RFI - DOC NTIA FSDS Modernization 20230831.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ENTERPRISE SERVICES-ACQUISITION

Enterprise Services - Acquisition

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for Federal Spectrum Data Systems Modernization (FSDS)

Request for Information (RFI)

I. Disclaimer

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI does NOT constitute a Request for Proposal and is not to be construed as a commitment, implied or otherwise, by the Government that a procurement action will be issued. Response to this notice is not a request to be added to a bidders list or to receive a copy of a solicitation. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of the requested information.

No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and any follow up information requests. Responses to this RFI may be considered in the future determination of an appropriate acquisition strategy for the program. The Government may not respond to any specific questions or comments submitted in response to this RFI or information provided as a result of this request. Any information submitted by respondents as a result of this notice is strictly voluntary. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Sam.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

II. Introduction

The purpose of the RFI is to seek industry’s perspective on the solutions, approach and the information necessary for them to submit informed responses to a future request for proposal (RFP) and to enable vendors to submit questions, concerns, and meaningful information to the Government regarding the requirements.

A key mission of the Department of Commerce and National Telecommunications and Information

Administration (NTIA) is to manage the use of the radio frequency spectrum by all federal agencies.

NTIA’s Information Technology (IT) systems for performing this critical task are outdated, with reliance on software that is increasingly out of date. Our need to modernize these systems is acute, especially as we endeavor to make spectrum more accessible for government and commercial users alike. Currently, the demand for spectrum usage is on the rise, the potential for spectrum related issues is on the rise, and the need to respond to requests quickly is essential.

The current systems are inadequate to execute NTIA’s spectrum functions in a timely manner and limit NTIA’s ability to accommodate the demands of advanced technologies, such as deploying 5G, advancing space commerce, and securing government missions dependent on spectrum. We can meet these and future spectrum demands by upgrading our systems to the latest technical platforms;

improving the security and scalability of NTIA spectrum systems; improving accessibility of spectrum data; and developing advanced analytical tools and engineering models; and automating workflows.

The NTIA Federal Spectrum Data System (FSDS) project will provide a modernized system of systems capability composed of user-capability areas that must be designed to reduce manual hands-on manipulations, where possible, and streamline and automate decision making. The solution must be secure and promote efficiency and effectiveness of spectrum use through updated optimization and assessment applications. All capabilities will integrate data across multiple sources by accessing shared services exposed through a spectrum repository that integrates presently siloed spectrum data.

Additional specific information on the capabilities being sought for the modernized FSDS are provided in Appendix B Statement of Need.

The project is expected to be developed through modern agile processes, to be hosted in cloud environments, and will apply DevSecOps principals to ensure security is continuously considered from project initiation through development, deployment, and operations.

III. Market Research Approach

Through responses provided to this RFI and subsequent events, the Government intends to obtain the following information:

• Input and suggestions on refining the Government’s Statement of Need (SoN) in Appendix B

Statement of Need, including unforeseen risks and areas/scope that need added, modified, deleted, and/or clarified.

• Input and suggestions that would help refine and improve the Government’s technical approach and opportunities for solution innovation.

• Feedback on the Government’s projected acquisition approach, the best way to incentivize innovation, and contract type, etc.

• Information on capabilities, solutions, or prototypes that could be leveraged to meet the acquisition and technical characteristics of this set of needs. This includes but is not limited to:

workflow, platform, data feeds, and other large IT solution capabilities.

• Input on approaches to make solutions maintainable, enhance-able (e.g., the addition of new features or revision of old features), and accessible, including long-term with different vendors, in an efficient and timely manner. Reference https://www.section508.gov/sell/ for information and templates concerning Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) and the Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).

• Input on approaches for Agile Acquisitions, Modular Contracting, Project to Product, CICD

This RFI may be followed by additional market research initiatives, including further collaborative sessions with the Government to clarify or expound upon RFI responses, direct questions to RFI respondents, question-and-answer sessions with the Government team, discussions with individual vendors, additional RFI’s posted through SAM.GOV, industry days, Sources Sought, and/or additional engagement techniques.

IV. Technical Characteristics

See Appendix B Statement of Need for the technical characteristics of the FSDS requirement.

V. Requested Information

All requested information is intended to facilitate the Government’s market research efforts and inform the Government’s technical and acquisition approaches.

a. RESPONSE GUIDELINES: Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI in accordance with the formats provided in Appendix A and Appendix C.

For Appendix A, RFI Response Format, please ensure that responses are legible (e.g., appropriate margins and text size) when printed on 8 ½” x 11” paper. Please include a cover page; title pages, glossaries, and tables of contents are not necessary. Please ensure responses do not exceed 5 pages in length, excluding a cover page.

