NGC2 SBU-E Transport Hardware RFI_ 14APR2025.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - Sensitive But Unclassified - Encrypted (SBU-E) Transport Hardware for Tactical Assured Voice and Data Classification

• Original Set Aside:

• Product Service Code: 5820 - RADIO AND TELEVISION COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, EXCEPT AIRBORNE

• NAICS Code:

o 334220 - Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing

• Place of Performance:

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005

USA

Description

1. Description

1.1 The Project Manager for Tactical Radios (PM TR) seeks industry interest regarding the availability of SBU-E transport solutions for tactical assured voice and data. PM TR anticipates the need for 6000 SBU-E transport solutions for tactical assured voice and data, and ancillaries, with delivery starting 1 NOV 2025 and completing by 1 MAR 2026.

1.2 THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION: The Government is not obligated to make an award as a result of this request. This Request for Information (RFI) is for informational purposes only;

this is not an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Proposal (RFP), or Request for Quotation (RFQ). No solicitation document exists, and a formal solicitation will not be issued by the Government because of the responses to this RFI. The Government will not be liable for payment of any preparation expenses in response to this RFI and is in no way obligated by the information received. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to, or as a result of, this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. The information provided will be used by the Government for the purpose of conducting market research. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the website for additional information pertaining to this RFI.

1.3 The information provided may be used by the Army in developing its acquisition strategy or developing system Performance Specification. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 334220 with a Small Business Size Standard of 1250 employees.

2. Background The Army desires to rapidly prototype a Heavy Infantry Division with an innovative SBU-E transport solution for tactical assured voice and data, which will contribute to an Army-wide, data-centric Command and Control (C2) transformation. In addition to having an interoperable, agile-compliant solution, the Army is looking to push the bounds of communication within the tactical edge. While navigating the requirements below, we are looking for a rapid, commercial hardware solution that transports tactical-level SBU-E communications in mounted/ dismounted platforms.

3. Responses

3.1 White Paper: Interested parties are required to respond to this RFI with a white paper. White papers shall be in Microsoft Word for Office 2000 compatible format.

Respondents are asked to identify their solution(s) that could answer the questions and inquiries in section 3, table 1, and sections 3.4.2 to 3.4.10. Respondents may provide supporting documentation along with their submissions. Responses shall be limited no more than 15 pages for the entire submission (including company information, answers to technical questions, supporting documentation, etc.) Responses are due NLT 25 APR 2025, 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST) and must be submitted via e-mail only to the Government Points of Contact (POCs): Contracting Officer Jennifer Anderson (jennifer.d.anderson57.civ@army.mil) and Contract Specialist Geoffrey Erhart (geoffrey.r.erhart.civ@army.mil).

3.2 Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. In addition to Government civilians, Government support contractors may review and evaluate the whitepaper submission. If any respondent does not currently have a Proprietary Data Protection Agreement (PDPA) that would permit the support contractors listed below to review and evaluate white papers submitted in response to this RFI, the respondent is requested to sign PDPAs with these support contractors for this purpose. The following is a list of support contractor Points of Contacts who will review the responses:

XEBRA Engineering Corporation, Charles Wright, chaswright@xebraengineering.com

Netwerx LLC, Haisheng Wang, WangHS@netwerxinc.com Defense Acquisition Support Services, LLC., Daniel Sullivan, daniel.sullivan4@dasservicesllc.com

3.3 Company Information. The response should provide the following information:

i. Contact Information: Company name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.

ii. Availability of your proposed solution for purchasing through an existing multiple award IDIQ contract vehicle, such as Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and Common Hardware Solutions (CHS).

3.4 Technical Questions. Respond to the following questions:

3.4.1 – Describe the ability of your solution to answer the questions and requests in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Characteristics of SBU-E Transport for Tactical Assured Voice and Data

Topic Row

Questions and Requests

Basic Features

Does your proposed solution provide a rapid self-healing and self-forming MANET? Please describe.

