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John SniderChief Executive Officer and President

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Editor’s Perspective

Program Notes/People

Data Bytes

Calendar, Directory

11

Personal SATCOMA range of new capabilities are being added to the domain of UHF satellite communications, enabling the more widespread distribution of the technology down to the lowest echelons of command and even dismounted individual warfighters.By Adam Baddeley

20

New Way of Fielding NetworksThe Network Integration Evaluations being conducted by the Army represent a key element in the service’s strategy for making fundamental changes in how it acquires, tests, evaluates and fields network capabilities.By Harrison Donnelly

Military Information Technology presents the DISA Contracts Guide 2012, based on information obtained from DISA, with listings for indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts, blanket purchasing agreements and basic ordering agreements.

24

COMSATCOM Center UpdateAn update on the latest news from the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Center.

6

Automatic for SecurityKeeping up with Security Technical Implementation Guide compliance can be a challenge for defense agencies, but automated tools can help.By Peter Buxbaum

Produced by Military Information Technology

MIT’s DISA Contracts Guide 2012

Most people think of cybersecurity as like a football game, where you have an offensive team and a defensive team, with specialists on each and little overlap between the two halves of the squad. But really it’s more like soccer.

That was the image offered recently by Robert Carey, deputy chief information officer of the Department of Defense, during a recent on-the-record executive session sponsored by the American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council, a nonprofit, public-private partnership dedicated to improving government through the application of information technology.

“Our treatment of cyber is offense and defense. But in reality it’s a soccer game. You play both positions all the time, depending on where the ball is. It’s not football anymore. But that’s what’s in our culture. There are the “O” guys and the “D” guys, and the “O” guys are the sexy ones who do the attack.

“It has to be a soccer game,” Carey continued. “We need to train the workforce to understand both offense and defense—like training a defensive back to be a wide receiver, or a basketball guard to be a forward. You have to understand how the guy on the other side operates really well, because then you can do your job a lot better.”

In his remarks, which focused on efforts to establish a Joint Information Environment within the Department of Defense, Carey offered a number of other insights on security, including:

• “I wouldn’t say the current environment is indefensible, but it’s really hard to defend. No one command, whether at Cyber Command, 10th Fleet, Army Cyber, MARFORCYBER or 24th Air Force, is completely there in terms of seeing to the desktop and controlling that—and that’s what we need to get to.”

• “In the next 12 months, I can imagine a secure tablet and more than one smartphone on the network.”

Harrison DonnellyEditor

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www.MIT-kmi.com4 | MIT 16.4

Compiled by KMi Media Group staffPROGRAM NOTES

Jennifer Carter has been assigned as component acquisition executive, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Carter previously served as Navy enterprise resource planning program manager.

Alan Lewis has been assigned as program executive officer, enterprise services, DISA. Lewis previously served as vice director, computing services, DISA.

Douglas Packard has been appointed to the senior executive service and is assigned as vice director for procure-ment and vice chief, Defense Information Technology Organization, DISA. Packard previously served as program manager, oversight and assessment, Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Department of Army.

Hughes Network Systems has appointed Colonel Charles H. Cynamon (Ret.) as senior director of its Defense and Intelligence Systems Division, where he will be responsible for the analysis and application of commercial SATCOM technology to the overall DoD market-place.

James McManamon has joined General Dynamics Information Technology as a vice president within its Navy and Marine Corps services busi-ness area, where he will be responsible for supporting strategic business devel-opment and planning.

Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff has been elected for a three-year term as chairman of BAE Systems.

Compiled by KMi Media Group staffPEOPLE

The Air Force Network Centric Solutions-2 (NETCENTS-2) team has awarded its netcentric products contracts, which have an aggregate ceiling of $6.9 billion with three-year base ordering periods and three 12-month options.

The contracts were awarded to seven small and two large businesses: Ace Technology Partners, Blue Tech, FedStore Corp., General Dynamics IT, Global Technology Resources, GTSI, Iron Bow Technologies, M2 Technology and Red River Computer Co.

The contracts are expected to be available for ordering in May.

The Netcentric Products contract provides the Air Force with a full range of innovative, competitively-priced, world-class net-centric IT products to support the full spectrum of net-centric operations and missions. COTS products offered on the Netcentric Products contract include networking equipment, servers/storage peripherals, multimedia hardware, software, and identity management/biometric hardware and associated software. The contracts will provide for delivery and warranty as well.

“The Netcentic Products contracts are a mechanism to ensure more efficient, secure and compliant IT solutions by addressing such areas as gray market equipment, supply chain risk management, Energy Star and the use of DoD and Air Force approved product lists. We also expect to achieve considerable cost savings by leveraging nearly a billion dollars of annual IT purchasing to resellers instead of integra-tors as we did with the original NETCENTS contracts,” said Tim Nixon, director of the Enterprise Information Systems Directorate’s Enterprise Services Division.

The Netcentric Products contract is mandatory for Air Force use; however, use of the contract may be available to DoD and other federal agencies when it is related to requirements for interoperability with Air Force capabilities, supports Air Force IT infra-structure, applications, or operations, supports host-tenant arrangements involving Air Force units, or is in support of joint operations and solutions.

The Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminal has been approved for full production and fielding, following the signing of an acquisition decision memorandum in early April by Frank Kendall, the acting undersecretary of defense for acquisi-tion, technology and logistics.

The MIDS program is one of five major acquisition category (ACAT) 1D programs within the JTRS Enterprise. MIDS provides interoperable, afford-able and secure tactical data link and programmable networking technologies and capabilities for the joint, coalition and international warfighter. MIDS JTRS is a software defined networking terminal that is not only NSA certified with the Link-16 waveform, but is also equipped with Link-16 enhanced throughput and

Link-16 frequency remapping, as well as three additional channels for future waveforms as required by the warfighter.

“This is a major achievement for the MIDS program. We have faced consid-erable obstacles in the development and testing of MIDS JTRS over the past few years and due to the phenomenal team in place, we have overcome all of them. DoD now has a MIDS JTRS terminal that meets warfighter needs and provides a growth path for next generation networking waveforms for airborne, ground, and maritime war fighting platforms,” stated Captain Scott Krambeck, MIDS program manager.

MIDS is the first of the JTRS family of radios to successfully complete develop-mental and operational test, achieve NSA certification, and be granted approval to enter full production.

First JTRS Program Approved for Full ProductionAir Force Awards

Netcentric Products Contracts

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By Peter BuxBaum

mIt CorresPondent

As part of its information assurance mission for the Department of Defense, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has released a series of Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) to ensure secure configurations across the myriad of DoD systems.

DISA has issued STIGs covering oper-ating systems, network devices such as routers and firewalls, databases, and enterprise and desktop applications. The STIGs are updated frequently to reflect the ever-changing need for information assurance.

For many defense agencies, keeping up with their STIG compliance can be challenging. In response, a number of companies are offering automated tools designed to verify compliance.

Released under the authority of DoD Directive 8500.1, which requires that “all information assurance ... products incorporated into DoD information sys-tems shall be configured in accordance with DoD approved security configura-tion guidelines,” DISA STIGs are manda-tory throughout DoD and have also been adopted by many federal agencies and private-sector concerns.

The DISA STIGs estab-lish a secure baseline for defense and industry com-puting devices and applica-tions. “Organizations need some type of prescriptive guidance,” said John Link-ous, vice president and chief security and com-pliance officer at eIQnet-works, which provides network situational aware-ness. “STIGs are a good way of doing that. Most high level recommendations are not prescriptive. The Fed-eral Information Security Management Act requires organizations to protect systems against threats, but it doesn’t say spe-cifically what to do about Windows 2000, databases, Cisco firewalls, and other systems, applications and components.”

“STIGs cover what I would call good practice rather than best practice,” said Adam Montville, a

compliance and secu-rity architect at Tripwire, which provides configura-tion control services. “Best practices depend on your specific enterprise situa-tion and the threats that it faces. DISA has put out the STIGs to be minimum guidance.”

The process of evalu-ating operating systems, databases, web servers and applications can become unwieldy with manual methods alone. Automated tools have become nec-essary in today’s world, according to Andy Kress, chief technology officer at Excentium, a provider of information assurance management services, although manual methods are still necessary to a com-plete security evaluation.

“Eighty percent of the process can and should be auto-mated,” said Kress, “but 20 percent still

Automatic for

tools helP agenCIes ComPly wIth dIsa’s seCurIty teChnICal ImPlementatIon guIdes.

Security


John Linkous

[email protected]

Adam Montville

@adammontville


has to be validated by hand. No mat-ter how much you automate, a lot of different types of tests you do to dis-cern vulnerabilities must still be done manually.”

manual to automated

There are a number of tools available on the mar-ket today that automate what was traditionally a manual auditing process to verify compliance with various STIGs. Many ven-dors concentrate in specific areas covered by STIGs, such as infrastructure, databases, applications and devices.

At least one vendor pro-vides a command and control center that allows systems security personnel an enterprise view of the compliance situa-tion. The development and implementa-tion of STIG tool updates is becoming

more automated with the increased adop-tion of a standard protocol by which to express security requirements.

“When an engineer is tasked with verifying that a network device is prop-erly configured according to a security standard, he has to manually log into that device and look at the configuration field

to confirm that it is config-ured in the way the STIG requires,” explained Tom Pompliano, chief executive officer of Refense Tech-nologies, a provider of vul-nerability and compliance management solutions.

“That manual process can take between 45 minutes and two hours per device, and it must be done by a very skilled

engineer with networking credentials and certifications to confirm the device configuration. Not only is this labor intensive, but it is also difficult to achieve a high degree of accuracy because people

doing the audits are the same people who configured device to begin with. We tell clients it takes an average of 60 minutes per device to check the configuration and 30 minutes of configuration adjustment. Automated tools reduce this process from hours to minutes.”

“DoD has hundreds of thousands of hosts,” said Montville, “and you also have to consider operating systems, applica-tions layers and network devices. If the process of STIG compliance is not auto-mated, you’ll never even get started, let alone finish the process. You’ll never be able to keep up. Without the automation piece, you’re dead in the water.”

The network infrastructure STIG is designed to assist in meeting the mini-mum requirements, standards, controls and options that must be in place for secure network operations. The docu-ment includes sections that provide the minimum requirements for enclave perimeters, firewalls, routers, device management, authentication and autho-rization, as well as accounting, passwords,

Tom Pompliano


network intrusion detection, switches and virtual local area networks.

Tripwire’s network infrastructure product works by installing a software agent on each device, other than on switchers and routers. “The software makes sure that the STIG requirements are complied with, such as making sure that passwords are of the required length and that users are locked out after enter-ing three incorrect passwords,” said Montville.

Running Tripwire first generates a report on changes on the system. It checks configurations of devices against the relevant DISA STIG checklist and generates a report showing whether the device being checked is compliant with the STIG or how far off it is from compli-ance. Tripwire also offers STIG compli-ance tools that cover operating systems.

“You can choose the frequency at which tasks are performed,” said Mont-ville. “You can set data center nodes to be checked every day at 10 p.m., for example. Configuration changes can be sent to your

in-box so that you have them the next morning.”

Users can also choose to have non-compliant configurations remediated. “It is automated but not automatic,” said Montville. “There is a work flow associ-ated with the remediation for the sake of separation of duties. A compliance officer might decide that certain things need to be remediated and send those off who those who are authorized to do that. The system will then allow those who are authorized to do so to request the system to go ahead and remediate the non-com-pliant aspects of the configuration.”

