SBIS-RFI-2-FINAL-UPDATED-08-17-2021.pdf

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

PROGRAM TITLE: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Surveillance

Broadcast and Information Services

Name: Phil Moyers, FAA Contracting Officer

Organization: Terminal and En Route Contracts Division, Surveillance Contracts

Branch, AAQ-210

Region: FAA Headquarters

Phone Number: 202-267-7165

Email: Phillip.L.Moyers@faa.gov

RFI Release Date: June 29, 2021

Industry Comments and Questions Due: July 13, 2021

SBIS Virtual Industry Event: July 28, 2021

RFI Industry Reponses Due by: August 24, 2021 September 7, 2021

Procurement Method: Request for Information

Alternate Contact: Aleksandra Skoric, FAA Contract Specialist

Organization: Terminal and En Route Contracts Division, Surveillance Contracts

Branch, AAQ-210

Region: FAA Headquarters

Phone Number: 202-267-0774

Email: Aleksandra.Skoric@faa.gov

I. INTRODUCTION

This announcement is being issued in accordance with the FAA Acquisition Management

System (AMS) Section 3.2.1.2.1. Interested parties are advised that:

This is a Request for Information (RFI). This RFI shall not be construed as a Request for

Proposal (RFP), or any solicitation or obligation on the part of the FAA (the

Government). The Government does not intend to select or qualify proposals or offers on the basis of this RFI or otherwise pay for information obtained via this RFI or in response to this notice. The FAA is not seeking or accepting unsolicited proposals. The FAA will not pay for any information received or costs incurred in preparing the response to the

RFI. Any costs associated with the RFI response submittals are solely at the interested party's expense. The FAA reserves the rights to have communication with any or none of the respondents and upon submittal, any documentation and information becomes the property of the FAA. The FAA reserves the right not to respond to any comments, questions, feedback, or information received from one or more than one respondent.

To the extent that information received in response to this RFI is proprietary or otherwise confidential commercial information, the vendor should mark its response with a restrictive legend. This information will be for the sole use of the FAA and will be treated confidentially.

Incumbent Contractor

The incumbent on the Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) contract (DTFAWA07-

C-00067) is L3Harris Technologies, Inc., Melbourne, Florida.

Nature of Competition

The acquisition strategy and the periods of performance for any potential procurements have not been determined at this time.

II. PURPOSE

The FAA is seeking to gain a better understanding of industry interest and capabilities to meet the Surveillance and Broadcast and Information Services (SBIS) requirements. This

RFI builds upon a previous RFI issued in April 2020, industry one-on-ones conducted in

November 2020, and a Virtual Surveillance Services Industry Week conducted March 30

– April 2, 2021. The purpose of this RFI is to:

• Provide information to industry about the existing Surveillance Broadcast

Services (SBS) services, SBIS enhancements, and opportunities for innovation.

• Seek feedback on the Service-Based acquisition approach.

• Seek feedback on the use of FAA Enterprise Network Services (FENS).

• Explore transition approaches and transition risk mitigation options.

• Seek industry input and recommendation on SBIS enhancement and innovation opportunities.

• Gain an understanding of security and resiliency capabilities.

• Obtain Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimates for specific service volumes, including development and first article costs.

The FAA will use the information from this RFI to assist in refining its acquisition alternatives and program requirements.

In addition to the information provided in this RFI, interested parties may reference the material from the Virtual Surveillance Services Industry Week conducted March 30th -

April 2, 2021. Material from Industry Week may be found at:

https://beta.sam.gov/opp/c7b6e208d4e447f4948497f89769e6b3/view https://beta.sam.gov/opp/c7b6e208d4e447f4948497f89769e6b3/view https://beta.sam.gov/opp/c7b6e208d4e447f4948497f89769e6b3/view

III. BACKGROUND

Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) services are currently provided by the Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS) contract DTFAWA-07-C-00067 (the

SBS contract.) The SBS contract provides ADS-B surveillance services. ADS-B is the

FAA’s preferred means of surveillance since the January 1, 2020 ADS-B Out mandate.

The SBS contract also provides Traffic Information Services-Broadcast (TIS-B), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Rebroadcast (ADS-R), Flight Information

ServicesBroadcast (FIS-B), and Wide Area Multilateration (WAM). The FAA has demonstrated that ADS-B, TIS-B, and FIS-B are viable technological solutions that meet today’s volume and complexity challenges, and will help meet the predicted increase in air traffic in the future.

The SBS contract is in the 14th year of an 18-year period of performance that ends in

August 2025. The FAA is currently conducting Concept and Requirements Definition

(CRD) to identify the most promising alternative approaches to satisfy the requirements for the acquisition of future surveillance services. The SBIS acquisition will replace the

SBS contract, build upon the FAA’s use of ADS-B as the preferred method of surveillance, and facilitate the potential use of innovative technologies. The FAA is considering opportunities where SBIS could support the evolving operational and security environment within the National Airspace System (NAS) and extend services to external partners (e.g., Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and commercial space operators).

