RFI-ACT-SACT-04-2026 Questionnaire.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 37 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- RFI-ACT-SACT-04-2026
About this file
This is a Request for Information (RFI) questionnaire supporting the NATO Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) Enhanced Tactical Connectivity (eTacC) capability development. The RFI seeks alternative solutions from nations, industry, and academia to meet operational requirements for a communications, networking, and information management capability that enables multi-domain situational awareness and addresses Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) tactical communication connectivity gaps. NATO welcomes both complete and partial solutions that align with the program's vision, and the questionnaire emphasizes that innovative approaches are encouraged even if they do not satisfy the full set of requirements.
The questionnaire comprises 58 detailed capability assessment questions organized across multiple evaluation dimensions. Key requirement areas include: relay, gateway, and translator functionality; multi-bearer, multi-waveform, and multi-protocol support; ad-hoc networking; coalition and joint force interoperability; modular and scalable design; Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) optimization; Advanced Networking and Quality of Service; enhanced security and cryptographic capabilities; AI and Machine Learning integration; data translation and transformation; planning and automation; user-centric design; resilience in contested environments; NATO and U.S. standards alignment; and lifecycle support. Respondents must provide technical specifications including Technology Readiness Level (TRL), NATO standard compliance, cryptographic capabilities, AI/ML integration, legacy system compatibility, computational capabilities, interface design, and maintenance schedules. Completed questionnaires should be submitted to the Technical and Contracting Points of Contact identified in accompanying correspondence. This RFI does not constitute a commitment to issue a future RFP, and respondents bear all costs associated with submission.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFI-ACT-SACT-04-2026.pdf |
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
READ ME
Alliance Future Surveillance and Control - enhanced Tactical Connectivity (eTacC)-Survey to the Nations, Industry and Academia
PURPOSE
This survey allows Nations/Industry to offer potential alternative solutions for consideration to meet the operational requirement for the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme, "enhanced Tactical Connectivity (eTacC)" element. The information collected in this survey will be used in support of the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for this future AFSC eTacC capability to be conducted by HQ Supreme Allied Commander Transformation's (HQ SACT). This survey could help to find a buy or create solution and expedite the capability delivery.
Parties interested in responding to this survey for the AFSC eTacC capability programme are asked to complete this questionnaire, and are cordially invited to participate and submit in due time. Participants will be able to enhance their understanding of the programme as well.
Important note: NSPA and ACT are seeking innovative solutions to meet any of the needs/requirements outlined in the background section below. It is perfectly acceptable if a proposed solution does not meet the full set of requirements; NSPA and ACT still welcomes alternate/partial solutions that serve the need and vision of the NATO.
BACKGROUND
Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme seeks to distribute functionality across a vast array of sensors and C2 nodes, by exploiting the ability to transport data across multiple high throughput channels and aggregate heterogenous information streams into a useful operational picture. It is intended to archive an interconnected system-of-systems that together has a greater capability than the simple sum of its parts and enable of fusion of multi-domain information as a basis for multi-domain action.
The eTacC capability is a communications, networking, and information management capability that seeks to enable multi-domain situational awareness. It will provide the ability for computer systems to exchange data with unambiguous meaning. The eTacC capability will address the existing Beyond-Line-of Sight (BLOS) tactical communication connectivity gaps.
The desire of NATO is that eTacC shall provide:
1. Relay, Gateway, and Translator Functionality
2. Multi-Bearer, Multi-Waveform, and Multi-Protocol Support
3. Ad-Hoc Networking
4. Interoperability Across Coalition and Joint Forces
5. Modular and Scalable Design
6. Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) Optimization
7. Advanced Networking and Quality of Service (QoS)
8. Enhanced Security and Cryptographic Capabilities
9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Integration
10. Data Translation and Transformation
11. Planning, Management, and Automation
12. User-Centric Design and Interface
13. Resilience in Contested Environments
14. Alignment with NATO and U.S. Standards
15. Lifecycle Support and Maintainability In order to:
| • | Improve Multi Domain (MDO) situational awareness (SA) and common operational picture (COP) for enhanced decision making at tactical and higher levels of command. |
| • | Contribute to cross-domain battlespace connectivity, data exchange and interoperability networking, while allowing multinational and multi-domain interop. |
| • | Ensure technological and information advantage over potential adversaries by providing space-based surveillance data to the tactical level. |
| • | Provide real-time access to reliable resolution capabilities to allow efficient detecting and monitoring of moving objects in the area of interest. |
| • | Provide more communications pathways, through gateways, to ensure that critical data and command informant can be exchanged and be available to sensors and effectors to joint force. |
| • | Increase the survivability of NATO forces by distribution of sensors, multiple communications paths, and supportability of dispersed C2 nodes and platforms that will increase complexity of adversary’s systems targeting. |
| INSTRUCTIONS |
1. Interested parties are kindly requested to propose capabilities they assess as related to AFSC eTacC capability by completing the questions in Capability Overview Survey TAB as comprehensively as possible.
