Call_for_White_Paper_SQAN_27NOV18.pdf

Solicitation: BAA-18-R-STCD Data Call 004 Topic #: S1803

BAA-18-R-STCD

WHITE PAPER CALL 004

Squad Area Network - SQAN

Date 01 November 2018

This call for White Papers (WP) is being issued under Broad Agency Announcement

(BAA) BAA-18-R-STCD, which was published on FedBizOpps.gov on 20 June 2018, and last updated on 27 November 2018. Respondents must refer to the solicitation document titled BAA-18-R-STCD _ 20180620 BAA Final Rev3 (26NOV18), and it must be read in conjunction with this call for WP’s. All instructions set forth in the BAA-18-R-

STCD solicitation document apply to this call.

The Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate (S&TCD) is issuing this call for

WP’s in association with Topic #S1803. To be eligible for consideration and possible contract award, the technology or methodology shall be either basic research, applied research, advanced technology development not for a specific system/hardware, or demonstration and validation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Problem Statement: The US Army Communications Electronics Research &

Development Engineering Center (CERDEC) Space & Terrestrial Communications

Directorate (S&TCD) is interested in the design, development and implementation of a soldier wireless communications network for the Squad Area Network (SQAN) program.

Currently squad-level soldiers operating at the tactical edge are limited to hand, spoken voice, and other visual/verbal signals to communicate with fellow squad members.

However, in low visibility conditions (fog, stormy weather conditions, adversarial actions, etc.) and when operating in urban environments where soldiers are separated by walls and different building floors, communications between squad members can break down.

This greatly increases the threat level to individual squad members and can prevent the unit from accomplishing their mission.

To address these issues, the Army is soliciting proposals for developing a low SWaP-C

(Size, Weight, and Power & Cost) SQAN radio to enable the dismounted soldier at the tactical edge to communicate with fellow squad members in the adverse environments referred to above where hand and verbal communications are not possible. This SQAN radio should also be able to operate independently of any backhaul.

In addition, our adversaries are continually increasing their expertise in electronic and cyber warfare capabilities, resulting in more contested operational environments. The

Army will therefore need to be able to innovate and field communications systems, even at the squad level, that will combat this growing threat to our ability to execute missions in congested and contested environments.

The Future Army must:

Acquire the capability for squad members to securely communicate with a low probability of detection and low probability of intercept (LPI/LPD). This capability currently does not exist in the Army at the dismounted tactical edge.

Possess the capability for soldiers in a squad to securely communicate in a contested electromagnetic environment at the dismounted tactical edge. This capability currently does not exist.

For ease of interaction with the higher echelon network, the envisioned SQAN must be compatible with the future Army PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency & Emergency) automated network selection system.

Information Sought: S&TCD is interested in wireless technology to meet current Army requirements. SQAN will provide a small, low power, mesh network to support intra-squad communications independent of any backhaul. This will provide for wireless communication including data transfer and voice between soldiers within a squad. The envisioned SQAN must be capable of operating in benign, heavily contested and congested RF environments. The SQAN must also be resistant to spoofing attacks.

Benign is defined as, but not limited to, operating in areas where the only limits to spectrum access is due to normal civil authority and military usage.

Contested is defined as, but not limited to, adversarial and non-adversarial attempts to degrade/deny access to spectrum.

Congested is defined as, but not limited to, spectrum restrictions due to host nation, civil authority, high military demand (CONUS and OCONUS) and terrain challenges

(mountainous, foliated and urban).

Spoofing is the deliberate transmission of spurious radio signals intended to disrupt legitimate RF signaling.

A squad is defined as 9-10 soldiers operating at the tactical edge in an area no greater than 100 - 300 meters in diameter. Specific soldiers in a squad may vary due to changing battlefield conditions.

Key Capabilities: The key capabilities in which a respondent should focus for the development of a product and/or solution for SQAN BAA Topic #S1803 include, but are not limited to:

Low Probability of Interception/Detection (LPI/LPD) as referenced above

Adequate bandwidth (BW) to pass voice (push-to-talk - PTT) and data traffic comprising but not limited to; situational awareness (SA), position/location information (PLI), still images and video

Ability to operate in high-usage spectrum environments (Spectrum Agility)

Resistance to adversarial or situational RF interference (i.e. jamming)

Resistance to spoofing attacks

Encrypted transmissions without resort to backhaul for authentication

Support for data security at the SBU/FOUO level of classification

Should support and must easily interface with other Army non-traditional waveform (NTW) products (e.g. Cooperative Beamforming*)

Proposed solution should be able to transition to a small form-factor (e.g.

smart phone size)

Operating frequencies must support relevant regulatory frequency allocations.

(e.g. NTIA - National Telecommunications and Information Administration -compliancy)

Proposed solution should address Army SWAP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and

Cost) considerations

Although the automated PACE (Primary Alternative Contingent Emergency) interface has not yet been defined, the expectation is that connected radios will need to provide link status (both push and pull) via a secure wireless or wired connection to a smartphone, tablet, or other hardware device

*Information pertaining Cooperative Beamforming, please refer to BAA-18-R-

STCD Topic #S1802.

Respondents of this BAA who have current or in-development products possessing any of the key capabilities referred to above should be able to make said product(s) available for demonstration and/or testing.

AWARD INFORMATION:

1. ANTICIPATED AWARD DATE: 01 April 2019

2. FUNDING: Under this call, the Government intends to award one (1) contract with a

Period of Performance (PoP) of up to 36 Months.

NOTE: Awards under this call are expected to range from $700k to $2.0M; however, the

Government reserves the right to award smaller or larger contracts or assistance instruments. This funding profile is an estimate only and not a contractual obligation for funding. All funding is subject to change due to Government discretion and availability.

Potential respondents should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the WP’s received, subject to the availability of funds.

3. BAA TYPE: This is a call for WP’s only, and will be governed by the “two-step” process described in General Information of the BAA-18-R-STCD. Respondents that submit a proposal without first submitting a WP may not be eligible for award.

4. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: This Call should not exceed 10 (ten) pages in length

(single sided, single spaced, with 12-size font). The 10 (ten)-page limitation does not include the Rough-Order-of-Magnitude (ROM) or the Cover Page. Refer to baseline BAA-

18-R-STCD Section III for all other instructions on WP preparation, submission, and evaluation.

5. QUESTIONS DUE DATE AND TIME: Technical questions are due no later than 10

December 2018, 3:00 pm EST via email to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) with a carbon copy (Cc) to the Contracting Officer (KO), Contract Specialist (KS), and

Acquisition Management Team (AMT) Mailbox, as listed below. Questions and answers will be posted to FBO.

6. WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME: WP’s are due no later than 2 January 2019, 3:00 pm EST via email to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) with a carbon copy (Cc) to the Contracting Officer, Contract Specialist, and AMT Mailbox, as listed below.

TPOC: Patrick Charles, patrick.n.charles.civ@mail.mil

AMT: usarmy.apg.rdecom-cerdec.mbx.stcd-amt@mail.mil

KO: Brian Holman, brian.j.holman2.civ@mail.mil

KS: Andrew Pilone, andrew.m.pilone.civ@mail.mil

If the submission will be classified, respondents should contact the TPOC and KO for instruction on how to submit the WP, via appropriate methods/channels. The KO shall be informed, in writing, that a classified WP has been submitted, its title and to whom it was submitted to.

Contractual questions may be directed to the KO and/or KS at any time.