Multi-Terminal Low Earth Orbit Satellite Internet Service

The Washington Military Department is requesting proposals for Low Earth Orbit satellite internet data service and associated hardware to support the Washington State Emergency Management Division's All-Hazard Alert Broadcast siren network, State Emergency Operations Center field operations, and continuity communications, with proposals due December 3, 2026, and a pre-bid conference on October 21, 2026, at 11:00 AM PDT via Microsoft Teams.

Voluntary MWBE participation goals are 10% for Minority Business Enterprises and 6% for Women Business Enterprises. Procurement preferences award 20 points to Washington small businesses and 20 points to certified veteran-owned businesses, with a maximum of 30 combined points for businesses qualifying as both; 15 additional points go to firms without mandatory individual arbitration clauses.

The scope encompasses approximately 122 low-bandwidth pole-mounted terminals for AHAB siren remote terminal units, 4 portable/mobile terminals for SEOC field deployment, and 2 higher-bandwidth fixed-site terminals across multiple Washington counties. Bidders must be authorized resellers or providers of a LEO satellite constellation. Hardware must be new, original-condition equipment with utility pole mounting capability and standard Ethernet data connections. Low-bandwidth sites require minimum download speeds of 10 Mbps and upload speeds of 5 Mbps with 3–5 GB/month data allowance; mobile and higher-bandwidth sites require 25 Mbps (or greater) download and 10 Mbps (or greater) upload speeds with ability to operate outside pooled data structures and relocate within Washington State without roaming charges. All sites require measurable latency below 100 milliseconds, encrypted data transmission, a centralized management portal, 24/7/365 technical support, and a 99.9% uptime Service Level Agreement. Critical service outages require immediate response; non-critical issues require 24-hour response. Terminals must remain functional upon contract expiration and be delivered within 90 days of contract execution.

The contract is three years with two optional three-year renewal periods, fixed-price with maximum annual cost increases capped at 3%. WMD anticipates approximately 130 terminals over the contract life and approximately $50,000 in annual service budget for planning purposes only—not a minimum purchase guarantee. Questions are due November 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST, with responses posted by November 9. Anticipated announcement of the apparent successful bidder is January 15, 2027.