1.0 INTRODUCTION This publication constitutes a Request for Information (RFI) as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.201(e), Exchanges with Industry before receipt of Proposals, Requests for Information". Respondents should note that no funding has been specifically reserved for this announcement. We are soliciting Requests for Information abstracts only. Do not submit a white paper or proposal at this time. 2.0 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514 3.0 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) This announcement is not a request for proposals; therefore, responses to the RFI are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RFI RESPONSE . Refer to section five (5) of this announcement for instructions on submitting an RFI abstract. Submission of an abstract is voluntary. Respondents are advised that AFRL is under no obligation to provide feedback with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. 4.0 TECHNICAL BACKGROUND : The Air Force is investigating directional tactical data links and networks that are dynamic (e.g., self-forming and self-managing) and that operate at higher frequencies (less contention and greater directivity for a given aperture size). Furthermore, it seeks waveform agility to make mission-aware trades involving capacity, latency, jam resistance, and detectability in real time. As such, this RFI is requesting information to better understand existing vendor offerings and the landscape of research and development (R&D) towards directional tactical data links and interoperable networks. Technical Challenge: Directional networking allows the focusing of a greater amount of radiated energy on an intended receiver through a combination of transmitter and/or receiver aperture gain. The increased SINR improves jam resistance from intended or unintended interferers and increases the potential capacity of the link. Additionally, if one considers noise and interference at receivers other than the intended receiver, narrower transmit beams reduce SINR (signal to interference-plus-noise ratio) to receivers outside the transmit beam, thus potentially increasing network capacity, spectral efficiency, and reducing observability by passive threats outside the radiated energy pattern. However, the pointing, acquisition and tracking (PAT) required to maintain a network of directional links adds complexity over omnidirectional systems. Initial link establishment between two aircraft may be difficult when their relative positions are not known to one another (e.g., discovery phase), and additional challenges exist when re-establishment of a directional link is required once that link has been lost. With advances in multi-element multi-beam apertures, the switching from one transmitter/receiver pair to another in an orderly manner may enable reestablishment of links and link-state maintenance more efficient. Furthermore, airborne directional networks present several operationally-driven technical challenges over terrestrial mobile ad-hoc networks including greater mobility, greater distances and different loss characteristics among air-to-air and air-to-ground geometries. Trade-Space Considerations: There are several technical objectives that must be balanced to create future aerial directional networking capabilities including, but not be limited to: • Antennas and power amplifiers: multiple antenna configurations (potentially including collections of omnidirectional apertures coupled with digital signal processing that can serve as lower cost alternatives to phased arrays), flexible pattern antennas, and packet-rate controllable transmit power. • Radios and modems: multi-band frequency hopping/agility, data rate & coding diversity, and multi-transceiver support. • Link and topology control: fault-tolerant distributed topology control and context controlled Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ). • Network and system control: low overhead routing and network management, dynamic load balancing, flexible quality of service (QoS) and admission control. • Multi-mission/multi-function RF subsystems: ability to reuse apertures, signal processing, and control to support multiple RF functions (e.g., comm, radar, EW) • System architecture: readily extensible & evolvable architecture, distributed fault-tolerant network interoperability, and synchronized operations across multiple missions. This RFI requests information on technologies that may address any one or multiple trade space considerations towards the goal of next-generation aerial directional data links and networking (NADDLN). For each proposed technology, the respondent should indicate its current Technology Readiness Level (TRL). For the to-be-designed technologies, the respondent should provide the timeframe and rough cost estimate (non-binding) needed to reach TRL-6 with an implementation on hardware. 5.0 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ABSTRACTS 5.1 CONTENT All abstracts shall state that they are submitted in response to this announcement. RFI responses shall include the company name, address and the title, telephone number, mail and e-mail addresses of the point of contact having the authority and knowledge to discuss the RFI submission. The Government is assessing the current state-of-the-art and future directional networking solutions. The RFI responses should describe the product solution proposed, address coverage of the requirements stated in this RFI by the proposed solution, explain the potential advantage to the Air Force, and provide a rough order of magnitude for the cost of the proposed solution. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RFI RESPONSE. 5.2 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS Multiple abstracts within the purview of this RFI announcement may be submitted by each responder. 5.3 SUBMISSION RFI abstract due date is December 12, 2014. 5.4 FORMAT The abstracts will be formatted as follows: Section A: Title, Period of Performance (if applicable), Estimated Cost, Name/Address of Company, Technical and Contracting Points of Contact (phone, fax, and email)(This section is Not included in the page count.); Section B: Technical Summary. The abstracts shall be limited to 8 pages. All abstracts shall be double spaced in no smaller than a 12 font size. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) number, their Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, a fax number, an e-mail address, and reference this RFI with their submission. All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the POC's, as discussed in Section 6.0 of this announcement. Respondents are required to submit at least one electronic copy to the Government technical point of contact (TPOC) in Microsoft Office Word. AFRL/RI is not responsible for undelivered emails. Please confirm receipt of all submission with the TPOC. 6.0 AGENCY CONTACTS Verification of government receipt or questions of a technical nature can also be directed to the cognizant TPOC. Primary TPOC Secondary TPOC Nathaniel Rowe Gregory Hadynski Telephone: 315-330-7047 Telephone: 315-330-4094 Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant Contracting Officer, as specified below: Gail Marsh Telephone: (315) 330-7518 Email:
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