Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Systems and Technologies to Support Maritime Approaches Surveillance Towers

1. Synopsis THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information, planning purposes, and market research; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not pay any cost associated with responding to this RFI. All costs will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP. If a solicitation is released, it will be posted as contract opportunity notice available at the SAM.gov website. Interested parties are advised to monitor this website for any information that may pertain to this RFI. The information provided within 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. Any requests for a solicitation package will be disregarded.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) relies on a network of sensors along the maritime borders of our nation to maintain safety and security. This network is part of a larger Domain Awareness architecture that utilizes various technologies and hundreds of agents and workers to properly identify and respond to threats approaching our nation.

This RFI seeks to obtain information regarding the operations and support of current Maritime Approaches Surveillance Systems (MAST). The Government is seeking information, recommendations, and insights from industry to inform operation and support acquisition strategy for the sustainment of 16 MAST systems and the transition of new MAST systems into sustainment. The goal is to assess vendor experience, technical approach, business approach, and scalability required to sustain multi-region MAST system readiness at best cost.

2. Background CBP AMO employs a network of advanced MDA systems, including aircraft, aerostats, marine vessels, and ground-based surveillance platforms, to secure U.S. customs waters. The MAST program is a key component of this effort, delivering persistent maritime surveillance and detection capabilities for continuous monitoring of maritime activity, especially in areas where traditional patrols and sensors may have limited coverage. MAST enhances AMO’s capacity to surveil and detect maritime threats, supporting joint DHS mission threads to counter and deter illicit maritime activities.

3. Description of MAST Current Systems A MAST system comprises of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sensor technologies including maritime surface search radars, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera, encrypted Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers, a Mission Management System (MMS), and a payload platform. Data is transferred via DHS-accredited network to the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC).

Current MAST systems are equipped with Furuno FAR 2228, Aerostar F50ER, or Terma Scanter 5202 radars, CONTROP Speed LR cameras, and encrypted AIS receivers providing layered surveillance and detection capability.

Each system is 24/7/365 and equipped communication, supportability, and power equipment that enables system operations and remote system health and status monitoring. MAST systems meet cybersecurity requirements for remote locations and withstand harsh and marine environmental conditions, powered by commercial or solar power with generator backup power.

MAST systems are deployed in strategic coastal locations taking advantage of elevated terrain features to maximize effective range provide overlapping radar and camera. To meet this requirement, MAST systems are engineered and installed to meet unique site characteristics.

This may include geographically separating radar and cameras and employing platforms such as a relocatable tower system, telescoping or tiltable monopoles, tripods, raised platforms, or affixed to buildings.

Current MAST Sensor Coverage Zones:

• Southwest Region: Eight MAST systems comprised of 13 sites.

• Gulf of America: Two MAST systems comprised of two sites.

• Puerto Rico: Four MAST systems comprised of five sites.

• U.S. Virgin Islands: Two MAST systems comprised of two sites.

MAST has the potential to deploy additional systems in the Gulf of America Region, West/Central/East Northern Border Region, Southeast Region, and Puerto Rico.

4. RFI Objectives This RFI seeks industry input on mature technologies for the MAST program to achieve MDA coverage objectives at best cost. Key objectives include:

1. Identify qualified industry vendors with experience in sustaining ground-based maritime surveillance systems.

2. Assess industry logistics and maintenance approach for simultaneously managing MAST systems in multiple regions.

3. Capture rough cost estimates for system operation and sustainment including field, organizational, and depot level maintenance and program management.

5. Scope of Work

The scope of work includes the sustainment, maintenance, and logistics support for deployed systems and new system transition into steady-state O&S across current and future MAST sensor coverage zones. See Attachment A for the current Statement of Objectives - Maritime Approaches Surveillance Towers Operations and Support Services.

6. Instructions For Completing Response

1. All responses shall use the MANDATORY RFI VENDOR SUBMISSION FORMAT provided in the attached RFI_MAST_Submission_Template .

The RFI submission file shall follow the naming convention -- “RFI Response MAST O&S_<respondent’s company name>”.

2. All completed submissions shall be sent via e-mail to:

Leslie L. Lozano Contract Specialist, E-mail: LESLIE.LOZANO@cbp.dhs.gov AND oamtarspmo@cbp.dhs.gov

Subject Line: “Sources Sought, MAST O&S”

All submission must be received no later than 5 October 2026, 1:00 PM EST.

3. Please clearly mark all proprietary information. The RFI Submission spreadsheet should include a header stating "PROPIETARY INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN" (all caps), if applicable. Also, please provide a release statement indicating that the proprietary information may be distributed to CBP personnel and support contractors involved with this action.

mailto:LESLIE.LOZANO@cbp.dhs.gov mailto:oamtarspmo@cbp.dhs.gov

Attachment A

Statement of Objectives

Maritime Approaches Surveillance Towers Operations and Support Services

1. Purpose

This Statement of Objectives (SOO) supports market research for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Air and Marine Operations (AMO), Maritime Approaches Surveillance Towers (MAST) logistics, maintenance, and sustainment services. It is intended to obtain industry input on technical capability, sustainment approaches, scalability, cost drivers, and acquisition strategies.

This is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment by the Government.