The Refense VMS (vulnerability man-agement solution) also assists in comply-ing with the DISA network infrastructure STIG by comparing the configuration of network devices against the security policies detailed in the STIG and isolat-ing misconfigurations and known vulner-abilities.

“Refense VMS mimics the tasks per-formed by an information assurance officer,” said Pompliano. “The solution includes a level of intelligence that is basi-cally akin to human auditors. The process takes a few seconds for each device instead of an hour or two if done manually.”

For example, Refense audits compli-ance against every one of the dozens of STIG requirements for routers. “The DISA STIG requires complex checking that if done manually would take some time and would be prone to high error rates,” said Pompliano.

Another perspective on the issue comes from SolarWinds, a provider of IT management solu-tions that was founded in 1999, shortly after DISA Field Security Operations released the first series of STIGs in 1998.

“Ensuring network device compliance comes down to know-ing when changes were made to your network devices, who made the changes, and what changes were made,” accord-ing to Sanjay Castelino, vice president of product marketing for SolarWinds. “Our Network Configuration Manager (NCM) is a software solution that makes it easy to ensure that network device configura-tions comply with FISMA, NIST and STIG requirements.

“NCM automates the process of com-pliance policy detection, reporting and remediation. With NCM, administrators can automate config backups, make bulk change updates, receive real-time change notifications, and compare configs, thus making compliance less complex and more streamlined,” said Castelino.

router requIrements

One STIG specification for routers requires that the router administrator restrict the premise router—the router that is connected to the upstream network provider—from accepting any inbound IP packets having a source field from invalid BOGON or Martian IP addresses. “These BOGON and Martian lists are maintained to track unallocated or reserved IP address space,” explained Pompliano. “Router administrators would have to check this list and compare the IP address space with their access control lists on their premise routers to ensure that the access control lists match the current list.”

Another router requirement is for information assurance officers to ensure that denied attempts to any port, pro-tocol or service are logged. “This would require that the information assurance officer or network administrator to check every line of every access control list to ensure that logging is enabled for that

entry,” said Pompliano. “If the devices have hundreds or even thousands of entries on the access control list, this can take some time to complete.”

In addition, Refense can also analyze firewall rules to ensure that a particular rule is in place to block an IP range that is prohibited access to DoD computers

and systems. “There are multiple STIG require-

ments that network managers restrict RFC 1918 IP addresses [those that have been designated for private use] on the network,” said Pompliano. “An engineer would need to review all firewall rules and access controls lists to ensure that statements are present that block these IP addresses.”

In addition to these STIG-compliance activities, Refense can also scan networks for newly announced vulnerabilities.

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“Refense not only completes the audit task much more quickly than a human could, but it also does so with greater accuracy,” said Pompliano. “In large organizations such as military branches, which have tens of thousands of network devices deployed, searching out these vulnerabilities and ascertaining configuration postures would otherwise be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.”

EIQnetworks provides a product called SecureVue, which it describes as a unified situational awareness platform. “Agencies can achieve complete compliance with DISA STIGs without struggling with all the intricate details and broad applicability of STIGs,” said Linkous. “SecureVue lowers DISA STIG compliance costs while increas-ing compliance and minimizing impact on personnel by providing automatic iden-tification of compliance with individual sections and standards within each STIG.”

SecureVue has proven to reduce STIG audit personnel and administrative costs by as much as 90 percent for some federal agencies, according to Linkous.

Historically, agencies have had diffi-culty implementing DISA STIG standards across the enterprise, according to Link-ous, primarily due to the detailed nature and broad applicability of STIGs. “Secure-Vue provides a complete, integrated solu-tion for DISA STIG compliance across devices, hosts and applications,” he said. The solution features agentless technology, which means that “no program or code has to be installed to monitor for STIG compli-ance. It is one less piece to manage on the system. In addition, secure networks gen-erally don’t allow third party agent code to be installed.”

SecureVue provides a library for STIG auditing of both hosts and devices, as well as common applications and database platforms. “The product provides end-to-end and complete STIG auditing against each control in each supported STIG,” said Linkous. “It also provides a common operating picture to allow all appropriate personnel visibility of compliance and asset readiness.”

SecureVue also facilitates continuous monitoring of compliance, a discipline advocated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that is being increasingly regarded as a best prac-tice for information systems security.

“Information security continuous monitoring is defined as maintaining

ongoing awareness of information secu-rity, vulnerabilities, and threats to sup-port organizational risk management decisions,” according to NIST Spe-cial Publication 800-137, released in September 2011. The key objective of ISCM is to “to determine if the com-plete set of selected security controls implemented within an information sys-tem continue to be effective over time in light of the inevitable changes that occur.”

“SecureVue can provide reports on the system as a whole,” said Linkous. “It correlates information on the system at the application, database and user levels, and can tell when the system falls out of compliance. It then reports who made the change and when and in what the con-text and whether or not the change was intentional.”

Linkous maintained that many other products used to monitor systems com-pliance are cumbersome, while many are “granular” and don’t provide enterprise-wide views of compliance.

“SecureVue could provide information at high levels, such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the heads of the individual ser-vices, about the compliance state of their systems,” said Linkous. “For example, a report could indicate that 20 percent of routers had configuration changes last month or that there were a certain num-ber of inappropriate changes to firewall rules. These could be an indication of intrusion. This may not be visible at the installation level. You really need to look at this at a high level to determine whether there is an issue.”

As a practical matter, SecureVue is purchased at the agency or installation level but is scalable to as large an enter-prise as is necessary, according to Link-ous. EIQnetworks has several customers for SecureVue within the Army and Navy, as well as the intelligence community and among civilian agencies.

One major SecureVue customer is HP, which currently operates the massive Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI).

“DISA STIG compliance is a require-ment for every federal network. On NMCI, this is a primary focus for HP in sup-porting cybersecurity for the NMCI net-work. STIG compliance not only enables a secure network for our customers, but it also ensures that important federal tar-gets such as FISMA and DIACAP are met,”

noted Tom Lerach, HP director of cyber and sustaining operations.

ContInuous monItorIng

Kress agreed that continuous moni-toring is emerging as a major trend in enhancing system security. “It will become a STIG requirement,” he said. “For some systems, such as networks, it already is a requirement.”

The implication of this development is that organizations will require a level of expertise in-house to monitor and manage updates. “They will have to make sure that their scanning policies are updated and up to snuff with requirements,” said Kress. “As newer threats emerge, the monitoring of systems will have to be more dynamic than what we have seen in the past.”

One development that will facilitate the rapid updating of STIG tools and the security levels that they represent is that the DISA benchmarks are being expressed in a standardized way. “STIG specifica-tions are increasingly being published in the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP),” said Montville. “The automated tools can understand that standard. We are at the point where configuration assess-ment can become truly automated in an interoperable way rather than just on a vendor-by-vendor basis.”

Before SCAP, changes to STIG bench-marks had to be interpreted by humans and then incorporated into the automated tools. “We had too many smart IT peo-ple working on mundane problems,” said Montville. “They had to get an under-standing of readable documents and cre-ate something that is machine readable. Recommendations to add or remove a test or to change the expected value of a test had to be incorporated manually into our products and then made available to our customers. Publishing in SCAP automates the changes to the compliance tools.

“We are saying, ‘Let’s all use that pro-tocol so that benchmarks can be published in that format,’” Montville continued. “Vendor tools will be able to understand them with no human translation. This will reduce costs and will allow updated tools to be developed and deployed quicker.” O

For more information, contact MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly at [email protected]

or search our online archives for related stories at www.mit-kmi.com.

A range of new capabilities are being added to the domain of UHF satellite communications, enabling the more widespread distribution of the technology down to the lowest echelons of com-mand and even dismounted individual warfighters. Available in both manpack and handheld format, they enable voice as well as com-mand and control applications to be supported across today’s highly distributed battlefield.

The biggest addition to this comes from the launch of the first new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite in February, which will begin replacing the ageing UHF Follow On (UFO) birds. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the Navy program, which will support voice, texting, file transfers and many of the services warfighters expect from their personal communications devices.

“The completed MUOS system will provide global, beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) UHF narrowband communications coverage for the armed forces,” said Mark Pasquale, Lockheed Martin vice

president and MUOS program manager. “MUOS will provide 16 times the capacity of the existing system, including global connectiv-ity through the Defense Information Systems Network and support services such as full two-way voice, texting, and data transfers. The system will expand and extend current UHF communications-on-the-move capability to enable virtually all warfighters equipped with MUOS terminals to operate on the move.”

Lockheed Martin is under contract with the Navy to provide five MUOS satellites and the associated ground control elements for the MUOS system. MUOS 1 was recently launched, MUOS 2 and 3 are in the final stages of satellite testing and MUOS 4 and 5 are well into production.

Each satellite is planned to launch in approximately one year increments behind its predecessor. The second satellite is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2013. Since the fifth satellite is the on-orbit spare for the system, MUOS will provide initial on-orbit capability in 2012 and will achieve full operational capability in 2015.

Personalnew CaPaBIlItIes enaBle the dIstrIButIon of teChnology down to the lowest eChelons of Command and IndIvIdual warfIghters.

SATCOM

MIT 16.4 | 11www.MIT-kmi.com

By adam Baddeley

mIt CorresPondent

MUOS satellites feature a wideband code division multiple access (CDMA) payload that incorporates advanced technology to provide a 16-fold increase in transmission throughput over the current UFO satellite system. MUOS does this with a bandwidth on-demand, prior-ity based network.

The MUOS waveform, termed the MUOS Common Air Interface, a Software Communications Architecture compliant modulation tech-nique for Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminals and upgraded legacy terminals, is being developed by a Lockheed Martin-led MUOS team. The first version of the MUOS waveform was provided by the MUOS program to terminal developers in 2011, with updated versions being provided throughout 2012.

The Navy PMW 146-developed blackside waveform V 1.3 com-pleted final qualification testing in May 2011. Waveform V 1.3 is being used to develop the redside waveform, which is the version that will be ported into JTRS terminals.

Pasquale added, “Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics have also demonstrated MUOS on the JTRS Manpack, and we plan to do additional demonstration testing on-orbit after launch of MUOS-1. At launch, the waveform will be available to terminal providers for early porting opportunities prior to MUOS operational handover.”

MUOS also supports backwards compatibility with legacy UHF ter-minals by each satellite hosting a UFO payload. Hosting the UFO pay-load ensures that legacy terminals remain compatible with the MUOS architecture, while the new terminals that will provide technological advancements needed by its military users are deployed.

“The hosted legacy UFO payload that will perform exactly like another UFO satellite and legacy terminal users will see no difference in service while the MUOS system is deployed throughout the armed forces,” Pasquale said.

muos standardBearer

The two-channel AN/PRC-155 software-defined radio, delivered under the General Dynamics C4 Systems-led JTRS Handheld, Man-pack and Small Form Fit (HMS) program, supports a range of terres-trial waveforms in addition to legacy UHF DAMA SATCOM and MUOS.

The radio has become the key standard bearer for MUOS at the tac-tical edge. But delivering that capability has required a very different technology approach than hitherto necessary because of its full-duplex cellular CDMA waveform.

“In order to support CDMA, there is some complexity that goes into the radio that isn’t in a traditional tactical radio,” explained Bill Rau, director, communication products for General Dynamic C4 Systems (GDC4S). “There is a lot of complex processing that goes on inside that radio. There are requirements for spectral compatibility in order to operate MUOS on this radio around the world, on a non-interfering basis.

