Active

Contract Opportunity

1.0 Description

1.1 The Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR) and Product Manager (PdM) for Helicopter and Multi-Mission Radios (HAMMR) seeks industry feedback and interest regarding the Cryptographic Subsystem (CSS) card maturation and capability expansion through additional development, testing, documentation (e.g., Interface Control Document (ICD), Software Hardware Design Description (SHDD). Potential expansions of the prototype CSS card require collaboration with TrellisWare and Collins on integration and testing of the CSS card. Utilizing the CSS card developed and delivered under the Technical Exchange Meeting (TEM) 6 [GG1] [TC2] effort as the baseline, the contractor shall perform the following tasks:

• Integrate a bypass mechanism on the CSS card to support the Warrior Robust Enhanced Network (WREN) TSM COMSEC function.

• Port the SAVILLE based algorithms to the CSS card to enable legacy Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) COMSEC functions (not including Over-the-air-rekeying (OTAR).

• Develop the Dynamic Keying White Paper to include general program support and the system engineering efforts to define the requirements and functions needed to support a certifiable Dynamic Keying architecture that operates on the CSS card.

1.2 THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION: The Government is not obligated to make an award because of this request. This Request for Information (RFI) is for informational purposes only; this is not an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Proposal (RFP), or Request for Quotation (RFQ). No solicitation document exists, and a formal solicitation will not be issued by the Government because of the responses to this RFI. The Government will not be liable for payment of any preparation expenses in response to this RFI and is in no way obligated by the information received. Any costs incurred by interested companies in response to, or because of this announcement will NOT be reimbursed. The information provided will be used by the Government for the purpose of conducting market research. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained in their response. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor the website for additional information pertaining to this RFI.

2.0 Background

The future generation of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C5ISR) & Electronic Warfare (EW) systems will consist of a suite of layered standards residing in a C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Chassis. To address the growing mission requirements, the Army is seeking a Communications and Networking Riser (CNR)/COMSEC card to show interoperability with CMOSS hardware (i.e. Software Defined Radio (SDR) cards, chassis). The CMOSS chassis will host traditional vehicle radios on a SDR card to reduce space and increase performance. The Army is interested in a prototype design that addresses the COMSEC and Transmission Security (TRANSEC) requirements. In order to address COMSEC requirements, supports modern and future cryptographic algorithms providing Type 1 encryption capabilities that can be embedded and leveraged in a CMOSS architecture.

3.0 Response

3.1 White Paper: Interested parties are required to respond to this RFI with a white paper. White papers shall be submitted in a Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) compatible format. Response to this RFI shall be concise and not to exceed five (5) pages for the entire submission (including company information, answers to technical questions, supporting documentation, etc.).

3.2 - Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. In addition to Government civilians, Government support contractors may review and evaluate the whitepaper submission(s). If this is a concern for your company, please address it in the list of questions due to the Government (via email only)

3.3 Company Information. The response should provide the following information:

3.3.1 Contact Information: Company name, mailing address, overnight delivery address (if different from mailing address), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.

3.4 Technical Questions. Respond to the following questions:

3.4.1 Describe your understanding of the CSS card’s functionalities and its operational capabilities.

3.4.2 Describe your solution to develop the COMSEC bypass mechanism for the WREN TSM waveform.

3.4.3 Describe your understanding of the Saville based algorithm and its capabilities.

3.4.4 Describe your past and current experiences with the CSS card development.

3.4.5 Provide a description of your approach to software/waveform updates and integration of new capabilities.

3.4.6 Describe your product warranty to include terms and conditions.

3.4.7 Describe your plan to develop training support packages and technical manuals as required.

4.0 Meetings and Discussions

The Government representatives may or may not choose to meet with respondents to this RFI. Such meetings and discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

5.0 Questions

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by email to ACC-APG, NLT 25 Mar 2024, by 11:00 AM EST to the following Government POCs: nicholas.d.budnichuk, nikiya.s.walden.civ@army.mil, and sharon.a.peterson15.civ@army.mil. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information.

6.0 Summary

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The Army has not made a commitment to procure any of the items discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

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