Request for Information-Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS)

Responses to this RFI will help the government identify the level of industry interest to support a full and open competition for the future TARS O&M contract. Companies who desire to participate in this Request for Information are encouraged to submit a response on all areas of interest to the Government and respond to the items/questions listed in this section; however, a response to all Interest Areas and questions is not required. Contractors operate the TARS systems as Government-Furnished Equipment (GFE). The contractor manages the largest part of the system, consisting of the aerostats, radars, and real property. The contractor provides flight crews for 24/7/365 aerostat operation, maintenance, and logistic support services, including centrally located command and control and logistics support centers, as well as engineering and integration support as required. Currently, the O&M effort also includes processing and distribution of radar surveillance data via an IP network, and site-specific weather forecasting. The information network transmits the processed data from the TARS sites to the Surveillance Data Users. Data users include the CBP Office of Air and Marine (OAM) Operations Center (AMOC) and the CBP Caribbean Air and Marine Operation Center (CAMOC).