“The waveform is 5Mhz wide as opposed to legacy narrowband waveforms. When you go into different countries, there might be some people using those channels, so the MUOS waveform has a ‘notching’ capability so that depending on where it is, it will ‘notch out’ so as to not to interfere with others. That adds great complexity to the radio itself, requiring much more sophisticated RF and processing than a traditional SATCOM radio, and is very important to allow this radio to be used globally,” Rau said.

While the AN/PRC-155 embraces the future, it retains one foot firmly in the current infrastructure, supporting DAMA SATCOM and IW also on its roadmap. Last summer the radio completed its limited

user test and it is now beginning its government developmental test at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., followed by the multiservice operational test and evaluation (MOT&E) that happens in May at Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 12.2.

From that point forward, that radio can be fielded. The radio also participated in NIE 11.2 and 12.1.

GDC4S sees this as the beginning of the radio’s journey, Rau com-mented. “It is software defined, so there are capabilities coming out post-MOT&E. That doesn’t mark the end of the program. It’s a living program.”

While the majority of the intended applications for the AN/PRC-155 are to provide two-channel vehicular capabilities, and as such could form the basis of a bid for the Mid-Tier Networking Vehicular Radio program, the radio must still operate on batteries and be able to be carried on a soldier’s back.

“Size, weight and power are king,” explained Rau. “They dominate every decision that we do technically. MUOS is different in that it is full duplex waveform and has to transmit and receive at the same time simultaneously. You can’t time share the circuitry as you can on most other tactical waveforms.

“Rather than burden the basic box with the extra circuitry, a trade was done and it made more sense to put that extra circuitry associ-ated with MUOS into a field-mountable appliqué for that waveform,” he continued. “This appliqué approach allows us to have a common radio transmitter unit for the core AN/PRC-155, but future-proof the radio against any new unanticipated unique requirements beyond the capability of the core unit. That way, we are not burdening the box with extra weight and power that wouldn’t be necessary for all users. The core PRC-155 has two individual radios in there. When you put the MUOS appliqué unit on the side, you are augmenting that circuitry with some additional circuitry.”

The MUOS appliqué unit, or MUOS High Power Amplifier, can be removed with thumbscrews in the field and supports operation with the other waveform capabilities already in the unit.

Channel CaPaBIlIty

Thales Communications received Joint Interoperability Test Com-mand certification for Phase I IW last fall on the JTRS Enhanced MBITR (JEM) and is currently implementing Phase 2, due to be certified this summer. It is currently the only company implementing Phase 2 certification for handheld units.

“Phase 2 is the demand assigned piece, so it gives you the full capability,” said Walt Hepker, vice president of business development. “The main benefit for IW is that it doubles the channel capability over existing DAMA, and the ease of use is much greater. As existing DAMA is being phased out, the whole UHF SATCOM service is way oversub-scribed, so this helps that situation. We are expecting some near-term orders from the Army and we are providing it to the special forces as we speak.”

As well as new-build JEMs, the IW capability can be backfilled into existing JEMs via software upload. The first production radio with IW Phase 1 was delivered late last year, with several thousand now delivered.

Hepker said that adding MUOS to the JEM is part of the company’s future roadmap, and would be done via work on the next iteration of AN/PRC-148 via what he describes as a “leap ahead” technology.

“We are still far and away the smallest handheld full MIL-certified Type 1 radio, and we intend to continue that. We recognize that for


our customers, small size, weight and power is really paramount. We intend to continue to enhance the AN/PRC-148 adding new features to it, while maintaining and reducing its size as we go,” Hepker said.

“Anybody who is the communications business is going to have to include MUOS. Power is a challenge, but I believe we are very well positioned to handle that with our expertise. We build our own bat-teries. We are continually pushing the envelope in battery technology to give our customers extended battery life so provide a very power-efficient product. We think it is a challenge, but we are definitely up to that challenge.”

Thales plans to release further detail about the new radio in the next six months.

waveform CharaCterIstICs

Harris RF Communications began work on adapting the AN/PRC-117G to accommodate MUOS in 2007, explained Bill Beamish, director, Falcon III manpack products, Harris RF Communications. “This work was completed in spring 2010. Every AN/PRC-117G pro-duced since that time is ready to operate MUOS when the waveform is operational and available. Harris will offer upgrade options for users of radios produced before spring 2010.’’

Beamish explained the process: “MUOS is a duplex waveform, but a typical CNR is only half-duplex radio. So we made some changes so we could accommodate not only the waveform characteristics of MUOS, but also the full duplex nature of the waveform. We designed the PRC-117G with two transceivers: one optimized for narrowband and one optimized for wideband. We adapted the narrowband transceiver to transmit the MUOS waveform.”

Beamish added that this was done without adding appreciable weight or power consumption to the radio. “We have done prelimi-nary work with early versions of the MUOS waveform made available via the JTRS Information Repository. Now that the first MUOS bird is up, we are looking forward to integrating more mature versions of the waveform.”

In handheld radios, Harris intends to follow in the footsteps of the AN/PRC-117G.

“The Harris AN/PRC-117G manpack and AN/PRC-152A handheld radios have very similar architectures and in many cases run the same waveform applications,’’ said Ken Arndt, product manager, Harris RF Communications. “This commonality allows us to move capabilities to and from the various platforms in a rapid manner. We will host the MUOS waveform on the AN/PRC-117G first, and then explore opportu-nities to transition that capability into other platforms.”

Harris is also providing other advanced SATCOM capabilities. The AN/PRC-117G is fully certified for IW Phase 1 and is being fielded today. The narrowband version of the AN/PRC-152 has been through certification, and the AN/PRC-152A is expected to have the capability available towards the end of the summer as well. Work internally on IW Phase 2 has started, although the formal process of certification has not yet begun.

fIelded radIos

ITT Exelis’ RO Tactical Radio uses the Netted-Iridium based Dis-tributed Tactical Communications System (DTCS) as the bearer for its SATCOM links, working with the U.S. government to create the technology and mature the radios.

“Working closely with our government and industry partners to rapidly respond to a critical gap of beyond-line-of-sight communica-tions, Exelis was involved in all aspects of developing and fielding the Netted-Iridium BLOS capability, from creating the RO Tactical Radio, to designing and implementing the net management capabilities in the DoD Gateway,” explained Dario Valli, the director of business development.

The first major acquisition of the RO Tactical Radio came in 2010 as a means to meet a joint urgent operational need statement, with more than 6,000 fielded to CENTCOM for Iraq and Afghanistan with subsequent fielding to other DoD and U.S. government organizations.

The majority of radios have been acquired via Defense Information Systems Agency contracts, with over 7,500 sold. Fielding is based on one per squad.

“As the current operating environment evolved to more distrib-uted operations, small units were operating in tremendously vast regions, significantly extended beyond the capabilities of their tactical radio capabilities,” Valli said. “To compound the challenge, the rugged terrain further diminished the reach required of the end-users’ hand-held radios. The RO Tactical Radio gives you reliable, BLOS/over-the-horizon communications in a small, handheld tactical radio, ensuring end-users are able to maintain critical C2.”

Training is very intuitive, since the radio operates like any other tactical handheld radio using classic push-to-talk means of communi-cations. “Inside of a day of training, operators are able to employ the radios,” Valli said.

The RO Tactical Radio is also capable of transmitting position location information (PLI) of the user, broadcast in Global PLI and Regional PLI. The Global PLI’s data gets sent back into the DoD’s gate-way, and then out to STRATCOM’s mission management center, where it can be routed to forces’ common operational picture. That allows it to be integrated with PLI data from other systems such as FBCB2, CPOF and C2PC. So command elements and platforms with BFT are able to locate and track dismounted user.

With Regional PLI, the PLI is distributed locally in a similar way to voice. Valli said, “PLI is broadcast, and the RO Tactical Radio can receive that position information. Our Mobile Awareness Platform software application, which runs on a ruggedized PDA, when con-nected to the RO radio gives the user not only PLI of other users on the network, but also the ability to text-message and interface into the radio for some radio control capabilities.”

Beyond situational awareness in Afghanistan today, Valli believes, the RO Tactical’s capability has proven its worth as an enduring requirement. “Forces have recognized the value it brings. While the initial fielding was focused on supporting combat operations in the CENTCOM AOR, there is a growing recognition of its applications in other roles and mission of the Army and Marine outside of that AOR.”

The future roadmap for the RO Tactical includes a touch screen smartphone implementation using an Android operating system with Secret and Below capabilities devices, with embedded DTCS-integrated situational awareness capability. O

For more information, contact MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly at [email protected] or search our online archives

for related stories at www.mit-kmi.com.



Compiled by KMi Media Group staffDATA BYTES

Marines Order Land Mobile Radios for First

RespondersHarris has received a $49 million indefinite

delivery, indefinite quantity contract to provide Harris Unity land mobile radios for the Marine Corps’ Enterprise Land Mobile Radio (E-LMR) program. The five-year E-LMR contract enables the Marine Corps to acquire Unity XG-100P and Unity XG-100M Full-Spectrum Multiband Radios for use by first-responders—such as military police, fire depart-ments and emergency medical services—at Marine facilities worldwide. The full spectrum frequency coverage of the Unity product family allows a single radio to cover all of the LMR bands used by the Marine Corps and public safety communities. Unity radios provide users with true interoperable communications in handheld and mobile form factors, whether they are handling day-to-day tasks or coordinating large-scale, emergency responses. They offer a unique solution with their combination of full-spectrum multiband capabilities and suite of advanced features, such as GPS-enabled situational awareness, Bluetooth wireless connectivity and a software-defined radio architecture.

REDCOM Laboratories has announced that the High Density Exchange and Slice family of products Version 4.0, along with Teo IP phones as the end instru-ment, have been placed on the Unified Capabilities (UC) Approved Products List (APL) and certified for use as local session controller (LSC) by the Defense Information Systems Agency Unified Capabilities Certification Office. The UC APL provides a list of products that are available to the Department of Defense. In order to be placed on the UC APL, products must be evaluated and achieve certification for information assur-ance and interoperability by the Joint

Interoperability Test Command. The LSC is responsible for enforcing assured services session initiation protocol (AS-SIP) trunk policies, such as multi-level precedence and preemption (MLPP), for calls made from SIP phones. MLPP, which ensures that the most important calls get through during crisis situations, is an essen-tial element of command and control. REDCOM’s solutions, together with Teo IP phones, offer powerful UC capabili-ties including AS-SIP, IPv4/IPv6 dual stack, MLPP, seamless converged TDM/IP interoperability, and secure communica-tions via the Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol V.150.1.

4G Solutions Provide Deployable Broadband Networks

Product Family Certified as Local Session Controllers

QinetiQ North America has announced the first combat use of its Tactical Robotic Controller (TRC) in support of the Army’s recently fielded Minotaur and Armadillo unmanned systems. The TRC is a lightweight, wearable controller that enables the warfighter to control multiple unmanned ground vehicles, UAVs and unattended ground sensors. The TRC can be rapidly activated by attaching the communications pack for the systems to be controlled, selecting the touch screen application and initi-ating control. The TRC was developed for the Marine Corps through a continuing contract with the Naval Surface Warfare Center. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory uses TRCs to control a wide variety of unmanned aircraft, ground robots and unattended sensors.

