RFI No.: 70RSAT26RFI000005

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Title: 5G Deployable Systems

NOTE: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and market research planning purposes. This RFI shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government. This is NOT a Request for Quotations or Proposals. No solicitation document exists, and the Government may or may not issue a formal solicitation as a result of the responses received to this RFI.

The Government will not pay for any response or demonstration expenses. All costs incurred responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Failure to respond to this

RFI will not preclude participation in any future solicitation. Any information received will become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the submitter. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or sensitive information.

The Government’s explicit intent, in this RFI, is to not receive from respondents any proprietary data, trade secrets, business sensitive information, or information considered CONFIDENTIAL under 18 U.S.C. §1905. The Government’s constraint does not in any way relieve contractors from their responsibility to properly mark proprietary data when it is provided, nor does it alleviate any requirement for the Government to protect marked data. The Government is not obligated to protect unmarked data.

The information provided in this RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government.

All submissions become the property of the Federal Government and will not be returned.

I. PURPOSE OF THIS RFI

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is seeking information from vendors regarding deployable 5G systems to support operational needs.

This RFI is intended to gather technical, operational, and cost-related information to inform future procurement decisions. Responses should address the requirements outlined below and provide detailed information about the capabilities of your systems.

II. INFORMATION REQUEST

A. System Design and Integration

• Physical characteristics (size, weight, ingress protection rating)

• Power requirements (AC/DC, voltage range, battery options)

• Interfaces (fiber, Ethernet, etc.)

• Portability (e.g. man-portable, freight, carry-on/checked luggage)

• Core network (local/cloud-based); (virtualization options)

• Platform integration (e.g., vehicle-mounted, airborne)

• Supported radio access technologies (4G LTE, 5G NSA, 5G SA, ORAN)

• Frequency Bands Supported - list of supported bands (e.g., n79, n41, etc.)

• Frequency Band Configuration - number of bands that can be configured simultaneously and if multiple bands can be supported and if hardware swap is required.

• Antenna (number and types of ports, supported antenna types; recommended antenna sizes and configurations; options to support different bands)

• Current Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

• Manufacturing Origin - identify where the system and its key components are manufactured and assembled.

B. Capacity, Performance, and Features

• Maximum simultaneous users

• Scalability (additional users, bands and gNodeBs, network setup (can we connect multiple gNodeBs to cover a larger area)

• Coverage area (typical and maximum under various deployment scenarios)

• Summarize the system’s expected data performance (throughput, latency, bandwidth, and QoS) including how it supports multiple users and critical applications. Indicate whether uplink/downlink resource allocation is configurable and describe any limits or constraints on uplink‑ vs. downlink‑biased operation.

• Application server support (e.g., TAK, PTT)

C. Deployment, Provisioning, and Maintenance

• Setup and tear-down requirements and timeframes

• Self-configuration and automated deployment options (multiple gNodeBs)

• Interference detection and channel scanning (e.g., n79 band alerts)

• Subscriber configuration and provisioning (devices/User Equipment (UE) supported, manual/automated, management tools)

• For private/public access, deployables that can operate on mobile service provider networks (e.g. FirstNet, Verizon) should define how access is controlled or limited to DHS-authorized users only.

• Operator vs Adminstrator training requirements

• Software/firmware update procedures

• Remote diagnostics and troubleshooting

D. Security, Interoperability, and Compliance

• Data encryption and cybersecurity features

• Network resilience and failover mechanisms

• Standards compliance (3GPP, ORAN, FCC, EMI/EMC)

• Interoperability with other networks and multi-vendor support

• Environmental tolerance (temperature, humidity, ruggedization)

E. Cost, Documentation, and Support

• Lifecycle cost estimates (acquisition, operation and maintenance)

• Licensing fees

• Technical documentation (setup, operation, troubleshooting)

• Customer support options (24/7, on-site, remote)

• Warranty coverage and duration

III. RFI RESPONDENTS SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC

INFORMATION:

1. A detailed description of the system capabilities addressing all categories listed above.

2. Supporting technical documentation, diagrams, and specifications.

3. Include any relevant test results, certifications, or performance benchmarks that demonstrate the system’s capabilities in these areas.

4. Cost estimates and pricing models.

IV. AVAILABILITY FOR A DEMONSTRATION

S&T would like to conduct a demonstration of the system. Please indicate the earliest date on which support for a demonstration can be provided and include the availability of equipment and personnel to conduct a 1-to-2-day demonstration. Availability should specify the availability of

User Equipment (UE) provisioned to work on the Demonstration System. UEs may include any combinations of modems, smartphones, cameras etc.

V. TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVELS

S&T interest is based on the extent to which the technology represents a particular class or level of capability. Respondent technologies should be at TRL 7 or higher.

• TRL 7 - System prototyping demonstration in an operational environment: System prototyping demonstration in operational environment. System is at or near scale of the operational system, with most functions available for demonstration and test. Well integrated with collateral and ancillary systems. Limited documentation available.

• TRL 8 - Actual system completed and "mission qualified" through test and demonstration in an operational environment: End of system development. Fully integrated with operational hardware and software systems. Most user documentation, training documentation, and maintenance documentation completed. All functionality tested in simulated and operational scenarios.

Verification and Validation (V&V) completed.

• TRL 9 - Actual system "mission proven" through successful mission operations: Fully integrated with operational hardware/software systems. Actual system has been thoroughly demonstrated and tested in its operational environment. All documentation completed. Successful operational experience. Sustaining engineering support in place.

VI. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The Vulcan platform (https://vulcan-sof.com/) will be used to obtain responses for this DHS

S&T RFI. Vulcan is a platform developed by the U.S. Government to serve as an innovation ecosystem for the discovery of capabilities of interest to U.S. National Security. Vulcan is https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvulcan-sof.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cyared.alemayehu%40associates.hq.dhs.gov%7C046e4751970a48cea02908de3682cd00%7C3ccde76c946d4a12bb7afc9d0842354a%7C0%7C0%7C639008132571481051%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FTj4ec4iCOH1%2B%2BBD0jgnn6fsxK2kyCZx5lUXx2B4z70%3D&reserved=0 intended to be an unclassified technology awareness and collaboration platform based on voluntary participation. Vulcan is not an acquisition management or source selection tool. There is no cost to create a Vulcan account and submit information in response to this RFI.

A description of the Vulcan platform is provided below. New users to Vulcan can access the website by clicking on “Join” at https://vulcan-sof.com/login/ng2/auth/login and following the steps to request a new user account.

Vulcan Help Page: https://vulcan.navy/about-us/vulcan-page/faq-com365/

Direct Link to RFI Response Submission page: https://vulcan-sof.com/login/ng2/submission?collectionUuid=179dadc5-0920-40f3-943e-573e139f3fe7

By submitting a response, respondents acknowledge that all responses to this RFI shall be submitted only via the Vulcan platform and in accordance with the Vulcan Terms and

Conditions. Responses provided outside of Vulcan or to DHS directly will not be considered.

Respondents are highly encouraged to become familiar with Vulcan’s Terms and Conditions and the Vulcan Privacy Policy prior to account registration.

Participation in this RFI response does not transfer any rights to intellectual property.

Responses must be submitted no later than NOON Eastern Time, March 02, 2026.

Send any questions to the John Whipple, Contracting Officer, john.whipple@hq.dhs.gov and

Frances Gray, Contract Specialist, frances.gray@hq.dhs.gov

The Government reserves the right to hold one-on-one meetings as a result of responses received from this RFI as part of its market research. Meetings may be held in particular with vendors who provide comprehensive responses to the questions posed.

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