INTRODUCTION

U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC), Space & Terrestrial Communications Directorate, supporting U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) SOF AT&L PEO C4 is interested in identifying new technologies and/or off-the-shelf products that are capable of providing a low profile broadband SATCOM OTM (SOTM) terminal meeting performance requirements, reduced Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements and recurring operational costs. A specific goal is to identify lightweight, low profile and capable SOTM antenna terminals, which can be easily integrated on a multitude of platforms and that can be operational in less than fifteen minutes as delineated in the Detailed Requirements below. These terminals should be lightweight and low profile; these antenna systems should maintain performance at all scan angles. An SOTM terminal with sufficient data rate capability (512 Kbps full duplex) or higher is required throughout the battlespace to support mission applications and services. Candidate's terminals should maintain performance at all look angles. Data rate capacity should be sufficient to support services such as VoIP, VTC, Full Motion Video (FMV), etc. at all operational elevation and look angles. The frequency band ranges of interest are the following X (commercial and military), Ku, K/Ka (commercial and military).

BACKGROUND

USSOCOM mission operations require a robust situational awareness capability and reliable communications. Systems capable of transporting FMV, Command Control Intelligence and Surveillance data are necessary elements during these operations. For tactical elements, an all-weather and all-environmental conditions SOTM terminal capability is essential to fulfilling that demand. Besides performance and all weather capable solutions, factors such as SWaP of the sought after terminals is an important consideration given the range of field conditions and diverse network architecture that USSOCOM may utilize during operations. Additionally, SOTM terminal solutions shall be capable of being powered by worldwide AC power as well as DC vehicular power as specified in the Detailed Requirements below. USSOCOM has utilized commercial Ku Band and Wideband Global Satellite (WGS), X (commercial and military) and Ka bands (military) to date. COTM solutions supporting Ka Band (both commercial/military), as well as X Band for all weather-reliable communications are of interest. USSOCOM terminals require WGS certification and commercial licensing as applicable.


SCOPE

The scope of this effort; USSOCOM seeks to identify current and potentially near term fieldable, lightweight, low profile, COTM terminals that can provide high throughput solutions primarily in Ka band (both commercial/military). USSOCOM is also interested in COTM solutions for Ku band (commercial) and X band (both commercial/military). Lightweight, low profile, and low cost terminals that can maintain desired performance are of interest but not limited to.

Candidate's COTM terminals that are capable of meeting the following minimum requirements in each of the identified frequency bands are desirable:

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

One or Multiple operational environments: Maritime, Ground-Mobile
Optimize SWaP and Non-Invasive Vehicle/Platform Integration
Candidate SOTM terminals must be able to auto acquire with a possibility to override for manual operation and manual acquisition with assisted pointing.
Single Band, Single Beam terminals are sought.
Multi-Band, Single-Beam beam capable terminals are desired.
The desired SOTM terminals shall be turnkey solutions with emphasis on modularity; feeds and/or X, Ku, K/Ka terminal components (e.g. modems) should be easily swappable.
Terminals with any embedded GPS capability shall be SAASM compliant
All terminals shall provide an external port supporting connection of an external SAASM compliant device.
Terminals shall have an IRU meeting minimum performance requirements as specified in the DETAILED REQUIREMENTS table below.
Terminals shall have a modem and ACU console port allowing for operations, monitoring, and maintenance of the terminal.
Shall support UDP/TCP data streaming. Must be able to operate in an Ethernet over IP (EoIP) environment.
Candidate terminals should have an embedded modem.
Candidate terminal solutions shall be modem agnostic (whether they provide an embedded/integrated modem or not), by providing external IF and Control and Status (C/S) interfaces for use with an external modem.
Current requirement is for terminals to operate in the existing USSOCOM iDirect architecture. Terminals with internal modems shall be provisioned with iDirect 850MP minimum IDX 2.3.1 or newer.
Candidate terminals shall be designed to an open terminal architecture providing the flexibility to change modem cards if necessary in the future to support emerging mission and user requirements.
Candidate's SOTM terminal shall be capable of meeting all WGS certification requirements and/or FCC/ITU licensing requirements.
USSOCOM's terminals require a fully prepared DD1494 (Application For Equipment Frequency Allocation) for meeting worldwide use.
Candidate's terminals shall be easily transportable, deployable, portable and re-packable.
Candidate's terminals must be capable of operating on worldwide AC power as well as DC vehicle power; commercial and military. It is expected this terminal shall operate primarily on vehicle power.
Candidate's terminals Graphical User Interface (GUI) should be HTML allowing use of any external laptop or peripheral device with an industry standard browser installed.
In addition to HTML based GUI capability the Candidate terminals shall include an external handheld controller or quote mark jog box quote mark as an alternate terminal control device
Candidate's terminals must be able to meet Mil-Std environmental and safety standards.
Candidate terminals must be able to fulfill, as proven through a link budget submission, a throughput rate of 512 Kbps full duplex at all frequency bands and operational elevation angles using WGS allocated satellite and Carrier parameters as given in the table below. For Ku band satellites, respondents must provide the equivalent satellite input parameters used in their link budget calculations for verification.
Calculated Link budgets shall provide information on Satellite Occupied Bandwidth and power equivalent bandwidth used.