Robotic Controller Used in Combat

Oceus Networks has announced the availability of its new expanded fourth-generation (4G) Long Term Evolution family of fully interoperable solutions that enable secure high-speed, high-capacity, voice, video and data transmissions. Ruggedized for extreme environments and situations, Xiphos systems provide turnkey, easily deployable broadband networks wherever traditional communication infrastructures are unavailable or compromised. Expansion of the broadband solution suite, commonly known as Xiphos R2, includes software enhancements that provide seamless mobility with handover among multiple Xiphos systems. Designed to overlay and interoperate with existing networking infrastructures, Xiphos networks are made to meet emerging communications needs no matter how advanced the required capability or how isolated the surrounding terrain. The Xiphos solution can also scale within any customer’s architecture, from a compact configuration that provides high data throughput to a few targeted users within a defined coverage area, to high capacity configurations that serve a large number of users with a wide coverage area and extremely high data rates.

Produced by Military Information Technology

www.MIT-kmi.com Contracts Guide 2012 | MIT 16.4 | 1

Trusted business partnerships, proven network solutions.Agencies that are upgrading vital network infrastructures count on Fujitsu for a lot more than technology leadership. We’re experts at crafting and implementing turnkey network solutions.

Fujitsu packet optical networking solutions are bringing the power of standards-based Connection-Oriented Ethernet to US government departments and agencies. We’ll work with you to make high-performance networking a reality.

Fujitsu Network Communications • 2801 Telecom Parkway, Richardson, TX 75082 Tel: 800.777.FAST (3278) • us.fujitsu.com/telecom© Copyright 2011 Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. FUJITSU (and design)® and “shaping tomorrow with you” are trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. All Rights Reserved.

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity ContractsFuture COMSATCOM Services Acquisition (FCSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3DISN Access Transport Services (DATS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Joint Hawaii Information Transfer System (JHITS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4DISN Global Solutions (DGS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5DISN Satellite Transmission Service–Global (DSTS-G) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Encore II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Defense Information System Network (DISN) Transmission Services-Pacific II (DTS-P II) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Data Link Service Provider (DSP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Europe Enterprise Wireless Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Defense Information System Network (DISN) Network Management Support Services Global (DNMSS-G) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Joint Spectrum Center, Electromagnetic Spectrum Engineering Services (JSC-ESES) . .10Iridium Enhanced Mobile Satellite Service (EMSS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Blanket Purchase AgreementsBroadband Global Area Network (BGAN) and Legacy INMARSAT Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .11DISN Global Services IDNX/PROMINA Companion Equipment (DICENET) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Global Exchange Services (GEX) Messaging and Data Transmission Support . . . . . . . . . . .12Red Hat Linux Enterprise Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12ManTech Integrated Data Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Basic Ordering AgreementTechTrend Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Publisher’s NoteKMI Media Group, publisher of Military Information Technology, produced this DISA Contracts Guide 2012, based on information obtained from DISA . The magazine, which publishes 11 times each year, reports on a wide range of C4 issues . The Rockville, Md ., company also publishes Ground Combat Technology, Geospatial Intelligence Forum, Military Advanced Education, Military Logistics Forum, Military Medical Technology, Military Training Technology, Special Operations Technology, Tactical ISR Technology and U.S. Coast Guard Forum . This catalog was designed by the KMI Art Department . © Copyright 2012

KMI Media Group15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 300Rockville, MD 20855Telephone: 301-670-5700Fax: 301-670-5701Website: www .mit-kmi .com

Although KMI Media Group has included advertisements in the Contracts Guide, this does not constitute or imply endorsement by the Defense Information Systems Agency or the United States Department of Defense .

[Table of Contents]

Connections made simple.Whether connecting with a single unit deep in the field or a large contingent back at base, defense and intelligence operations need more from their communications solutions. More innovation to support new applications and changing missions. More cost-effective solutions to weather tightening budgets. Harris CapRock makes getting more from your communications simple.

We believe every customer mission is a Harris CapRock mission. That’s why we take pride in pioneering the latest in military-specific communications. Offering X-band managed services, quick-deploy man-pack terminals and even Ultra-High Frequency-based solutions, we anticipate our clients’ needs. And as the world’s largest commercial buyer of satellite capacity we’re even helping to shape the design of next-generation spacecraft.

Leveraging more than a dozen self-owned and -operated international teleports and customer support centers and a global backbone network with more than 80 convenient points-of-presence, we put it all together to deliver global communications you can always count on.

Connecting your operations just doesn’t get easier than that.

www.harriscaprock.com

© 2012 Harris CapRock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. De’Yonte Mosley/Released)(100429-A-6285M-020) ReLiAbiLiTy NeveR ReACHed SO FAR™

HarrisCapRock_GovtAd_MIT_3-12.indd 1 2/28/12 11:18 AM


* Period of Performance includes all option years .

Future Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Services Acquisition (FCSA)Multiple award schedules under GSA IT Schedule 70 Special Item Numbers (SIN) 132-54 and 132- 55 for Commercial Satellite Transponded Capacity and Fixed/Mobile Subscription Services .

Custom SATCOM Solution-Small Business (CS2-SB) multiple award IDIQ contracts and Custom SATCOM Solutions (CS2) - Full and Open IDIQ multiple award contracts .

DescriptionFCSA is a strategic partnership between the General Services Administration (GSA) and DISA, creating a streamlined, easy-to-use solution for all government commercial satellite communications needs . Previously, GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service and DISA awarded and managed individual satellite communications contracts . By combining acquisition efforts and better leveraging the government’s buying power, FCSA is reshaping the commercial satellite market and efficiently delivering end-to-end commercial satellite solutions to all government customers . FSCA has three service areas: Transponded Capacity, Subscription Services and End-to-End Solutions .

SIN 132-54, Transponded Capacity: Dedicated satellite bandwidth and power in any commercially available frequency band .

SIN 132- 55, Subscription Services: Pre-engineered, existing Fixed Satellite Services and Mobile Satellite Services priced on a per-unit (for example, per minute, megabyte, node, location) basis, including terminals tied to a service, in any commercially available frequency band .

CS2-SB and CS2*, End-to-End Solutions: Solutions include satellite transport (bandwidth), fixed or mobile satellite service, and service-enabling components such as terminals, handsets and tail circuits with engineering services to integrate, operate and maintain the solution .

Prime Contractors:

SIN 132-54:• Americom Government Services Inc .• Artel Inc .• Bushtex Inc .• DRS Technical Services Inc .• Globecomm Systems Inc .• Harris CapRock (CapRock Government Solutions Inc .)• Hughes Network Systems LLC• Intelsat General Corp .• Knight Sky Consulting and Associates LLC• MTN Government Services Inc .• Ritenet Corp .• SATCOM Global Inc .• Segovia Inc .• Spacenet Inc .• Telecommunications Systems Inc .• Ultisat Inc .• XTAR LLC

SIN 132-55:• ADCI of Delaware LLC• Americom Government Services Inc .• Artel Inc .• DRS Technical Services Inc .• Globecomm Systems Inc .• GMPCS Personal Communications Inc .• Harris CapRock (CapRock Government Solutions Inc .)• Hughes Network Systems LLC• Intelsat General Corp .• Knight Sky Consulting and Associates LLC• MTN Government Services Inc .• MVS USA Inc .• Ritenet Corp .• SATCOM Direct Communications Inc .• SATCOM Global Inc .• Segovia Inc .• Skycasters LLC• Spacenet Inc .• Stratos Government Services Inc .• Telecommunication Systems Inc .• Ultisat Inc .• Vizada Inc .

CS2-SB:• AIS Engineering Inc . • By Light Professional IT Services Inc .• Knight Sky Consulting and Associates LLC• UltiSat Inc .

Period of Performance:Each Schedule 70 contract is awarded for a five-year base period with up to three five-year options . CS2-SB IDIQ contract is awarded with a three-year base period with up to two one-year options .

*CS2 IDIQ contract is not yet awarded .

[Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Contracts]

Connections made simple.Whether connecting with a single unit deep in the field or a large contingent back at base, defense and intelligence operations need more from their communications solutions. More innovation to support new applications and changing missions. More cost-effective solutions to weather tightening budgets. Harris CapRock makes getting more from your communications simple.

We believe every customer mission is a Harris CapRock mission. That’s why we take pride in pioneering the latest in military-specific communications. Offering X-band managed services, quick-deploy man-pack terminals and even Ultra-High Frequency-based solutions, we anticipate our clients’ needs. And as the world’s largest commercial buyer of satellite capacity we’re even helping to shape the design of next-generation spacecraft.

Leveraging more than a dozen self-owned and -operated international teleports and customer support centers and a global backbone network with more than 80 convenient points-of-presence, we put it all together to deliver global communications you can always count on.

Connecting your operations just doesn’t get easier than that.

www.harriscaprock.com

© 2012 Harris CapRock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. De’Yonte Mosley/Released)(100429-A-6285M-020) ReLiAbiLiTy NeveR ReACHed SO FAR™

HarrisCapRock_GovtAd_MIT_3-12.indd 1 2/28/12 11:18 AM

www.MIT-kmi.com4 | MIT 16.4 | Contracts Guide 2012



Joint Hawaii Information Transfer System (JHITS)

HC1019-06-D-2002The Joint Hawaii Information Transfer System (JHITS) contract provides the primary inter- and intra-base telecommunications services for the Department of Defense in the state of Hawaii, providing end-to-end common user switched and dedicated transmission services .

What does this contract include?Task Service CLINs:

• Manage day-to-day Network Telecommunication Services operations• Switch Telecommunication Services Maintenance• Base Telecommunication Services• Navy Pier Side Telecommunication Services• CLIN-based services: (MILDEP or DISA-unique telecommunications

service CLINs ordered “as required”)• Maintenance of critical assured services• Installation/Maintenance of point-to-point dedicated circuits• Installation/Maintenance of outside plant cable• Installation/Maintenance of customer premise equipment• Switched Voice Services & ISDN for Outer Islands• Maintenance of Network Management System equipment• Vendor-unique provisioning workstations and software

What can this contract be used for?• Dedicated Transmission• Switched Voice (Analog and Digital)• Pier Side Communications (Ship lines)• Switched Data• Asynchronous Transfer Mode Services• Integrated Services Digital Network Services• 24/7 Military Operator Services• Emergency 911• Customer Premise Equipment Installation and Maintenance• Network Management and Monitoring• Automated Provisioning and Trouble Ticketing• Fiber Optic Cable Installation and Maintenance Training

Who can use this contract?The Department of Defense and other federal agencies in the state of Hawaii .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the JHITS Program Office at 808-472-2200, the Defense IT Contracting Organization-Pacific (DITCO-Pacific) at 808-472-2507, or go to www .ditco .disa .mil/pac .

What is the best process to use this contract?Military customers should work through their local base communications officer to order services or contact DITCO-Pacific at the above phone number or web address .

Prime Contractor:AT&T

Period of Performance:Through August 17, 2016 *

DISN Access Transport Services (DATS)

HC1013-07-D-2005 (Region 1) HC1013-07-D-2006 (Regions 3 & 4) HC1013-07-D-2007 (Region 2) The DATS contracts provide telecommunication transport services in the continental United States (CONUS) from telephone company demarcation point (telco demarc) to telco demarc . CONUS is divided into four regions (Region 1-Western U .S .; Region 2-Midwest U .S .; Regions 3 and 4-Eastern U .S .) . DATS may also provide service normally defined as inside wire between a telco demarc and a customer-defined service delivery point at another location on the base/camp/post/station .

What can these contracts be used for? To provide specific bandwidth for transport services to any CONUS user listed in DISA Circular 310-130-1, Table T1 .1 .

