UNO RFI - OTA Strategy (REV 26 OCT 2023).docx

Request for Information (RFI) Unified Network Operations (UNO)

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY

Sources Sought

NOTICE ID

W15P7T-23-UNORFI

DEPARTMENT/IND. AGENCY

DEPT OF DEFENSE

SUB-TIER

DEPT OF THE ARMY

MAJOR COMMAND

AMC

SUB COMMAND

ACC

SUB COMMAND 2

ACC-CTRS

SUB COMMAND 3

ACC-APG

OFFICE

W6QK ACC-APG

General Information

· Contract Opportunity Type: Special Notice (Original)

· All Dates/Times are: (UTC-05:00) EASTERN STANDARD TIME, NEW YORK, USA

· Original Published Date: 25 October 2023

· Original Response Date: 20 December 2023

· Inactive Policy: 15 days after response date

· Original Inactive Date:

· Initiative:

CLASSIFICATION

· Original Set Aside: N/A

· Product Service Code: R412: Engineering and Technical Services

· NAICS Code: 541512 – Computer Systems Design Services

· Place of Performance: TBD

Request for Information (RFI) for Program Executive Office, Command, Control and Communications Tactical (PEO C3T).

CAPABILITY DESCRIPTION

The Army leverages Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN) Operations, known as DODINOPS, to install, operate, maintain, and protect the Unified Network (UN), which serves forces operating in congested and contested domains like air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace across a highly lethal and complex battlefield. DODINOPS personnel are responsible for securing, configuring, operating, extending, maintaining, and sustaining the DoD cyberspace, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of data within the UN.

The goal of the DODINOPS framework is to synchronize and create a seamless end-to-end Unified Network, connecting enterprise and tactical echelons to support all warfighting functions. Unified Network Operations (UNO) is a critical component of this construct, providing a suite of DODINOPS software (SW) applications that are interoperable, standards-based, and shared between the Integrated Enterprise Network (IEN) and Integrated Tactical Network (ITN). The overarching objective is to standardize DODINOPS tools, enhance simplicity, bridge critical gaps, and ensure affordability and agility in the face of emerging threats.

UNO's capabilities encompass DODINOPS functions (install, operate, maintain, protect, planning, reconfigure, extend, secure, and sustain) and design, modeling & simulation for the UN. UNO seamlessly integrates data generated or used by these capabilities across strategic and tactical operational echelons. UNO ensures network availability and maneuverability within the cyber domain, supporting Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) and Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO). UNO employs a common suite of SW, applying Zero-Trust principles, and integrates the Common Operating Environment (COEs), Common Services Infrastructure, and Common Transport Layer to transform isolated networks into a unified Army DODIN. UNO's design and implementation reduces technical complexity at the edge, harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to streamline operational tasks and provide adaptable capabilities at different echelons.

The Product Manager, Tactical Cyber Network Operations (PdM, TCNO), is the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) responsible for building the UNO capabilities to create seamless end-to-end DODINOPS from IEN to ITN, in support of warfighting functions. UNO is the linchpin of the UN, providing shared DODINOPS tools that simplify operations, fill critical gaps, and ensure an affordable and agile profile to address emerging threats and operational needs. UNO empowers soldiers to (install, operate, maintain, protect, planning, reconfigure, extend, secure, and sustain) the UN.

In accordance with (IAW) 10 US Code 4022, the Government may use a competitive multi-step non-Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based Other Transaction Authority (OTA) with multiple vendor down-selects. There is a potential for a follow-on production effort to deliver and deploy initial UNO capabilities. Initial capabilities will include a Simplified User Interface (SUI) that enables access to integrated Lower Tier Tactical (LTT) and Upper Tier Tactical (UTT) capabilities. A Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) must be leveraged to ensure these capabilities are modular and severable components that are not subject to vendor lock and must leverage open industry standards. The overall intent of the SUI is for human operators to interact with the single-user interface for all network operations tasks, with the interface providing a unified, consistent look and feel for the Soldier. The user interface then directly interacts with the other components of the UNO capability, using each tool’s native interface and data. The user interface should have the ability to display the current common operating picture for both Upper Tactical Internet (UTI) and Lower Tactical Internet (LTI) including:

1. Automating workflows

2. Fetching, displaying, and posting data in the database

3. Prompting the user with contextual help The MOSA approach ensures a reusable architecture that separates the system into major functions and elements. These functions and elements work together across interfaces in conformance with widely supported, consensus-based standards. Modularization simplifies system design and accelerates delivery and deployment at the speed of need by making complexity manageable. Modularization enables parallel development efforts and continuously improves technology within the context of rapidly evolving technology, requirements threat landscape, or interoperability need.

