ATIS Sole Source - R.pdf

Sole Source

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)

ATIS Next G Alliance, 3GPP comprehensive membership and HNI code fees

AA-NTI-SE-O-26-00102

In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b), the Contracting Officer has determined the ATIS Next G Alliance, 3GPP comprehensive membership and HNI code fees required under this acquisition are available from only one source, ATIS.

The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act) created the FirstNet organization to build and operate a wireless broadband network dedicated to the First Responder Community. The Act also called out for FirstNet to utilize the wireless LTE technology and to utilize open standards. Further, the Act called out for FirstNet to represent the interests of Public Safety in appropriate standards organizations. In order to accomplish the FirstNet mission and satisfy many statutory requirements, it is essential for the organization to procure memberships in the standards bodies that are relevant to the wireless industry and associated technology ecosystems. Participation in the standards bodies, ATIS and 3GPP, by FirstNet is necessary to comply with the Act. This participation is essential to develop standards that create necessary public safety features and capabilities that will be an embedded part of the NPSBN. This contract will fund membership in these two critical standards bodies.

The 3GPP is a standards setting organization that unites several international telecommunications standard development organizations (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC), known as “Organizational Partners” and provides their members with a stable environment to produce the Reports and Specifications that define 3GPP technologies. 3GPP is the only standards body that is responsible for the creation and evolution of technology mandated by legislation for use by FirstNet. Further, this is the only standards body where mission critical services are being defined and standardized. The 3GPP standards organization is made up of approximately 615 members from about 45 countries from around the world. The project covers cellular telecommunications network technologies, including radio access, the core transport network, and service capabilities - including work on codecs, security, and quality of service - and thus provides complete system specifications. The specifications also provide hooks for non-radio access to the core network, and for inter-working with Wi-Fi networks.

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a North American Standards Development Organization that brings together the top global ICT companies to advance the industry’s business priorities. ATIS, 150 member companies are currently working to address 5G, cybersecurity, robo-call mitigation, IoT, artificial intelligence-enabled networks, the all-IP transition, network functions virtualization, smart cities, emergency services, network evolution, quality of service, billing support, operations, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), wireless regulatory issues and much more. There is no other North American alliance, which provides this oversight to the industry. In fact, the only means for a US entity to obtain a membership in 3GPP is by being a member of the ATIS.

Through involvement in ATIS committees and forums, ATIS members benefit from a comprehensive approach that takes into account technical, market and regulatory impact to help them achieve their business objectives. ATIS also gives its 150 members a strategic view of the future of technology in the industry through access to the insights of the CTOs of the leading ICT companies.

ATIS also manages the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) ID’s obtained by FirstNet. The PLMN ID's are essential because it identify to the customer that the network is a FirstNet network and allows our customers' mobile devices the ability to connect to the network. The PLMN IDs are required for the operation of the FirstNet broadband network which is operated by AT&T. Based on AT&T’s design of our network a total of 5 PLMN IDs are required. ATIS manages these IDs as a part of our overall membership fees contained in this contract. There is no other organization in the US that provides this service. It is my determination that no other source can fill the unique requirement as set forth herein.