2. NSPA and ACT kindly request that Nations/Industry inform NATO of their interest and ability to provide their capability for NATO as a buy or create option.
3. If you want to ask or comment about the items here, please refer to the numbering of item given with the item, not excell page header.
4. Emailed responses of the completed survey should be sent to: both the Technical and Contracting POCs listed on page 2 of the letter document. Any questions regarding the survey may also be submitted to the POCs as well.
&"Calibri"&10&K000000 NATO UNCLASSIFIED&1#_x000D_&"Calibri"&11&K000000&"Arial,Bold"&12NATO UNCLASSIFIED &"Arial,Regular"&12ENCLOSURE 1 TO
ACT/CAPDE/CAP/TT-8438/SR:NU
DATED MAR 24
&"Arial,Regular"&12&P&"Arial,Bold" NATO UNCLASSIFIED_x000D_&1#&"Calibri"&10&K000000 NATO UNCLASSIFIED
1. Capability Overview
| Capability Overview | |
| Please complete the yellow cells. | General: Recommend using "system" and "product" terminology consistently to seek answers at both levels. See changes in original question highlighted in yellow color. |
| 1. What is the name of your system (please expand acronyms) and give a brief description of it? (If your company produces variety of products which contributes to the system, please list them in order and briefly describe each product in the system) |
2.Is your current system exportable to NATO? (E.2 Availability)
3. Describe the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of your system and products separately. (E.2 Availability)
4. Have your system/products been tested in any NATO or multi-national exercise or event (Coalition Warrior Interoperability Exercise (CWIX), NATO operational experimentaion etc)? (E.4 Interoperability)
5. What waveforms and protocols are supported by your system or each product? Please also refer to relevant standards. (C1 Connecting)
6. What is the approximate form factor and size, weight, and power of your system? If your system is distributed (not integrated into a single box) please provide same information for each product. (E5 Deployability)
7. What NATO standards have been implemented in your system? Please include physical (e.g. STANAG 3441) and logical (e.g. STANAG 5661) standards, precising the type of implementation for standards covering several profiles and the version of the standard. (E4 Interoperability)
8. What is your organization's history developing products along this line? (E2 Availability)
9. Please describe how your products achieve the goals of net-centricity. Please also explain this from a system perspective. (E4 Interoperability)
10. Please describe how your system adheres to (or can support) NATO's Zero Trust architecture and Data Centric Reference Architecture. (C2 Communicating)
11.Please describe how each of your product enables data centricity. Please also explain this from a system perspective. Please refer to the applicable standards. (E4 Interoperability)
12. Please provide the list of tactical data link messages for which your system/product provides translation service to a different message format and give examples of how your system/product implements STANAG 5616 for this translation service.(E4 Interoperability)
13.Please describe how your system protects sovereign data (E1 Force Protection)
14. Please describe how your system or each product uses cryptography to ensure confidentiality and integrity of data. (E1 Force Protection)
15.Please describe how your products enable software defined networking in terms of the waveform iteself. Please also describe how your system enables software defined network management between different networks. Please refer to relevant standards. (C1 Connecting)
16. Please describe how your system will work within and or extend current communications networking and mission planning architectures across NATO alliance members. (S1 Collecting)
17. Please describe how your current or proposed product would integrate between civilian and military communications networks (C1 Connecting)
18. How does your system handle data transfer between the networks which have different security classifications? (E4 Interoperability)
19. Does your system or any component/product in the system require licensing and licensing cost? (E.2 Availability)
20. How does your system optimize SWaP for airborne tactical edge operations? (E5 Deployability)
21. Can the system operate efficiently in power-constrained environments? (E5 Deployability)
