FCC BDC RFI_Automated Propagation 031822.docx

Request for Information – FCC Broadband Data Collection Propagation Tool

Request for Information – FCC Broadband Data Collection Propagation Tool

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

BROADBAND DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

This notice is published to determine the interest and capabilities of potential offerors.

Disclaimer

This notice is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for bids, quotes, or proposals. This notice does not obligate the Government to solicit for this requirement or award a contract and does not obligate the Government to reimburse interested parties for any costs incurred to prepare or provide a response to this request for information. While questions are welcome, the Government is not obligated to provide a response to any questions received in response to this Request for Information (RFI).

Introduction

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Data Task Force is seeking sources capable of meeting the objectives set forth below. We seek information about a vendor to provide an automation platform/software for commercial wireless services propagation modeling and planning capable of interfacing with our internal platform using industry standard Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and deployable on a Windows/Linux server and/or as a web service. We also seek information about support of propagation software integration services with our internal software as well as wireless network engineering data analyses and consulting services. One or multiple vendors could be used to meet these needs, and vendors are encouraged to respond to the RFI if they can meet only a subset of the requirements.

Background The Broadband DATA Act (BDA), enacted in March 2020, requires the FCC to improve its collection of broadband availability data across the country. Among other things, the BDA requires the FCC to establish processes to verify the coverage data collected from fixed and mobile wireless service providers as part of the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process, which will include but are not limited to evaluating the wireless link budgets, propagation modeling, network performance, network infrastructure, and other supporting data submitted to the FCC by fixed and mobile wireless service providers in support of their broadband coverage claims in a particular area. Mobile broadband service providers must submit network coverage maps based on standardized propagation model parameters, as well as supplemental data about how the maps were generated. In addition, service providers may submit on-the-ground speed test data or infrastructure data (or both), as well as potentially other data, as part of the FCC’s mobile challenge and verification processes.

Propagation Software The vendor would need to provide an automation platform/software for commercial wireless services propagation modeling and planning with all or a subset of the following requirements:

1. Supports modern wireless technologies and the technical parameters for modeling (e.g., 5G-NR, 4G LTE, UMTS/HSPA).

2. Existing, documented Software Development Kit (SDK) and/or support for industry- standard APIs (e.g., COM and/or REST) for integration with automated tools.

3. Deployable on a Windows/Linux server and/or as a web service.

4. Deployment scalability and flexibility (e.g., cloud based or on-premises).

5. Supports empirical, deterministic, and hybrid propagation models and model tuning (per drive test data correlation) for Sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave spectrum (e.g., Okumura-Hata and Cost-Hata, Irregular Terrain Model-Longley Rice, ITU, 3GPP).

6. Capability for model tuning of all above-mentioned or customized propagation model types (per drive test data correlation, potentially supported by the use of artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms) for Sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave spectrum.

7. Supports importing measured data for use in different analysis, including comparison with predictions of propagation models, and tune or build adaptive propagation models.

8. Acquires high (1-5m) and medium (10-30m) resolution cartographic data to produce and support modeling on high-resolution terrain, clutter, building, street, and other geographic data.

9. Supports statistical aspects of beamforming propagation and the ability to support beamforming antenna patterns (e.g., 2D (Horizontal and Vertical) beamforming, Massive MIMO 3D (Horizontal and Vertical) beamforming).

10. Supports network and crowd-source speed test data on selected clutter categories, including propagation model optimization, clutter loss optimization, and clutter height and dB/m loss customization for each category.

11. Coverage, signal quality, and capacity predictions with specified loading factor per cell(s) consideration (e.g., best server selection, interference, path loss, raytracing, line-of-sight analysis, DL RSSI, DL RSRP, DL RSRQ, DL SINR, DL throughput, UL PUSCH signal level, UL PUSCH SINR, UL transmission power, UL throughput).

12. Coverage map/data export to the common file formats (e.g., KML, SHP, etc.).

13. Supports and overlays GIS data from the open-source H3 geospatial indexing system within a coverage area and determines performance within an H3 hexagonal cell based on specified loading factors or thresholds.

14. Supports network file (e.g., ASCII format file) import to auto-configure network topologies including cell sites and all related parameters necessary for propagation modeling.

15. Supports analysis within a geographical area (e.g., state, county) that can be saved in a file with all the input and output technical details (e.g., infrastructure data and generated reports) and can be edited to add or remove technical data.

16. Batch modeling capability for multiple geographical locations around the U.S.

Software Integration Services The vendor would need to be able to provide:

1. Complete integration of the vendor’s propagation modeling software platform with the Government’s BDC system using APIs such that the platform will be able to retrieve infrastructure information from and send results to the BDC system.

2. Support—including technical support—for the integration of the vendor’s platform with the Government’s system, of open APIs to access the geographical data, and of the ability to integrate new custom propagation model(s).

Wireless Network Engineering Data Analyses and Consulting Services

The vendor would need to have significant experience on wireless engineering and consulting projects (e.g., design and deployment of a mobile LTE or 5G-NR network in a metro market) and be able to provide services related to the following:

1. Wireless network design, RF planning, and network optimization (e.g., site selection, coverage optimization, interference analyses, capacity solutions, carrier aggregation studies, RF planning tool experience, and network design trade-off).

2. RF link budgets and propagation modeling analyses (e.g., LTE/5G-NR link budgets analyses, SINR and fade margins analyses, experience with propagation models for sub-6GHz and millimeter-wave, propagation model optimization).

3. Wireless technology radio link and network layer throughput simulation and measurement analyses (e.g., 3GPP LTE and 5G-NR system simulation, carrier aggregation, spectral efficiency studies, throughput vs. SINR distribution, performance/RF metrics studies, core network congestion simulation).

4. Data processing and GIS analyses (e.g., GIS software experience, geographical data (terrain, clutter, building) experience, network infrastructure data experience, drive test processing experience, crowd-source speed test data processing experience, design vs. measured performance metrics studies).

RFI Questions:

The Government requests that respondents confine their responses to the information requested below. All responses to this RFI should focus on the specific categories of information requested. Respondents are encouraged to include responses to the items listed below and, depending on the responder’s capability, may respond to all or only a subset of these items. Please identify your responses by the numeric item below to which it responds or, if that is not feasible, by lettered topic. Reponses to the RFI should not exceed 15 pages (excluding a cover page, table of contents, and any company portfolio).

In response to the RFI, please provide the following information:

Table 1

Corporate Overview

1.11

Please share any questions you would be likely to ask if the requirements attached were included, as is, as part of the final solicitation.

Table 2

Capabilities and Approaches

Please include:

· Name of Client Organization;

· Contract Number;

· Period of Performance;

· Dollar Value;

· Contact Information for Client Reference (Email & Phone); and

· Detailed description of Relevant Products and Tasks Performed.

Submission Instructions:

Responses shall be emailed to Teresa.Dailey@fcc.gov on or before 1:00pm ET, Friday, April 1, 2022. Responses by phone will not be accepted. The subject line shall state: “<INSERT VENDOR NAME>, BDC Propagation Tool - RFI Response”.

Please address your response to:

Teresa F. Dailey Contracting Officer Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Office of the Managing Director (OMD) Enterprise Acquisition Center (EAC)