UNO LTT addresses the Lower-Tier portion of the UN’s tactical environment. LTT provides capabilities for battalion (BN) and company Signal Soldiers required to plan, prepare, execute, and assess the LTT network to meet Commander priorities and critical mission requirements. LTT includes all network transport, voice and data, services, and devices operated at the BN and below.

The LTT provides the DODINOPS capabilities required for BN S-6 and company Signal Soldiers to plan, prepare, and execute tactical networks to include priorities for data from Common Operating Environment (COE) Computing Environment (CE) devices; prepare configuration and cyber security software for loading network transport and if required COE CE devices. The LTT supports the following COE CEs: Command Post (CP) CE (CPCE), Mounted CE (MCE), Mobile/Handheld CE (MHH CE), Sensor CE, and Real Time Safety Critical (RTSC CE).

LTT requires integration with the UNO UTT capabilities as-well-as those of the Data Fabric and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) to provide holistic DODIN operations functionality. UTT capabilities will incorporate the same UNO LTT capabilities required for brigade and above.

UTT addresses the brigade and above portion of the UN tactical environment. UTT will include DODIN operations tailorable and scalable capabilities for, but not be limited to, applications, services, devices, and network transport that support commanders and leaders. UTT is the manageable network components of the COE that are at the brigade and above through the Regional Hub Node (RHN). UTT plans, manages, and secures network transport (i.e., Command Post Node (CPN), Joint Network Node (JNN), and Tactical Communications Node (TCN)), voice and data, services, and devices operated within the LTT.

UTT will include additional capabilities for designing, planning, and modeling & simulation for the UN. While reducing technical complexity at the edge by leveraging AI and ML technologies to simplify operational tasks while providing tailorable and scalable capabilities at the appropriate echelon.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

The Government may use a competitive, multi-step non-FAR based OTA with multiple vendor down-selects and the potential for a follow-on production effort to deliver and deploy initial UNO capabilities. The steps this OTA process will follow are captured as Steps 1-3 in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Proposed OTA Process Step 1a – Request for White Papers (RWP) The Government will issue a Statement of Need (SoN) for these UNO requirements. During Step 1a, each vendor will submit a white paper providing a proposed technical approach to the UNO requirements described in the SoN (to be released at a later date). White papers are subject to a page limitation. Based on the evaluation of information provided and presented, the Government may down-select vendors and invite vendors to participate in Step1b – Oral Presentations.

Step 1b – Request for Oral Presentations During Step 1b, each vendor selected to participate will be invited to provide an Oral Presentation providing more detail about its technical approach to the UNO capability. Based on the evaluation of information presented by the vendors, the Government may down-select vendors for a Phase 1 prototype award.

Step 2 – Prototype Phase 1 (Technology Demonstrations) Step 2 will be the Phase 1 of a Prototype OTA. It will focus on vendors providing a lab-based demonstration which may include demonstration of the capabilities outlined in Step 1 and/or solutions to scenarios provided by the Government. Some of these scenarios may include integrating existing GFE capabilities in addition to the demonstration of MOSA-based UNO capabilities. An evaluation of each technology demonstration will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements. Based on the evaluation of the demonstrations, the Government may down-select vendors for a Phase 2 prototype award.

Step 3 – Prototype Phase 2 (Prototype) Step 3 will be the Phase 2 of the Prototype OTA. During Step 3, the Government will ask vendors to provide a prototype and conduct User Juries consisting of users testing the prototype software solutions. Based on the evaluation of the Phase 2 prototypes, the Government may award a follow-on production effort to deliver and deploy initial UNO capabilities.

To encourage competition and exchanges of information, the Government is requesting that vendors review the draft project approach and provide a response to the Government no more than ten (10) pages in length including the cover page and any attachments (Times New Roman 12-point font with no less than 1” margins on each page) on the following questions IAW the below submission requirements:

REQUESTED INFORMATION

1. Required Company Information

· Organization Name:

· Address:

· NAICS code(s):

· CAGE Code:

· DUNS Number:

· Point of Contact:

2. Please identify your company’s business size based on the primary North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code of 541512 Computer Systems Design Services. The Business Size for this NAICS code is $34 million.

· Other than Small Business Concern

· Small Business (SB) Concern

· 8(a)

· Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)

· Woman-Owned Small Business

· Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)

· Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business

3. IAW DFARS 202.101, are you a Non-Traditional Defense Contractor (NTDC) or will your teaming arrangement for this effort include one or more NTDCs?

4. Would you be willing to provide your company information (i.e., POC name, title, and email address) to other offerors for possible teaming arrangements?

5. Do you have a MOSA-based solution that meets the UNO LTT and UTT capabilities as defined in this RFI? If so, please describe.

6. How long/how much time would you require specifically for steps 2 and 3 of the proposed process?

a. How much time would you require to provide a lab-based demo? How much time would you propose the evaluation of that demo to take?

b. How much time would it take to provide a prototype that is ready to incorporate operational feedback? How long during the prototype phase would you require before a user could “test” the software solution?