Satellite Input Parameters Ka Band Value X Band Value Units
Satellite longitude 135W 135W degrees
Transponder type TWTA TWTA
Receive G/T 10.7 8.7 dB/K
Saturation flux density -104 -102.3 dBW/m2
Satellite attenuator pad 8 8 dB
Satellite ALC 0 0 dB
EIRP (saturation)
EIRP (Allocated per 2.6 MHz) 57
40 63.1
40 dBW
dBW
Transponder bandwidth 125 125 MHz
Input back off total 7.5 7.5 dB
Output back off total 3.5 3.5 dB
Intermodulation interference 16.5 16.5 dB
Carrier/Link Input Parameters Value Value Units
Modulation BPSK BPSK
Required bit error rate performance 10^-8 10^-8
Required Eb/No with FEC coding 3.9 3.9 dB
Information rate 512 512 Kbps
FEC code rate .5 .5
Bandwidth allocation step size 2.6 2.6 MHz


DETAILED REQUIREMENTS

Item Capability USSOCOM SOTM V1
1.0 Setup v1 Threshold v1 Objective
1.1 Mounting Non Invasive T=O
1.2 Assembly less than 15 minutes O less than T
1.3 Antenna (Lock) for Acquisition time at cold start and warm start The SOTM terminal from cold start shall acquire and lock onto a new satellite beacon in less than 5 minutes from cold start
less than 5 seconds, warm start on-the-move or at-the-halt: GPS, inertial systems and tracking receiver have been initialized and are in an operational status. T=O
1.4


Antenna (Lock) for re-acquisition

SOTM terminal when powered up (After initial acquisition) shall be able to acquire a new/different satellite in less than 45 seconds
SOTM terminal shall have the capability to remain pointed at the satellite following blockage events of 20 seconds duration or less.
SOTM terminal shall have the capability to reacquire the satellite within 5 seconds
1.5 Pointing Elevation, 0 to 100 degrees;
Azimuth, 360 degrees continuous T=O
2.0 Tracking v1 Threshold v1 Objective
2.1 Pointing Less than less than 1.0dB, under Churchville B or Perryman conditions when mounted on a HMMWV


T=O
2.2 Velocity Elevation 200 degrees/sec
Azimuth 300 degrees/sec
Polarization 300 degrees/sec All Axes greater than =500 degrees/sec
2.3 Acceleration All Axes 500 degrees/sec^2 All Axes greater than =1000 degrees/sec^2

3.0 Frequency Bands v1 Threshold v1 Objective
3.1 MILSAT and Commercial Military (X or K/Ka), or
Commercial (X, Ka) or
Commercial ( Ku)

(Single band system)
Multiple Bands, Commercial (Ku), Commercial X, K/Ka, and Military (X and K/Ka)
3.2 X-band Tx: 7.9 - 8.4 GHz
Rx: 7.25 - 7.75 GHz T=O
3.3 K/Ka-band Military Tx: 30 - 31 GHz
Rx: 20.2 - 21.2 GHz T=O
3.4 K/Ka-band Commercial Tx: 26.5-30.0 GHz
Rx: 19.2 - 20.2 GHz T=O
3.5 Ku-band Tx: 13.75 - 14.5 GHz
Rx: 10.95 - 12.75 GHz Tx: 12.75 - 14.5 GHz
Rx: 10.7 - 12.75 GHz
4.0 TX EIRP Performance v1 Threshold v1 Objective
4.1 X EIRP (dBW) 42 O greater than T
4.2 Ka EIRP (dBW) 47 O greater than T
4.3 Ku EIRP (dBW) 44 O greater than T
5.0 Rx G/T Performance v1 Threshold v1 Objective
5.1 X G/T (dB/K) 5 @ 10 degrees O greater than T
5.2 K G/T (dB/K) 10 @ 10 degrees O greater than T
5.3 Ku G/T (dB/K) 7 @ 10 degrees O greater than T
6.0 Throughput Any band v1 Threshold v1 Objective
6.1 Tx Rate 512 Kbps greater than 1Mbps
6.2 Rx Rate 512 Kbps greater than 1Mbps
7.0 Polarization v1 Threshold v1 Objective
7.1 Ku Tx: H/V
Rx: H/V
cross pole isolation greater than - 30 dB T=O
7.2 Ka Tx: RHCP/LHCP
Rx: RHCP/LHCP
AR Tx: 1.0 dB , RX: 1.5 dB T=O
7.3 X Tx: RHCP/LHCP
Rx RHCP/LHCP
AR Tx: 2.0 dB, Rx: 1.5 dB T=O
8.0 Certifications v1 Threshold v1 Objective
8.1 Commercial Ku All applicable sections of 47 CFR Part 25, Access to INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, SES New Skies, INMARSAT shall be assured see section 3.5 Objective frequency range
8.2 Commercial Ka All applicable sections of 47 CFR Part 25, Access to INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, SES New Skies, INMARSAT shall be assured T=O, but adds medium orbit satellites
8.3 MILSATCOM (X/Ka) DISA/ARSTRAT certifiable DISA/ARSTRAT certified
8.4 Modem DISA/ARSTRAT certifiable DISA/ARSTRAT certified


9.0 Portability and
Transportability v1 Threshold v1 Objective
9.1 Portability 3 Cases, two person lift (MIL STD 1472) Single Band

4 Cases, two person lift (MIL STD 1472) Multi-Band
2 Cases, two person lift (MIL STD 1472) Single Band

3 Cases, two person lift (MIL STD 1472) Multi-Band

9.2 Transportability Palletize: 463L / ISU (60/90)

Commercial Air Freight Shipment

Airline Checkable

10.0 Power v1 Threshold v1 Objective
10.1 Input Primary: 10 - 48 volt DC (Must run on vehicle power)
10 - 48 volt DC
96 - 264 VAC auto sensing 40-400 Hz
10.2 Power draw Continuous
(SOCOM to add)
Peak

11.0 Weight v1 Threshold v1 Objective
11.1 System weight comprised of SATCOM terminal, internal modem, cables and transit cases 150 lbs. for single band solution

200 lbs. for multiband solutions.
100lbs for single band

150lbs for multiband
12.0 Environmental v1 Threshold v1 Objective
12.1 Operational Temperature Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its operational configuration, shall withstand temperatures of -40 oC to + 51 oC with solar radiation at the rate of 360 British Thermal Units (BTUs) per square foot per hour (+71oC test temperature) IAW the requirements of MIL-STD-810G, Methods 501.6, 502.6 and 505.6.
12.2 Operational Humidity Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its operational configuration, shall withstand humidity testing when subjected to the test of MIL-STD-810G, Method 507.6, Cycle B2.
12.3 Transportation Shock Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its transit configuration, shall withstand Shock testing IAW MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.7, Procedure II.
12.4 Transportation Vibration Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its transport configuration, shall withstand vibration testing per MIL-STD-810G Method 514.7 Procedure II Categories 7, 8, and 9, (jet, propeller and helicopter aircraft) with an exposure duration of 6 hours.