Does your proposed solution provide peer to peer networking (no master node)? Please describe.

3 Does your proposed solution provide Layer 2 network connectivity? Please describe.

4 Is your proposed solution intuitive and easy –to-learn? Please describe.

Scalability 5 Does your proposed solution have hop limits? Please describe.

6 What is the maximum number of nodes that your proposed solution can achieve for supporting mass scalability? Please describe.

Range/ Voice/Data 7 Is your system capable of a minimum 50Mbps data rate for 2 node Point to Point, assuming open terrain at 5km range? Please describe.

mailto:chaswright@xebraengineering.com

8 What is the maximum distance between nodes (maximum point to point range), assuming open terrain? Please describe.

9 Is your solution capable of maintaining Assured Voice? (Describe methodology and maximum number of talk groups)

Describe the performance of your proposed solution in an open terrain, dismounted configuration in terms of range, nodes and data rate. Assume dismounted includes a 2-meter above ground level antenna.

Describe the performance of your proposed solution in an open terrain, mounted configuration in terms of range, nodes and data rate. Assume mounted includes 5-meter above ground level antenna.

Describe the performance of your proposed solution in a dense terrain (foliage/partially obstructed), dismounted configuration in terms of range, nodes and data rate. Provide location where this was tested. Assume dismounted includes a 2-meter above ground level antenna.

Describe the performance of your proposed solution in a dense terrain (foliage/partially obstructed), mounted configuration in terms of range, nodes and data rate. Provide location where this was tested. Assume mounted includes 5-meter above ground level antenna.

Environment

Provide any information in compliance with MIL-STD-810H Change Notice 1 (May 2022) to include, but not limited to: High and Low Temperature, Temperature Shock, Vibration, Humidity, and Salt Corrosion.

Describe the ability of your solution to meet safety criteria for prolonged handling and momentary contact in accordance with Human Factors Engineering: MIL-STD-1472H dated 15 September 2020.

Platform Integration

Describe your ability to mount your proposed solution into vehicle platforms in the following scenarios:

1. Outside-the-turret “Jerk and run” integration kit

2. Integration into existing vehicle mount installation kits (i.e., HMS or SINCGARS)

17 Provide maximum power draw and VDC.

18 Provide minimum/maximum volts input.

System of Systems

Describe your tool (software and hardware) for planning the network and loading SBU-E keys.

Describe the availability of APIs to interface with your proposed solution.

21 Does your solution wirelessly interface with a Government Furnished Equipment End User Device, and how?

22 Does your solution wirelessly interface with a headset? If so, are you able to provide the headsets, and how?

Integration/ Security/ Electronic Protection

Describe your Ability to implement IPv4 and IPv6.

24 Provide your current National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) approval documentation, or plan to obtain NIAP approval.

Provide your NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Algorithms for Encryption with FIPS 140-2 certification for COMSEC and TRANSEC; or plan to migrate before NIST key deadlines for retiring legacy encryption algorithms.

Provide your NIST PQC Algorithms for (1) Software Signing, (2) Mission Plan Signing, (3) Over the Air Commands; or plan to migrate before NIST key deadlines for retiring legacy encryption algorithms

Provide your current IATT or Authority to Operate (ATO) approvals or ability to provide documentation to enable IATT or ATO approvals for your proposed solution.

Provide your TRANSEC solutions and resiliency features to include, but not limited to, Low Probability of Detect, Low Probability of Intercept, Low Probability of Geolocation, Low Probability of Exploitation and Anti-jam Features.

29 Provide list of foreign manufacturers of components and mitigation strategies, and any supply chain analysis report such as an Illumination.

30 Describe your ability to implement Zero Trust principles.

Describe your ability to operate in Disrupted, Degraded, Intermittent and Low-bandwidth (DDIL) environments and explain any impact on performance.

Spectrum 32 Provide equipment spectrum certification and host nation coordination.

