the J-3 RVTM Performance Description.

Otherwise, the vendor may respond N/A to the Technical Volume Reference column.