Space Hub Integrated End Cryptographic Unit Leading Edge Development (SHIELD)

Section I: Description & Background

The cornerstone of the Protected Tactical Satellite Communication (SATCOM) (PTS) system is a new, more resilient Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW), which is the enabler for the Protected Anti-Jam Tactical SATCOM (PATS) concept of operations. PTW is a waveform designed to mitigate the effects of jamming for tactical communication services that require medium and high data rates. The US Military will be migrating to PTW to ensure delivery of high capacity protected tactical SATCOM to the joint and coalition warfighters in contested, degraded environments.

The Space Hub Integrated End Cryptographic Unit (ECU) Leading Edge Development (SHIELD) for Protected Tactical SATCOM – Rapid Prototypes (PTS-RP) are currently being developed by L3Harris and have delivered all the ECUs as of 27 November 2024. The SHIELD II program will develop, test, and deliver to the government, ECUs for the Protected Tactical SATCOM family of systems. The anticipated award of the SHIELD contract is Q4 of FY25 and must incorporate with “off-the-shelf” or “in-development” PTW capability ECU. The PTW ECU is a highly specialized, wideband device that generates keystreams required for secure communication, enabling hopping, time permutation, symbol rotation, and coverage, proving the essential transmission security (TRANSEC) anti-jam capability.

Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) will be considered as Market Research in accordance with FAR Part 10 to inform the Government’s procurement strategy. The Government may or may not compete or award this requirement. Additional market research may or may not be conducted. Responses from small businesses and small disadvantaged businesses are highly encouraged. The anticipated NAICS code for this acquisition is 334220 and the size standard is 1,250 employees.

Section II: Information Request

The Government is interested in the Program Manager’s estimate for cost and schedule.

Qualified sources must demonstrate the ability to deliver this capability with minimal investment by the Government and high confidence of success. In addition, qualified sources must demonstrate all the following capabilities:

1. A high confidence solution for the ECUs, integration into PTS-R. The solution must have a very high confidence of successful acceptance by the Government and delivery as soon as FY2028.
2. A thorough understanding of the PTS-R mission.
3. A thorough understanding of the PTS payloads, including its design and interfaces.
4. A thorough understanding of the ECUs, as well as a credible plan for modifying, integrating, and testing it to incorporate to PTS-R payloads.
5. A thorough understanding of relevant PTS-R interfaces.
6. Provide necessary personnel, material, service, and facilities to produce, integrate, and test the systems.
7. Define and document the required specifications, interfaces, design features and constraints, hardware and software elements, and data products necessary to support the Government’s National Security Agency (NSA) certification of the ECUs.
8. Provide management of the following: program, business, schedule, subcontracts, mission assurance, material acquisiton, and processes.
9. Extensive systems engineering experience, knowledge, and background dealing with PTS systems, including system requirments analysis, test and verification, risk management, and system security management.

Any persons or companies interested in responding to this notice with a Statement of Capabilities (SOC) must be able to develop, integrate, test, simulate and operate a SHIELD flight operations capability, and fully integrate SHIELD operations with the ongoing operations of PTS-R. Development and testing of the flight operations capability must be done in coordination with, and not impede, on-going PTS-RP development activities. The capability must retain security, information assurance, mission assurance, interface control, and logistics support appropriate. The Government requires 3 SHIELD ECU assemblies to enable full encryption SATCOM on the PTS-R system. These ECUs will also enable on-orbit re-initialization to enable maximum cryptographic flexibility as required in the PTS-R Capability Development Document (CDD).

Section III: Response Format, Submittal Instructions, and Questions

Response Format – Responses shall be submitted as a white paper in PDF or Microsoft Word for Office 2007 or later compatible format, supplemented with Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF). Responses shall be prepared so that when printed, they meet the following requirements: ten (10) one-sided 8.5x11 inch pages, single-spaced typed lines, 1 inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman font. The Government will not accept company literature or marketing materials in response to this notice.

Response Classification – All material provided in response to this notice shall be UNCLASSIFIED, non-confidential, and non-proprietary to the maximum extent practicable. Firms providing confidential/proprietary information shall separately and clearly identify and mark all confidential/proprietary information. The Government will take all necessary steps to protect/safeguard any confidential/proprietary information not clearly marked.

Submittal POCs – Responses shall be submitted electronically. Unclassified submittals shall be submitted to Mr. Bryan Boardway, Contracting Officer, at bryan.boardway@spaceforce.mil and Ms. Heather Ayres, Contract Specialist, at heather.ayres@spaceforce.mil.

Submittal Due Date – Responses are due by 12:00 PM (Pacific Time) on 20 February 2025.

Questions and Communications – All questions and communication associated with this RFI shall be submitted in writing to Mr. Bryan Boardway, Contracting Officer, at bryan.boardway@spaceforce.mil and Ms. Heather Ayres, Contract Specialist, at heather.ayres@spaceforce.mil.

Section IV: Disclaimers

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. This notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal or Request for Quotation) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This notice does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Furthermore, the Government is not, at this time, seeking proposals. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this notice. The Government will not assume liability for costs incurred by any attendee for travel expenses or marketing efforts. All costs associated with responding to this notice will be solely at the responding party's expense.

Proprietary information, if any, should be kept to a minimum and shall be clearly marked.  Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. In order to review RFI response, proprietary information may be given to Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), and/or Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) contractors working for the Government. Non-government support contractors listed below may be involved in the review of any responses submitted. These may include but are not limited to: The Aerospace Corporation (FFRDC), MITRE (FFRDC), MIT/Lincoln Labs (FFRDC), JHU/APL (UARC), Linquest Corporation, Tecolote, MCR, Odyssey, Tech7, and SAVI LLC.