Notice Type:

Request for Information

1.0 Summary

This Request for Information (RFI) is one of U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) steps in driving adoption of Complementary Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services to augment Global Positioning System (GPS) for the Nation’s transportation system, and through the Executive Branch Interagency Process, for other critical infrastructure sectors. U.S. DOT is planning a resiliency test, evaluation, and performance monitoring strategy for PNT-dependent transportation systems. Taken together with efforts of other Federal partners, these initiatives will strengthen resilience of the Nation’s PNT-dependent systems through the U.S. Government’s purchasing power as a demanding customer of Complementary PNT (CPNT) services, along with critical infrastructure owners and operators, resulting in safer, more secure critical infrastructure for the nation.

The U.S. DOT John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) located in Cambridge, MA, is conducting market research to identify interested and capable CPNT vendors who may be interested and open to participating in U.S. DOT’s field test trials as part of the U.S. DOT’s CPNT Action Plan.  This RFI Notice does not constitute a solicitation and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government will not pay for any effort expended in responding to this notice.

Section 3 provides an overview of the U.S. DOT information sought which will inform the next steps in the approach for driving CPNT adoption to support PNT resiliency in the context of operational field test ranges. Expectations for CPNT operational services are outlined as part of the field test range models.

The Volpe Center is issuing this RFI seeking information from industry about availability and interest in carrying out a small-scale deployment of very high technical readiness level (Technology Readiness Level (TRL)≥8) CPNT technologies at a field test range to characterize the capabilities and limitations of such technologies to provide PNT information that meet critical infrastructure needs when GPS service is not available and/or degraded due environmental, unintentional, and/or intentional disruptions. This deployment is intended to test these technologies against CI relevant requirements in order to gain confidence in performance and foster user adoption. 

 A CPNT technology in this RFI refers to a technology capable of providing critical infrastructure users and operators positioning and/or timing information that is derived independently from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The primary objective of considering such technologies is to enhance the availability and resiliency of PNT information to critical infrastructure systems under U.S. DOT’s strategy for risk-based management of PNT service.  Response to the RFI should include a Statement of Capabilities of the CPNT service(s) available from the Respondee.  Additional details pertinent to the requested information below should align with the items listed in Section 3 Information Requested.

2.0 Background

The primary and most recognizable PNT service supporting National critical infrastructure is the GPS. However, because GPS relies on signals broadcast from satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), signal strength at the receiver is low and thus vulnerable to intentional and unintentional disruptions. In accordance with the Space Policy Directive 7 (SPD-7), the U.S. DOT is the lead U.S. Government department for PNT requirements in the United States and represents the Federal civil departments and agencies in the development, acquisition, management, and operation of GPS. The Office of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing and Spectrum Management (within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology) coordinates the Department’s activities and the development of Departmental positions on PNT and spectrum policy to ensure safety, mobility, and efficiency of the transportation network.

In accordance with Executive Order 13905 “Strengthening National Resilience Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services” U.S. DOT is directed to increase PNT resiliency.  U.S. DOT’s response embraces the National Space-based PNT Advisory Board’s recommendation for a Protect, Toughen, and Augment strategy. 

In 2020, the Volpe Center conducted field demonstrations of candidate PNT technologies that could offer complementary service in the event of GPS disruptions. The purpose of the demonstrations was to gather information about the potential performance capabilities of existing technologies to meet the PNT needs of critical infrastructure (CI). The Complementary PNT and GPS Backup Technology and Demonstration Report was published in January 2021. This demonstration, while supporting Executive Order 13905 “Strengthening National Resilience Through Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services”, was not designed to test the technology performance against stringent CI requirements and needs including resiliency to cybersecurity threats (e.g. jamming and spoofing of PNT signals). Additionally, the demonstration allowed for the participation of less mature technologies (TRL level of 6 or higher) not necessarily ready for operational deployment.

