Strategic SATCOM Space Segment Request for Information (RFI)

Introduction

This Request for Information (RFI) seeks to gather information from industry to inform solutions to meet potentital United States Space Force (USSF) requirements. The Government is seeking industry feedback, recommendations, and best practices during the market research phase of this effort. Please do not provide generic capability statements. The Government is seeking well defined responses with supporting documentation to assist in developing acquisition strategies.

 ***This is not a request for proposals. All information provided is optional; and it will be used to assist the Government in determining its future acquisition strategy.***

1. Overview

Space Systems Command (SSC) / System Delta 88 (SYD 88) will be conducting a reverse industry day in March 2026 to explore achievable innovations that advance technical and operational capabilities for future Strategic Satellite Communications (SATCOM), specifically capabilities making use of the eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform. The Strategic SATCOM Reverse Industry Day market research will be structured across the following key technology areas: high-availability XDR communications, resilient architectures, and advanced infrastructure.

Because innovation often happens with non-traditional participants, industry should structure technical and partnering approaches to continuously enable new entrant and non-traditional innovations to contribute to capability in the XDR waveform.

SYD 88 invites interested companies to submit a white paper that outlines their value proposition, relevant experience, and potential approach to addressing one or more of the defined capability areas of interest. Classified and Unclassified white papers submitted in connection with these events are for market research and planning only. These white papers are not proposals and will not be evaluated for award or procurement purposes.

2. Engagement Objectives

• Seek Industry capabilities and innovations that could result in the rapid deployment of enhanced end-to-end communications capabilities to warfighters through the use of existing industry infrastructure; rapid prototyping and production of industry-designed hardware or software; or the accelerated incorporation of Industry-developed science & technology into the next-generation of edge and backhaul satellite communications systems.
• Learn about the maturity of industry technologies and capabilities.
• Determine the initial set of capability innovations SYD 88 should focus on for a potential future Strategic SATCOM acquisition.

3. How the Government Will Use Submitted White Paper

• Inform topic understanding and potential capability gaps.
• Support future acquisition planning (including technology maturation funding where applicable).
• Guide follow-on engagement opportunities where applicable.
• Evaluate corporate capabilities through a structured vetting process for classified strategic communications work.

4. Participation Conditions

• Submission of a white paper does not guarantee a one-on-one meeting, future contract opportunity, or further engagement.
• Participation is voluntary and at the vendor's discretion and expense.
• Submittals including proprietary information SHALL be clearly marked. Respondents shall indicate whether their responses contain any proprietary information if the respondents wish for the responses to be handled as such. The Government shall NOT be held liable for any damage incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified.

5. Submission Instructions and Questions

Submission deadline: 13 February 2026 by 1200 Pacific Time. Responses received after the due date may not be considered in the Government’s analysis. Verbal responses will not be accepted.

Questions: Any questions related to the RFI shall be submitted in writing to the SYD 88 Org Box and the Points of Contact (POCs) listed below. The Government cannot guarantee that questions received after 09 February 2026 by 1700 PT will be answered.

Response classification: Respondents shall provide an UNCLASSIFIED, non-confidential, and non-proprietary response to the maximum extent practicable. Responses shall be submitted via email to the POCs and the SYD 88 Org Box identified below. All submissions shall include company name and point of contact information including name, position, telephone number, and email address. No portion of the RFI response delivered to the POCs below shall contain classified information.

CLASSIFIED: SECRET-LEVEL: Email POCs below for coordination. If RFI respondents wish to provide classified white papers, then the Government will provide instructions for delivery on a case-by-case basis. Do not include classified information in your initial response. If companies require classified delivery via certified mail or hand-carry, please contact the POCs below for coordination. Deliveries must be identified with Company Facility Security Officer, CAGE code, and Security Management Office Code.

POINTS OF CONTACT:

• Ms. Tanya Arellano: tanya.arellano@spaceforce.mil
• Mr. Bryce Smyth: bryce.smyth@spaceforce.mil
• SYD 88 Org Box: syd88.sx.rid@spaceforce.mil

The Government may subsequently contact respondents for clarification on the information submitted.

6. Additional Information

SAM.gov will be the repository for all information related to this RFI. Respondents are encouraged to monitor the RFI page for any additional details provided by the Government. Optional one-on-one meetings will be held in-person and can be held up to the Secret-level. Further details regarding the one-on-one meetings will be provided at a later date.