Who can use these contracts? Any CONUS user listed in DISA Circular 310-130-1, Table T1 .1 .

What is the best source to get information and materials? Use of DATS is based upon a provisioning solution . Please contact DISA CONUS Customer Support Division, disaconuscustomerservice@disa .mil, telephone 618-220-9922 .

What is the best process to use these contracts? Interested customers should submit their Telecommunications Service Requests through DDOE in accordance with DISA Circular 310-130-1 .

Prime Contractors: • Region 1—CenturyLink Government

(formerly Qwest Government Services Inc .) (HC1013-07-D-2005)• Region 2—AT&T Corp . (HC1013-07-D-2007) • Regions 3 and 4—CapRock Government Solutions

(Editor’s note: Now Harris CapRock) (HC1013-07-D-2006)

Period of Performance:Through October 30, 2016*



Defense Information System Network (DISN) Global Solutions (DGS)

DCA200-02-D-5000 and 5001The DGS contracts provide life cycle support management for the DISN website .

What can the contracts be used for?• Program Management• Cost/Schedule Management• Financial Management• Systems Engineering• Hardware and Software Management• Test and Evaluation• Manufacturing, Engineering and/or Logistics Support• Network Information Services• Network Management and Control—CONUS and OCONUS• Installation and Maintenance for Asynchronous Transfer Mode

Protocol and Internet Protocol Routers—Worldwide• Augmentation Information System Support• DISN Service Center Circuit Implementation Team• Transition Support Services• Transmission Operations Management Support• Defense Message System transition hub hardware maintenance

integrated digital network exchange maintenance and operations management

• DISN Training• Configuration Management• Program Management and Access• DISN Program Management Support• Digital Voice System Program Support and Operations Center

Support

Who can use these contracts?The Department of Defense, its authorized customers and other federal agencies .

What is the best process to use this contract?Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9346 or the Contracting Officer’s Representative at 301-225-2868 .

Prime Contractors:• Apptis (small business)• Science Applications International Corp . (SAIC) large business

Subcontractors:These are several major subcontractors (large, small and small disadvantaged businesses); subcontractors can be added at the request of the prime contractors and are not limited to only one prime contractor .

Period of Performance:Through March 31, 2013*

DISN Satellite Transmission Services Global (DSTS-G)

DCA200-01-D-5002 through 5004 The Defense Information System Network (DISN) Satellite Transmission Service-Global (DSTS-G) contracts provide a full range of global fixed satellite bandwidth, earth terminals and related satellite-based business and enterprise services and solutions .

What can the contracts provide?• Global Fixed Satellite Bandwidth• Bandwidth and Service Management • Leased Earth Terminal Services • Purchase Earth Terminals • Global On-Site Earth Terminal Operation and Maintenance • Commercial Teleport Services • U .S . and Foreign Bandwidth and Terminal Licenses and Approval • Terrestrial Interconnection Services to Support Satellite Service • Host Nation Agreement-Negotiation Support • Systems Engineering Support • First Right of Refusals and Guaranteed Reservations • DISN Common-User Hub Services • Multiple Location Turnkey Satellite Systems

Who can use the contracts?The Department of Defense, its authorized customers, and other federal agencies .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9248 or the Program Manager at 703-882-0644 . Additional information can be found at: www .ditco .disa .mil/hq/contracts/dstsgchar .asp .

What is the process to use these contracts?Submit Telecommunications Service Requests (DISA Circular 310-130-1) and/or a Performance Work Statement . Additional contact information is available at the website above .

Prime Contractors: • Artel Inc . • CapRock Government Solutions

(Editor’s note: Now Harris CapRock) • DRS Technical Services Inc .

Period of Performance:Through February 15, 2013 *




ENCORE II

HC1028-08-D-2001 through 2003 and HC1028-08-D-2005 through 2027The ENCORE II contracts provide IT solutions for activities throughout all operating levels of all customer organizations in support of all functional requirements, including command and control, intelligence and mission support areas, and to all elements of the Global Information Grid (GIG) .

What can this contract be used for?• Task Area 1 - Enterprise IT Policy and Planning• Task Area 2 - Integrated Solutions Management• Task Area 3 - Performance Benchmarking• Task Area 4 - Business Process Reengineering• Task Area 5 - Requirements Analysis• Task Area 6 - Market Research and Prototyping• Task Area 7 - Information and Knowledge Engineering• Task Area 8 - Custom Application Development• Task Area 9 - Product Integration• Task Area 10 - Test and Evaluation• Task Area 11 - Asset Management• Task Area 12 - Communications Engineering• Task Area 13 - Security Engineering Certification and Accreditation• Task Area 14 - Telecommunications Support• Task Area 15 - Computer-Telephony Integration• Task Area 16 - Web Services• Task Area 17 - Operations Support• Task Area 18 - Hardware• Task Area 19 - Software• Task Area 20 - Managed Services

Who can use this contract?Military services, the Department of Defense and other agencies of the federal government .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Go to www .ditco .disa .mil/hq/contracts/encorIIchar .asp .

What is the best process to use this contract?Task order guidelines at the above website reflect easy, step-by-step instructions and sample documents showing how to assemble a requirements package . The ENCORE II Task Order Guidelines is a comprehensive handbook of how to use the ENCORE II Contracts . The guidelines consist of a five chapter basic document with 24 separate attachments to explain ENCORE II and provide templates for assembling your requirements package .

External Contracting Agencies may place orders directly against this contract . A copy of the contract is available on the above website .

Prime Contractors:

• 3H Technology—SB• American Systems—LB • Analytical Services Inc . (ASI)—SB• BAE Systems Information Technology Inc .—LB• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc . (BAH)—LB• CACI Inc .-Federal—LB• Computer Sciences Corp . (CSC)—LB• Harris IT Systems—LB• Data Systems Analysts Inc . (DSA)—SB• FemmeComp Inc .—SB, WOSB• General Dynamics—LB• HP Enterprise Services Inc .—LB • IBM BCS-Federal—LB• Jacobs Technology Inc .—LB• L-3 Services Inc .—LB• Lockheed Martin Information Services Inc . (LMIS)—LB• ManTech Enterprise Management Inc .—LB• Northrop Grumman Information Technology (NGIT)—LB• Oberon Associates Inc .—SB, WOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB• Raytheon Co .—LB• Pragmatics Inc .—SB• Science Applications International Corp . (SAIC)—LB• Solers Inc .—SB• Systems Research and Application Corp . (SRA)—LB• Unisys Corp .—LB• Salient Federal Solutions—LB

Subcontractors:More than 2,735

Period of Performance:Through May 31, 2016 *




Defense Information System Network (DISN) Transmission Services-Pacific II (DTS-P II)

HC1019-09-D-2000This contract is a communications “building block” of the Global Information Grid . DTS-P II provides “one stop shopping” with the contractor handling all foreign carrier and local exchange carrier coordination to connect any site in the Expanded Pacific Region to any location in the world . The Expanded Pacific Region consists of the Pacific Command, Northern Command, Southern Command, and Central Command areas of operation .

DTS-P II will provide the end-to-end transmission services and capabilities essential to the Defense Information System Network (DISN), DoD’s consolidated enterprise level telecommunications infrastructure for the expanded Pacific region . DTS-P II will support both DoD and authorized non-DoD operations . The essential characteristics of these requirements are end-to-end information transfer services, seamless interoperability with the global Defense Information System Network, positive control, robust bandwidth, provisioning agility and flexibility, diversity, security, cost-effectiveness, technology insertion and enhancements .

DTS-P II will provide the required operational transmission services and capabilities necessary for network-centric warfare . It will provide the critical transmission for the DISN-Pacific, its subsystems, components and services to enable the warrior to obtain situational awareness and attain information dominance over the battlefield . The services provided by DTS-P II will be utilized to equip the DISN with sufficient capacity to support multimedia services, voice, data, video and imagery transfer at any time or any place . DTS-P II services will be delivered from the lowest tactical level to the highest strategic level and provide assured connectivity across the entire warfighter spectrum .

What can this contract be used for?• Dedicated Transmission• Undersea Cable Leases• Satellite Communications• Asynchronous Transfer Mode Services• Internet Protocol Router services, including Network Access Points,

Internet Exchange Points and other Internet access points and Internet Service Provider connections

• Encryption and Timing• Equipment Installation and Maintenance• Network Management and Monitoring• Provisioning and Trouble Ticketing• Fiber Optic Cable Installation and Maintenance

Who can use this contract?The Department of Defense, authorized non-DoD operations, other federal agencies, and U .S . allies .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization-Pacific (DITCO-Pacific) at 808-472-2733, or go to www .ditco .disa .mil/pac .

What is the best process to use this contract?Submit a request for service to DISA or contact DITCO-Pacific using the above information . Customers will provide their requirements via DDOE .

Prime Contractor:Verizon Business Network Services Inc .

Period of Performance:Through March 5, 2019 *




Europe Enterprise Wireless ServicesHC1021-05-D-2000The Wireless Services Contract provides commercial Global System for Mobile telephone services, wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) services, and other wireless services for all DITCO Europe customers throughout the U .S . European Command (USEUCOM) and the U .S . Central Command (USCENTCOM) areas of responsibility (AORs) .

What can the contract be used for?• Wireless equipment• Wireless services and equipment• Local wireless service• Wireless PDAs/service• Long-term subscriptions• Short-term rentals• 24/7 customer service

Who can use this contract?All DITCO Europe customers stationed in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Yemen .

What is the best process to use this contract?The DITCO Europe Enterprise Wireless Contract offers several options for the placement of orders as follows:

• Army Commands under USEUCOM—Shall order via HQ, 5th Signal Command G4, Contract Management Division CMR 421 APO, AE 09056, DSN: 314-380-5324 .

• Decentralized Ordering—Ordering may be authorized for all U .S . government contracting offices and authorized ordering officers appointed by DITCO Europe . Decentralized orders are subject to the DITCO Europe Enterprise Wireless Contract administrative fee of 1 percent . This fee will be applied to all costs associated with the total monthly value of the wireless services and products purchased under this contract .

Prior to ordering, all interested contracting offices and ordering officers shall request approval from the DITCO Europe contracting officer . Ordering instructions shall be provided by DITCO Europe at the time of appointment .

• Centralized Ordering—DITCO Europe Contracting Office is available for the placement of orders in support of customer’s wireless needs throughout the USEUCOM and USCENTCOM AORs . All orders placed directly through DITCO are subject to the nominal DITCO fee for service of 2 percent . All wireless requests are to be submitted to DITCO via the DISA Direct Order Entry (DDOE) ordering tool: www .disadirect .disa .mil/products/asp/welcome .asp .

For additional information or ordering officer requests, feel free to contact the DITCO Europe contracting officer at DSN 314-496-7658; commercial: +(49) 6302 922732 .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Go to www .ditco .disa .mil/hq/contracts/eewchar .asp .

Prime Contractor:Vodafone D2 GmbH

Period of Performance:Through October 9, 2014 *


Data Link Service Provider (DSP)

HC1013-10-D-2002The DSP contract provides new data link and voice capabilities for Global Air Traffic Management aircraft . It supports continued expanded use of Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management capabilities, data link and voice services for communications between command and control agencies, air traffic service agencies, and aircrew . In addition, these DSP service capabilities will be used to support Air Traffic Services and Airline Operations Center message exchanges .

