RFI SEDR Development.pdf

Request for Information

Accelerated Development of the Second Generation Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio for

NATO (SATURN) Enhanced Data Rate (SEDR) Waveform

I. NOTICE

This is not a request for proposal. This notice is for information and planning purposes only. In accordance with

Part 10 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Government is conducting market research to determine the availability and adequacy of potential business sources in providing the capabilities to meet the requirements of the Government. This Request for Information (RFI) does not constitute a solicitation for bids or proposals, and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. All information submitted by respondents to this request is strictly voluntary. The information herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract.

Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested parties’ expense.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to provide feedback with respect to any information submitted. To the maximum extent possible, please submit nonproprietary information. Any proprietary information submitted should be identified as such and will be handled accordingly and protected from disclosure in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations.

The Government shall not be liable for damages related to proprietary information that is not properly identified.

Please note, currently no solicitation is available. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Not responding to this request does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. Funds are not currently available for this effort.

Please be aware that all unclassified information submitted in response to this request, whether written, oral, electronic, graphic, or any other medium, may be subject to disclosure upon receipt of a proper Freedom of

Information Act (FOIA) request from any person. A response to this RFI constitutes an acknowledgement that you are interested and may submit a proposal against any prospective solicitation. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued.

Any submissions in response to this RFI constitutes consent for that submission to be reviewed by Government personnel, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractor employees, and Advisory &

Assistance Services (A&AS) contractor employees supporting the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center

(AFLCMC), Command, Control, Communications & Battle Management (C3BM) Directorate, Aerial Networks

Division (C3N), Gateway/Tactical Data Link Branch (C3NG) unless the respondent clearly objects in writing to the release of this information to FFRDC or A&AS contractor employees supporting AFLCMC/C3NG in a cover letter accompanying the respondent’s submission. All Government and Department of Defense (DoD) contractor personnel reviewing RFI responses understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information.

II. BACKGROUND

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Aerial Networks Division (AFLCMC/C3N) is conducting market research to identify sources (potential SEDR acceleration contractors) with expertise, facilities, and personnel to design, develop, and prototype key algorithms and functions of waveforms, including but not limited to the SEDR waveform. The Government is seeking sources to expand its capacity to plan, develop, evaluate, analyze, test, demonstrate, exercise and document waveform specifications. The initial waveform whose advancement would be supported by this notice is the SEDR waveform.

SEDR support tasks may be assigned and cooperatively worked in parallel between C3NG government civilians, C3NG FFRDC personnel, C3NG A&AS contractors, and SEDR acceleration contractors. SEDR support tasks may include development, analysis, and test of C3NG Reference Implementation Lab (RIL) SEDR radios, to include integration of prototype code developed by one or more SEDR support task developers. SATURN Waveform specification, RIL SEDR radio prototype code and supporting documentation will be uploaded to the Department of

Defense Information Repository (DoD IR) for distribution to all authorized SATURN stakeholders and radio developers. SEDR support tasks may include proprietary vendor specific radio engineering activities and implementation details. All proprietary SEDR support task work products should be identified as such and will be handled accordingly and protected from disclosure in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Features that could be explored under the initial SEDR advancement effort may include but are not limited to:

1. Physical Layer

2. Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) Features

3. Internet Protocol (IP) Interface Issues

4. Communications Security (COMSEC)

5. Transmission Security (TRANSEC)

6. Modeling and Simulation

7. Hardware Development / Prototyping

8. Information Assurance boundary issues and concerns

The Government, through the RFI responses, seeks to understand vendor capabilities and experience to plan for a potential future solicitation.

III. DATA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Government requests that interested vendors provide the following documentation in a vendor selected format Not Later Than (NLT) 20 April 2026 at 1:00 PM EDT via e-mail to the Contracting Officer, Capt Velia Colunga, velia.colunga.1@us.af.mil and contracting specialist, Mr. Aidan Nugent, aidan.nugent@us,af,mil. The Target Date for submitting questions is 31 March 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Questions received after the target date may not be answered. The Government, to the extent it determines practicable, will respond to questions from vendors.

Any question submitted to the Government will be posted along with the Government’s response and available for review by all potential vendors.

With reference to the activities described above, detail the specific tasks your company is qualified to perform and the corresponding capabilities you offer. Additionally, please describe any other waveform-related activities your company is skilled in performing. The Government requests that interested and qualified vendors provide the following:

Part 1: Technical Capability and Experience

A. General Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Waveform Experience

1. SDR Development: Describe your company's experience developing and/or porting waveforms for military-grade SDRs. List the specific SDR hardware platforms you have worked with, and who held the contract.

2. Waveform Types: List the types of communication waveforms your company has experience developing or modifying (e.g., anti-jam, low-probability-of-intercept/detect, SATCOM, Link-16, etc.).

B. Security and Cryptographic Integration

1. Embedded Cryptography: Describe your experience integrating National Security Agency (NSA) certified cryptography into software. Have you participated in a project that required NSA certification for a cryptographic component? If so, please describe the program and through which organization.

2. Classified Development: Describe your capabilities for performing classified software development and testing, including handling of classified data and hardware.

3. Facility Clearance & Infrastructure: What is your company's current Facility Clearance Level (FCL)?

C. Development/Test Processes

1. Development Methodology: Describe your software development lifecycle and your approach to configuration management, source code control, and quality assurance.

2. Test and Integration: Describe your lab capabilities and test environment for communication efforts. Include experience in supporting and testing at events and exercises.

3. Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) Certification: Detail your experience with the JITC testing and certification process. Please describe a system or waveform you worked on that successfully underwent

JITC testing.

Part 2: Corporate Information

1. Identify the names of company contracting personnel (including phone number and e-mail address) who may participate in discussions with the Government.

2. Physical Address and Performance Address

3. Web Page URL

4. CAGE Code

5. DUNS Number

6. DCSA Authority Office (if known)

7. Size of business pursuant to North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 334220, Radio and

Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (small business standard is less than 1,250 employees)

8. Small Business Classification (if any)

9. Identify any Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract vehicles or Blanket Purchase Agreements

(BPA) the company is on.

The Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources responding to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. This notice does not constitute a solicitation for bids and proposals and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a contract. No solicitation regarding this announcement is available.

The Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this RFI and submittals will not be returned to the sender. A response to this RFI constitutes an acknowledgement that you are interested and possibly submit a proposal against any prospective solicitation.

Primary Points of Contact:

Velia Colunga, Capt, USAF

Contracting Officer

AFMC AFLCMC/C3NK

E-mail: velia.colunga.1@us.af.mil

Aidan Nugent

Contracting Specialist

AFMC AFLCMC/C3NK

E-mail: aidan.nugent@us.af.mil

Contracting Office Address:

5 Eglin Street, Building 1624

Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts 01731