INDUSTRY INPUT ON CHANGE TO Military Standard (MIL-STD) MIL-STD-188-165B

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

REQUIREMENT: INDUSTRY INPUT ON CHANGE TO Military Standard (MIL-STD) MIL-STD-188-165B – Interoperability of Superhigh Frequency (SFH) Satellite Communications Phase-Shift Keying (PSK) Modems – March 25, 2018.

Defense Information Systems Agency is seeking Industry feedback to proposed changes to MIL-STD-188-165B. 

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. NO SOLICITIATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

1.0  Overview/Purpose

The Department of Defense (DoD) is soliciting industry input to provide comments on the updates in the attached DRAFT MIL-STD-188-165B.    DISA is particularly interested in feedback in  specification section for  Modem Demodulator Internal Noise Floor.

2.0  Scope of Effort

The continuing evolution of modem capabilities presents several challenges to developing relevant and useful modem design requirements.  When MIL-STD 188-165 was first written, the preponderance of modems consisted of a limited set of modems with very few modulation and coding capabilities.  This is no longer the case.  In recognition of this, several adjustments have been made in the Draft for MIL-STD 188-165B.  In the process of drafting the new MIL-STD, a number of areas have been identified where additional investigation is necessary to craft a current and relevant MIL-STD.  In the interest of issuing meaningful guidance as soon as possible, it has been decided to pursue issuing MIL-STD 188-165B in the near future while simultaneously investigating various areas of interest with the intent of including any updates to those areas in a future change.

3.0  Technical Characteristics

Modem Demodulator Internal Noise Floor:  The existing MIL-STD 188-165B specifies a modem’s demodulator noise floor (5.6.5) as -130 dBm/Hz and the existing MIL-STD 188-164C specifies the terminal’s noise floor at the input of the demodulator (4.3.3.1) as -113 dBm/Hz. The discussion is the impact of moving the modem’s demodulator internal noise floor to -147 dBm/Hz and the terminal’s noise floor at the input of the demodulator to -130 dBm/Hz. The modem minimum IF carrier power level (5.6.4.1.1) will also be reduced by 17 dB.

Pmin = -130 dBm/Hz + ES/N0 + 10 log RS

Demodulator noise floor was not collected during certification of legacy modems.

4.0 Requested Information

Industry should report any modems in active use whose demodulator internal noise floor is -147 dBm/Hz or higher. This information will be used to understand interoperability with legacy modems when the terminal noise floor is reduced. No adverse certification actions will be taken against already-certified modems in response to this RFI.

Industry should also report any other anticipated impact of reducing modem and terminal receive noise floors to the specified levels, or of reducing the modem noise floor to the specified level and not changing the terminal noise floor.

RESPONSE GUIDELINES:

Companies who wish to respond to this RFI should send responses via email no later than 31 May 2023 and 6:00 PM Eastern.

POINTS OF CONTACT (POCs)

Henry Tran at DISA

Phone: 301-225-7496

NIPR: henry.h.tran.civ@mail.mil

Mr. Jeremy Kozee at Delta 8 SATCOM

Phone: 719-554-8835

NIPR: jeremy.kozee@spaceforce.mil

Mrs. Pamela Phillips at Delta 8 SATCOM

Phone: 719-554-2002

NIPR: pamela.phillips.5@spaceforce.mil

Industry DAY AND Discussions:

Industry Day: Detailed information on a future Industry Day will be provided at a later date.

DISA representatives may choose to meet with potential offerors and hold one-on-one discussions.  Such discussions would only be intended to obtain further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, including any development and certification risks.

Disclaimer: 

This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only to solicit feedback from industry to provide feedback on the MIL-STD-188-165B Draft and provide specifications to requested information noted in Section 3.0 and does not constitute a solicitation.

This RFI is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  Responses will not be considered as proposals, nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis.

All information contained in the RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government.  FAR clause 52.215-3, “Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes”, is incorporated by reference in this RFI.  The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI.  Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.  This RFI will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available.  This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials.  All information received in this RFI that is marked “Proprietary” will be handled accordingly.  Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed.  In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.

THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THE RFI OR OTHERWISE PAY FOR INFORMATION RECEIVED IN RESPONSES TO THE RFI.