What can these contracts be used for? • Provides data and voice communications between airborne

and ground subsystems• VHF and HF radio services for aircraft not equipped with

data link• Engineering Support including configuration support and

test support• Air/Ground Data Link• Air/Ground Voice• Ground/Ground Data Link• Value-Added Data Link Services—Digital ATIS, Up-linked Oceanic

Clearance Delivery, Down-linked Oceanic Clearance Delivery, Direct Satellite Dialing and Graphical Flight Services such as Aircraft Situation Display, Weather Data and Airport Data

• Air/Ground Radio• Detailed monthly reports describing technical and managerial

activities

Who can use this contract? The Department of Defense aircraft fleets either equipped or non-equipped with Global Air Traffic Management .

What is the best process to use this contract? Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9402 .

Prime Contractor:ARINC Engineering Services LLC

Period of Performance:Through September 30, 2011*



Defense Information System Network (DISN) Network Management Support Services Global (DNMSS-G)

HC1013-07-D-2023The DNMSS-G/R Associate Support Contract (ASC) provides support services for DISN-related networks and systems, and for other Department of Defense and government networks and systems . This includes providing continuing system planning and support, operational analyses, system management, operations, maintenance and technical enhancement services at task order-specified locations for components of the DISN .

HC1028-08-D-2000The DNMSS-G/R Network Engineering Contract (NEC) provides support services associated with network and system management and other related support services for DISA and DoD military services and agencies, and other U .S . government departments and agencies on a global basis . This includes providing continuing system and network planning, engineering, enhancement, acquisition, implementation, integration, management, maintenance and operations support at task order-specified locations for components of the DISN .

What can these contracts be used for?• Defense Switched Network (DSN) (voice services)• Defense Red Switched Network (DRSN) (secure voice services)• DSN and DRSN network management systems• Advanced DSN/DRSN Integrated Management Support System• Integrated Network Management System• Joint DISN Control System• Trouble Management System• Report Management System• Integrated Configuration and Tracking System• Other specified DISN networks and systems and their respective

management systems

Who can use these contracts?The Department of Defense and its authorized customers .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9498 or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) at 703-882-0783 . Additional information can be found at www .ditco .disa .mil/contracts/catalog .asp .

Prime Contractors:• DNMSS-G/ NEC: Computer Sciences Corp .• DNMSS-G/ ASC: Oberon Associates Inc .

(Editor’s Note: Now CGI)

Period of Performance:The period of performance for HC1013-07-D-2023 is through June 14, 2012 . *

The period of performance for HC1028-08-D-2000 is through December 23, 2012 . *


International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) Services

DCA200-02-D-5024 through 5028The International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) contracts provide a full range of mobile satellite telecommunications airtime service, equipment and maintenance .

What can these contracts be used for?• Secure and Non-secure Airtime Services, Mobile, Maritime and Aero

INMARSAT Areas• Equipment Purchase and Lease• Equipment Maintenance and Installation• Operational and Maintenance Training• Systems Engineering Support• Terrestrial Interconnection Services to Support Mobile Satellite

Service

Who can use these contracts?The Department of Defense, its authorized customers and all federal agencies .

Who can use this contract?The Department of Defense and other federal agencies in the state of Hawaii .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9776, or 618-229-9145 . Also go to www .ditco .disa .mil/contracts/catalog .asp .

What is the process to use these contracts?Interested customers should submit their Telecommunications Service Requests in accordance with DISA Circular 310-130-1 .

Prime Contractor:• AOS Inc . • L-3 Global Communications Solutions Inc . • CapRock Government Solutions Inc .

(Editor’s Note: Now Harris CapRock)• ADC of Delaware LLC • O’Gara Satellite Systems Inc .

Period of Performance:Through June 5, 2012 *



Iridium Enhanced Mobile Satellite Service (EMSS)

HC1047-08-D-0002 The EMSS contract provides a full range of Iridium satellite and ancillary equipment to be used with Iridium services . This includes the purchase of Iridium handheld phones, pagers, secure modules, DTCS radios, Blue Tick and ancillary equipment . In addition, the contract also provides the capability to activate or de-activate Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) cards . Lead times are seven to 14 days .

What can this contract be used for? To purchase the following equipment:

• Iridium 9505-securable satellite telephones • Iridium-secure modules• Netted satellite voice and data communications

(DTCS handheld radios)• Blue Tick equipment • SIM cards • Ancillary equipment (batteries, etc .)

Who can use these contracts? The Department of Defense, authorized non-DoD customers and customers in Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand .

What is the best source to get information and materials? Go to www .ditco .disa .mil/contracts/catalog .asp .

Prime Contractor:General Dynamics C4 Systems Inc .

Period of Performance:Through November 25, 2012 *

Joint Spectrum Center, Electromagnetic Spectrum Engineering Services (JSC-ESES)

HC1047-07-D-0001

What can this contract be used for?• Spectrum-planning guidance• System integration• System vulnerability analysis• Environmental analysis• Test and measurement support• Training and operational support• Spectrum management• Software development• Spectrum certification of new weapon and sensor system

development• Electromagnetic battle space support• Joint spectrum interference resolution support

Who can use this contract?Unified commands, military departments and defense agencies . These services are also available to federal and local government activities . Additionally, foreign nations can obtain assistance through foreign military sales channels . JSC can provide these services to U .S . industries when the efforts are determined to be in the interest of national security .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the Contracting Specialist at 410-293-2410 or go to www .disa .mil/jsc .

Prime Contractor:ITT Corp ., Advanced Engineering & Sciences Division

Period of Performance:Through September 21, 2016 *




Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) and Legacy INMARSAT Services These Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) issued against GSA IT Schedule 70, SIN 132-55 for COMSATCOM Subscription Services are the follow-on contract vehicles for the Inmarsat Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) contracts and provide a full range of mobile satellite telecommunications airtime services .

What BPAs are available?

Who Can Use These BPAs?

The Department of Defense, its authorized customers and all federal agencies . The BGAN BPAs are military department or customer specific . Customers may only order services from the BPA under which their organization falls .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Contact the COMSATCOM Center by email at mss@disa .mil .

What is the process to use these contracts?Interested customers should submit their Telecommunications Service Requests (TSRs) in accordance with DISA Circular 310-130-1 .

Period of Performance:Five years from date of award for each BPA*

DISN Global Services IDNX/PROMINA Companion Equipment (DICENET)

HC1028-09-A-2005The Services IDNX/Promina Companion Equipment BPA provides Promina network hardware, software and maintenance through NET Federal Inc . Promina remains the premier multi-service networking product in use by the Department of Defense . The Screen Service Creation Manager Platform provides state-of-the-art broadband switching capability for Internet Protocol (IP) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode . Also available is the ShoutIP Open Telephone Platform, which transports voice over a packet Infrastructure . The DICENET BPA supports new requirements, as well as total system upgrades .

What can this BPA be used for?• Promina 100/200/400/800 Chassie• Promina QS SW• Promina Bus, Processor and Server Cards• IDNX-to-Promina Upgrades• Promina Miscellaneous Components• Promina Trunk Modules • Promina Data Modules• Promina Voice Modules• LAN/WAN Exchange Modules• Packet Exchange (PX) Interfaces• PX Spaces• Frame Express Modules• Primeswitch Modules• Network Management Software and Documentation• Maintenance, Services, Logistics and Support• ShoutIP Open Telephony Platform• Scream Service Creation Manager Platform• Ancillary Open-Market Equipment• Screen Products

Who can use this contract?Department of Defense and DoD-sponsored agencies .

What is the best source to get Information and materials?Additional Information can be found at www .ditco .disa .mil/contracts/catalog .asp

Prime Contractor:Net Federal Inc .

Period of Performance:Through January 31, 2014*

Title Contract Available When?

Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) Service

BGAN for the U .S . Army HC1013-12-A-0001

Available

BGAN Service for the U .S . Air Force

HC1013-12-A-0002

Available

BGAN Service for the U .S . Navy/USMC

TBD Pending (4 Jun 12)

BGAN Service for DoD Agencies TBD Pending (28 Jun 12)

BGAN Service with Secure Terrestrial Access

TBD Pending (14 Jan 13)

BGAN Service for SOCOM TBD Pending (5 Feb 13)

Aeronautical Communications

Legacy & Broadband Services TBD Pending (25 Jul 12)

Maritime Communications

Legacy & Broadband Services TBD Pending (15 Aug 12)

Legacy Services

Legacy Services TBD Pending (15 Sep 12)

[Blanket Purchase Agreement]



Red Hat Linux Enterprise Software

HC1028-909-A-2003HC1-28-09-A-2004Red Hat Enterprise Linux is the premier operating system for open source computing . It’s sold by annual subscription, runs on seven system architectures, and is certified by top enterprise software and hardware vendors . Decentralized ordering is allowed .

What can this contract be used for?• Enterprise Linux WS Basic and Standard Software• Enterprise Linux ES Standard Software• Enterprise Linux AS Standard and Premium Software• Global Learning Services• Global Professional Services• Global Engineering Services

Who can use this contract?All Department of Defense agencies .

What is the best source to get Information and Materials?Customers should contact DITCO Scott directly at ditcoitreq@disa .mil

What is the best process to use this contract?Step-by-step instructions are available under the link “Ordering Instructions for Non-Telecom IT Requirement” at www .ditco .disa .mil/contract/catalog .asp .

External contracting agencies may place orders directly against this BPA by viewing the above website or by sending an email requesting a copy of the BPA to the above email address .

Prime Contractors:• DLT Solutions Inc .• Carasoft Technology Corp .

Period of Performance for HC1028-0-A-2003:Through February 17, 2014*

Period of Performance for HC1028-09-A-2004:Through February 9, 2014*

Global Exchange Services (GEX) Messaging and Data Transformation Support

HC1028-10-A-2001The GEX contract provides for technical support services for sustaining and improving the GEX capability to conduct data integration supporting electronic business/electronic commerce within the federal government .

What can the contract be used for?Enhance the GEX to include the capabilities of processing the EDI, XML and UDF transactions currently being processed by the production GEX Instances maintained across DoD .

Develop, deploy, connect and maintain GEX Integration in support of DoD systems and agencies/domains

Support Integration requirements of enterprise resources planning (ERP) systems across DoD and facilitate cost-effective integration with required legacy system interfaces .

Enhance the GEX Bridge with current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and modern communication protocol support as directed to accommodate the ability of other DoD and federal systems identified by the government to exchange data through the GEX COTS products (AB Iniffo, IBM Websphere TX, IBM MQ Series, Oracle DB) and integrate new products as needed to support production activities and GEX customer requirements .

Incorporate various enhancements to the GEX to assist administrators, operational support personnel and trading partners in tracking and retrieving transactions and resolving problems which arise due to incorrectly formatted transaction . Continue to adapt and enhance the existing GEX user interface as needed to facilitate efficient and effective GEX operations . Support Electronic Document Access data integration needs and other “paperless contracting” Initiatives .

Support the GEX ATO and other Information Assurance requirements directed by DoD Instruction 8500 . Incorporate the latest Security Technical Implementation Guidelines into GEX software and make other changes as directed to support the Defense Information Assurance Certifications and Accreditation Program . Maintain rigorous end-to-end accountability within the GEX for processing, reducing single points of failure that could cause loss or non-delivery of data .

Who can use this contract?All federal agencies .

What is the best process to use this contract?Contact the Contracting Officer at 618-229-9720 .

Prime Contractor:Northrop Grumman Systems Corp .