33 Provide all modes TX/RX (minimum 2x2 MIMO or equivalent performance).

34 Describe your configurable channel bandwidth, i.e. what channel sizes can you support?

35 Describe your ability to support global spectrum availability.

Describe the frequency bands that your solution can operate in and any additional hardware required to do so.

Size, Weight and Power 37

Describe your Size, Weight, and Power footprint with receiver/transmitter, antennas and battery power for an eight-hour mission.

Provide battery hours to power proposed solution without conformal wearable battery.

Advanced Features

Describe the ability of your solution to connect wirelessly (e.g., Bluetooth) to an End User Device and/or Headset on the soldier.

Describe the ability of your solution to provide a local wireless network (e.g., WiFi), connecting multiple users’ End User Devices. Include the maximum number of connections.

41 Is your solution capable of providing simultaneous connections as an advantage node?

42 List the waveforms with which your solution is capable of cross-banding, if any.

Quantity/Lead Time

Provide your plan for incrementally delivering 6000 units, with ancillaries, planning tool, and install kits or adaptors, starting 1 NOV 2025 and completing 1 MAR 2026.

44 Provide unit prices (see section 3.4.10, table 2 below)

45 Provide lead times for each quantity range (see section 3.4.10)

Training 46 Provide your training plan, documentation, and estimated timeframe for delivery.

3.4.2 – Describe your hardware and waveform, and provide examples of use in an operational environment.

3.4.3 – Describe any testing you have conducted on your proposed solution for mounted and dismounted operations. Modeling and Simulation solutions may be included.

3.4.4 – Describe any testing you have conducted on your proposed solution in open and dense environments (see table 1, rows 10-13). Modeling and Simulation may be included.

3.4.5 – Describe any additional testing you have conducted on your proposed solution e.g., Environmental, Scalability, Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3), Safety, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Cybersecurity, Electronic Attack, Electronic Support, Interoperability, and Performance.

3.4.6 Describe the product warranty options and costs of your proposed solution, and associated ancillaries, if any, in table 2 below.

3.4.7 Describe your ability to provide training and/or associated materials for your proposed solution.

3.4.8 Describe your assessment of the technical and programmatic risks associated with request and respective risk mitigation approaches.

3.4.9 Describe your ability to provide your solution as-a-Service.

3.4.10 Provide your company’s Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) purchase cost estimate for the following range quantities. Provide ROM broken out by each component of your solution as applicable (i.e., main, ancillary equipment, license(s), etc.) and explicitly identify any cost driver(s):

Table 2. Quantity Ranges and Pricing

Quantity Range Base Price of Solution

Base Price of Solution + Ancillary Kit (antennas, headsets, etc.)

Base Price of Install Kits/Adaptors

Warranty Duration and Price

1501-2000 2001-2500 2501-3000

3001-3500 3501-4000 4001-4500 4501-5000 5001-5500 5501-6000 6000-6500

4. Meetings and Discussions The Government representatives may or may not choose to meet with respondents to this RFI. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

5. Questions Questions regarding this announcement and requests that require a response that includes Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) shall be submitted in writing via e-mail, NLT 17 APR 2025, 12:00 PM EST, to the following Government POCs: Contracting Officer Jennifer Anderson (jennifer.d.anderson57.civ@army.mil) and Contract Specialist Geoffrey Erhart (geoffrey.r.erhart.civ@army.mil). Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.

6. Summary THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify sources that can provide SBU-E Transport for Tactical Assured Voice and Data. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Contact Information

Contracting Office Address

• HQ CECOM CONTRACTING CENTER 6565 SURVEILLANCE LOOP

• ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD 21005-1846

• USA

Primary Point of Contact

• Jennifer Anderson

• jennifer.d.anderson57.civ@army.mil

• Phone Number: 443-327-9278

Secondary Point of Contact

• Geoffrey Erhart

• geoffrey.r.erhart.civ@army.mil

• Phone Number: 520-671-2227