Army seeks sources for CDL and SATCOM support of ISR missions

On April 13, the Army Contracting Command issued a sources sought notice (MARKET-SURVEY-5821-1) to conduct market research on possible sources for common data link (CDL) and satellite communication (SATCOM) support. White papers are due no later than 4:00 PM (Eastern Time) on April 17.

The US Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Logistics and Readiness Center (LRC), in conjunction with the Program Executive Office Intelligence Electronic Warfare & Sensors (PEO IEW&S) and the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) are seeking industry ideas and solutions to address the technical capabilities that the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions will need to dominate the net-centric operational environment of the future using CDL and SATCOM.
This Sources Sought Notice seeks viable and proven approaches for sustainment of current and next-generation manned and unmanned ISR airborne and ground platforms employed by the US Army using CDL and SATCOM.

Introduction: CDL and SATCOM provide the Department of Defense (DoD) standard for interoperable, multi-service, multi-agency, ISR data links for numerous DoD manned/unmanned airborne and ground platforms. CECOM, PEO IEW&S, and INSCOM manage airborne and ground systems and sensors and are jointly responsible for the US Army’s ISR mission. A critical component of these ISR systems is the ability to transfer secured high bandwidth data over CDL and SATCOM between ground, air, and space segments in near real time with high assurance so that intelligence products can be produced, exploited, and disseminated in order to maintain battlefield dominance.

Background: Over the past two decades the previously stated ISR systems have been 100% sustained via a Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) approach. In addition, during the past several years, the DoD and other US Departments and Agencies have invested heavily in high-resolution/advanced airborne sensors on manned and unmanned ISR platforms with the primary requirements centered around imagery, signals intelligence, radar collection, and data networking. This investment has resulted in the creation of an ISR Enterprise that allows significant flexibility in manpower placement for processing the sensor data. This enterprise has resulted in the Army’s ability to reduce quote mark boots on the ground quote mark in deployed locations. There has also been a significant increase in the number of ISR platforms and sensors, an increase in the data rate of sensors, the amount and type of data collected, and the number of users (to include tactical, allied, and coalition).

Scope: This Sources Sought Notice is directed to highly competitive potential prime contractors who have demonstrated experience in development, production, integration, systems engineering, operations, maintenance (inclusive of field and sustainment levels), and test of complex Over the Horizon (OTH) and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) CDL, Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL), and SATCOM systems and their component parts and software. For the purpose of this Sources Sought Notice, the US Army considers the applicable CDL and SATCOM antennae, receivers, transmitters, amplifiers, software and associated bandwidth to all be integral components of subject effort in an attempt to maintain the Army’s ISR Enterprise end-to-end solution. The Army’s intent is to maintain the current equipment set as requirements dictate. CDL data throughput rates up to and including 274 megabytes per second are required. Applicable SATCOM terminals must meet Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) certifications.

Additional information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps