88310324RFI0005 AII DAS Replacement RFI.docx

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Neutral Host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) Upgrade and Operations and Maintenance

88310324RFI0005

1.0 Introduction

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent Federal agency that helps safeguard and preserve our nation's history by overseeing the management of all Federal records. The stories of our nation and our people are told in the records and artifacts cared for in NARA facilities around the country and people can discover, use, and learn from this documented heritage. The mission is to ensure ready access to the essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of Federal officials, and the national experience.

NARA issues this Request for Information (RFI) package to obtain technical information for the design, installation, and operation and maintenance of a replacement Neutral Host In-Building Multi-band Cellular Distributed Antenna System or comparable technology solution to enhance our communications infrastructure.

This RFI is intended strictly for market research. It is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. Potential solutions presented may or may not lead to a solicitation. Any decision to proceed with a solicitation would be based, in part, on available funding.

2.0 Description/Objective

The NARA facility located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Maryland 20740 (referred to as “Archives II”) is a 1.8 million-square-foot building with six (6) surface levels and two (2) subsurface levels. The Standard Form (SF) 2050 Reconstitution Form lists NARA as having 520,000 square feet of office space. This number is to be used since the rest of the building is taken up by Archival facilities and labs. The building is concrete with the administrative office spaces being made up of drywall and false ceiling. The building also has a large glass surface area in the front. Under current conditions the facility, weekly, accommodates approximately 600-800 NARA staff and 900 research visitors.

The Archives II facility currently has an end-of-life Commscope ION B neutral host system. The system is currently active with Verizon Wireless providing service via a Commscope Node A for single sector 2G/3G voice serving all floors as well as two (2) sector Metro Radio Outdoor (MRO) servicing 700 LTE data. Sector One 700 LTE feeds floors B2 through the fourth floor and Sector Two 700 LTE feeds floors five through seven. The head end equipment is in the seventh-floor penthouse secured in a caged area. There is fiber going to the basement telecom point-of-presence for the backhaul circuit.

NARA has a requirement for the design, installation, and operation and maintenance of a Cellular Signal Repeater System to distribute commercial cellular voice and data coverage inside Archives II. Along with established DAS technologies, NARA is also looking for technically innovative solutions that present new ideas and efficiencies by leveraging the convergence of “internet of Things” technologies to achieve results in the DAS arena. The Contractor shall provide all management, supervision, personnel, equipment, tools, materials, and transportation necessary to design, install, maintain, adjust, and repair the system. The contractor must install all system and components in accordance with: (1) the original manufacturer’s recommendations and specifications; (2) industry standards and codes including but, not limited to National Electric Safety Codes, National Electrical Code, etc; (3) Federal, State, and local regulations; (4) Federal environmental standards; (5) Federal Communications (FCC) guidelines; and (6) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. The contractor must also provide a cost-effective monitoring capability for NARA IT Operations to monitor the system for performance. The system shall provide 95% cellular voice and data coverage to all employee areas considered usable spaces such as office areas, main walkways, conference rooms, break rooms, cafeteria, and other meeting areas such as lecture rooms in the basement. The system should meet or exceed the following levels:

· Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) of -85 decibels below 1 milliwatt (dBm) for 700MHz Long Term Evolution (LTE) with a 10 Megahertz (MHz) frequency bandwidth;

· RSRP of -85dBm for 800MHz LTE with a 5 MHz frequency bandwidth;

· Received Signal Code Power (RSCP) of -85dBm for Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EDVO), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) at 850MHz and 1900MHz; and

· RSRP of -103dBm for 2100MHz LTE with a 20MHz frequency bandwidth.

The system shall be scalable and adaptable to emerging technologies and designed to be adaptable for current and future re-banding efforts. The system shall be carrier format neutral and be capable of supporting all major Wireless Service Providers (WSP) and capable of supporting the repeating of all active Cellular, PCS, and LTE frequencies. including 700MHz, 800MHz, 1900MHz (PCS), and 1700MHz/2100MHz (AWS), and the newer “5G’ Cellular format.

