Questions_and_Anwers.docx

Q&A for communications Equipment

1. Will the 38 ea vehicles require installation for the radios? Yes.

2. Will the vehicles all have mobile HF and VHF/UHF/700-800/LTE devices? No. Only the Team Leader Radio, all others are VHF/UHF/700-800. The LTE for Office and Command Center.

3. Please explain “HR” in the following requirement: Deployable Command Solution: Wideband HR/VHF tactical Radio System with with 3G, AES encryption capable, and 150W power adapter. “HF” on our copy.

4. As written, the radio requirements would allow only the Team Leader radios to conduct BLOS operations. Please provide more details to best provide the best radio solution.

a. The requirement for the Deployable Team Solution Team Member Radio specifies – “Secure handheld radio with data capability”. Team Leader needs to communicate with Headquarters. Team members communicate on deployment among group.

b. The Deployable Formed Police Unit (FPUs) section states that “The communications to the team shall be accomplished through Beyond Line of Sight radio”. Communications at level to preclude geographical and topical interference. Radios sufficient to allow capability to communicate among team, and Team Leader to HQ.

5. The Deployable Team Solution: Team Leader radio requirements appears to point at separate distinct handheld radio solutions, neither solution conforms to both requirements stated in the RFP. Can you be more descriptive as to the specific radio requirements for “Team Member” and “Team Leader” radios in order to best meet requirement?

a. Requirement 1: Android and Windows compatibility – Software proposed shall be capable of providing communications for voice and data.

b. Requirement 2: Wideband / Narrowband communications. Equipment proposed shall be capable of meeting requirement for Team Leader and for team members.

6. Can you be more specific regarding the required vehicular system operating frequencies to determine the best radio solution?

a. Deployable Formed Police Units (FPUs): “Primary communications to HQ will be done through Stationary Wideband HF/VHF tactical radio system with 3G, AES encryption capable, and 150W power adapter”. HQ communications critical requirement, yes wideband and HF.

b. The Vehicle Command Leader Solution and the Vehicular Base/Multiband Radio System specify radio operating on “VHF, UHF, and 700/800 MHz frequencies”. Team Leader vehicle has dual capability.

7. The requirement states that vehicle radios will be required. Will contractors be expected to conduct installation of said vehicle radios? If so, what vehicle platforms will be used by the receiving country? Proposed radios will need to be installed. Contractor to bid installation and connecting system at HQ upon announcing mission in-country.

8. As the deadline for questions is the 16th, this will only allow five working days for contractors to receive the Q&A distribution and alter their proposals based on government responses. Since this is a short time span, would the government consider amending the solicitation to allow for responses to be submitted up to the 29th? No.

Part 2 Overview:

The information contained in this document contain questions in response to Solicitation Number: SINLEC16Q0086. The questions below are meant as feedback with regards to a Communication System meant to support Formed Police Units in multiple potential countries.

Questions on SINLEC16Q0086

Referenced Sections

1. CLIN 001

Quote: “Programming over P25” pg 6 Question:

0. This section now contains the phrase "Programming over P25" as well as references to 700/800 MHz suggesting P25. This functionally changes the components and structure of the proposed solution as requirements introduce a new P25 technology. The introduction of P25 will have a number of consequences on other areas of the system as outlined below:

Data: There are multiple requirements that have the need for IP Data capability including:

1. Forward Battle Management System/Blue Force Tracking

1. SITREPS

1. File Transfer

1. Chat/Messaging

1. VoIP Telephony

These types of capabilities are not possible when using a P25 based solution. The data capability of P25 is quite limited in 9.6kbps and is not an open standard that is easy to interface with generic OEM applications such as IP. This requires special integration/additional costs to integrate applications to work over this link and results in slower throughput or in many cases doesn’t work. Tactical Waveforms can provide data speeds many times faster than P25 and can support IP natively allowing for easy integration of current and future applications even from 3rd parties.

Deployment CONOPS: The CONOPS described within the solicitation very closely match those of a typical tactical deployed team. As such there are suggested communication practices that can be referenced. Typical deployments use telephony at the base station, VHF/UHF solutions for primary voice/data (30MHz-512MHz) and HF (1.5MHz – 30MHz) solutions as a backup for Beyond Line of Sight needs (BLOS). P25 is a more commercial standard and typically relies on a trunked solution whereas tactical solutions are able to work without additional infrastructure required.