22. Explain how your system addresses co-site interference in environments with multiple co-located communication systems. (E2 Availability)
23. What techniques or technologies (e.g., filtering, frequency management) are employed to mitigate interference? (E2 Availability)
24. Describe the compatibility of your system/products with existing and emerging radio terminals. (E4 Interoperability)
25. Can the system integrate with NATO's legacy communication systems and waveforms? If yes, please list the interoperable communication system and waveforms by adding standard information. (E4 Interoperability)
26. What are the computational capabilities of your system? (E3 Upgradability)
27. How does the system handle high-throughput data processing at the tactical edge? (C1 Connecting)
28. Can the compute resources be scaled based on mission requirements? (E3 Upgradability)
29. Provide details on the cryptographic capabilities of your system. (C2 Communicating)
30. How does the system ensure secure communication and data transmission? (C2 Communicating)
31.Is your system and products compliant with NATO cryptographic standards? Please refer to relevant standards. (E1 Force Protection)
32. Describe the modularity of your system (E5 Deployability)
33. How does the design facilitate rapid upgrades, repairs, and component replacement? (E3 Upgradability)
34. What is the expected lifecycle and maintenance schedule? (E2 Availability)
35. What communication bearers, waveforms, and protocols are supported? Please refer to relevant standards. (E4 Interoperability)
36. Please list potential future waveforms protocols, TDLs and schemas which are foreseen to be implemented in your solution. (C1 Connecting)
37. How does the system enable interoperability across diverse communication systems? (E4 Interoperability)
38. Can your system dynamically adapt to changing communication environments? (C2 Communicating)
39. Describe the networking capabilities of your system. (C3 Managing Information)
40. How does the system support ad-hoc network creation and management? (C3 Managing Information)
41. Can your system be integrated with NATO's existing network infrastructure? (E4 Interoperability)
42. Does your system enable data-centric cataloging and data distribution? (E4 Interoperability)
43. How does your system handle data transformation and translation across different protocols and formats?(E4 Interoperability)
44. Can the system enable seamless data exchange between legacy and modern systems? (E4 Interoperability)
45. Are there non-open standards or interfaces implemented in the system. (E4 Interoperability)
46. Describe how AI/ML capabilities are integrated into your system. (E4 Interoperability)
47. How does AI/ML enhance decision-making, network optimization, and data analysis? (S2 Processing)
48. Can the system learn and adapt to evolving operational scenarios? (T2 Orienting)
49. How does your system align with NATO's current tactical communications capabilities? (C3 Managing Information)
50. Does your system incorporate third-party components and technologies? If yes, please briefly explain. (E4 Interoperability)
51.Provide detail if your system/product include non-open standards or interfaces. (E4 Interoperability)
52. Please describe how your organization addresses open systems architecture from a risk management and financial standpoint (E4 Interoperability)
53. Describe the user interface and its usability in operational environments.(E5 Deployability)
54. How does the interface support intuitive operation and situational awareness? (T2 Orienting)
55. Is the system compatible with various platforms (e.g., Windows, Linux, Android)? (E4 Interoperability)
56. How does your system support mission planning and network management? In particular, explain the degree of integration of the network management with the cyber security functions and the degree of automation. (C3 Managing Information)
57. Can the system provide real-time monitoring and diagnostics? (E4 Interoperability)
58. Describe the tools and interfaces available for managing the system.(E4 Interoperability)
&"Calibri"&10&K000000 NATO UNCLASSIFIED&1#_x000D_&"Calibri"&11&K000000&"Arial,Bold"&12NATO UNCLASSIFIED
&"Arial,Regular"&12 2&"Arial,Bold" NATO UNCLASSIFIED_x000D_&1#&"Calibri"&10&K000000 NATO UNCLASSIFIED
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .