T1DES Program Solicitation.pdf

SDA-PS-22-03

National Defense Space Architecture

Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T1DES)

Program Solicitation

June 21, 2022

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.

1 Introduction

The Space Development Agency (SDA) is issuing this Other Transaction Authority (OTA) solicitation for a prototyping effort to augment the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA)

Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) constellation with a demonstration and experimentation capability. The Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T1DES) leverages the low-latency data transfer and beyond-line-of-sight command and control infrastructure established by the T1TL program to field and connect additional space vehicles (SVs) with different mission payload configurations. This solicitation is for the design, development, and deployment of the

T1DES SVs and mission-enabling ground systems.

1.1 Motivation

T1DES will demonstrate warfighter utility of specific mission payloads and concepts of operation prior to potential incorporation in future NDSA Tranches.

1.2 Program Approach

This solicitation seeks Other Transaction (OT) proposals under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022 for U.S. space industry builder-operator teams that will partner with SDA to jointly develop and operate T1DES as part of the NDSA. The Government is purchasing a set of twelve (12) T1DES

SVs equipped with Offeror-sourced mission payloads. The Government reserves the right to purchase additional SVs and supporting products and services under this OT in the future, in response to changing mission needs. T1DES SVs are delivered as an integrated stack with associated launch adapters, deployment mechanisms, ground infrastructure, and operations and sustainment capability.

In order for SDA to make an OT award to an Offeror, at least one of the following conditions must be met:

1. There is at least one nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit research institution participating to a significant extent in the prototype project.

2. All significant participants in the transaction other than the Federal Government are small businesses (including small businesses participating in a program described under Section

9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. § 638)) or nontraditional defense contractors.

3. At least one-third of the total cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government.

For more information on Other Transactions please see:

https://aaf.dau.edu/aaf/contracting-cone/ot/

1.3 Program Security Classification

Security classification for the T1DES program is governed by the SDA Tranche 1 Program

Security Classification Guide (SCG), SDA-SCG-0008, and its classified appendix, SDA-SCG-

0008A. The base SCG is located in the unclassified Bidder’s Library; the appendix is located in the classified Bidder’s Library.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-1875391109-791309680&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-2032561260-548934770&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-308593337-791309681&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-308593337-791309681&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-308593337-791309681&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/topn/small_business_act https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/638 https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-1875391109-791309680&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?width=840&height=800&iframe=true&def_id=10-USC-2032561260-548934770&term_occur=999&term_src=title:10:subtitle:A:part:IV:chapter:139:section:2371b https://aaf.dau.edu/aaf/contracting-cone/ot/

The classification level of the program is SECRET. See Attachment 4 – DD Form 254. SDA expects the majority of T1DES program activities to require protection at the CUI to SECRET level. SDA expects that the program classification may need to be modified during execution to enable limited discussion and information exchange to occur at the TOP SECRET / SCI level.

1.4 Program Plan and Schedule

The T1DES constellation will be launched as rideshares (3 SVs per launch) with the Tranche 1

Tracking Layer. The first launch will occur no later than (NLT) 30 April 2025, with three subsequent launches expected to follow on one-month intervals. Offerors are expected to plan their program in accordance with the milestone dates and deliverables specified in Attachment 1 –

Statement of Work and Technical Requirements Document of this solicitation.

1.5 Tranche 1 and T1DES Overview

SDA endeavors to strengthen deterrence and warfighting capabilities in space by delivering a robust, responsive, and resilient NDSA. The Tranche 1 (T1) architecture will deliver comprehensive capabilities designed to support a stressing regional conflict. T1DES will leverage

T1TL services to enable the Integrated Broadcast System LEO (IBS-L), and other Tactical Satellite

Communication (TACSATCOM) missions described herein.

The T1DES constellation will consist of 12 SVs that share many bus and payload requirements with T1TL SVs. For example, T1DES SVs will include OCTs to support in-plane and cross-plane links. T1DES constellation parameters are listed below.

Table 1 – Nominal T1DES Constellation Parameters

Parameter Value

Number of Planes 4

T1DES SVs per Plane 3

Altitude 1000 km

Inclination ~81 deg

In-Plane Mean Anomaly Separation 30 deg (TBR)

Minimum Optical Links per SV 3x (2x Operate Continuously)

Mission Data Downlink Ka

Navigation APNT and GPS

The T1 Ground Segment includes two SDA Operation Centers (OCs) and multiple ground entry points (GEPs) supporting T1 operations. Launch and early operations (LEOps) through the

Verification On-Orbit Test will be performed from Offeror facilities, and operations will transition to the two SDA OCs following Verification On-Orbit Test completion. The SDA OCs will plan, schedule, and execute operations of the T1 Enterprise. Mission partner facilities provide data that will be used for T1DES demonstrations and operations.

The system description and requirements can be found in Attachment 1 – Statement of Work and

Technical Requirements Document as well as the classified appendix. Offerors shall propose a solution that meets the requirements as laid out in those attachments.