The system, in its transport configuration, shall withstand shipboard vibration testing per International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 10055 Table 1 Category 1.

The system, in its transport and vehicular operational configurations, shall withstand vibration testing per MIL-STD-810G Method 514.7 Procedure III, Category 20 (Ground Vehicles), with exposure duration of 5 cycles around the courses.
12.5 Rain Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its operational configuration, shall demonstrate No water leakage in driving rain up to 40 miles/hour IAW MIL-STD-810G, Method 506.6, Procedure II.
12.6 Wind Objective requirement is preferred. The equipment, in its operational configuration, shall withstand sustained wind speeds up to 60 mph and wind gusts up to 100 mph

* Note: minimum performance requirements at all supported frequencies, at any look angle, across all operating temperatures, and including radome losses (if radome included)



DATA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

CERDEC STCD request industry to provide the following, but not limited to:

General
Statement of interest.
Description of qualification: demonstrated products, projects, and applicable experience.
State whether your current experience is in design, development or production of On-the-move (OTM) terminals.
Description of experience in deploying and supporting fielded SATCOM OTM systems.

SOTM Terminals
Complete description of any existing products that meet the requirements of this RFI
o Information demonstrating candidate's terminals TRL.
o Production capability, lead times, and delivery schedule
o Cost per unit, for 10 and 100 units
o Data detailing how each candidate's terminal approaches, satisfies or exceeds ALL GENERAL REQUIREMENTS and threshold requirements delineated in the DETAILED REQUIREMENTS described above.
o Information pertaining to existing pre-planned product improvement programs that will lead to full compliance with all objective requirements delineated in the DETAILED REQUIREMENTS described above.
o Link budget for X and Ka candidate terminals using the allocated satellite parameters provided in the Satellite Parameter Input table above. For Ku Band candidate terminals the link budget must identify the satellite and satellite allocated parameters used to calculate the Link Budget.
Complete description of candidate's developmental terminals and technologies (SATCOM terminals) that are TRL 5 or higher.
o Information demonstrating candidate's terminals current TRL
o Production capability, lead times, and delivery schedule
o Cost per unit, for 10 and 100 units
o Data detailing how each candidate terminal will satisfy or exceeds ALL GENERAL REQUIREMENTS and objective requirements delineated in the DETAILED REQUIREMENTS described above.
o Notional Link budgets using the allocated satellite parameters defined in the Satellite parameters Input Table above for X and Ka Band terminals. For Ku Band candidate terminals the link budget must identify the satellite and satellite allocated parameters used to calculate the Link Budget.
Information on techniques used to perform control and operational functions associated with SATCOM operations.


Evaluation and administration by federal and non - federal personnel
Government civil servant employees are subject to the non - disclosure obligations of a felony criminal statute, the Trade Secrets Act, 18 USC 1905. The Government may seek the advice of qualified non - Federal personnel. The Government may also use non - Federal personnel to conduct routine, nondiscretionary administrative activities. The respondents, by submitting its response, consent to the government providing their response to non - Federal parties. Non - Federal parties given access to responses must be subject to an appropriate obligation of confidentiality prior to being given the access. Submissions may be reviewed by support contractors and private consultants.


For any clarifications or questions regarding reference documents or RFI, contact POC.

The information received will not obligate the Government in any manner nor will the Government reimburse contractors for any costs associated with submittal of the requested information. This request does not constitute an Invitation for Bid or a Request for Proposal Responses to this RFI/SS. Responses are due no later than 31 JULY 2015, 0700hrs Eastern Standard Time (EST). Respondents should identify their company's name, address, telephone number, point of contact, and whether they are a large or small business.

Proprietary information should be clearly marked. All submissions shall be sent via e-mail. The electronic format may be in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) or compatible with Microsoft Office suite of software. The RFI response shall not exceed 30 pages. Responses shall be delivered in electronic format to the following addresses:

Martin Ortiz
(443) 395-9226
[email protected]


Melissa Bettinger
Contract Specialist
(443) 861-4616
[email protected]

Bid Protests Not Available