7. Please provide a high-level cost estimate (based on firm fixed price) for Step 2 and Step 3 of the outlined OTA process.

8. What criteria would be appropriate to aid the Government in making down-selections for each step in the proposed OTA process? Please provide proposed criteria for each step.

9. What licenses would be required to utilize your proposed solution in a production environment? What is the licensing structure and associated pricing for your proposed solution (e.g., per seat, subscription-based, enterprise, product support, tiered pricing model)? Are your proposed solution licenses available on existing contract vehicles for us to purchase? If so, please provide the procurement instrument identifier (i.e. the contract and task order number).

10. How would you handle (i.e., best practices) automated testing and integration of software code / products from other vendors into a unified solution?

11. What is your company’s experience using a DoD-based Software Factory to perform automated testing, integration, and software development? If you have experience, which Software Factory’s has your company leveraged?

*** Responses to this request are due no later than 20 December 2023 @ 4PM Eastern Standard Time (EST). Responses to this notice may not be returned. *** Please submit your questions/responses to:

· Megan Lamiotte, Contracting Officer – megan.a.lamiotte.civ@army.mil

· Dr. Renee J. Bayton, Contract Specialist - renee.j.bayton.civ@army.mil

THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF CONTRACT, AGREEMENT, OR TASK ORDER RFP ISSUANCE. This RFI is issued for the purpose of developing a viable solicitation that will best communicate the Government's requirements to industry through this exchange of information. Responses to this RFI are voluntary and will not affect any contractor's ability to submit a proposal if, or when, a solicitation is released. This RFI is for planning purposes only and does NOT constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued. If the Government determines it will issue an OTA, the Government may use the C5 Consortium, another OTA Consortium, or an Army Contracting Command office for the release and award of this OTA. To ensure your participation with the C5 Consortium, please register as a member in the C5 Consortium at https://cmgcorp.org/c5/membership/.

The Government reserves the right to hold one-on-one meetings with RFI respondents to review responses.

No entitlement to payment by the Government of direct or indirect costs or charges will arise because of the submission of information in response to this RFI. Proprietary information shall NOT be submitted in response to this RFI, nor will the Government be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any improperly identified proprietary information. No award will be made because of this RFI. This RFI is for informational purposes only to promote exchanges of information with industry. The Government will not pay for any information and/or materials received in response to this RFI and is not obligated by the information received.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contracting Office Address

HQ CECOM CONTRACTING CENTER 6565 SURVEILLANCE LOOP

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD 21005-1846

Primary Point of Contact

· Megan Lamiotte, Contracting Officer – megan.a.lamiotte.civ@army.mil Secondary Point of Contact

· Dr. Renee J. Bayton, Contract Specialist - renee.j.bayton.civ@army.mil

Glossary

The open standards currently included in CMOSS include the following: Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY)/Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE), which optimizes SWaP, enables platform systems to share information, and prepares platforms to accept future technologies without the need for significant redesign; Modular Open RF Architecture (MORA), which extends VICTORY/FACE to support radio frequency (RF) systems; OpenVPX, an open hardware standard maintained by the VITA industry working group and ratified as an ANSI standard; and software frameworks including REDHAWK/TOA, SALVAGE, X-Midas, and Photon (when suitable) intended to maximize portability of applications between hardware platforms.

technologies. Harnessing these technologies at all echelons will allow the Command Post to function at the same velocity as the home-station operations center. 5G and beyond technologies at all echelons will create an integrated “Internet-of-Things” distribution network for end devices which will link base operations to the tactical edge. Commercial wireless technologies will be leveraged wherever feasible to create mobile, agile, and secure network connections.

integrated in planning and synchronized in execution, at speed and scale needed to gain advantage and accomplish the mission.

end users while enabling continuous rollout and cutting-edge cyber resilience. Software factory ecosystems are a multitude of related assets that support the operations, production, acquisition, and delivery of mission capabilities including data analytics, AI/ML, and advanced software technologies. They enable continuous user engagement to prioritize and refine desired requirements and features. To the maximum extent, they leverage automation to replace manual processes and increase the security of Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps) processes by reducing human-caused unintentional mistakes or malicious interference with the software integration and delivery process. They are also able to reach economies of scale by providing training through assimilation and replication of industry best practices. DoD continues to make progress in standing up the software factory ecosystem to deliver software at the speed of relevance. The following tasks, taken together, mature DoD’s software factory ecosystem and identify pilots in the digital engineering domain to realize software factory value.

posts, and at-the-halt or on-the-move at the division and brigade. The upper tier is an interoperability point for higher echelons, aviation integration, and interoperability with joint, inter-organizational, and multinational partners.

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