Army AISR RFI Letter_FA2541-25-012.pdf

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The Government is seeking industry feedback, recommendations, and best practices during the market intelligence phase of this effort. Please DO NOT provide generic capability statements; they will be deleted. The Government is seeking well defined responses with supporting documentation to assist with developing the acquisition strategy. All responses must be submitted via email to the contacts identified below. This is for informational purposes only and the Government will not be obligated to award to any interested vendors that present information in response to this RFI/ Sources Sought. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received in this RFI that is marked “Proprietary” will be handled accordingly.

Description(s):

The Army AISR Satellite Communications Contract is required to provide United States Army Global 6500 aircraft with connectivity to support missions Globally.

Sought After Qualification’s for Possible Upcoming Requirement:

This requirement is for commercial satellite communication (COMSATCOM) services, ground station services, and associated engineering for one (1) Global 6500 aircraft. Additionally, this requirement is to provide a turn-key Ka-band satellite service when the aircraft is tasked between different operational areas. The aircraft will only be tasked to one operational area at a time. The aircraft may traverse between locations listed in each operational area. The government is interested in individual solutions for each operational area and solutions that can be used or ported globally.

Operational Areas:

1. NORTHCOM: CONUS, Hawaii, and Alaska.

2. EUCOM: The Black Sea, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Romania.

3. INDOPACOM: Ocean and Sea coverage South of 45 degrees North, West of 132 degrees East, North of 8 degrees

North, and East of 105 degrees East.

Service will include leasing of teleport antenna and modem and included terrestrial connectivity to public internet in CONUS. The aircraft currently uses a Thinkom Thinair GT 2517 Ka and Mil-Ka antenna utilizing a Hughes HM400 modem.

Target data rate is 20 megabits per second (Mbps) to and from the aircraft.

The anticipated period of performance is a 12-month base period with four (4) 12-month option periods beginning July 01, 2026. The Government requests the following information to assist in further development of the Performance Work Statement supporting requirements.

1. Vendor capability questions:

a. Does your company have the capability to provide transponded capacity that could meet the requirements listed above?

b. Does your company have experience supporting the aircraft, antenna or modem specified above?

c. Does your company have the capability of meeting the data rate requirement of 20 Mbps x 20 Mbps over the required operational areas?

United States Army AISR Satellite Communications Services Contract

Request for Information/Sources Sought

United States Space Force Space Systems Command Commercial Service Office

d. How much capacity, referenced in Megahertz, would be required to meet the requirement?

e. Can each operational area be met by a single satellite solution?

f. Are there available steerable beams that could be moved or follow the aircraft’s path within an operational area?

i. What is the radius of these beams and how quickly can they be moved after request?

g. Are there available dynamic/tracking beams that could follow the aircraft in flight while operating in each operational area?

i. Are these beams compatible with the equipment listed above?

h. If the target data rate cannot be achieved, what are the highest data rates that could be expected?

i. Does your company have the capability to provide terrestrial reach-back to public internet in CONUS?

j. Are there any limitations to meeting the required data rate due to the current hardware on the aircraft?

k. Are there solutions that could meet the data rate and coverage requirement with a change to modem equipment currently in use?

l. Are there solutions that could meet the data rate and coverage requirement with a change to the antenna equipment currently in use?

m. Are there any antennas that are compatible or fit the radome form factor of the Thinkom 2517 Ka that would provide improved or enhanced performance over the existing equipment?

n. Does your company have the capability to support technical questions related to configuration and troubleshooting of specific equipment while the service is in use by untrained personnel onboard the aircraft?

o. Can your company support a third-party integrator contracted by the government to Manage and Monitor services? This may require the third-party integrator to install network and compute equipment in your commercial or government Satellite Gateways to provide access to monitor and manage the Contracted Satellite Services and/or capacity contracted by the government.

2. Will your company require significant subcontracting or teaming arrangements (50% of the requirement or greater) to successfully meet any/all of the performance objectives outlined in the draft Technical PWS? Please indicate the areas of the PWS that will require significant subcontracting.

3. Is there any aspect of this requirement that may limit or restrict your ability to bid? If so, please provide details and recommendations.

Requested Information:

In addition to providing responses to the above questions and a tailored capability statement (see below for instructions) indicating the ability to provide the above services, interested vendors are asked to submit the following information:

A. Vendor Information Requested

a. Name of Business

b. Cage Code

c. Business Type SB/Large

d. POC: Name/Phone number/email

B. The intent is to solicit this requirement via GSA. However, if there are other contract vehicles that should be considered, please provide recommendations. If your company is within an appropriate GSA Schedule for this acquisition, please provide contract information to include Schedule #, NAICS and relevant CLINs. Additionally, if you have a GSA schedule but would require your schedule to be modified to meet this requirement, please identify what those would be.

C. If your company is a small business, please describe the ability to meet the requirements outlined in 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting.

All responses shall be submitted NLT 01 Aug 2025 by 5:00PM EST. Please submit your response to the following individual:

Mr. John Seacrist, Contracting Officer. Email: John.Seacrist@spaceforce.mil

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the contacts above. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Answers to questions will be posted to SAM.gov or sent to all respondents via email. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 15 Jul 2025 will be answered.

Response Guidelines:

In addition to answering the above questions, interested respondents are requested to provide a capabilities statement that demonstrates your company's ability to meet all the performance objectives outlined in the PWS. One document can answer the questions and contain the capability statements, but the capability statement section cannot exceed 30 pages, single spaced, 12-point type with at least one-inch margins on 8 1/2” X 11” page size. Page limit does not include cover page, ToC, responses to the above questions, requested information and glossary. The response should not exceed a 5 MB e-mail limit for all items associated with the RFI response. Responses must specifically describe the contractor’s ability to meet the requirements outlined in this RFI. Oral communications are not permissible. SAM.gov will be the repositories for all information related to this RFI.

Upon conclusion of market research efforts, the Government anticipates releasing a formal solicitation for this effort.

Should you have any questions please reach out to the individuals above.

JOHN K. SEACRIST, NH-III, USSF

Contracting Officer

SSC/CMK, COMSO

mailto:John.Seacrist@spaceforce.mil