3.0 Information Requested

The U.S. Government is requesting the following information on CPNT technology:

1. Description of the CPNT technology and indication of whether the CPNT technology provides either timing information, position information, or both independently of GNSS and operates in an environment where GNSS service is disrupted or unavailable to the user.
2. Description of whether the CPNT technology is at a TRL of eight (8) or higher, as described in the Federal Highway Administration Technology Readiness Level Guidebook[1]. The TRL information level applies to the full end-to-end solution including the PNT service infrastructure and signals, as well as User Equipment (UE).

• All system components form-, fit-, and function-compatible with each other and with the operational environment
• The technology proven in an operational environment
• A rigorous test and evaluation process completed successfully
• The technology meets its stated purpose and functionality as designed

1. Preference by the CPNT Technology Respondee of field test range model(s) and desired location, if applicable.  The U.S. DOT envisions three field test range models (actual locations and quantity to be determined):

1. Federal Government-hosted field test range
2. Critical infrastructure field test range
3. Vendor fielded test range [U.S. Government accessible]

Note: field test range models are intended to promote widespread user adoption of CPNT technology and foster partnerships and collaboration between CPNT technology vendors and critical infrastructure consumers. Therefore, responses are not limited to CPNT technology vendors only, but also critical infrastructure consumers or a partnership between both.

1. Earliest start date and duration for Respondee to deploy the CPNT technology at a field test range, including verifying valid CPNT technology service and UE performance.
2. The following contextual information about the applicability of the CPNT technology must be provided:
   1. The intended operating environment which includes both the solution infrastructure (if applicable) and user environment. User environment includes, but not limited to, urbanization level, terrain, weather conditions, sky visibility, outdoor/indoor/below grade conditions.
   2. Potential users (industry/market sectors and/or infrastructure type), example use-cases, potential safety and economic benefits, service provisioning availability and cost.
3. The following CPNT technology specifications should be described for its intended operating environment and be well understood for each of the timing and/or positioning components reported to the user by the CPNT technology.
   1. Supported reporting output rate.
   2. Time-to-Alarm (TTA) or the maximum time that an alert will be issued to the user/system after a fault occurs.
   3. Integrity performance: The supported Alert Limits for the error corresponding to probability p=1e-7 in the environment within which the CPNT technology is intended to operate. In other words, the absolute value of the largest error that occurs with a probability of p or less without issuing a timely alarm (i.e., issuing an alarm no later than TTA after the faulty measurement is reported). Although not required but alert limits for other values of  p (e.g.  p=1e-5 and 1e-9) is highly desirable.
   4. The cost of coverage in terms of dollars per unit area field test range(s) of interest.
   5. 95% accuracy performance or the value that bounds 95% of the distribution of the absolute value of the error. This is needed for each of the positioning and/or timing components reported by the CPNT technology.
   6. Availability: The percentage of time that each of the CPNT technology output that meets its stated integrity and accuracy performance is available within its coverage area.
   7. Continuity for periods of Tc= 10 seconds, 1 minute, and 1-hour intervals respectively: This can be provided in terms of the probability of issuing a false alarm within a time interval Tc given that the CPNT technology was available at the start of the interval.
   8. Performance in GNSS challenged environment: characterized by resilience to a GNSS signal threat space (intentional and unintentional), e.g., J/S, Spoofing threat vector, signal blockage, and multipath (if applicable).
   9. Performance in CPNT technology challenged environments (jamming and spoofing) characterized by resilience to a signal threat space (intentional and unintentional), e.g., J/S that degrades the signal used by the CPNT technology derive the positioning and/or timing components reported to the user.
   10. Information Assurance of the supply-chain, operational security, system control and maintenance.
4. The Respondee is responsible for providing all items composing the CPNT technology that are necessary for testing under the following conditions:
   1. GNSS nominal and stressed operating conditions.
   2. CPNT technology nominal and stressed operating conditions.

Stressed operating conditions in this context refers to two sets of conditions that can be tested separately or simultaneously: (1) Environmentally challenging conditions that provides challenges to either GNSS or the CPNT technology due to signal blockage, signal attenuation, multipath, or some other naturally occurring challenges for a particular use case. (2) Intentional stresses that are designed to disrupt GNSS or the solution performance such as intentional interference, jamming, spoofing, and physical system resilience to intentional and environmental threats.