Period of Performance:Through June 30, 2014

[Blanket Purchase Agreement]



ManTech Integrated Data Systems

HC1-28-09-A-2008The ManTech BPA provides a Source Selection Tool that will be used by acquisition organizations to conduct proposal evaluations in best value competitions . The Source Selection Tool is a full service capability that provides DITCO/DISA a high performance software application plus access to technical support, user training and best value process consulting . Decentralized ordering is allowed .

What can this BPA be used for?Decision Point is a full service capability that provides DITCO/DISA a high-performance software application, plus access to technical support, user training and best value process consulting . The application’s interface guides the customers’ evaluators through the proposal evaluation process to ensure their review complies with the approach stated in the request for proposal and source selection plan . Evaluator comments are collected and date based, making electronic query, analysis, consensus-building, reporting and final archiving simple, accurate and efficient . This tool allows evaluators to enter proposal strengths, weaknesses, risks, scores and deficiency reports .

Who can use this contract?All Department of Defense agencies . DISA contracting offices and external agency contracting offices outside of DISA and DISA/PLD are authorized to place orders under this BPA .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Customers should contact DITCO Scott directly at ditcoitreq@disa .mil .

What is the best process to use this contract?Step-by-step instructions are available under the link “Ordering Instructions for Non-Telecom IT Requirements” at www .ditco .disa .mil/contracts/catalog .asp .

Prime Contractor:ManTech Integrated Data Systems

Period of Performance:Through June 14, 2014*

TechTrend Inc.

HC1028-10-G-2001The TechTrend BOA provides for the purchase of technical support, materials and information technology equipment in support of the federal government . Decentralized ordering is allowed .

What can this BOA be used for?• Information engineering, analysis of developing concepts—analysis

of alternative• Provision of data telecommunications hardware and software• Performance of rapid prototyping, network modeling and

configuration management• Analysis and performance of office automation• Training• Performance of hardware, software and system maintenance• Provision of network security services• Prototyping• System planning, development and conversation• Hardware/software installation and integration• Local/Wide area network design and installation• Physical security planning and implementation• Ancillary facilities support equipment, telecommunications network,

analysis, design and implementation• Technology update and insertion• Operations and maintenance support of existing and new systems

and equipment

Who can use this contract?The Department of Defense and other federal agencies .

What is the best source to get information and materials?Customers should contact DITCO Scott directly at ditco .itreq@disa .mil

Prime Contractor:TechTrend Inc .

Period of Performance:Through February 9, 2013*

[Basic Ordering Agreement][Blanket Purchase Agreement]

www.gdit.com

Enabling the Joint Information Environment

Leveraging virtual desktop infrastructure and joint enterprise solutions, General Dynamics Information Technology provides a mobile, effi cient and green Desktop as a Service solution to meet the needs of the Department of Defense. This solution provides reduced costs, increased security and fl exibility, while enabling users to access their desktop anywhere, anytime, withany device.


Compiled by KMi Media Group staffDATA BYTES

Ciena and SafeNet have announced a partnership to jointly sell high-speed, low-latency Ethernet link encryption services for commercial and government networks. Ciena’s Carrier Ethernet and Packet-Optical platforms, and SafeNet’s Ethernet Encryptor solutions, have been extensively tested for interoperability and provide assured, optimized and secure Layer 2 encryption services at speeds of up to 10

Gb/s, reducing the cost and complexity of protecting critical business information and intellectual property. Ciena’s solutions form the foundation for assured networks that serve at the heart of operations for tele-communications service providers, enter-prises, research and education institutions, national defense and security agencies, public utilities and transportation orga-nizations. SafeNet’s solutions, including

its 10 MB to 10GB Ethernet Encryptors, and High Assurance Ethernet Encryptor for government applications, dramatically reduce the burden of network security and lower management costs by simplifying network architectures, streamlining secu-rity policy management, and eliminating the data throughput inefficiencies associ-ated with conventional Layer 3 security management.

A secure cross-domain information sharing solution developed by ITT Exelis and the Air Force Research Laboratory has been added to the Unified Cross Domain Management Office (UCDMO) baseline list of validated cross domain solutions. Called Information Support Server Environment (ISSE) v4.0, the solu-tion enables the secure, high-speed, bi-direc-tional transfer of data between two or more security domains accredited for operation at different classification levels. Transfer mecha-nisms supported include email with attach-ments, bulk file, database synchronization,

Web services and chat. Among the more than 120 different data types shareable cross domain are Microsoft Office 2007/2010 files, imagery, XML and fixed formatted message traffic. Further cross-domain information sharing versatility is provided to system inte-grators through availability of a secure ISSE application programmer interface allowing traditionally single-domain COTS and GOTS applications to operate across secu-rity domain boundaries. Both fully automated and manual review modes of operations are supported.

Northrop Grumman recently celebrated the completion of its 2,000th microwave power module, an integral component in radars, jammers and other military electronics. Microwave power modules are devices that amplify radio frequency signals to high power. These assemblies are critical components in elec-tronic warfare and countermea-sure systems such as the AN/ALQ-135 for U.S. and interna-tional F-15 aircraft. The power these modules generate allows systems like the ALQ-135 to defeat electronic threats with strong signals, protecting the aircraft and its crew.

Microwave Power Module Passes Milestone

Open Video Solution

Links Multiple Platforms

Verizon is launching a new offering that enables businesses and government agencies to conduct secure, high-quality video meetings across private or public networks on multiple video platforms—including telepresence and video confer-encing—on desktops and tablets. The solution, Verizon Open Video Communications, makes it possible to link video systems that were previously incompatible and to create a virtually limitless open web of video communica-tions and end points. The solu-tion, which is slated to roll out this spring, will enable Verizon customers to communicate via video beyond corporate firewalls and proprietary video platforms and networks to a larger, commu-nity of business-to-business part-ners and customers. With Verizon Open Video Communications, organizations will be able to instantaneously add participants to a meeting and the service will be delivered with usage-based pricing. The new capability expands the reach of Verizon’s immersive video, or telepresence, offering across the company’s global Private Internet protocol networking platform.

Partnership Offers Ethernet Link Encryption

Air Force, ITT Exelis Cross Domain Solution Approved


Warfighter PartnerEnterprise Capability for Increased Effectiveness

Q&AQ&A

As director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Air Force Lieutenant General Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr. leads a global orga-nization of military and civilian personnel who plan, develop, deliver and operate joint interoperable command and control capabilities and a global enterprise infrastructure in direct support of the president, secretary of defense, joint chiefs of staff, combatant commanders, Department of Defense components and their mission partners.

Hawkins received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Angelo State University in 1977. He has held a variety of communications positions, including an assignment on the Joint Staff as support manager for command, control, communica-tions and computer systems, and he later served as director of C4 Systems for Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia.

Hawkins has served as the director of communications and infor-mation, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces; director of communications operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force; and director, infrastructure delivery, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. He has also been deputy chief of staff, communications and information systems, Multi-National Force-Iraq, and DISA vice director.

Hawkins was interviewed by MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly.

Q: This will be your first DISA Mission Partner Conference since becoming director. What overall message do you most want to get across to military and industry attendees about where DISA is headed?

A: The biggest message that I want to get across is the important focus that we have on supporting the warfighter. Often, that can come across as a cliché, but the truth of the matter is that that is where our busi-ness is. We’re a combat support agency for a reason, and we want to make sure our mission partners, industry, military and government all understand and appreciate that that’s where our focus is and that we cannot succeed unless we are all working together. In so doing, I believe the important area we’re going to be working in is with enter-prise services and the capabilities that we deliver as a result of providing solutions at the enterprise.

Q: How would you describe your vision of enterprise services at DISA?

A: It’s “start small, scale big and do it fast.” Our vision for enterprise services is to get the capabilities that everyone is using to the enterprise, so that soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, signal communicators and knowledge managers can do what they need to do, which is manage

the data versus watch a domain name server or something similar. The sooner we get those capabilities into the enterprise, the better off we all will be. We increase our competitive advantage with enterprise services. Putting capability at the enterprise—whether it is collaboration, email, social networking or mobility capability—increases our overall effec-tiveness as warfighters. That’s important to us.

Q: What benefits and savings do you see the enterprise services strategy providing to users? What obstacles do you see in implementing that strategy?

A: The greatest benefit is that we free up individuals to do their mis-sion work. The other benefits are tangential to that, such as security. We better secure the enterprise once it’s all there, versus scattered in disparate networks. We can deliver capability, and we’re confident of the data sources and the security tied to the data as a result of it being at the enterprise. Also, the speed at which we can introduce new and/or improved technology is better at the enterprise. Those are some of the benefits I see just at the surface of what comes as a result of enterprise services.

There are a lot of challenges. The biggest one is that everyone wants to get there, and we have to sequence them. We could run out of resources ourselves, in terms of being able to bring people into the enterprise. So we’ve got to sequence that. We also have to make sure that everyone understands it’s about standardization once you come into the enterprise. While innovation is important, we work off of standardization. That doesn’t mean that we can’t have applications in

Lieutenant General Ronnie D. Hawkins Jr.



an app store that exploit the innovation that our users demand. But the standardization of the enterprise has got to be there.

Q: Please describe some of the steps being taken by DISA to provide more effective and efficient services to DoD customers.

A: The one I would say is paramount is getting the DISA Service Catalog together, which we have just posted online. That’s the initial one, but we’ve got areas internal to DISA, such as the ITSM model. We’re working that to make sure again that we streamline how we do business internal to DISA, and don’t have different organizations and functions within DISA doing things differently. It is problematic when operating in an enterprise environment. So ITIL and ITSM are very important to us. The vice director, Rear Admiral David G. Simpson, is leading that, and we’re working to get everyone on board. We’ve got our own challenges tied to how we manage knowledge and knowledge management, so those are areas that are important to us.

Finally, it is critical that we are good stewards of the taxpayer’s dol-lars. To that end, we have achieved a clean audit opinion for our Defense Working Capital Fund and we are continuing our efforts by working to achieve the same for our General Fund.

Q: DISA’s budget proposal for next year includes significant reductions. Do you think the needed savings can be achieved through greater efficiency, or do you anticipate reducing or eliminating some programs?

A: As far as what DISA is doing to address savings, I’d rather say that we’re going to help people avoid costs. How they determine their sav-ings is up to them, but I think we’re going to definitely be able to help them avoid the cost of operating within a stovepiped environment. The data center consolidation that has already taken place within DISA has proven that to be the case. As we move more toward the focus and vision of more data center consolidations, we will show that you can avoid a lot of costs that way.

Q: What role do you see DISA playing in data center consolidation efforts, and what goals do you hope to achieve?

A: We did multiple data center consolidations back in the 1990s and 2000s, and we believe there is more to be done. We’re doing that in concert with the services as well as other federal agencies. We’re work-ing that pretty hard. We’re a part of the IT effectiveness focus that DoD is working right now and data center consolidation is going through that entire process. DISA is one of the lead organizations for that, and I think we’re going to see results in the near future, give or take six months. We have to do it smartly. We have to make sure our data centers are on the right power grid, that we have the right redundancy in the area as far as the communications pipes coming in and out of the center are concerned, and that we have the right security. Those are some of the areas that we are working right now in concert with the military services. The data centers don’t necessarily have to have a DISA logo on them. The military service data center can also be where we put capabilities. DISA is going to be one of the brokers for how we consolidate the data centers.

Q: Where do you plan to focus your efforts on network security, and what procedures and precautions are being implemented to safeguard the network?