The FAA is in the early acquisition planning process and is considering three acquisition strategy alternatives to provide SBIS: Service-Based, Government-Owned-and-Operated, and Government-Owned Contractor-Operated. Any of the stated alternative approaches may be used in the future procurement. For the purposes of this RFI, the FAA is seeking input on the Serviced-Based acquisition alternative. This purpose does not preclude submittal of information on the other possible acquisition strategy alternatives. Future

RFIs may be issued as necessary at a later time.

The Service-Based alternative may satisfy SBIS requirements through a single service provider, although FAA is considering separately procuring services for surveillance data processing and networking, and/or oceanic surveillance.

The FAA is considering how the SBIS network will integrate with other surveillance assets and FAA Enterprise Network Services (FENS). FENS provides a means to satisfy some of the data communications needs for the SBIS program. FENS will provide highly available, survivable, and secure network infrastructure (FISMA High) to support both intra-facility and inter-facility communication services. Additional details related to

FENS managed service requirements can be found in its’ Screening Information

Request’s “Attachment J-1 FENS Functional and Performance Specification” available at the following url: (https://sam.gov/opp/e9ce3ce997dc41819dedbb063b7bf180/view).

https://sam.gov/opp/e9ce3ce997dc41819dedbb063b7bf180/view https://sam.gov/opp/e9ce3ce997dc41819dedbb063b7bf180/view https://sam.gov/opp/e9ce3ce997dc41819dedbb063b7bf180/view

Buy American Act

Changes in applicable law, such as recent regulatory changes implementing the

BuyAmerican Act, may impact future SBIS requirements. The FAA recently updated its acquisition policy to ensure consistency with Executive Order 13881 “Maximizing Use of American Made Goods, Products, and Materials” dated July 18, 2019. The updates reflect the following changes:

1. Increase in domestic content requirement for domestic end products and domestic construction material from 50% to 55%;

2. Increase in price preferences for domestic offers from 12% to 30% for small businesses and from 6% to 20% for other than small;

3. Increase in percentage higher at which price of domestic construction material would be considered unreasonable from 6% to 20%.

The FAA continues to monitor Buy-American developments and encourages interested parties to remain current on future legislative and regulatory changes that may impact the

SBIS requirements.

National Defense Authorization Act

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act prohibits the Federal Government from obtaining or extending a contract to obtain “any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system” provided by certain companies or their subsidiaries. FAA’s Acquisition Policy also implements the provisions of Section 889(a) of the 2019 NDAA that prohibit agency procurement of certain “covered telecommunications equipment” and procurement from an entity that uses such equipment.

IV. ATTACHMENTS

SBS Existing Service Documentation

• Attachment 1 - SBS Services Description Document (Revision 4)

• Attachment 2 - ConOps for SBS (SBS‐006‐06‐20120626)

• Attachment 3 – Gulf of Mexico

• Attachment 4 - SBS ADS‐B and ADS‐R Critical Services Specification (FAA‐

E3011 Revision A)

• Attachment 5 - SBS Essential Services System Specification (FAA‐E‐3006

Revision B)

• Attachment 6 - WAM Critical Service Specification (FAA‐E‐3024_Revision A)

SBIS Service Information

• Attachment 7 – SBIS ConOps Supplement

• Attachment 8 – SBIS Service_Volume_Description_Document_2021-05-03 o

Includes SBIS_SCT_SV-T1_ADS-B_Coverage.kmz*

• Attachment 9 - Oceanic/Remote Service Specification (DRAFT)

• Attachment 10 - SBIS Implementation Considerations

* A variety of mapping applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS enable access to KMZ files. The Google Earth Pro desktop application is a common choice for opening KMZ files. KMZ files are Zip-compressed KML files. They can be opened by changing the .kmz file extension to .zip, then decompressing them with a Zip utility. The KML file can then be opened with a GIS application, such as Google Earth, Google Earth Pro, Blue Marble Geographics Global Mapper, or ESRI ArcGIS Pro. KML files can also be opened with a text editor, since they are saved in a plain text format.

SBIS RFI Response Files

• Attachment 11 - COST/ROM Template o FAA WBS 5.3 o RFI

Cost Template Summary o RFI Cost Template_Development First

Article o RFI Cost Template_Alaska En Route o RFI Cost

Template_Gulf of Mexico En Route o RFI Cost Template_SoCal Surface John Wayne Orange County o RFI Cost Template_ SoCal Surface Los Angeles o RFI Cost

Template_New York Oceanic o RFI Cost Template_ SoCal

Surface San Diego o RFI Cost Template_SoCal Terminal

• Attachment 12 - SBIS RFI-2 Comment and Question Matrix

V. REQUEST for INFORMATION

The FAA requests industry provide responses to the items below.

