Daniels Codan Radios
USDA Forest Service Request for Information (RFI) for the
Office of Information Technology Services
02 October 2015
This RFI is for information purposes only and shall not be construed as a commitment or a promise of a contract by the Government. This is not a request for quotations. This notice does not constitute a Request for Bid, Request for Quote or Request for Proposal, nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach.
1. PURPOSE
The US Forest Services, Washington Office (WO) Acquisition Management (AQM), Information Technology (IT) Support Branch is conducting a market analysis with this RFI to refine the requirement and determine the most suitable approach for acquiring and fulfilling the needs for this effort to support the purchase of Daniels Codan Radio Repeater Equipment for NTIA mandated frequency Migration in support of the Office of Information Technology Services at the USDA Forest Service.
The information collected in this RFI will be used to define the government's requirements and create the appropriate acquisition strategy.
Responding to this RFI does not automatically include the responder on any bidders list, if such a list is developed. Depending on the quantity and quality of the responses received, the criteria may serve to generate the initial pool of potential contractors to be invited to respond to a resulting solicitation.
WO AQM-IT Support Branch is interested in collecting information on industry capabilities concerning Daniels Codan radio equipment associated with the following equipment:
a. Characteristics/Specifications VHF Repeater:
1) MT-4 Package VHF Mid-power (30-59w) Non-commercially power radio repeater
2) Must be Plug and Play with Current System (Daniels)
3) Must be compatible with current system (Daniels)
4) Must be "hot swapable" user serviceable modules
5) Transmit current draw of 6amp or less
6) Minimum operating voltage without degradation +10VDC
7) Carrier frequency stability of 1.0ppm or better
8) Module dimension of 2.8"wide, 5.05" high, 7.5" deep and must plug into sub-rack listed below.
9) Sub-rack dimensions (outside 19"wide, 5.25" high; 13.25" deep *Sub-rack 48 pin module connectors J2-J5 allowing use of MT4E receiver and transmitters; 48 pin module connector to J6 to connect a system monitor; 96 pin module connector J1 to connect the MT4E series control cards; 96 pin connector P1 for auxiliary external connections.
b. Characteristics/Specifications UHF Base Stations:
1) MT-4 Package UHF Mid-power (30-59w) commercially powered radio repeater
2) Must be Plug and Play with Current System (Daniels)
3) Must interface with Telex DSP-223
4) Must have built in Battery charging/backup circuit for power failures.
5) Must be compatible with current system (Daniels)
6) Must be "hot swappable user serviceable modules
7) Transmit current draw of 6amp or less
8) Minimum operating voltage without degradation +10VDC
9) Carrier frequency stability of 1.0ppm or better
10) Module dimension of 2.8"wide, 5.05" high, 7.5" deep and must plug into sub-rack.
11) Sub-rack dimensions (outside 19"wide, 5.25" high; 13.25" deep *Sub-rack 48 pin module connectors J2-J5 allowing use of MT4E receiver and transmitters; 48 pin module connector to J6 to connect a system monitor; 96 pin module connector J1 to connect the MT4E series control cards; 96 pin connector P1 for auxiliary external connections.
c. Characteristics/Specifications VHF and or UHF Modules only:
1) Must be Plug and Play with Current System (Daniels)
2) Must be compatible with current system (Daniels)
3) Must be "hot swappable" user serviceable modules
4) Transmit current draw of 6amp or less
5) Minimum operating voltage without degradation +10VDC
6) Carrier frequency stability of 1.0ppm or better
7) Module dimension of 2.8"wide, 5.05" high, 7.5" deep and must plug into sub-rack listed below.
8) Sub-rack dimensions (outside 19"wide, 5.25" high; 13.25" deep *Sub-rack 48 pin module connectors J2-J5 allowing use of MT4E receiver and transmitters; 48 pin module connector to J6 to connect a system monitor; 96 pin module connector J1 to connect the MT4E series control cards; 96 pin connector P1 for auxiliary external connections.
