[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1439-1440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00474]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2015-1120]
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Broadband
Cellular and Satellite Communications Exploratory Development
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General
Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., to investigate the operational use of
broadband cellular technology, including equipment that may be
integrated into the National Public Safety Broadband Communication Band
14 LTE Network (commonly called FirstNet). The research also includes
tactical employment of Multiple User Objective System (MUOS) Satellite
Communications and common operational picture applications to establish
Coast Guard network centric operations. A Pilot Demonstration schedule
has been proposed in which General Dynamics will provide and install
their Band 14 LTE Network, GeoSuite Server Common Operational Picture
application, Satcom radios, smart phones, vehicle routers, modems, and
antennas suitable for installation on select Coast Guard surface
vessels, boarding teams, command center and ground vehicles. LTE
Network base station radios will be placed on an existing CG-owned
tower or a deployable equivalent. The Coast Guard Research and
Development Center (R&D Center) will prepare a Pilot Demonstration
Assessment Plan and a Coast Guard Sector will operate the equipment for
exploratory development over a six-month period to collect information
on suitability, reliability, maintenance requirements, and human
systems interoperability. While the Coast Guard is currently
considering partnering with General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., the
agency is soliciting public comment on the possible nature of and
participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the
Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants to
propose similar CRADAs.
DATES: Comments must be submitted to the online docket via http://www.regulations.gov, or reach the Docket Management Facility, on or
before February 11, 2016.
Synopses of proposals regarding future CRADAs must reach the Coast
Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) on or before February 11,
2016.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov in
accordance with Web site instructions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice
or wish to submit proposals for future CRADAs, contact Wayne Buchanan,
Project Official, C4ISR Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone
860-271-2759, email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation and Request for Comments
We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan
to respond to comments in the Federal Register, we will respond
directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of
comments.
Comments should be marked with docket number USCG-2015-1120 and
should provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You
should provide personal contact information so that we can contact you
if we have questions regarding your comments; but please note that all
comments will be posted to the online docket without change and that
any personal information you include can be searchable online (see the
Federal Register Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets, 73 FR
3316, Jan. 17, 2008). We also accept anonymous comments.
We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the Coast Guard
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Documents mentioned in this
notice, and all public comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a
final rule is published.
Do not submit detailed proposals for future CRADAs to the Docket
Management Facility. Instead, submit them directly to the Coast Guard
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Discussion
CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710(a).\1\ A CRADA promotes
the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as
well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent
with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party
or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.
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\1\ The statute confers this authority on the head of each
Federal agency. The Secretary of DHS's authority is delegated to the
Coast Guard and other DHS organizational elements by DHS Delegation
No. 0160.1, para. II.B.34.
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CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have
a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement
contracts, grants, and other type of agreements.
Under the proposed CRADA, the R&D Center will collaborate with one
non-Federal participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal
participant will collect information/data for performance, reliability,
maintenance requirements, human systems integration and other data on
LTE broadband and MUOS communications technologies. After an initial
installation and training, the Coast Guard plans to evaluate designated
platforms outfitted
[[Page 1440]]
with the communications technologies for a period of six months.
We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the
proposed CRADA will include the following:
(1) Develop the Demonstration Pilot Assessment Plan to meet the
objectives of the CRADA with a diverse set of real-life mission
scenarios.
(2) Provide the pilot demonstration range and range support in and
around a Coast Guard Sector.
(3) Evaluate utility of a Coast Guard tower for installation of the
LTE base station radios or identify an alternative site to deploy a
mobile tower.
(4) Coordinate Pilot demonstration network connectivity to desired
CG networks and systems and seek all spectra approvals.
(5) Collaborate with non-Federal partner to prepare demonstration
documentation including equipment assessments, final report(s), and
briefings.
We anticipate that the non-Federal participant's contributions
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
(1) Assist the R&D Center in the development and drafting of all
CRADA documents, including the pilot demonstration assessment plan,
equipment assessments, final report(s), and briefings.
(2) Provide and maintain the LTE Band 14 Network and MUOS
communications equipment including radios, handsets, vehicle routers,
and modems, to ensure the network is accessible.
(3) Secure, with R&D Center assistance, Special Temporary Authority
(STA) to implement the Pilot using Band 14 spectrum.
(4) Provide technical support, training and maintenance throughout
the period of performance to ensure maximum availability and utility of
the networks.
The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants
all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard
will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development
costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this
notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be
unclassified and have no more than five single-sided pages (excluding
cover page, DD 1494, JF-12, etc.). The Coast Guard will select
proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
(1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
(2) How well they address the following criteria:
(a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party
contributions described; and
(b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party
contributions described.
Currently, the Coast Guard is considering General Dynamics Mission
Systems, Inc. for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is
based on the fact that General Dynamics has demonstrated its technical
ability as the developer, manufacturer, and integrator of LTE Band 14
Network equipment and MUOS Satcom technologies. However, we do not wish
to exclude other viable participants from this or future similar
CRADAs.
This is a technology assessment effort. The goal for the Coast
Guard of this CRADA is to better understand the advantages,
disadvantages, required technology enhancements, performance, costs,
and other issues associated with Band 14 LTE broadband wireless
communications and MUOS satellite communications. Special consideration
will be given to small business firms/consortia, and preference will be
given to business units located in the U.S. This notice is issued under
the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).
Dated: December 24, 2015.
Captain Dennis C. Evans, USCG,
Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2016-00474 Filed 1-11-16; 8:45 am]
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