1. Acquisition Approach

a. The FAA plans to conduct a competitive acquisition and is considering a

ServiceBased acquisition with potential for separate procurements for surveillance processing and networking, and/or oceanic surveillance. Please discuss your recommended acquisition approach, SBIS architecture, and address:

i. Allocation of requirements, transition and operational risk considerations, innovation opportunities, and competitive landscape. Discuss how your preferred architecture facilitates transition.

ii. How your recommendation would address:

• Mechanisms to ensure that end-to-end performance metrics are achieved

• Allocation of performance requirements (e.g., latency, timing, update interval) as provided in Attachment 4: SBS ADS‐B and

ADS‐R Critical Services Specification.

• Mechanisms (e.g., requirements, performance incentives) the FAA should consider to ensure close collaboration and cooperation among awardees.

iii. Rationale for your recommended acquisition approach.

b. The FAA is interested in increasing the ability for vendors to offer a range of solutions that serve the oceanic/remote environments. Please provide your recommendations with respect to acquisition strategy or requirements definition to address services in oceanic and/or remote environments.

c. Currently, services are provided on a subscription per service, on a service volume basis. Additionally, there are performance-based incentives and disincentives. The FAA is interested in establishing an effective balance between incentives and disincentives for service performance and innovation. Please discuss your recommended pricing construct and construct for performance incentives/disincentives for a Service-Based acquisition.

d. Industry has expressed interest in the use of Other Transaction Agreements

(OTAs) as a way to engage (or collaborate with) the FAA during the investment analysis process. Please describe the purpose and objectives of any recommended

SBIS OTA. Include specific topics and activities that should be considered.

Discuss the timing of the OTA with respect to the proposed FAA acquisition timeline.

2. Network/Communications

The FAA is evaluating how FENS could be utilized for SBIS. There are multiple architectural options for integrating SBIS with FENS. These could include obtaining surveillance data from FAA-owned assets, delivering SBIS data to FAA facilities, providing SBIS surveillance data to authorized third parties, potentially providing interconnectivity of some SBIS vendor assets, or a combination of the above. For your recommended technical solution, please discuss the following:

a. Options for FENS that would fit into the overall architecture for your solution and any implications of using FENS within your architecture.

b. How your solution would integrate with FENS and the network services anticipated to be utilized from FENS within your network architecture.

c. Recommendations for the allocation of network performance requirements (e.g., availability, latency, timing, bandwidth, etc.).

d. Any risks, issues and/or opportunities associated with use of FENS and potential mitigation strategies for identified risks.

3. Transition

a. Provide a high-level transition approach and timeline, based on contract award in

December 2025. Please consider the FAA’s implementation considerations identified in Attachment 10. Provide any major assumptions and constraints associated with your transition approach.

b. During the transition period, in order to avoid undue frequency interference

(1030, 1090 and 978MHz) and account for coordination of the UAT channel management of the ground segment time slots, address how you would coordinate transmissions between the currently operational SBS system and the new SBIS system.

c. Please identify transition risks and discuss transition risk mitigation opportunities.

d. Discuss any technical suggestions that FAA could implement prior to SBIS contract award to mitigate transition risks.

4. Enhancements and Innovation

a. The FAA seeks to encourage innovative approaches and technology to fulfill

SBIS program objectives. Please provide any recommendations with respect to how the FAA structures its requirements that would facilitate innovative solutions. Please address any requirements that may inhibit innovative solutions.

b. Provide your approach to implement an open, standards-based architecture, including how you will integrate with the FAA’s current surveillance architecture and help the FAA evolve to an open, standards-based architecture.

c. Please describe what extended applications can be developed and integrated in your solution, in consideration of the new capabilities introduced by Minimum

Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) DO-260C and DO-282C1. Provide your suggestions for applications that could use the increased bandwidth enabled by Phase Overlay described in MOPS DO-260C. Explain how you could use the new capabilities to provide navigation services.

d. Describe your vision for implementing the new Alternate Position Navigation and

Timing (APNT) DOT timing requirements into radio designs, including how it will be integrated. Please address how you could use UAT ground stations as a timing reference for aviation users and what opportunities you foresee to utilize

UAT ground stations as a timing source for public use.

e. Discuss your capabilities for providing ADS-B surface surveillance at smaller airports. Please discuss the challenges with providing a surface surveillance capability using only ADS-B.

f. Describe how you would encourage/promote ADS-B equipage in areas where the rule is not applied. Please include how you would encourage/promote ADS-B equipage to facilitate the reduction and/or sunset of TIS-B services.