1. The Redpondee’s CPNT technology must be legal to operate, e.g., spectrum allocation, technology classification, proprietary licensing agreements, etc.
2. The Respondee(s) responses should include diagrams and information for system installation and setup at a notional Test Range Site.
3. The Respondee(s) responses to this RFI should include an achievable execution timeframe for the field trial testing.
4. For non-U.S. Government Test Range Sites, proposals shall include a furnished site for the purposes of the field test campaign. For U.S. Government selected Test Range Sites, the U.S. Government will be responsible for furnishing the site.

The furnishings include:

1. Electrical Power
2. Internet
3. Tower locations, sizes, payloads, and mounting options determined by the U.S. Government considering inputs from Respondee(s)
4. HVAC
5. Mobile host platforms for user equipment (UE) demonstration (if needed)

1. The U.S. Government or U.S. DOT sponsored Test Range Site operator will be responsible to provide support to deploy the CPNT technology.
2. The Respondee(s) responses should include the critical infrastructure sector/application that the CPNT technology supports (e.g., Energy, Communications, and Transportation, including Aviation, Maritime, Rail, and other surface transportation). The responses should also consider the context of PNT risk profiles from Executive Order (EO) 13905 National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal or Interagency Reports (NISTIR) 8323 Foundational PNT Profile: Applying the Cybersecurity Framework for the Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Services. The CPNT technology(ies) will be tested against normal operations and threat vectors developed from the critical infrastructure risk profile(s).

Based on the normal operations and critical infrastructure risk profiles, the U.S. DOT will provide scenario development and support and a U.S. DOT reference/“truth” system at each Test Range Site.

4.0 Submission Instructions

Interested parties should submit a written Statement of Capabilities of sufficient detail demonstrating their experience and ability to provide said services as outlined in Section 3 entitled Information Requested. In addition, any planned future partnerships should be documented describing the roles of each party. Lastly, interested parties should include detailed description of proposed test range capability, if use of a non-U.S. Government owned test range is preferred.

Information provided shall be detailed and shall show technical capabilities, knowledge, and expertise so the U.S. DOT can assess the ability to provide the described services in each of the above stated work areas.

All the information sought should be conveyed in no more than ten (10) pages. Page size is set at 8 X 11 inches and text should be no smaller than 11 point. Each response must reference the RFI title. Interested vendors shall indicate their socio-economic small business size status (Total Small Business, 8(a) business development, historically underutilized business zone, service-disabled veteran owned, small disadvantaged, or woman-owned) in the appropriate North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code. As a result of recent changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19, small business concerns must ensure that their status certifications are up to date.

Interested parties must respond to this announcement in writing by October 10, 2023 at 4:00 pm Eastern Time. Telephone requests will not be honored. All responses must be submitted via e-mail to Andrew Josephs at [email protected]. Electronic attachments to the e-mail should be submitted in Microsoft Office 2007 (or later) productivity application formats, or any format that can be imported by Microsoft Office.

5.0 Information Availability
THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and is a market research tool to determine the availability and adequacy of potential business sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and possible issuance of a Request for Proposal. The notice does not constitute a solicitation for bids, quotations, and proposals, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the U.S. Government to solicit for or award a competitive contract. The U.S. Government is not obligated to and will not pay for any information received from potential sources as a result of response to this RFI notice. The U.S. Government will not pay for any materials provided in response to this synopsis and submittals will not be returned to the sender. Submissions must be disclosable to the public or the submitter should provide a summary statement that can be disclosed to the public with fuller supporting information that is clearly marked as restricted. The U.S. Government will use customary means to safeguard proprietary information, but only when such information is (1) clearly marked as proprietary; (2) is, in fact, information that could not have been obtained from another party or source; and (3) is otherwise deserving of such treatment under standards and processes described in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Executive Order 12600.

For information about the Volpe Center refer to the Volpe Center website at http://www.volpe.dot.gov.

[1] Federal Highway Administration Exploratory Advanced Research Program Technology Readiness Level Guidebook, FHWA-HRT-17-047, September 2017.