2 Selection Process

Within this solicitation, the following definitions are used:

Prime: The Offeror

Major Subsystems: Elements of the SV and ground system design that have a significant impact on functionality. The following are examples of major sub-systems:

o Optical Communications Terminals o IBS-L and TACSATCOM Mission Payloads o Space Vehicle Bus o Network Established Beyond the Upper Limits of the Atmosphere (NEBULA)

Operations – Vendor Architecture (NOVA) System o Networking and Data Routing o Encryption o Ka Mission Payload o Primary and Backup TT&C Systems

Major Teammate: A member of the Prime’s development team with a different CAGE code from the prime Offeror, that either accounts for no less than five (5) percent of the proposed cost and/or develops one or more of the following subsystems or capabilities:

o Optical Communications Terminals o IBS-L and TACSATCOM Mission Payloads o Space Vehicle Bus o Network Established Beyond the Upper Limits of the Atmosphere (NEBULA)

Operations – Vendor Architecture (NOVA) System o System Integration o Operations and Sustainment Personnel

If the following subsystems are not procured as commercial off-the-shelf systems (COTS) and/or require significant modifications, then the developer of the subsystem shall be considered a Major Teammate:

o Networking and Data Routing o Encryption o Ka Mission Payload o Backup TT&C System Overview

Major Teammate proposals (regardless of teammate tier) shall contain the information requested in Section 2.1.4.4 to allow the Government to review the proposed price and supporting rationale. Major Teammates shall not submit Governance, Technical (or other) volumes. Note that certain information regarding Major Teammates is requested elsewhere in the solicitation but this information should be included as part of the Prime’s proposal.

Major Teammate proposals shall follow the same font, spacing, table, and margin formatting instructions that apply to the Prime.

2.1 Proposal Preparation Instructions

Offerors shall submit their T1DES proposal via six (6) volumes. Specific volume contents are detailed below.

Volume I – Governance shall contain a detailed description of Offerors’ proposed program management, systems engineering and engineering approaches, processes, and tools for executing the program on schedule and within the price proposed. This volume shall also contain résumés for key personnel that will perform the T1DES program and a complete listing of data rights asserted by Offerors and all of their subcontractors.

Volume II – Technical shall contain a detailed description of Offerors’ proposed technical solution to accomplish the requirements defined in Attachment 1 – Statement of Work and

Technical Requirements Document.

Volume III – Schedule shall contain a full Integrated Master Schedule. This volume shall also provide: an analysis of schedule risks; identification of key milestones; entrance criteria, key accomplishments and exit criteria for significant reviews and activities; and a clear presentation and analysis of the critical path from contract award through SV delivery.

Volume IV – Price and Rationale shall contain Offerors’ Firm Fixed Price (FFP) and associated detail. Any cost savings anticipated based on prior work shall be identified.

Volume V – Experience and Past Performance should contain at least one (1) and may contain up to four (4) recent (within the last five (5) years), relevant examples of on-time, on-cost/price delivery of complex systems, subsystems, or components, preferably space-related hardware, or software. Offerors should also include at least one (1) and up to two

(2) past performance examples for each Major Teammate commensurate with their assigned roles within the T1DES program.

Volume VI – Draft Other Transaction (OT) Agreement including all attachments.

The font in normal text for all volumes shall be no smaller than Times New Roman 12 pt., while text in figures and tables shall be no smaller than Times New Roman 10 pt. A table shall consist of at least two columns in every row. Tables that are deemed attempts to circumvent these text formatting restrictions will be removed from the proposal and not evaluated. All margins (top, bottom, left, and right) shall be no smaller than one (1) inch. Single-line spacing shall be used for all text in paragraphs, bulleted lists, and tables. All pdf pages, in all volumes, formatted larger than

8.5 inches by 11 inches shall be counted as two (2) pages. Line numbers shall be applied to all text sections in all volumes and shall be set within the left margin of the page so as not to reduce the usable size of the page. Title pages and tables of contents, tables of figures, and tables of tables will not count against the page counts of the respective volumes and will not be evaluated for content. Note: Nonconforming proposals may be rejected without review.

A proposal shall not include unsolicited “options” for multiple solutions and/or additional work not specifically requested elsewhere in this solicitation. Any such options proposed will not be evaluated and the proposal may be deemed nonconforming.

The Government expects to make a single award but reserves the right to make no awards, a partial award, or multiple awards.

2.1.1 Volume I – Governance

Volume I shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages of content exclusive of title pages, tables of contents, tables of figures, tables of tables, and/or tables of acronyms, and appendices explicitly excluded from the page count. Any pages in excess of the first fifteen (15) pages of content, other than those noted below as specifically excluded from the overall page limit, will be removed from Offerors’ proposals and not evaluated.

2.1.1.1 Executive Summary

Offerors shall present their proposed team construct and expected contributions by each Major

Teammate. The Executive Summary should include a summary of Offerors’ programmatic and systems engineering approaches, to include the cost and risk management approaches.

2.1.1.2 Program Management

Offerors shall detail the people, processes and tools planned to manage and conduct the program to a successful completion on time and within the agreed upon price. Offerors shall discuss their program, personnel, cost, and risk management approaches, including any processes and tools.

Offerors shall include a list of the primary risks on the project, the planned mitigations, and the approach for managing risks throughout the system life cycle. Schedule management shall be discussed in Volume III; however, Offerors are free to cross-reference Volumes I and III if doing so will be of benefit in explaining the value and quality of their approach. Offerors should describe processes to staff the program with qualified personnel, identify and manage critical vendors and subcontractors, and control costs within an FFP environment. Offerors shall describe the schedule and performance risk associated with other commitments by the Prime and subcontractor teams and facilities during the period of performance, including but not limited to commitments to other

SDA programs. Offerors shall describe their approach to retaining or obtaining appropriately cleared staff and facilities to support classified work at the SECRET level, and potentially for limited discussion and information exchange at the TOP SECRET / SCI level at a later date.

Offerors shall document planned communications with the Government, detailing the purpose, entrance criteria, key accomplishments anticipated, exit criteria, and documentation methodologies for each meeting, review, or key management milestone within the program.

Offerors shall plan the program using the program reviews identified in Section 2.1 of Attachment

1 – Statement of Work and Technical Requirements Document and in accordance with other dates specified throughout Attachment 1. If Offerors believe that an alternate review structure (e.g., combining certain reviews) is more appropriate and meets the needs of the Government for insight into the design and understanding of challenges and risks at appropriate stages of the development, Offerors are free to propose it and the rationale behind their belief. For each review combined, omitted, or added, Offerors shall clearly delineate during what remaining review(s) the information traditionally provided shall be discussed. Table 3 identifies mandatory milestone payment events.

If Offerors omit these reviews, then they shall clearly identify an equivalent event that will be used in lieu of the mandatory review for milestone payments as specified.

Offerors shall clearly and explicitly state the need for any anticipated waivers to Government standards and/or compliance documents identified in Attachment 1 – Statement of Work and

Technical Requirements Document.

2.1.1.2.1 Subcontractor and Supply Chain Management

Offerors shall address their subcontractor and supply chain management methodologies. Offerors should describe how they will minimize the effect on the program from fluctuations in supply chain availability and subcontractor deliveries.

Offerors should include a table showing the delivery schedule of critical parts. Offerors should propose a contingency plan in response to supply shortages for all critical parts to include pricing, supply, and delivery information.

2.1.1.2.2 Subcontractor Workload

Where applicable, Offerors shall present a strategy for managing delivery performance of major subcontractors who will be supporting multiple SDA contracts concurrently in addition to T1DES.

2.1.1.2.3 Nontraditional Defense Contractors (NDC) / Nonprofit Research Institution

If applicable, Offerors shall identify which of their subcontractors constitutes an NDC or a nonprofit research institution in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 3014. Offerors shall identify the extent of participation of NDC(s) and/or nonprofit research institution(s) to the T1DES program.

2.1.1.3 Systems Engineering

Offerors shall detail the Systems Engineering processes and methods that will be used to execute the T1DES program. Offerors shall clearly identify their approach to systems engineering and detail the use of any processes and tools that will be used on the program. The Government expects that Offerors will utilize Systems Engineering best practices.

2.1.1.4 Mission Assurance

Offerors shall describe the mission assurance approach and quality systems. Offerors should include a discussion of relevant standards and certifications. In particular, the Government is interested in how Offerors plans to tailor – if applicable – existing mission assurance processes and tools to meet the requirements of a proliferated LEO constellation designed for a relatively short on-orbit lifetime.

2.1.1.5 Organizational Conflict of Interest

Offerors shall clearly identify any real or perceived organizational conflicts of interest (OCI) for themselves or any of their teammates that would arise from their participation in the T1DES program. If Offerors believe that they and their teammates have no organizational conflicts of interest, then they should explicitly state this position.

If Offerors believe that an OCI exists or may exist upon award, then Offerors shall include an OCI mitigation plan as an appendix to this volume. The OCI mitigation plan will not be included in the Volume I page limit.

2.1.1.6 Personnel Résumés

Personnel résumés shall not exceed one (1) page each. The personnel résumés shall be included as attachments to this volume and will not be included in the Volume I page limit.

Offerors shall identify the key personnel planned to be assigned to this program from the Prime and Major Teammates as appropriate. Résumés should be in bullet format and include:

Summary statement highlighting experience and expertise

Current role with Prime or teammate to include current assignments and programs

Planned role within the T1DES program

Evidence of applicable mission experience or understanding

Education (academic and military, if applicable)

Military, Government, or Commercial space-related experience (if any)

Anticipated percentage of time to be assigned to this program

Active clearance or eligibility for up to TOP SECRET / SCI

Signed statement agreeing to support the T1DES program at the specified level of effort if awarded

Proposed staff members not currently employed by an Offeror may be included as appropriate. In those cases, Offerors shall include signed contingent offer letters. These letters should be signed by both the Offeror and the proposed staff member and should state the willingness of the proposed staff member to join the Offeror in support of the T1DES program if awarded.

Key personnel shall include:

From the Offeror:

Program Manager

Chief Engineer

Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) Lead

If the Offeror is developing any of the Major Subsystems, the subsystem lead(s)

From each Major Teammate:

Program Manager

Chief Engineer

If Major Teammate is developing any of the Major Subsystems, the subsystem lead(s)

2.1.1.7 Personnel Matrix

The personnel matrix shall be submitted as an attachment to this volume and will not be included in the Volume I page limit.

Offerors shall compare and contrast their submitted personnel résumés against the T1DES requirements to validate corporate and individual experience and expertise, thereby giving the

Government confidence in the probability of successful program execution. The format for this comparison is left to Offeror discretion, but this section of the proposal should stand alone for evaluation.

2.1.1.8 Technical Data and Computer Software Rights Assertions

Offerors shall clearly delineate all limitations on data, hardware, and computer software rights for technical data, hardware, or computer software provided by Offerors and all their teammates, using Attachment 5 of the Draft OT Agreement. It is the Government’s assumption that no hardware, technical data, or computer software will be provided with less than Government

Purpose Rights and that the vast majority of information generated will be provided with Unlimited

Rights to the Government. Offerors shall clearly identify those elements to be provided with less than Unlimited Rights and identify the rationale for their assertion(s) using the format shown in

Attachment 5. Any item related to the performance of this effort and not contained in Attachment

5 shall be delivered upon request to the Government, with no less than Government Purpose

Rights. The terms “Unlimited Rights”, “Government Purpose Rights”, “Limited Rights”, and

“Restricted Rights” are defined in Volume VI Draft Other Transaction (OT) Agreement.

2.1.2 Volume II – Technical

Volume II shall not exceed forty (40) pages of content exclusive of title pages, tables of contents, tables of figures, tables of tables, and/or tables of acronyms, and appendices explicitly excluded from the page count. Any pages in excess of the first forty (40) pages of content, other than those noted below as specifically excluded from the overall page limit, will be removed from Offerors’ proposals and not evaluated. Up to fifteen (15) of the forty

(40) pages in the primary Volume II submission may be classified, and the remainder of each primary Volume II submission must be unclassified. With the exception of Commercial Data

Sheets, Volume II appendices may also be classified.

In the following sections, Offerors may not substitute references to work on past or ongoing SDA programs for complete, detailed technical descriptions. Any narrative in this volume that contains such references without accompanying technical descriptions will be considered incomplete.

2.1.2.1 Executive Summary

Offerors shall present their proposed solution concept for twelve (12) T1DES SVs. The Executive

Summary shall include an Operational Viewpoint (OV)-1 or equivalent high-level overview of the proposed solution. The graphics shall depict the SVs, their payloads, the means by which they communicate with each other and the ground (to include anticipated data rates by spectral band), and the means by which they accomplish or demonstrate mission objectives. Integrated into this graphical representation shall be each Offeror’s milestone-driven integrated master schedule for capability delivery, culminating in an in-orbit delivery and performance per SDA’s schedule requirements.

2.1.2.2 Space Vehicle (SV) Overview

Offerors shall summarize the T1DES SV system design in terms of key parameters specification, in addition to Offerors’ supporting design information, including but not limited to:

SV block diagram

Delta-V budget

High-level mass budget

Power budget with power modes

Thermal management strategy

Vehicle configuration showing all major components and significant dimensions

Backup TT&C system design

Link budgets for mission demonstration payloads

Latency budgets within the SV for mission demonstrations

This section should also include an overview of the SV Concept of Operations (CONOPS).

A detailed Master Equipment List (MEL) with mass, power, Manufacturing Readiness Level

(MRL), and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) or other flight heritage shall be included as an Appendix and will not count against the Volume II page limit. The level of detail required in the MEL is not specified but is expected to decompose to assemblies below the subsystem level. The power budget should include the duty cycle and current best estimate for each component by power mode, as well as the orbit average power generated in each power mode and enough information to determine the battery depth of discharge.

2.1.2.2.1 T1DES Payload Architecture and Design

Offerors shall present their overall payload architecture and design. For each payload element below, Offerors shall include, but not be limited to, a discussion of payload hardware, software, control, data transfer capability and/or limitations, and power requirements. Proposals shall demonstrate a clear understanding of each payload’s mission application and the technical solution’s ability to accomplish its mission. Proposals should also address any needed test and certification requirements and plans. Proposals shall include schedule and risk assessments for subject completion. Offerors shall detail their trade-space analyses for critical payload subsystems, including power amplifiers, software defined radios, and antennas.

2.1.2.2.2 T1DES Mission Payloads

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of each of their mission payloads, as defined in

Attachment 1 – Statement of Work and Technical Requirements Document.

Offerors shall provide detailed payload performance parameters, including RF link budgets covering the full fields of regard, demonstrating how each payload satisfies its mission application. The Government has provided required Power Flux Density (PFD) values for transmit functions and required Gain to Noise Temperature (G/T) values for receive functions. Offeror link budgets need not consider parameters specific to tactical terminal performance because those parameters have been factored into the required PFD and G/T. Offerors’ link budgets shall include estimated losses due to Doppler for receive functions.

Offerors shall provide a detailed, quantitative assessment of the trade space for the suite of mission payload antennas. Offerors shall present candidate antenna designs and discuss their merits and shortcomings, considering factors including RF performance, number of antennas required, stowed volume, antenna sharing, fields of regard, and blockages.

Offerors shall describe the CONOPs for using each mission payload individually on each SV and as a user of T1TL. Offerors shall describe how the T1DES mission payloads are integrated with the bus and how payload traffic will be managed, including but not limited to IBS-L and

TACSATCOM traffic distribution. Offerors shall describe the T1DES NOVA interaction with

SUPERNOVA and other ground systems to route messages earmarked for different geographic regions around the world to the correct SV at the correct epoch to ensure uninterrupted service to terrestrial receivers. Descriptions shall include handoff management from rising and setting SVs such that no messages are dropped and the use of of broadcast frequencies that preclude interference where geographic regions overlap.

Offerors shall address the proposed SWAP of the entire baseline system, including antennas, RF hardware, demodulators, forward error correction (FEC) and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) implementations, as well as power requirements, thermal requirements, reliability in the radiation environment, shock/vibe compliance, and Tx/Rx isolation.

2.1.2.2.3 Optical Communication Terminals (OCT)

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of the optical communication terminals (OCTs), including their placement on the SV, individual and aggregate field of regard, and ability to create and maintain required space-to-space links. Offerors should identify the anticipated power requirements, data rate, bit error rate, and any other important parameters. Offerors shall provide a link budget demonstrating the closure of the optical links and clearly state any assumptions used in the creation of the link budget. The Government expects that the link budgets will be developed using industry standards for margin (e.g., 3 dB). Offerors shall identify the compliance of their current system with the SDA OCT Standard v3.0, detail any non-compliant components of their design, and describe the path to full compliance for those components.

2.1.2.2.4 Ka-Band Mission Payload System

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of Ka-band subsystems. Offerors should identify the number of terminals, frequency of operation, bandwidth, anticipated power requirements, anticipated data rate, bit error rate, and any other parameters key to mission performance. Offerors should identify the antenna configurations, field of regard, and deployment mechanisms for each of the antenna systems. Offerors shall provide link budgets demonstrating the closure of required radio frequency (RF) links and clearly state all assumptions used in the creation of the link budget.

The Government expects that the link budgets will be developed using industry standards for margin (e.g., 3 dB). Offerors shall include a description of the space-to-ground communications solution to accomplish checkout and early operations.

2.1.2.2.5 Telemetry, Tracking, and Control (TT&C)

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of the RF communications subsystems used for telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C). Offerors should identify the number of terminals, frequency of operation, bandwidth, anticipated power requirements, anticipated data rate, bit error rate, and any other important parameters. Offerors should identify the antenna configurations, field of regard, and deployment mechanisms for each of the antenna systems. Offerors shall provide link budgets demonstrating the closure of required RF links and clearly state all assumptions used in the creation of the link budget. The Government expects that the link budgets will be developed using industry standards for margin (e.g., 3 dB). Offerors shall include a description of the space-to-ground communications solution to accomplish checkout and early operations.

2.1.2.2.6 Networking and Data Routing

Offerors shall describe the networking capabilities enabled by their technical solution. Offerors shall detail the compliance of their system with the SDA NEBULA Standard v3.01, identify any non-compliant components of their design, and identify the path to full compliance for those components. Offerors should indicate how their design supports networking with T1TL. Offerors should discuss their plans for connecting to T1TL and provide estimates of system performance.

2.1.2.2.7 Navigation

Offerors should describe the proposed implementation of navigation capabilities including a description of:

How an assured position, velocity, and timing (PVT) solution is provided onboard the SV utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS), OCTs, clock(s), and other system components as required, The orbit propagator, The trust engine/integrity audit and how the PVT solution would be utilized to ensure the validity of the received GPS signals and PVT sensor data in order to meet DoDI 4650.8, The selected Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver(s) and clocks, and how these will be integrated to provide an assured PVT solution for all satellite systems, How the vendor will transition to a constellation PVT solution provided from the ground.

2.1.2.2.8 Space Vehicle (SV) Bus Design

Offerors shall present their SV design based on the manufacture or purchase of commoditized SV buses1. Should Offerors elect a non-commoditized bus alternative, they shall present their process for commoditizing the alternative bus.

Offerors shall provide a detailed description of the SV bus including the size, weight, and power available for the payloads. Offerors shall present a discussion of the bus heritage to include:

Where and how many have flown in their orbits

Design life and experienced flight life

Types and frequency of experienced anomalies and their solution(s)

Any major modifications required to meet T1DES objectives

If the proposed bus has not flown, Offerors shall provide the heritage from an existing bus (if applicable) and the changes made to reach the proposed bus design along with the rationale for each proposed change.

For each of the major bus subsystems (e.g., electrical and power; attitude control; telemetry, tracking and control, thermal management, propulsion; etc.), Offerors shall provide a detailed description of the subsystem as well as system heritage. Offerors shall discuss specialty engineering (e.g., radiation, electromagnetic interference, contamination control, etc.) issues and approaches as appropriate. Offerors should discuss the overall fault management approach, including the safe mode implementation.

2.1.2.2.9 Cybersecurity

The Risk Management Framework (RMF), per DoD Instruction 8510.01, will be used by Offerors to obtain separate authorizations to operate (ATO) from the Government for the ground and space segments. The ground segment refers to any ground stations, networks, or ground-based antennas supporting the SVs during launch and early operations, transition to operations, and operations.

For the TIDES SVs, the Government has pre-selected the security controls that Offerors must implement to achieve the desired cyber protection and resiliency. These security controls are included as Contractor and System requirements in the T1DES_System_Security_Accreditation_

Appendix_Final_Solicitation.xlsx document in the Bidder’s Library. Offerors may propose the addition or removal of any SV security controls with justification for Government AO consideration and approval.

Offerors should discuss their cyber resilience strategy, including any resiliency plans, trusted boot systems, security guarantees, and measurements and measurement frequencies. Offerors should discuss any novel solutions and trade-offs required to produce highly resilient SVs in order to minimize cyber risk. Offerors should describe how the compromise of a single SV will not impact the entire network and highlight key aspects of cyber resilience that will be a part of their solution. If

1 A commodity space vehicle utilizes an existing bus design that can be easily manufactured and reused across multiple

SVs and for multiple missions. A commoditized bus has been designed for manufacture and is suitable for, or currently being produced by, an assembly line like process at economies of scale.

desired, Offerors may include discussions related to the cyber resiliency of their system in the classified addendum.

2.1.2.2.10 Encryption

Offerors should describe the proposed implementation of security concerns, such as red-black isolation, encryption, and command authentication. Offerors should describe the encryption systems and technologies used on the SV and how these systems will obtain certification and interoperate with the T1TL SVs, T1 Ground Segment, and tactical radios used for mission demonstrations.

2.1.2.2.11 Interoperability

Offerors should discuss how interoperability between vendor-agnostic SVs is enhanced and enabled by their technical solution. This section should detail other programs for which the vendor has enabled interoperability, how they tested – or would test – this requirement, and the additional capability for the customer shown by this process. Offerors should discuss situations in which they have led or at least participated in the development and acceptance of industry standards. Simply stating a plan to work with SDA to ensure interoperability will not be sufficient for this section; Offerors shall detail instances in which they instantiated interoperability in theirs’ and other vendor’s systems, subsystems or components. Offerors should define the verification, interoperability, and compatibility tests and analyses that they plan to perform and the benefit that those efforts will bring to SDA.

2.1.2.3 Manufacturability

Offerors shall present their manufacturing and assembly-line processes, including diagrams and illustrations, captured in digital format, to demonstrate their ability to produce high-quality repeatable fabrication of the SVs including:

1. assembly of key parts,

2. testing of individual parts and assemblies to ensure they meet the reliability and availability standards associated with the SV,

3. sparing approach at each level of assembly,

4. assembly and test of SV subsystems,

5. integration and test of subsystem hardware, and

6. integration and test of software with the hardware subsystems.

A key focus of this demonstration is the AI&T of T1DES mission payloads. The digital media shall be submitted in MP4 (.mp4) format and the duration of the video shall be less than ten (10) minutes. Any video content that exceeds the ten (10) minute time requirement will not be evaluated. The Government is primarily interested in videos that show actual hardware, assembly lines and personnel that will be employed by Offerors in the design, development, assembly, integration, test, and delivery of the SVs. Videos that are created using 3D computer-aided visualization programs are not preferred but will be accepted if they clearly demonstrate critical manufacturing and assembly assets that will be employed during T1DES program execution. Any such videos depicting manufacturing and assembly assets that do not yet exist must explicitly indicate development schedules substantiating the availability of those assets during T1DES program execution. Video narration will be accepted but must be accompanied by a transcript, which shall be submitted as a separate .pdf file and will not count against the Volume II page limit.

Videos shall be submitted via DoD Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE): https://safe.apps.mil/ as part of the proposal submission. Videos shall be a single file which shall not exceed the size limits of a single DoD SAFE submission.

While Offerors are free to include content that they consider important to demonstrating their capabilities, video inspection shall, at a minimum, present the system-level AI&T process for the

SV bus, OCTs, and T1DES mission payloads.

In addition to the video, Offerors should explain their ability to procure or manufacture commoditized buses at low cost and high reliability while achieving economies of scale as demonstrated in the commercial sector. Offerors shall identify risks in their manufacturing processes or the manufacturing processes of their Major Teammates and shall identify their planned responses to those risks, including strategies for overcoming the inability of Offerors or

Major Teammates to produce the required number of components. Offerors shall provide estimates of the manufacturing capacity of themselves (if applicable) and any Major Teammate, as identified in Section 2, inclusive of current contracts and any potential contracts within T1DES program execution.

2.1.2.3.1 Supply Chain

Offerors should address production capacity, supply chain capacity, supply chain security, and production scalability issues for the SV buses and key payloads including, but not limited to, IBS-

L and TACSATCOM mission payloads, OCTs, processors, networking equipment, and cryptographic equipment.

2.1.2.4 Test, Demonstration, and Verification

Offerors shall present their hardware and software, ground and orbit-based test and demonstration approach(es). This section should address all aspects of test and demonstration to include modeling, simulation, analysis, emulation, ground, and space-based testing. Offerors should address requirements verification at the component, subsystem, system, vehicle, and constellation levels up to and through environmental tests. Offerors should describe test approaches, methodologies, performance, verification, documentation, and staffing.

Offerors should include sample test artifacts from previous programs, and identification of test platforms and hardware maintained by Offerors, as well as use of engineering development units and special test equipment (i.e., ground support equipment). Offerors shall address facility and hardware cleanliness requirements and contamination monitoring approaches throughout AI&T and launch integration. For cases where test activities are expected to be accomplished outside of Offerors’ direct control, Offerors should identify their approach to manage test conduct and the experience level of the organization responsible for conducting the test.

Of particular interest to SDA are Offerors’ approaches to conducting tests and demonstrations in concert with the SDA OCs prior to launch and during early orbit operations and checkout, as well as use of the SVs in conjunction with warfighter exercises once in orbit. Throughout discussion of their test activities, Offerors should clearly identify live, virtual, and constructive tests and demonstrations, if applicable, and any elements expected to be provided by the Government to facilitate completion of their verification program. Offerors shall describe the suggested approach for verification that the proposed SVs are fully compatible with the integrated Ground Segment, T1TL, and the SDA OCs.

https://safe.apps.mil/

2.1.2.5 Launch Services Overview

SDA will procure launch services through the use of the National Security Space Launch contract.

Offerors shall describe how they will integrate a set of three (3) T1DES SVs with an Evolved

Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) secondary payload adapter (ESPA) or alternative multi-manifest adapter, which will then be integrated by a Government-designated integrator with a plane of seven (7) T1 Tracking SVs per launch. SDA plans for the T1DES Contractor to deliver the T1DES SVs, adapters, interface hardware, and ESPAs to the T1 Tracking Layer payload processing facility (PPF) and integrate SVs to the ESPA at the PPF. The T1DES program requirements for protecting classified information and materials at the Secret level during PPF operations apply. For the purpose of planning and estimation in the proposal phase, Offerors should assume that all launches will be conducted from Vandenberg Space Force Base and the

AstroTech PPF at Vandenberg Space Force Base will be used.

Offerors shall describe their plan to perform analyses necessary to ensure successful integration and launch with the T1 Tracking SVs, including management of mass and volume constraints.

Offerors should include graphics depicting the payload stack integrated onto a representative launch vehicle (LV). Offerors shall present their architecture and deployment/separation system design(s) for each plane of T1DES SVs. Offerors shall provide an overview of payload stack and LV integration activities. Offerors shall identify any unique launch service needs (such as a T-0 dry nitrogen purge) or additional accesses required to support LV integration. If the proposed bus has flown on an NSSL class launch vehicle, the Offeror shall provide a description of the bus heritage.

2.1.2.6 Ground Segment and Operations

Offerors shall present their approaches to operating the T1DES constellation as a user of T1TL.

Offerors shall describe their NEBULA Operations – Vendor Architecture (NOVA) solution that runs at the factory and the SDA OCs and integrates with the SDA Unified Planning Environment and Resources for NEBULA Operations – Vendor Agnostic (SUPERNOVA) provided by the T1

Operations and Integration (O&I) contractor. Offerors shall define functions that the T1DES

NOVA will provide, which functions are assumed to be provided by SUPERNOVA, and how the two systems will interact during operations and maintenance activities.

Offerors shall describe their use of COTS software and tools and the resultant benefits to integrated operations. Offerors shall describe how their ground system will provide SV system health and status data to the integrated ground operations management systems for continuous situational awareness and performance monitoring. Offerors shall describe their approach to transition the control of the T1DES constellation from factory to the SDA OCs as part of the development of the integrated ground system.