g. Describe how you would architect and deploy Surveillance Processing and

1 RTCA, a not-for-profit entity, provides access to a library of standards documents for the global aviation environment, including Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) DO-260C and DO-282C, https://my.rtca.org/nc__store.

https://my.rtca.org/nc__store https://my.rtca.org/nc__store

Networking (SPaN) functionality to integrate, process, and distribute

NAS surveillance services data, surveillance sensor data, and multi-sensor track data for ATC, surveillance service monitoring, traffic information services, extensible Traffic Management (xTM) services, and other surveillance-based services.

h. Discuss how you would provide ADS-B services in oceanic airspace and remote airspace (airspace in which deploying a ground-based infrastructure is challenging, due to mountains, water, etc.) considering the variations in aircraft equipage (e.g., bottom mounted antennas, UAT only equipage).

i. Describe your approach to providing aeronautical and weather products to aircraft operating in locations where geography does not support ground stations. Please discuss any additional features that you envision would be of benefit to the users of the service.

j. Describe how your solution would address ADS-B services in the Gulf of Mexico

(GOMEX).

k. With the emergence of commercial space, and new requirements within DO260C for high altitude and supersonic aircraft, describe how you would foresee providing coverage in the airspace above FL600, upwards to FL330000, and describe any other considerations that you would take into account (e.g. antenna directionality).

l. As industry is developing solutions for external applications like

UAS/UTM/xTM, describe how SBIS might be able to support cross integration/exchange of surveillance data.

5. Security/Resiliency

a. Please include any new technologies or capabilities for detecting, reporting, and responding to radio frequency interference, spoofing (ADS-B and timing sources), denial of service and/or independent validation.

b. Describe your solution and implementation approach for providing a resilient timing source, and how you ensure the accuracy of your timing signals. What is the capability of your system to compare timing references?

c. Describe your plan to provide resiliency of data from the sensors to control stations and services to the service delivery points.

d. If your solution leverages cloud technology, please discuss the potential security implications and mechanisms to satisfy security controls system categorized as high.

6. Cost

a. Using the templates (Attachment 11), please provide a ROM for your preferred technical solution to include all SBS services and the SBIS enhancements described in Attachment 7 for the following service volumes:

i. South California TRACON (SCT)

• Terminal (both ADS-B and WAM). Cost template reference: SV1.

• Three underlying surface ADS-B service volumes

1. Los Angeles (LAX). Cost template reference: SV2.

2. San Diego (SAN). Cost template reference: SV3.

3. John Wayne-Orange County (SNA). Cost template reference:

SV4.

ii. Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) En Route. Cost template reference: SV5.

iii. Alaska En Route. Cost template reference: SV6.

iv. New York Oceanic service volume. Cost template reference: SV7.

b. Please provide the methodology that may be used to extrapolate cost from the

ROM provided NAS-wide for all service volumes.

c. Please provide a ROM, using the Cost Template (Attachment 11) for development/first article costs.

d. Please use FAA’s Standard Work Breakdown Structure, version 5.3, to populate all the cost template models (Attachment 11).

RFI SUBMISSION INFORMATION

All responses to this RFI must be in writing. No oral responses will be accepted.

Format

All submittals must be provided in PDF format and are limited to 50 pages of text and charts, pictures, graphs; each page shall be laid out with 1” with text at least 12 pts in size. Titles must not exceed 14 point. Tables, charts, graphics, and figures must not use fonts smaller than 8 point. Cost ROMs must be submitted using the templates provided and are not subject to the page limitation. The Government is interested in feedback from industry on any of the topics within this RFI.

DEADLINE FOR RESPONSES: 5:00 PM EST on Tuesday, August 24, 2021

September 7, 2021

EMAIL ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION:

Respondents must submit responses to Phillip Moyers, FAA Contracting Officer, and

Aleksandra Skoric, FAA Contracts Specialist, at the following e-mail addresses:

Phillip.L.Moyers@faa.gov

Aleksandra.Skoric@faa.gov

QUESTIONS:

Any questions regarding this RFI must be submitted in writing by close of business on

July 13, 2021. Respondents must identify any proprietary questions. The FAA may, in its discretion, provide public responses to non-proprietary questions received. The FAA may provide responses to questions received on or before July 13, 2021 at the

Surveillance Broadcast and Information Services Virtual Industry Event, scheduled for

July 28, 2021. The FAA will provide written responses to questions prior to the closing date of this RFI. Please send your question(s) to Phillip Moyers, FAA Contracting

Officer, at Phillip.L.Moyers@faa.gov, and Aleksandra Skoric, FAA Contracts Specialist, at Aleksandra.Skoric@faa.gov.

The FAA may hold conversations, as needed with respondents to clarify any questions.

The FAA may hold industry one-on-one sessions following the assessment of responses.

END OF ANNOUNCEMENT