For Appendix C, Product Characteristics, please follow instructions provided in the attached

MS Excel file for existing products you intend to recommend as part of your solution.

Overall, the response should not exceed a 5 MB e-mail limit for all items associated with the RFI response. Responses must specifically describe the contractor’s ability to meet the intended outcomes of this effort. Oral communications are not permissible. Companies who wish to respond to this RFI should send responses via email no later than 12:00 PM, on October 5, 2023, to:

Danielle Green at DGreen@doc.gov

b. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE:

Given the breadth of capabilities required, it is understood that a single vendor may not be able to deliver an overall, complete solution. Vendors are therefore requested to identify which capabilities, as described in the SoN, that can be readily addressed by their firm’s products/solutions.

c. QUESTIONS:

Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted in writing by email to Danielle Green at

DGreen@doc.gov. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Answers to questions will be posted to sam.gov. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after September 15, 2023, will be answered. The Government will not reimburse companies for any costs associated with the submissions of their responses.

VI. Submission Details

Responses should include:

• The Vendor Information, Technical Recommendations, Acquisition Strategy

Recommendations and Additional Recommendations in the format described in Appendix A

RFI Response Format.

• Vendor Information should include, as described in Appendix A:

1) Business name and address

2) Name of company representative/point of contact (primary) and their Business Title, Phone

Number, and Email Address

3) Company website

4) DUNS and Unique Entity Identifier

5) Company Business Size and Small Business Socio-economic status (if small)

6) Current Facility Clearance Level and CAGE CODE (if applicable)

7) Prime contract vehicles from which the solution can be procured through; to include

ENCORE III, SETI, NIH CIO-SP4, NASA SEWP V, General Service Administration (GSA):

OASIS, ALLIANT II, VETS II, STARS III, MAS (including applicable SIN(s), groups, or pools), or any other Government Agency contract vehicle that allows for decentralized ordering. (This information is for market research only and businesses with a valid cage that lack prime contract vehicles are still encouraged to respond to this notice.)

8) Potential Interest in this Acquisition as a Prime, Subcontractor, Teaming Arrangement, etc.

9) Summarize how you would envision your company’s areas of expertise would meet the

Statement of Need contained in this RFI.

Interested firms responding to this RFI must provide a solution with a whitepaper as it pertains to the requirements of this RFI. The responses shall be in sufficient enough detail, but not exceed 8 pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine if Industry has a solution to the RFI requirements.

Where recommendations or White Paper RFI solutions include one or more commercial-off-the-shelf or government-off-the shelf solutions, please complete Appendix C – Product Characteristics.

Only electronic copies of solutions to the requirements indicated in the RFI will be accepted and should be emailed to Dgreen@doc.gov. The e-mail shall contain the following subject line:

Response to RFI – DOC NTIA FSDS Modernization.

The decision and whether to proceed with the acquisition is at the sole discretion of the

Government. All interested Contractors should submit their RFI responses on October 5, 2023, by 12:00 pm EST. Attention: Danielle Green.

Late responses will not be considered in the market research process.

mailto:Dgreen@doc.gov

APPENDIX A: RFI Response Format

1. Vendor Information: Provide the following information in the same format as the table below.

Business Name and Address

Name of company representative/point of contact (primary) and their Business Title, Phone Number, and Email Address

Company website

DUNS and Unique Entity Identifier

Company business size and small business socio-economic status (if small) (e.g., small business, SDB, HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.)

Current Facility Clearance Level and CAGE Code (if applicable)

Prime contract vehicles from which the solution can be procured through ((including applicable

SIN(s), groups, or pools), or any other

Government Agency contract vehicle that allows for decentralized ordering. (This information is for market research only and businesses with a valid cage that lack prime contract vehicles are still encouraged to respond to this notice.)

Potential Interest in this Acquisition as a Prime, Subcontractor, Teaming Arrangement, etc.

Summarize how you would envision your company’s areas of expertise would meet the Statement of Need contained in this RFI.

2. Technical Recommendations

a. Government’s Statement of Need (SoN) – please provide feedback on:

i. Recommended changes or additions to the SoN

ii. Risks the Government should consider when shaping the SoN

iii. Opportunities the Government should consider when shaping the SoN

b. Business Process Flow and Data Management – Provide recommendations on effective approaches to Business Process Flow and data Management that would enhance Government objectives.

i. Please address the sufficiency of all applicable data standards to support current and future spectrum management requirements including necessary computations for spectrum analysis, decision making, and data flow.

ii. Please provide recommendations on improvements to data interoperability, availability, security, and quality. Specifically address the challenges (and potential recommendations) for handling differing data formats, data tags, and data fidelity being applied.

c. Approach Recommendations – Provide recommendations on the Government’s technical approach and meeting the Government’s goals. Focus on approaches of improving SoN outcomes (e.g., process improvements, release management, continuous integration/continuous delivery, agile at scale, potential synergies, stakeholder engagement approaches, and recommended/assumed gov’t responsibilities in agile and O&M).

d. Architectural Recommendations – Provide recommendations on architectural choices that could or should be applied to meet FSDS objectives.

