Digital Intermediate Frequency System

About this archived opportunity

: Name address, phone number, and e-mail. Digital IF Network: The means of implementing a high reliability Digital IF Local Area Network (LAN) at SATCOM sites delivering the following: Adequate capacity to support up to 256 duplex missions, ranging each from 32 kilosymbols per second (32 ksym/s) to 200 Megasymbols per second (200 Msym/s), and averaging at least 20 Msym/s each uplink and downlink Spine-leaf architecture enabling horizontal growth as well as equipment failure recovery, switch maintenance, upgrade, and retrofit with no Digital IF mission down-time Connectivity to Points of Presence (PoPs) to reach external Digital IF components accessible via Wide Area Network (WAN) Ability to accommodate potential Digital IF stream compression, Forward Error Correction (FEC), and bulk Digital IF stream encryption over WAN Digital IF Equipment: The means of delivering Digital IF domain equipment in support of operations as follows: CDs and IFCs adequate to support up to 256 duplex FDMA missions over up to 12 aggregate signal chains (antenna, RF band, and polarity); for example, up to 4 antennas, each antenna supporting 3 duplex aggregates (X-Band, Ka left hand polarized, and Ka right hand polarized), for a total of 12 duplex feeds. Conformance with IEEE-ISTO 4900-2021 (DIFI Standard) Information Class 0x0000 for immediate support of Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) waveforms Upgradability to support future DIFI Standard information classes for the sake of Transport efficient Multi-Frequency Time Division Multiple Access (MF-TDMA) operation (i.e. burst waveform support at changing center frequencies) Transport efficient Frequency Hop Spread Spectrum (FHSS) operation (i.e. burst waveforms at quickly changing center frequencies) Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) operation (i.e. high sample rates and bit depths) Support for Digital IF functions (DM, CD, IFC, and in the future, RFC) using equipment from multiple vendors interchangeably Digital IF domain TMDE for on-site test as well as Digital IF domain mission monitoring. M&C Automation: The means of delivering integrated Digital IF system management: Digital IF equipment suite management to include equipment status and utilization Ability to support Digital IF signal chains employing IFCs or RFCs interchangeably Digital IF mission management to include mission scheduling, implementation, and status Signal chain orchestration (assignment of equipment to missions) and subsequent equipment configuration Mission status logging and reporting Documented Northbound Application Programming Interface (API) supporting enterprise machine-machine interfaces enabling the following automated functions: Mission download Mission acceptance or rejection Mission status Mission updates Configuration management to support updates and upgrades to all Digital IF functions (DM, CD, IFC, RFC) by all vendors Cybersecurity considerations to include: Support for Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) Support for Risk Management Framework (RMF) accreditation of overarching SATCOM site management system WGS Certification: Develop a solution capable of complying with the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) certification process and emerging Digital IF MIL standards. DM Support: The means of supporting third party DMs, including Digital IF interoperability and management. To begin with FDMA operations, e.g. EDIM Modem With the capacity to grow into MF-TDMA, FHSS, and DSSS waveforms employing emerging DIFI Standard information classes for stream rate efficiency SATCOM Teleport Integration: The means of integrating this Digital IF system into DOD SATCOM teleport sites, to include: IF integration at L-Band with Modernization of Enterprise Terminal (MET) systems (i.e. AN/GSC-52B(V)) Data traffic network integration WRT third party DMs M&C network integration in support of comprehensive management automation Subsequent installation of this initial increment of Digital IF infrastructure, as described, at up to 18 sites worldwide Comprehensive testing to include mission failure detection and reassignment to alternate SATCOM facilities over WAN Logistics: The ability to deliver logistics support to include operator documentation, training, technical support, depot and repair support, maintenance, and configuration management Future Growth: The means of supporting ongoing upgrades to capabilities and capacity Disclaimers: This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be misconstrued to create an obligation on the part the Government to enter into any agreement, nor to implement the contemplated actions, nor to serve as the basis for any claim for reimbursement for any costs associated with the preparation of responses submitted to the RFI. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to the Contracting Officer. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. Answering this request: Please furnish the above requested information by Friday, December 19, 2025 at 4:00pm EST. Please submit the requested information in PDF or Microsoft Word format to Keith Magaw, Contract Specialist at keith.a.magaw.civ@army.mil or Kristin Dacey, Contracting Officer at kristin.l.dacey2.civ@army.mil. Questions can also be submitted on the CHESS site.