Rugged Equipment: P25 equipment is generally designed to meet up to IP-65 whereas military communication equipment is designed to meet the higher standard of MIL-STD 810. This extra ruggedization becomes important during deployed missions where the environment may be harsh and conflict is possible.

Range: Requiring 700/800MHz and/or P25 uses a technology and equipment that results in reduces point to point range when deployed as opposed to other options in the 30-108MHz (VHF) and/or Lower UHF (225-512MHz).

Redundancy: If the intention was to add P25 based solution on top of the tactical solution there would be a great deal of redundancy as the tactical solution can meet the required audio CONOPS while also meeting/surpassing the data requirements.

Interoperability with National/Local Agencies as well as US Forces: There is a large footprint of military equipment within Africa that should be considered for interoperability. Equipment that is able to communicate with existing assets that may contain Citadel encryption ensure the ability to easily work collaboratively.

The listed evidence brings to question whether P25 is an actual requirement or representative of a desired need and/or capability that could be met through alternate waveforms? Tactical solution required. Deleting the reference to P25.

As the listed evidence shows that a P25 based solution would not meet the radio requirements of the solicitation on their own, especially in terms of the data requirements, and is largely redundant in audio capability provided by tactical waveforms meeting the requirements should the P25 requirement be removed from the solicitation? If deemed a requirement, does the assumption hold true that this will be in addition to the tactical waveform requirement per the specification? Deleted reference to P25. Tactical solution is the requirement.

1. CLIN 001 – Vehicle Integration Referenced Sections:

Page 9 – The first paragraph within the Deployable Formed Police Units (FPUs) section details that "Each unit is assumed to have four vehicular systems for a total of eight (8) vehicular systems" Page 9 - The bulleted list immediately following indicates that there are 4 Vehicular Comms systems (2 per unit) Page 9 - Additionally at the bottom of page 9 this section details that "… the USG is providing … at the support level" a total of 38 Vehicle Radios Question:

1. It appears that there are 3 possible numbers of vehicles: 2, 4, or 38 vehicles. Are we to assume that correct number of vehicles is 38 vehicles as described in the previous Solicitation? Would it be possible to get the details of the vehicles released; both the type of vehicles and the purpose of those vehicles? Vehicular communications systems required for each unit deployed, 10 vehicles per unit, 2 team leaders.

1. Are there any assumed CONOPS for these vehicles? In order to meet standard deployed team structures there may be more than one radio required per vehicle e.g. A vehicle that is going on long deployments would need a general communications radio (VHF/UHF) as well as a long distance radio (HF). It would also be advisable to include some vehicles with a solider type of radio for deployed individuals on foot (Solider/UHF). This type of deployment is often described in communication manuals. Should the requirement be to bid a deployable team communication system for 38 vehicles where the minimum requirement is that each vehicle has some form of communication but additional vehicles may require more radios to meet the deployment requirements? Propose solution and defend same. Value added.

1. Will site surveys be allowed of the vehicles and will they be in the United States or Africa? Site survey will be allowed at staged location. Work in country for installing system.

1. Will installation be in the United States or will it be in Africa? Vehicle radio installation required stateside and in-country for installing system.

1. In the “Vehicular Command Leader Solution” the section no longer includes HF radio systems to be compatible with the “Deployed Command Solution” over long ranges. The HF radio capability greatly enhances Forward Deployed Battle Management systems, as well as backup communications and is needed for other requirements. Should the HF requirement be added to this section? Team Leader must have HF radio capability at all times.

1. Should Citadel encryption be a requirement on the HF and VHF/UHF vehicle radios in order to allow for interoperability with the over 8,000 existing Citadel radios in the Africa region? Citadel encryption is proprietary and not required. AES 256 encryption is the standard specified.

1. Training Quote: “Contractor shall provide 4 day in-country operational training in train-the-trainer sessions” Question:

2. Four days in a very small amount of training and would be limited in scope. Which sections of the system would be included in this train the trainer or would is the desire to train the trainer over the entire system which would take a longer time (~2-4 weeks)? Training can’t be extended in mission.

1. Lead Time Quote: “Delivery will be approximately 120 days after receipt of award….”

Question:

3. Due to the large number of potential vehicle installs, OEM lead times, and platform installations parameters (such as site surveys, install locations, and final-end-user) is it possible to increase to “Delivery will be approximately 6-8 months after award” or allow for a split shipment with the first portion going approximately 120 days after award? System proposed must be operational within 120 days.