3. Acquisition Strategy Recommendations: The goal of FSDS is to enable vendors to effectively differentiate themselves through demonstrating real abilities and capabilities that meet the Government’s SoN.

a. Provide recommendations to help shape the Government’s acquisition approach, including recommended contracting approaches (e.g. modular contracting, agile capacity based tasks, challenge based acquisition).

4. Additional Recommendations (if applicable): Provide any other recommendations or risks that the Government should consider for this effort.

APPENDIX B: Statement of Need (SoN)

1. Background

A key mission of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), within the U.S.

Department of Commerce (DOC), is to manage the use of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum by all federal agencies. The federal agencies rely on the radio spectrum to execute their congressionally mandated missions, ranging from national defense, homeland security, and law enforcement to ensuring aeronautical and marine safety of life communications, conducting space travel and scientific research, forecasting the weather accurately, and responding to national disasters. Federal agencies rely on NTIA spectrum IT systems to conduct the spectrum processes that manage federal RF-spectrum use.

NTIA’s associated information technology (IT) systems for performing this critical task are outdated, relying on equipment and software that is in some cases over three decades old. There is a need to modernize these systems, especially as NTIA endeavors to make the spectrum more accessible for government and commercial users alike.

The Federal Spectrum Data Systems (FSDS) project modernizes NTIA spectrum IT systems. The goals for the modernization are provided in the table below.

# Goal Title Goal Description

1 Strengthen Security Enhance the security of NTIA Spectrum IT Systems to ensure their continued availability for essential federal missions, and to protect spectrum data from unauthorized release and improper modification

2 Modernize IT Platform Including Application Stack

Improve the enhance-ability and scalability of NTIA Spectrum Information Technology (IT) Systems, and provide the IT foundation for future spectrum capabilities

3 Enhance Spectrum Analysis Provide capabilities that execute more accurate, trusted, and repeatable spectrum analyses to improve Federal spectrum use efficiencies

4 Improve and Streamline Spectrum Process

Improve timeliness, reduce level of effort, and increase transparency of Federal spectrum processes

5 Improve Spectrum Data Improve accessibility, interoperability, and comprehensiveness of spectrum data

2. Statement of Need

NTIA requires a modernized solution for their IT systems that provide RF spectrum management. The following mission needs support NTIA spectrum responsibilities. Each need includes a brief description.

Regulations and processes describing these needs in more detail are available in the NTIA Manual.1

a. Manage Radio Frequency (RF) Assignments & Authorizations. NTIA authorizes use of radio frequencies through issuance of frequency assignments and special temporary authorizations (STAs).

NTIA approves over 70,000 frequency assignments and hundreds of STAs per year.

1 “Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management”, U.S. Department of Commerce, NTIA, January 2021. The manual will be enhanced in conjunction with the Information Technology (IT) enhancements, when needed to address the capability gaps.

Core capabilities supporting this mission need include:

- Author, submit, and approve frequency proposals to NTIA

- Receive and process frequency proposals at NTIA on the classified network, resulting in

Government Master File (GMF) frequency assignments

- Receive and process frequency proposals at NTIA on the unclassified network, in preparation for proposal processing

- Conduct microwave link analyses

b. Certify RF-Dependent Systems. NTIA certifies RF dependent spectrum systems through the Spectrum Certification process, which federal agencies rely on to ensure radio frequencies will be available for RF-dependent systems and that the systems comply with spectrum regulations before federal agencies commit to system development or procurement.

Core capabilities supporting this mission need include:

- Author and submit spectrum certification requests to NTIA

- Receive, validate, and approve spectrum certification requests at NTIA

c. Manage RF Reallocations and Transitions. NTIA supports reallocation and transition of Federal radio frequencies, to promote efficient use of the spectrum (Reference U.S. Code Title 47, Chapter 8, Subchapter II).