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The Forest Service and partnering public safety personnel require secure, dependable communications at all times. That's why the Forest Service's mission critical systems are designed from the ground up to deliver an extraordinary level of resilience and availability. For the end users, continuity of operations boils down to a simple statement: whenever I need my radio it works. Continuity of operations is dependent on system availability as well as maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the network. Confidentiality, integrity and availability all work together to provide a highly resilient and always available solution.
There are many considerations for maximizing radio communication availability to Forest Service personnel and various public safety partners. Availability measures the percentage of time when calls are successfully completed and is the critical requirement of each Forest. Several parameters must be taken to maximize availability:
Interface - The system should be able to connect the call immediately even during events that involve large numbers of personnel. The personnel can quickly utilize the common user interface.
Coverage - The end-user will be able to access the system where needed. Other manufactures radios do not operate as well within the same coverage area as the Brand-name radio being requested as stated in "Reliability" below.
Reliability - Needs to be built-in to deliver critical voice communications. The many components involved in making the call, from the user's radio to the repeater site, transport, infrastructure, and receiving radio are designed as an integrated part of the system design. Not all manufactures radios are able to communicate reliably with other manufactures radios. Compatibility issues exist between the various manufactures and are based on manufactures specific standards, design, engineering, components, and manufacturing methods. Standing in the same coverage spot side-by-side with another manufactures radio doesn't yield the same positive results and is a result of these product differences.
Redundancy - Redundancy configurations should be available for key hardware and software elements in the system. An example of this is cloning of radio banks between radios and immediate availability of available bench stock or parts.
Recoverability - Failure scenarios must be understood and recovery processes put in place to be quickly executed without impacting the user such as cloning mentioned above or Spares listed below. When a radio fails to work, it is critical that it can be recovered and placed back into service.
Spares - Supporting accessories and parts on a radio fail over time and at a quicker rate than the radio itself. Having an immediately available bench stock of spares that are compatible within the existing radio systems is a critical requirement. Bench stock is not readily available for other manufactures radios on this particular Forest, other than the Brand name radio requested in this JOFOC, and would thus not allow for a quickly executed recovery as stated above.
The current radio backbone for the entire Forest Service is Daniels Electronics system. There are 9 distinct and different Regions within the Forest Service which operate on various handheld, mobile and dash mounted radio communications systems within the Daniels Radio communication backbone infrastructure. Other areas of consideration are Microwave radios systems by Harris radios and console systems from Moducom which are an integral part of this radio back-bone system. Each region has specific manufacture brand name needs based on critical manufacturer specifications and specific Forest system needs. The other consideration besides Regional differences is the service area wide maintenance standard that must be complied with.
A system as defined by Merriam-Webster's is:
"1) a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. d. a group of devices or artificial objects or an organization forming a network especially for distributing something or serving a common purpose (a telephone system, a heating system, a highway system, a computer system)".
A radio communication system sends signals by radio. Types of radio communication systems deployed depend on technology, standards, regulations, radio spectrum allocation, user requirements, service positioning, and investment.
The radio equipment involved in communication systems includes a transmitter and a receiver, each having an antenna and appropriate terminal equipment such as a microphone at the transmitter and a loudspeaker at the receiver in the case of a voice-communication system.
Each Forest has a regularly interacting and interdependent group of Radio items forming a unified whole or system. The parts to these systems are brand name specific antennas, batteries, chargers, mounting brackets, cables, mobile radios, portable radios, and dash mounted radios. These parts are all interchangeable within the system. For example: the batteries are all interchangeable with the specific brand name manufacture portable radios; that same battery is also compatible with specific brand name manufacture charging station; the portable radio antennas are also interchangeable with all of the same brand name manufacture portable radios. No other manufactures batteries, charging stations, cables, belt clips, mounting brackets, antennas, are compatible with that specific brand name manufactures radios (with the exception of a few aftermarket parts).
