Integrated Broadcast Service Enterprise Services (IBS ES) Support

Georgia

06/27/2024 11:05 AM EDT

07/29/2024 04:00 PM EDT

Request for Information (RFI)

Integrated Broadcast Service Enterprise Services (IBS ES) Support

27 June 2024

CAUTION:

The Government is conducting market research to identify potential sources that possess the expertise, capabilities, and experience required for the sustainment and modernization of the Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) Enterprise Services (ES) supporting various systems and multiple locations both inside and outside of the Continental United States (CONUS/OCONUS). The Contractor will be required to work with teams consisting of military, civilian, national partners, foreign partners, and contract personnel from various services and agencies. This is a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) program and requires personnel to either possess a TS/SCI or Secret clearance, as determined by position for proper accomplishment of contract/order requirements, or maintain eligibility during the adjudication process for TS/SCI clearance. Some technical data may be provided to the Contractor as Government Furnished Information/Property (GFI/GFP) after award.

Historically, the IBS ES and associated software/systems have been sole-sourced. The Government has not validated or verified the delivered technical data for the IBS ES, or associated software products and systems from prior contracts. The Government therefore anticipates that these requirements will continue to be sole-sourced to:

The Mission Essential Group

CAGE Code: 4CPK3

Contractors/Institutions responding to this market research are placed on notice that participation in this survey may not ensure participation in future solicitations or contract awards.  The Government will not reimburse participants for any expenses associated with their participation in this survey.

In accordance with FAR 52.215-3:

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market research or otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this RFI, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) The RFI is issued for the purpose of market research.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The document(s) below contain a functional requirement for the sustainment and modernization of the IBS ES and a Contractor Capability Survey, which allows you to provide your company’s capability.

1. If, after reviewing these documents, you desire to participate in the market research, you should provide documentation that supports your company’s capability in meeting these requirements.  Failure to provide documentation may result in the Government being unable to adequately assess your capabilities.  If you lack sufficient experience in a particular area, please provide details explaining how you would overcome the lack of experience/capabilities in order to perform that portion of the requirement (i.e., teaming, subcontracting, etc.).

1. ATTENTION: SMALL BUSINESS RESPONDENTS who are interested in participation for this effort:
   1. No set aside decision has been made; however, the Government will determine the final strategy after thorough analysis of the small business responses and other market research available, considering the demonstrated interest and capability.  Please ensure that you provide a thorough response to each question.  If your company does not currently possess the full capability required to fulfill the entire requirement, what teaming/partnership/joint venture/subcontracting arrangement do you have in place to fulfill the government needs? Providing evidence of this arrangement, e.g. emails, letter, etc. that demonstrates a united response to this RFI is highly encouraged, but not required. The evidence should state the type of arrangement and the role each member will fulfill.  If you are only interested in being a subcontractor to the future awardee, state the portion of the work that your organization has capability of fulfilling. 
   2. Identify any areas of work that your organization believes should be broken out exclusively for Small Business.

1. Both large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this Market Research.  Joint ventures or teaming arrangements are encouraged.

1. Questions relative to this market survey should be addressed to the Program Manager, Keith Knierim, keith.knierim@us.af.mil, and have in the subject line the RFI title. Contract-specific questions may be addressed to the PCO, Blake Stoner, curtis.stoner@us.af.mil, and have in the subject line the RFI title. Electronic communication shall be received no later than 4:00pm EST, Monday, 29 July 2024.  

Integrated Broadcast Service Enterprise Support (IBS ES)

REQUIREMENTS DESCRIPTION

Background

IBS is the worldwide Department of Defense (DoD) standard network for transmitting tactical and strategic intelligence and targeting data to all levels of DoD, national partner, and foreign partner users. IBS is the primary delivery method for providing users across the United States (US) and Joint forces with information in Near-Real-Time (NRT) to ensure continuous and improved situational awareness needed to accomplish diverse mission objectives.  The IBS vision is to provide filtered and prioritized NRT intelligence information to the warfighters.  IBS is a system-of-systems setup and is composed of IBS Network Services (NS), IBS Common Interactive Broadcast (CIB) Uplink Site (CUS), and IBS ES. IBS NS is the major message-processing segment of IBS and is the terrestrial backbone. The IBS CUS is the major over-the-air segment supported by four uplink sites.

The IBS ES, to include Collaborting Nations (CN) support as applicable, will sustain, maintain and modernize software integration/support tools for IBS to include the Downlink Monitoring Element (DME), Alternate Path Data Manager (ADM), CIB Planning Tool (CIB-PT) and Mobile-User Objective System (MUOS) Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) Radio Controller. The IBS ES will also support development, modernization and sustainment of alternate paths to include WCDMA, IBS LEO (Low Earth Orbit), and Global Broadcast System (GBS). Additional support may include sustainment of the CIB and Embedded National Tactical Receiver (ENTR).

Performance Requirements

1. Provide management and associated support tasks related to include GFP, Cybersecurity, Risk Management Framework (RMF), Quality Control, Contract Data Requirement List (CDRLs), personnel, finance, project management, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS), security, installations, software, test, training, configuration, Communications Security (COMSEC), and lab management. Conduct and manage travel worldwide and procurement of Other Direct Costs (ODC)/Material.
2. Provide Enterprise Support/Modernization to the system for all enterprise nodes. Integrate and modernize the IBS Enterprise. Provide system engineering, security engineering, test engineering, deployment, and site support. Establishment of a test and Validation & Verification function for all enterprise nodes is required, to include equipment and dedicated facilities. Cooperate with other IBS Enterprise contractors to include USG contractors and CN IBS contractors. Acquire all licenses and permissions required to conduct business with the entire IBS Enterprise.
3. Provide CIB sustainment and modernization support for the CIB. The CIB is a Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)-Developed new Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) standard Integration Waveform (IW). It is compliant to MIL-STD-181C, 182B, 183B, 184A and 186. The CIB doubles existing Ultra High Frequency (UHF) capacity allowing current assets to be employed with ever increasing throughput. The CIB utilizes the IW which actually uses two multiple access techniques to improve channel resource utilization Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and DAMA. It also has channel capacity by using improved encoding techniques and higher burst rates than the legacy TDMA/DAMA. The IW uses a channel controller to manage satellite resources, therefore providing more control over bandwidth allocation. This requirement includes both sustainment and operational influence for the CIB. The contractor shall provide sustainment support for the CIB-PT. The CIB-PT is a tool used to further allocate satellite bandwidth within the IBS infrastructure making it possible to provide capacity to each message as dictated by its priority. The CIB-PT may require refresh on a yearly basis in order to maintain functionality and accreditation.
4. Support integration of alternate paths for the IBS Enterprise. The IBS alternate paths will provide resiliency to the IBS Over the Air (OTA) network. This requirement will integrate new capability into the IBS infrastructure. Alternate path initiatives include Polar Coverage, GBS, WCDMA, Extremely High Frequency (EHF) technology and the planning for future on-orbit resources to ensure 100% availability of the IBS broadcast. Support testing the feasibility of utilizing the WCDMA payload as a dissemination path. Implementation and sustainment of an operational WCDMA Alternate Path to become an interactive broadcast, replacing the CIB. Additionally, sustain the Alt Path Data Manager (ADM) software until replaced by Common Waveform (CW).
5. Provide training, training materials, and quality assurance for ES related tasks and products as defined within this RFI.Contractor shall provide the CN IBS Enterprise with technical reach-back support as well as on-site support on IBS equipment, integration, waveforms, and overall enterprise related issues. Provide support OCONUS as requested by the Partner. Support in-person meetings such as but not limited to Program Management Reviews (PMRs), Collaborating Nations Forums, and technical exchange meetings (TEMs) to provide technical expertise. Support logistical efforts in support of the CNs to include the shipping of IBS related equipment/software which may or may not require the coordination with Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), a freight forwarder, and/or the US National Distribution Agency (NDA) account. The contractor shall obtain necessary export licenses required to execute this requirement. An International Trade in Arms Regulation (ITAR) exemption may be provided by the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) while required licenses are in process.
6. Provide Polar Support/Modernization and migration of interim capability to a sustainable and robust dissemination of IBS information to forces operating above 65N. The contractor shall investigate and experiment alternate dissemination technologies and communication transport to augment above 65N.
7. IBS ES and CN mission partner sustainment support for the ENTR. The contractor shall perform an initial system test to ensure functionality of each unit. The contractor shall perform tests to ensure the successful installation and upgrade, confirming that the ENTR is CIB compliant. The contractor shall also provide sustainment or break-fix support for all fielded ENTR units.
8. Provide support to the DME, which is a near real-time performance monitoring and diagnostic capability for global IBS Enterprise consumers and producers to track IBS Enterprise performance benchmarks in accordance with the IBS Capabilities Development Document (CDD) to the producer level. Such metrics include point-to-point data volume, distribution and timeliness, message size, system availability and individual enterprise node bottlenecks. The DME provides the capability to satisfy the end-to-end IBS Enterprise performance and system availability monitoring requirement and capacity for expansion to support emerging requirements. The contractor shall provide technical, engineering, program management, cyber/information assurance (IA), Deficiency Report (DR) resolution, and configuration management support to sustain, migrate and install the DME system.
9. Support for Common Waveform. Currently, the IBS-Alternate pathway uses a dated modulation which is older and less spectrally efficient. The CIB uses a more modern waveform utilizing Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM). There is a lack of a common waveform for all IBS dissemination pathways. An improved common waveform will enable IBS to better satisfy the Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency (PACE) Over-The-Air (OTA) dissemination requirements of the IBS Information Systems – Capability Development Document (IS-CDD). An IBS Enterprise common waveform architecture will provide a high level waveform description and supporting system architecture for use over multiple Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) systems. A common waveform can be used on any satellite orbit Line-of-Sight (LOS) and will be able to provide significant performance improvements with the least impact to the current IBS UHF SATCOM Terminals. The common waveform will particularly focus on the two IBS alternate paths (IBS-A and IBS-LEO).
10. Specific knowledge and experience required, but is not limited to Satellite Communication (SATCOM), CIB,  Common Message Format (CMF), the IBS-NS, the over-the-air Ultra High Frequency (UHF) linkage to enhanced Terminals (e.g., Joint Tactical Terminals (JTT)),  MUOS, EHF technology, WCDMA, IW,  IBS-LEO, IBS-LOS, IBS-A+.
11. The Contractor shall employ Model Based Systems Engineering throughout development and sustainment activities.
12. Support for and integration of the Joint Tactical Terminal Next Generation (JTT-NG) radio within the IBS Enterprise

CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY SURVEY

Part I.  Business Information

            Please provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners:

• Company/Institute Name:
• Address:
• Point of Contact:
• CAGE Code:
• Phone Number:
• E-mail Address:
• Web Page URL:

Government proposed - North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code: 541330

Based on the Government proposed NAICS Code, state whether your company is:

• Small Business                                               (Yes / No)
• Woman Owned Small Business                     (Yes / No)
• Small Disadvantaged Business                      (Yes / No)
• 8(a) Certified                                                  (Yes / No)
• HUBZone Certified                                        (Yes / No)
• Veteran Owned Small Business                     (Yes / No)
• Service Disabled Veteran Small Business     (Yes / No)
• System for Award Management (SAM)        (Yes / No)
• A statement as to whether your company is domestically or foreign owned (if foreign, please indicate the country of ownership).

Part II. Capability Survey Questions

1. General Capability Questions:

1. Describe briefly the capabilities of your facility and nature of the goods and/or services you provide.  Include a description of your staff composition and management structure.

1. Include a detailed listing of facilities and equipment, including quantities, required to satisfy the requirements of this effort.
   1. Provide an outline of the proposed process, including inspections.

1. Describe your company's past experience on previous projects similar in complexity to this requirement.  Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual point of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager).

1. Are there specific requirements in the documentation that we provided that would currently preclude your company from providing the sustainment and modernization support described in this document?

1. Describe your company's capabilities for generating, handling, processing and storing classified material and data.

1. Describe your company's capabilities and experience in generating technical data, engineering drawings and manuals.  Identify what software programs are utilized to generate these data products and what formats are available for delivered items.

1. Describe your company’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) level related to the performance requirements described in this RFI.

1. Engineering Services Questions

1. Describe your services capabilities and experience with regard to the requirements of this effort.

1. Describe your capabilities and experience in any required test, evaluation, and maintenance processes/procedures with regard to similar applicable SATCOM programmatic efforts.