Core capabilities supporting this mission need include:

- Author and submit spectrum reallocation plan to NTIA

- Receive, validate, and approve reallocation plans at NTIA

- Facilitate the Federal planning, monitoring, tracking, and reporting of radio frequency transition activities (i.e., Federal transition out of certain frequency bands or transition to spectrum sharing arrangements)

d. Provide IRAC Records Management and Workflow Support. The Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) advises the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information on spectrum-related matters. It assists “the Assistant Secretary in assigning frequencies to U.S. Government radio stations and in developing and executing policies, programs, procedures, and technical criteria pertaining to the allocation, management, and use of the electromagnetic spectrum.”2

NTIA chairs IRAC committees/subcommittees, facilitates IRAC operations, and conducts IRAC recordkeeping.

Core capabilities supporting this mission need include:

- Facilitate meetings and collaboration for IRAC and its subcommittees

- Manage IRAC data, business processes, and workflow

e. Visualize and Share RF Information. NTIA must visualize and share spectrum data throughout the course of fulfilling NTIA responsibilities.

Core capabilities supporting this mission need include:

- Integration of data across multiple sources to facilitate seamless accessibility, sharing, and visualization of spectrum data

- Tools to provide enhanced meaning and context to spectrum data through maps, charts, dashboards, or other methods

FSDS Modernization Characteristics

The modernized FSDS solution is enabled and simplified by shared services and components that replace the stove-piped, conservative, and inefficient engineering functionality with new standards and reusable engineering, data, and workflow services for all supported business processes. The future services will streamline repeatable spectrum analyses and on-demand workflows through automation to allow spectrum

2 Reference Section 1.3.2 of the “Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management”, U.S.

Department of Commerce, NTIA, January 2021.

use efficiencies These include:

• Engineering services that modernize and standardize outdated engineering capabilities, to provide more accurate, trusted, and repeatable analyses.

• Data and workflow services that provide authorized agencies, users, and the FCC with direct access to NTIA data and workflows (within policy and security constraints), which enables Federal spectrum tools to work more effectively and efficiently as a large system of systems in lieu of current manual processes.

• Commercial components to speed modernization development and reduce corresponding costs and risks.

• Modernized, authoritative data repository that provides a single, common virtual location to access integrated spectrum data, replacing currently siloed databases. New spectrum data standards will improve the interoperability, accessibility, and quality of spectrum data, replace outdated and punch card-era technologies, and enable future automation goals. Data will be synchronized between classified and unclassified environments automatically multiple times a day to speed spectrum processes and reduce manual effort.

The modernized solution will include an FSDS Project Platform that provides a foundational enabling suite of capabilities, services, processes, and technologies including a DevSecOps environment, a security architecture, and a common data framework, to provide required capabilities and to ensure support of evolving federal spectrum management needs going forward. This platform will:

• Implement role-based access control and least privileged access.

• Comply with FIPS, FISMA, FOIA, NTIA security policies for operation in environments up to and including Secret.

• Provide integration of governmentwide approved cyber frameworks into the FSDS effort.

• Implement FedRAMP baseline controls and ensure cloud security providers maintain an ongoing FedRAMP approved operational infrastructure.

• Implement a bi-directional Cross-Domain Solution (CDS) to allow data transfer between security domains.

• Focus on a Zero Trust (ZT) strategy. Zero Trust will focus on users, assets, and resources ensuring FSDS data systems do not focus on a static network-based perimeter but rather on cybersecurity.

• Remove implicit trust from users simply based upon their physical or network location.

• Follow an Agile Software Development process, commercial or .gov cloud hosted, continuous security, controlled technologies, required system information, and NTIA & DOC processes with collaboration.

• Ensure Section 508 accessibility and compliance. Information and templates concerning the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template and the Accessibility Conformance Report are provided on https://www.section508.gov/sell/. Template completion is not required in this RFI.

Additional Key Themes reflected in the modernized FSDS include the following:

• Overall modernization of engineering capabilities, including flexible architecture and “futureproofing” solution to implement enhancements more efficiently

• Increased automation and reduced human activity "in the loop"

• Visualization and dashboard capabilities that enable users to better manage their functions and perform enhanced modeling and analytics

• New data standard to replace CARD GMF and provide for advanced frequency assignment and spectrum management analysis capabilities

• Clutter Analysis – urban, suburban, and rural

• Collaboration mechanisms for users, including the IRAC

• STA automation that provides workflow automation evolving the manual email-based STA process https://www.section508.gov/sell/

• Cross-agency interfaces, including continued interfaces to EL-CID Online

• Broader system of systems replacing stove-piped systems

• Maturing CI/CD and DevSecOps

• Government responsibility for supporting agile software development and O&M (e.g. product owner, business owner, maintaining environments, access control, separation of duties).

APPENDIX C: Product Characteristics Refer to file “NTIA FSDS RFI Appendix C - Product Characteristics 20230811.xlsx” for the contents of Appendix C. Follow instructions provided in the file if you intend to provide information concerning existing products as part of your solution.