Ground Based Radar Digitization (GBRD)

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. Further, the Government is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if any is issued. It is the responsibility of the vendor who is interested in any potential future solicitation(s) to monitor all sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

Interested parties responding to this RFI should ensure its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine vendors qualifications. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback.

The Government reserves the right to use results of communications with industry for any purpose consistent with, and not otherwise prohibited by FAR Part 10.

1. Purpose. United States Space Force (USSF) is seeking information from industry regarding the modernization of Ground Based Radars (GBR) under GBRD. This effort aims to digitize legacy radar systems to enhance battlespace situational awareness, reduce sustainment costs, and address obsolescence issues. The USSF is particularly interested in solutions that:

1. Leverage open system, non-proprietary architectures to ensure future scalability and avoid vendor lock.
2. Utilize Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology to minimize development risks and costs.
3. Incorporate existing, developed digital receiver technology as the baseline receiver for the system (data package will be provided later).

The acquisition strategy for this program is still under development but is considering the following approach:

• Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) pathway to accelerate program execution.
• Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for prototyping the first two sites [1x Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) and Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characherization System (PARCS)].
• A follow-on production contract for the remaining four UEWR sites.

This RFI is intended to:

• Identify innovative solutions for radar digitization and modernization.
• Explore contracting approaches to support the proposed acquisition strategy.
• Assess industry capabilities to meet program objectives within the required timeline and budget
• Determine industry willingness and ability to provide government owned, non-proprietary, and COTS based designs

2. Background. The GBR modernization effort supports the National Defense Strategy by continuing missile warning (MW), missile defense (MD), missile tracking (MT), and improving space domain awareness (SDA) capabilities. The program will:

• Digitize six radar sites (5x UEWR, 1x PARCS) to improve space domain awareness capabilities and address sustainment challenges and obsolescence.
• Enhance radar performance, including increased tracking capacity, extended range, and improved object classification.
• Transition to a government-owned, modular open system architecture with a high level of commonality between UEWR and PARCS back ends
• The front end, high power Radio Frequency (RF) components will be retained as well as the communications paths out of the radars

Key Program Details:

• Initial Operational Capability (IOC): 2028 (UEWR Site), 2029 (PARCS).
• Full Operational Capability (FOC): 2030 (6 sites).

3. Objectives. The USSF seeks industry input on the following areas:

1. Technical Capabilities:
   1. Solutions for digitizing analog radar systems to improve tracking, classification, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) rejection
   2. Modular open system architectures to enable future upgrades and reduce sustainment costs
   3. Cybersecurity compliance for modernized radar systems
   4. Incorporation of developed digital receiver technology as the baseline receiver for the system
2. Sustainment Strategies:
   1. Approaches to reduce lifecycle sustainment costs and address diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS).
   2. Strategies for transitioning from legacy systems to modern architectures while minimizing radar down time required
3. Contracting Approaches:
   1. Recommendations for leveraging MTA and OTA pathways to accelerate program execution
   2. Innovative contracting mechanisms to engage non-traditional defense contractors (including academia and small business concerns)
4. Industry Collaboration:
   1. Opportunities for partnerships/teaming with non-traditional defense contractors (including academia and small business concerns)
   2. Insights into leveraging commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies to minimize development risks and buy commercial solutions

4. Information Requested. Respondents are requested to provide the following information:

1. Company Overview:
   1. Name, address, and point of contact
   2. Capabilities statement
   3. Relevant experience in radar modernization, digitization, and sustainment
2. Technical Solutions:
   1. Proposed technologies and architectures for radar digitization
   2. Performance improvements (e.g., tracking capacity, range, object classification)
   3. Details on how the solution incorporates developed digital receiver technology as the baseline receiver or arguments for a different receiver solution
3. Sustainment and Lifecycle Management:
   1. Strategies for reducing sustainment costs and addressing obsolescence
   2. Transition plans for legacy systems
4. Contracting Recommendations:
   1. Preferred acquisition strategy (e.g., MTA, OTA, FAR-based contracts) and contract type
   2. Innovative contracting approaches to accelerate program execution
5. Schedule and Cost Estimates:
   1. Estimated timelines for prototyping, testing, and fielding
   2. Rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimates
6. Non-Traditional Contractor Engagement:
   1. Opportunities to collaborate with non-traditional defense contractors (including academia and small business concerns)
   2. Examples of successful partnerships in similar programs

5. Submission Instructions

• Deadline: Responses must be submitted no later than August 21, 2025.
• Format: Responses should be submitted in PDF format and not exceed 20 pages.