The bench stock for a given Forest only supports that specific brand name radio equipment used on that Forest. Typically, radios are ordered to replace existing non-serviceable radio equipment of like manufacture within a Forest. The supporting equipment like batteries, antennas, and charging stations are placed back into bench stock or placed on the new replacement radio when acquired. For Radio the radio system backbone this would include spare modules, cards, transmitters, receivers, and the like. These back-bones parts and equipment are highly specialized, patented, and proprietary to a specific manufacturer and there are no "or equals".
Another significant consideration is other local and state agencies which operate on their own radio backbone systems which are different from the Forest Service Daniels back-bone. They support specific radio manufactures as a part of their independent system. The Forest Service has partnered with these agencies and thus requires brand name specific radios that aren't typically purchased by the Forest Service such as Motorola, Kenwood, and Harris in order to utilize the partnering agencies radio systems. Typically this is needed to communicate on an ongoing basis in a localized geographical area that the Forest Service doesn't cover or support but radio communication is required.
This RFI is being used to receive feedback/comments and to develop an acquisition strategy that will ensure that the Forest Service is able to make informed business recommendations as well as receive best value offers once a solicitation for this requirement is developed.
3. QUESTIONS
Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer; sstage@fs.fed.us. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Questions will be answered by posting answers to the fedbizopps site; questions shall NOT contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 15 October 2015 will be answered. To access the fedbizopps.gov website, go to https://www.fbo.gov to view other important information related to this RFI.
Vendors can electronically respond to RFIs, directly through the web site.
Question should be on a separate page with vendors identification/contact information.
Input/recommendations are requested by 15 October 2015.
4. SUMMARY OF REQUESTED INFORMATION:
The Forest Service is seeking authorized resellers of Daniels Electronics Ltd dba Codan Radio Communications radio equipment.
Forest Service (FS) is not seeking elaborate replies, but rather concise, meaningful responses from vendors with radio hardware expertise. In 15 single-sided 8.5" x 11" pages or less (title page or table of contents do not count against the page count), vendors are requested to provide the following information:
1. Company Information
a. Name, address and DUNS
b. Current contract vehicles (such as GSA Schedules, GWACs, etc) with radio hardware supplies within scope
c. Number of contracts for 1) government and 2) commercial in the last three years
d. Indicate whether your company is/is not a small business, a small disadvantaged business, 8(a), hub-zone certified, woman-owned, or Historically Black College or University Minority Institution.
2. Describe the capabilities, features and benefits of your solution, paying special attention to new capabilities/features that would be advantageous of a radio hardware solution.
3. Describe your capabilities of providing a certified radio hardware solution that would ensure a highly successful communications product and data collection, reporting, and technical support and other features.
4. What pricing approaches have been used in your radio hardware contracts? Please also comment on the advantages/disadvantages of those approaches. NOTE: It is the FS's intent to benefit from total contract volume purchases, invoiced by Task Order.
5. Technology Refreshments regarding updated product offerings, new product offerings and new products or services that it believes would increase effectiveness and/or improve productivity are used in current radio hardware contracts held by your company?
6. Provide three references for radio hardware contracts within the past three years. References should include:
a. Customer
b. Name, phone number and email address for the customer's program manager
c. Contract Named. Contract Number
d. Contract Value
e. Contract type
7. Any additional information that may be helpful to the Forest Service for a radio hardware Performance Work Statement.
5. SUBMISSION INFORMATION: All responses shall be organized according to and address each item of paragraph 4 above, and shall be provided electronically in Word or PDF to Ms. Suzan Stage at sstage@fs.fed.us. All responses must be submitted via email by 5:00pm ET on 15 October 2015.
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 USFS 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.
Suzan Stage, Contracting Officer, Phone 505-563-7415, Email sstage@fs.fed.us - James G. Bailey, Contracting Officer, Phone 505-563-7052, Fax 505-563-7788, Email jgbailey@fs.fed.us