2. Overall Objective

The Government seeks industry input on effective, scalable, and cost-wise approaches to sustain current and future MAST systems while maintaining high operational readiness, preserving approved configurations, improving reliability, and reducing lifecycle cost.

3. Specific Objectives

Industry responses should address approaches, capabilities, risks, and recommendations for the following objectives:

3.1 Program Management

Provide disciplined management of cost, schedule, performance, staffing, risk, quality, subcontractors, original equipment manufacturers, deliverables, and stakeholder communications across a geographically dispersed sustainment program.

3.2 Operations Support

Support 24/7/365 technical operations, system health monitoring, outage notification, maintenance coordination, readiness reporting, and data availability to authorized Government users. Contractor support shall not include law enforcement decision-making, targeting, interdiction, intelligence determinations, or other Government-reserved mission functions.

3.3 Maintenance and Repair

Plan and execute preventive, corrective, and emergency maintenance for radars, EO/IR cameras, AIS receivers, towers, power systems, communications equipment, network interfaces, support equipment, and site infrastructure. Support remote troubleshooting, field dispatch, return-to-service checks, and root cause analysis.

3.4 Logistics and Supply Support

Provide integrated logistics support, including spares planning, inventory management, repairable item tracking, warranty and return material authorization coordination, warehousing, packaging, handling, storage, transportation, and support for remote and multi-region field, organizational, and depot level maintenance.

3.5 Sustainment Engineering

Analyze and improve system performance, reliability, maintainability, cybersecurity posture, interoperability, supportability, and lifecycle affordability. Support obsolescence management, technology refresh recommendations, engineering change support, test and integration activities, and technical reports.

3.6 Cybersecurity, Software, and Network Coordination

Support software and firmware tracking, license and patch coordination, cybersecurity documentation, vulnerability remediation planning, incident reporting, authorized testing, and coordination with Government cybersecurity, network, and system owners. Contractor access or changes to Government systems must be authorized by the Government.

3.7 Configuration and Technical Data Management

Maintain accurate configuration records, sustainment baselines, technical data packages, interface documentation, bills of material, drawings, maintenance procedures, and change documentation. Ensure configuration changes are implemented only after Government approval.

3.8 Asset Management and Government Property

Maintain accountability for Government-furnished equipment, contractor-acquired property, spares, tools, test equipment, and other accountable property. Support physical inventories, reconciliation, audits, transfers, repair status tracking, and disposition documentation.

3.9 Transition, Site Support, and Decommissioning

Support transition of systems into steady-state operations and sustainment, including inventory, baseline validation, deficiency tracking, and readiness verification. Provide site support, recapitalization and technology refresh support, and decommissioning support when directed.

3.10 Safety, Environmental, and Training

Maintain compliant safety, environmental, occupational health, hazardous material, tower work, fall protection, electrical safety, and field operations programs. Ensure contractor personnel complete required training and provide Government training support when directed.

4. Performance Objectives

Industry responses should recommend appropriate performance measures, reporting methods, and incentives for:

1. Operational availability and materiel availability.

2. Mean Time Between Critical Failure, Mean Time Between Failure, Mean Time to Repair, and Mean Down Time.

3. Preventive and corrective maintenance performance.

4. Emergency outage notification.

5. Deliverable timeliness and quality.

6. Asset accountability.

7. Configuration control.

8. Cybersecurity incident reporting.

9. Safety performance.

10. Training compliance.

11. Repairable item and return material authorization tracking.

12. Cost-wise readiness and lifecycle cost reduction.

5. Scalability Objectives

The Government seeks support models that can scale across current and future MAST locations, including remote coastal sites, islands, and access-constrained locations for up to 75 systems that may include over 100 sites. Industry responses should address regional staffing, logistics hub placement, surge support, remote monitoring, travel reduction, and transition of additional systems into sustainment.

6. Business and Acquisition Objectives

Industry responses should provide recommendations on:

1. Contract type or hybrid contract structure.

2. Suggested Contract Line Item Number structure.

3. Pricing approach for fixed, variable, surge, travel, spares, repairs, technology refresh, and decommissioning work.

4. Major cost drivers and cost reduction opportunities.

5. Transition period assumptions.

6. Recommended staffing mix and labor categories.

7. Original equipment manufacturer and subcontractor strategy.

8. Data rights, licensing, and technical data considerations.

9. Small business participation opportunities.

7. Desired Readiness Outcomes

The desired outcomes of a future MAST logistics, maintenance, and sustainment services include:

Area Metric Requirement

Operational availability

Ao 95% threshold (T) and 99% objective (O). Ao is defined as Uptime / (Uptime + Downtime) or MTBCF / (MTBCF + MDT).

Materiel availability

Am TAm of 90% threshold (T) and 100% objective (O). Am is expressed as the number of operational end items / total population and includes end items planned for operational use, including those temporarily non-operational after being placed into service, such as depot-level maintenance.

Reliability MTBCF Mean Time Between Critical Failure (MTBCF) greater than or equal to 90 days / 2,160 hours threshold (T) and 180 days / 4,320 hours objective (O).

Maintainability MDT Mean Down Time (MDT) not to exceed 5 days threshold (T) and 2 days objective (O).