Offerors shall describe their concept, level of automation, and staffing requirements for nominal operations. Offerors shall describe their approach for anomaly resolution, discrepancy reporting, and planned and unplanned system maintenance. Offerors should list the documentation and training anticipated to be provided to SDA operations personnel. Offerors should describe the systems and approach for maintaining inventory accountability and control.

Offers shall describe their existing infrastructure to support T1DES development and execution of demonstrations at the Secret level. This description shall include identification of applicable existing classified facilities and networks. For existing facilities, Offerors shall identify whether these facilities will require a co-use agreement with another Government organization in order to be used on the T1DES program. For additional information on these requirements, refer to Section

5 of Attachment 1 – Statement of Work and Technical Requirements Document.

Offerors shall describe their T1DES NOVA Critical Mission Functions, including their approach to managing TACSATCOM and IBS-L messages from external data sources.

2.1.2.7 Mission Operations, Sustainment, and Disposal

Offerors shall define the facilities and systems that will be used to support launch and early operations (LEOps) from the vendor facility and how they will transition to constellation operations at the SDA OCs. Offerors shall clearly identify the anticipated locations of SV communications systems, ground antennas, and processing facilities that will be utilized during

LEOps. Offerors shall clearly identify the ability of their facilities to support operations at Secret classification and what network connections are currently available. Offerors should provide an overview of the LEOps plan for orbit raising and SV- and constellation-level initialization and checkout. Offerors shall describe their on-orbit checkout plan and test flow to demonstrate full operational capability of their SVs, mission payloads, and networked orbital planes prior to delivery to the Government and transition to operations. Offerors shall identify the support that they will provide to the SDA OCs during nominal constellation operations, surge support, and anomaly operations. Offerors shall describe the disposal plan for each SV and how that plan will reliably dispose of decommissioned SVs.

2.1.2.7.1 Mission Design

Offerors shall provide CONOPs for T1DES SVs, including initialization, networking with T1TL, and executing IBS-L and TACSATCOM missions. Offerors should clearly identify any mission constraints or limitations. Offerors shall describe how they will integrate with the T1DES mission partners and mission partner facilities for IBS-L and TACSATCOM payload operations.

2.1.2.8 Appendices

The following appendices shall be included as attachments to Volume II and will not count against the Volume II page count.

2.1.2.8.1 TACSATCOM Payload Design Technical Volume Response

Details of the TACSATCOM Payload Design Technical Volume Response are in the T1DES

Program Solicitation Appendix. This appendix is limited to eight (8) pages (exclusive of title pages and tables of contents, tables of figures, tables of tables, and/or tables of acronyms).

Any pages beyond this limit will be removed from the appendix and will not be evaluated.

2.1.2.8.2 Mission Demonstration Plan

Offerors shall outline their plan for executing one or more Mission Demonstration event(s) which will validate the mission capabilities of the IBS-L and TACSATCOM mission payloads and applications. The Mission Demonstration event(s) will occur after the completion of Offerors’

Functional On-Orbit Test (FOOT). Offerors shall define the end-to-end flow of the Mission

Demonstration event(s), inclusive of the users at mission partner facilities, SUPERNOVA and

NOVA ground systems, T1TL, and the T1DES SVs. Offerors shall describe how their proposed event(s) will demonstrate that the T1DES mission payloads can be utilized with a resilient data transport architecture in LEO to support IBS-L and TACSATCOM operations. Offerors shall clearly list their initial assumptions made during event design, anticipated dependencies during event conduct, and anticipated geophysical or temporal constraints which could potentially hinder event success. Offerors shall indicate the entrance criteria, key accomplishments, and exit criteria for each event. Offerors shall clearly identify the participants in the Mission Demonstration event(s), anticipated Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), and any other assumptions of capability required to complete the Mission Demonstration event(s). Offerors shall identify anticipated event locations and timelines. The Mission Demonstration Plan shall include an OV-1 graphic including the participants and data flows at a minimum. This appendix is limited to eight

(8) pages (exclusive of title pages and tables of contents, tables of figures, tables of tables, and/or tables of acronyms). Any pages beyond this limit will be removed from the appendix and will not be evaluated.

2.1.2.8.3 Commercial Data Sheets

Offerors may submit commercial data sheets as a list of up to ten (10) hyperlinks to publicly available downloadable .pdf data sheets on Offerors’ websites or their subcontractors’ websites.

Each downloadable .pdf file shall be no more than two (2) pages, resulting in a cumulative maximum of twenty (20) pages of commercial data sheets. Links will be accessed in the order provided in the proposal and only the first twenty (20) pages will be evaluated. Any pages beyond the twenty (20) page limit will be discarded.

2.1.2.8.4 Parameter Specification

Offerors shall complete the value column in each worksheet of the

T1DESKeyParameterSpecification.xlsx file in…