7. White Paper Formatting

• Microsoft Office 2007 or later products and/or Adobe Acrobat
• Font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
• Length: No more than six (6) pages (Excluding attachments). The attachments listed below will not count against the page limit.
• Spacing: Single space
• Margins: One inch
• Page size: 8 1/2 X 11 inches
• Attachments include:
  • Cover Page and front matter
  • Executive Summary
  • Completed Matrix found in Appendix B: Capability Decomposition and Subsystem Coverage Table
  • Discussion addressing integration cohort participation
• Email subject line: “Strategic SATCOM RFI – (Company Name)”
• File Name: Company Name_2026 Strategic SATCOM RID RFI Whitepaper

8. White Paper Requested Content

A. Company Overview and Security Readiness

• Provide your Company’s name and Parent Company (if applicable), Cage Code (if registered), point of contact (email, address and phone number), and size (small/large business designation; foreign owned/partnered with foreign entity).
• Technical and/or integration background (pedigree enabling provision of innovative technology to the Strategic SATCOM problem space).
• Company infrastructure enabling work in support of national security objectives.
• Examples of current Government contracts relevant to Strategic SATCOM, space communications, resilient networking, or contested operations.
• Facility and Personnel clearance level or Roadmap to address any evident shortcomings in clearance, cleared personnel, facilities, or security-qualified infrastructure.
• Insert the following info only when applicable (Optional):
  • Examples of relevant experience supporting nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) missions or strategic SATCOM challenges (clearly identify scope: application layer, terminal hardware, waveform/signal processing, network services, integration).
  • Descriptions of previous experience with survivable communications systems supporting “nuclear deterrence and the nation’s survival in, though, and after war” applications.

B. Innovation and Capability Alignment

• Identify the innovation and where it fits in the Strategic SATCOM system of systems (architecture, subsystem/component, waveform/signal processing, integration, operations, etc.).
• Identify which Market Research Focus Area(s) are addressed and provide a short mapping of the innovation to those areas (see Appendix A: Market Research Focus Areas).
• Describe the value the company brings to Strategic SATCOM acquisition challenges.
• Describe the anticipated contribution to the overall end-to-end capability, including partnerships, integration opportunities, or areas of technical leadership.
• Highlight capabilities supporting contested environment operations (AJ, LPI/LPD/LPG, EMI resistance, cyber resiliency, survivability, assured access).
• Innovative solutions for allied integration into strategic SATCOM architecture
• Maturity of the innovation (TRL/MRL), roadmap to TRL 6 where applicable, and the top risks to successful maturation (technical, schedule, integration, security, supply chain).
• Estimated timeline from Authority to Proceed (ATP) to delivery of a prototype/first unit/capability: Describe the technology development timelines.

C. System Integration and Technical Contribution

• Outline how the innovation integrates into the Strategic SATCOM system of systems; state what interface and integration details are known vs. what must be developed/discovered (ICDs, message formats, crypto, timing/synchronization, spectrum/bands, command/control).
• Identify current or planned teaming arrangements and how teaming benefits Government objectives (speed, resiliency, interoperability, transition risk reduction).
• Identify dependencies for successful integration (collaboration with other companies, ICD availability, modifications to adjacent systems/components, Government Furnished Equipment/Information (GFE/GFI/GFX), data and test access).
• Identify assumptions or external needs (GFE/GFI, data rights, range access, classified test environments, escrowed keys, waveform labs, terminal availability).
• Describe integration approach with existing strategic user and command terminals (FAB-T, In-Band C2, Out-of-Band C2) where applicable.

D. Capability Decomposition and Subsystem Coverage (from System-to-Segment Requirements)

• State which portion(s) of the end-to-end capability the company can provide (space segment, payload, antennas/beamforming, crosslinks, TT&C, autonomy, survivability/hardening, ground entry points, ground stations, networks, user terminals, waveform/signal processing, cyber).
• Map capabilities to the System-to-Segment requirement elements found in Appendix B: Capability Decomposition and Subsystem Coverage Table

9. Integration Cohort Participation

The Government is exploring an acquisition strategy for Strategic SATCOM utilizing the concept of an integration cohort. Companies are made aware that this includes:

• Participation in a Government-facilitated integration cohort with other selected vendors under mutual NDAs and controlled information-sharing processes.
• Expectation to collaborate on interface definition, ICD maturation, MBSE artifacts, and integration test planning with a designated prime/integrator.
• Cohort success measured on end-to-end capability performance (integration of subsystem contributions into an operationally relevant capability), not on standalone component demonstration.
• Ability to support rapid integration cycles: technical interchange meetings, lab integration, on-orbit/ground demonstrations where applicable, and timely delivery of interface data and integration support.
• Identification of any constraints on information sharing (proprietary, export control, licensing) and proposed mitigations consistent with NDAs and Government objectives.

10. Disclaimer on Non-Government Advisor Access

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes (market research) to inform future Strategic SATCOM requirements. As part of a comprehensive market research and technical review process, please be advised that data and information submitted to the Government for these reverse industry day engagements may be shared with other Government agencies, partners, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), and Advisory and Assistance Services contractors supporting the Government.  Non-Government support contractors may be involved in the review and analysis of any responses submitted. Non-Government  support contractors may include but are not limited to The Aerospace Corporation (FFRDC), MITRE Corporation (FFRDC), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, KBR, Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon, Tecolote, and their subcontractors

If a Respondent has any objections to a non-Government advisor having access to its data or information, the Respondent SHALL notify the Government immediately and must clearly state this restriction in the cover letter accompanying the RFI response.

DISCLAIMER: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes (i.e., market research). This RFI does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotations (RFQ)) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.  Furthermore, the Government is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept any unsolicited proposals. 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 responding party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Proprietary information or trade secrets shall be clearly identified.