It will be the responsibility of the contractor to verify the coverage and frequency requirements of the system to ensure it meets WSPs’ approvals. The Contractor shall work with WSPs to bring service in and facilitate system connection to the carrier network(s). NARA has surveyed the in-house cable and it is serviceable and available to the contractor if the contractor chooses to incorporate the current cabling in any new design.

The Contractor will have access to the building during normal business hours, between 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET; Monday-Friday, except during any Federal Holidays, weekends or other closures.

The Government will provide access to all telecommunications closets, computer rooms, and other work areas except for secured areas as needed for the operation and maintenance of the equipment during normal business hours. NARA will provide access for deliveries to the Archives II facility during normal business hours. NARA will provide access to freight elevators for the movement of equipment and coordinate use with other occupants of the facility.

The Contractor shall be responsible for all parts, equipment, and labor to operate, maintain, and life cycle the system including all updates and patches of hardware, software, and firmware. Such changes shall be implemented within 48 hours.

3.0 Response Instructions

3.1 Content

Briefly describe your company, products and services, history, ownership, financial information, and other information you deem relevant. Provide points of contact, company address, phone/fax number, email, website, and business size and type (i.e. large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, service-disabled, veteran-owned small business).

Include any appropriate copyrighted, patented, trademark, or sensitive information markings.

You are encouraged to provide comments and/or recommendations on the Neutral Host DAS replacement system acquisition approach, whether it involves a managed service, lease, or direct acquisition. Respond only if you can provide the total solution for both the upgrade and follow-on operation and maintenance of the system. Indicate whether your product is commercially available or is on the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule or other Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). Furthermore, please include substantive responses to the following questions:

· Detail your capabilities to provide a complete replacement DAS solution to meet all requirements detailed above to include a non-binding rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost and installation schedule estimates. NARA is looking for contractor recommendations and industry best practices that will decrease the total cost of ownership (TCO) related to the replacement of the current Neutral Host DAS, while maintaining the highest levels of availability, system integrity, hardware warranty and software assurance, and the ability to implement commercially available enhancements.

· If necessary, clearly indicate what additional information is required in order to provide a complete solution and associated ROM. NARA is anticipating scheduling a designated date and time in the coming weeks for interested vendors to come on site. Please indicate if you are interested in conducting a site survey of the current DAS and building specifications?

· Identify possible constraints or potential risks associated with the design and installation of a replacement DAS solution.

· What tools and metrics does your company use to measure system performance?

· How will your company’s solution address increased bandwidth?

· As the number of devices using wireless and cellular technologies increase in the building, describe how your company’s system will accommodate growth.

· How will your company’s solution monitor/address RF interference?

3.2 Format

RFI responses are limited to a total of 20 pages, and must be in Microsoft Word format. Page size must be 8.5” x 11", font must be 12 point or larger, and margins must be at least 1". Supplemental product brochures or marketing materials outlining specifications and capabilities may also be submitted, and will not be counted in the overall page count limits.

3.3 Due Date

Each RFI response should be e-mailed to the Point of Contact listed below. The subject of the email should be "NARA DAS RFI Response (88310324RFI0004)". Responses to this RFI should be received by 2:00 PM ET on June 21, 2024. Responses submitted after this date and time will not be accepted. Firms submitting via e-mail are cautioned to allow one extra business day for delivery and confirm receipt of response as the e-mail will need to pass through IT security.

4.0 Disclaimer

This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for information received in response to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked “Proprietary” will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process and may lead to the development of a work statement. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

5.0 Industry Engagement

NARA may choose to engage with responders. However, such engagement is intended to clarify aspects of the response.

6.0 Point of Contact

Shawn Xiong (Contractor), Contract Specialist shawn.xiong@nara.gov