A: Our focus is on reducing the attack surface of our network enter-prise. Mark Orndorff, our chief information assurance executive, works on that daily. We want to make sure that we have the right tactics, techniques and procedures in place to reduce that attack surface. We also want to make sure we’re doing things smartly, for example, in the area of how we patch our platforms, and the operations rigor and disci-pline that goes with the areas of information security and information assurance. We have to do that on a daily basis. Typically, many of the vulnerabilities that you see come as a result of poor security practices on the front end. We want to make sure that we have our folks trained, that we standardize our tactics, techniques and procedures, and that we hold people accountable for doing so or not.

Q: Have you seen progress in the past few years on network security, and what are some useful metrics?

A: I’ve seen a lot of progress, for example in the area of our host-based security and the employment thereof. It’s been a tremendous improve-ment from where DoD started out and to where we are today. There’s still a long way to go, and we have to make sure we have the right defense vectors and services in place. Some of the metrics we use are maturing as we work our security efforts. We have an inspection team that goes out to make sure we have appropriate security measures in place. Larry Huffman and his staff in GIG Ops do that on a daily basis. We scan the network, and make sure that things are the way they should be.

Q: How would you rate the effectiveness of DISA’s cloud computing efforts, and where would you like to see them go in the future?

A: Cloud computing is an interesting area to talk about. It depends on who you are talking to when you want to describe a cloud. I believe that DISA has a robust cloud architecture and that it could always be bet-ter, as we work with our mission partners to determine where we put out clouds, be it the data, network or application, and how we ensure that we have the security wrapped around those particular areas. Some areas that I’m particularly interested in DISA working, when it comes to cloud computing, are platform as a service, software as a service, and infrastructure as a service. We are working to mature them within the DISA cloud.

Q: What is the current status of enterprise email? Do you see your agency’s current program with the Army leading to a DoD enterprise email system?

A: The defense enterprise email is going great. We took a strategic pause a couple of months ago, and in so doing we were able to improve how we go about doing our migrations. We’ve brought over some 315,000 users already, and we’re moving towards having all the Army over within the next six to eight months, both on the unclassified as well as classified sides. As users migrate over, they should come to understand and appreciate it. I’m on enterprise email myself, and it does have its growing pains, because you have to change the way you manage your in-box and address book. But once you get past those, it’s just email, and there’s not much of an issue. I think it is good for DoD, and that we increase the security of our email architecture. The “killer app” for enterprise email is the Global Access List, and your ability to access everyone in the service. Another “killer app” is to be able to go wher-ever you can put a CAC card in, and bring up your enterprise email.


Those are capabilities that everyone in DoD wants and desires. It can’t happen if you’re in your own domain, but it can happen over enterprise email.

Q: With operations in Southwest Asia slated to wind down, do you see changes in the demand for commercial satellite bandwidth? What role do you see for DISA and its COMSATCOM Center as a result of the alliance with GSA in the Future COMSATCOM Services Acquisition program?

A: I don’t see any reduction in how we do our SATCOM business. Full motion video and the requirements that are tied to that mission set alone are going to demand that we have SATCOM capability. I believe that as the result of the insatiable demand for bandwidth, be it wireless, terrestrial, or satellite, we’re going to move a lot of that information in some of the areas that we go into. I don’t think SATCOM is going to be reduced any time in the near future. The way we exploit satellite com-munications, however, is going to be important to us. Bruce Bennett and his staff do a great job of that. The Joint IP Modem capability that we have is very important to us from a SATCOM perspective, so that we can move information across the different layers of the sphere of communications, whether it is SATCOM, fiber, terrestrial, wireless or airborne. SATCOM is integral to how we do business, and it will remain so. The GSA contract that we have has already proven its worth, and is of a benefit to DoD in the area of how we reduce costs and do our business.

Q: What are some of the other innovative DISA initiatives under way that you would like to highlight?

A: The big area that we’re really working is in solidifying our mobility strategy. How we go about bringing handheld devices into the enter-prise is important to us, be it smartphones, next generation phones or whatever. It’s important that we have a strong mobility strategy. We are working on that with the DoD chief information officer, Teri Takai, and in concert with other agencies to make sure we have the security features properly identified, so that we can allow the warfighter or user to go anywhere and connect to the network with whatever device they have. Within the next six to eight months, you’re going to see us come out with a very good mobility strategy and implementation plan.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: I look forward to the Mission Partner Conference. It’s my first one, since as DISA vice director I stayed at home station and wasn’t able to attend. So it’s exciting to me to be on the front end of a Mission Partner Conference. We have a lot to discuss with our mission partners, about what we can do and how we can do it if we all work in concert. It’s not all-or-nothing DISA, but how we leverage capability and technology throughout industry and the military services to make this the best joint information environment possible for the warfighter. So I’m look-ing forward to the conference! O

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The Network Integration Evaluations (NIE), the latest round of which gets underway this spring at Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, N.M., rep-resent a key element in the Army’s strategy for making fundamental changes in how it acquires, tests, evaluates and fields network capabilities to operational formations.

That was the message delivered by lead-ers of the NIE effort, including Major General N. Lee S. Price, program executive officer for command, control and commu-nications-tactical, and Colonel (P) John Morrison, director of the Army G-3/5/7 LandWarNet-Battle Command Directorate, during a March press briefing at the multi-agency Team C4ISR Center of Excellence on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

“This is a change in how we’re doing business, and like any big change, there are things that are challenging as we work our way through it. But the key is that the Army is in sync on what we’re working to accomplish here,” Morrison said.

“What we’re doing now is fielding an integrated network capability aligned with Army Force Generation requirements. There’s a fundamen-tal shift that has happened here,” he continued. “Instead of buying like we would have in the past, where we would buy a product and then try to field it to the entire Army, we’re fielding against a snapshot in time. We’re taking it in two year blocks initially, but as the NIE concept continues to mature, it’s going to be more of an annual look tied to the programming that we do.”

army leaders lay out theIr vIsIon for fundamental Changes In how they aCquIre, test and fIeld network CaPaBIlItIes.

By harrIson donnelly

mIt edItor

Col. (P) John Morrison


New Way of Fielding Networks


An AN/PRC-152A radio currently undergoing evaluation and configuration in the CERDEC Radio Evaluation and Analysis Lab in preparation for NIE 12.2. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Army]

A JTRS Rifleman Radio currently undergoing evaluation and configuration in the CERDEC Radio Evaluation and Analysis Lab in preparation for NIE 12.2. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Army]

The Communications Systems Design Center tests, supports and evaluates the capabilities, equipment and integration of the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical. [Photo courtesy of U.S. Army]

NIE 12.2 was scheduled to be held May 1-June 8, while NIE 13.1 will be held this fall. NIE 12.2 will include informal testing of 38 systems under evaluation, as well as formal tests for two programs of record: Warfighter Information Network (WIN-T) Increment 2, with its satellite-based on-the-move communications capability provided to soldiers at the company level and above, and the man-pack portion of the handheld, manpack, small form fit program of the Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS).

Even so, the traditional development process exemplified by WIN-T and JTRS is not the sole focus of the Army’s initiatives, which also include capability set management and the Agile development process. “This isn’t about just aligning programs of record and making them all talk,” Morrison said. “That’s a key component, but industry is also vital to what we are doing here. As we mature this process, you won’t necessarily see major new programs of record, but rather modifying the integrated network baseline that PEO C3T

Labs on the campus of the Army’s Team C4ISR at Aberdeen

Proving Ground (APG), Md., have played a major role in advance

reduction of risks and problems of systems being tested at the Network

Integration Evaluations (NIE).

The role of the labs is both vital and relatively new, Colonel (P)

John Morrison explained. “Prior to this, we did very little risk reduction

in the labs. But we will for the upcoming NIE, and we’re on a path so

that this fall we will accomplish all the risk reduction in the labs that we

want to accomplish before the NIE.”

As shown at a recent media tour, participating labs include:

• RadioEvaluationandAnalysisLab(REAL)

REAL ensures that radio systems are adequately tested and

evaluated prior to costly field tests or deployments. By providing

an independent mechanism for radio evaluation, REAL acts as

the “honest broker” of radio capabilities while enabling DoD

to become a smarter buyer of radio technologies. Its mission

includes characterizing performance in a controlled, repeatable

and defendable environment; identifying issues with the system

under test and working with vendors to correct the problem prior

to field testing; and developing radio integration design. REAL

is supporting NIE by providing evaluations of COTS/GOTS radio

technologies.

The lab also supports risk reduction activities as a component of

the greater APG C4ISR Systems Integration Laboratory (CSIL)

capability.

• CommunicationsSystemDesignCenter(CSDC)

The CSDC facilitates the development and evolution of Warfighter

Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) programs of record

including proof of concept, concept of operations and initial

testing. The facility helps provide the needed testing to ensure

that all incremental capabilities of WIN-T are interoperable.

Since the CSDC has direct fiber-optic connectivity to the other

integration facilities at APG, WIN-T engineers can ensure that other

technologies interoperate with and support the WIN-T network.

WIN-T is the network tactical communications backbone for

the Army and its Integrated Network Baseline. Systems and

technologies brought to the NIEs are required to be integrated

and interoperable with WIN-T. The CSDC has conducted

integration and pre-testing for WIN-T Increment 1 and Increment

2 interoperability for the upcoming WIN-T Increment 2 initial

operational test and evaluation, held in conjunction with the

NIE 12.2.

The CSDC contains both Increment 1 and Increment 2 technology

to test operational requirements and interoperability within the

WIN-T network. Its priority is to support deployed, deploying and

resetting units. Many different configuration items are set up in the

CSDC to simulate how the systems work in the field and through

various echelons, enabling engineers to work in a near real-world

test environment and produce credible results.

• JointOnDemandInteroperabilityNetwork(JOIN)

JOIN was established as a “total life cycle test and evaluation

continuum” providing an uninterrupted 24/7 distributed networked-

communications environment across geographical boundaries,

virtually accessing any location in the U.S. and OCONUS. JOIN is

two networks in one: an “as is” network emulating the deployed

environment and an “as required” network configurable to user

testing/training/assessment requirements and/or defined enclaves.

JOIN provides its distributed capabilities to interconnect the

APG labs supporting NIE. Expansion of JOIN will establish points-

of-presence at Fort Bliss and White Sands, allowing for total

interconnectivity between all NIE sites and APG, centralized

management of transport, and a capability to push services to

remote sites, as required. JOIN experts will also provide support in

planning and network/equipment configurations as requested.

• CERDECC4ISRSystemsIntegrationLab(CSIL)

Still virtually empty during a March media briefing, the CSIL will

provide command and control and monitoring capabilities for

NIE activities in the field. Envisioned as containing many of

the systems in a typical command post, its mission is to ensure

that capabilities being delivered are tested for interoperability.

Developers hope to achieve full mission command for NIE 13.1,

scheduled in the fall.

• PEOC3TTacticalSystemsIntegrationFacility(T-SIF)

The T-SIF provides a representative environment where

risk reduction and other developmental testing efforts are

implemented. The T-SIF will combine physical and virtual resources

to create a scalable architecture, representative of Capability

Set 11-12 and CS 13-14 baselines. The C3T SIF architecture allows

testing of software in the current baseline and regression testing

with the previous baseline. The T-SIF has also provided mission

command resources to conduct pre-NIE 12.2 lab risk reduction,

until the CSIL is operational. The facility will also be used to support

current operations in theater.


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is developing a lot like industry does it. Industry is essential to what we’re trying to get accomplished.

“The way we were fielding network capability wasn’t haphazard, but it was independent. You had all these acquisition programs that were on their own timelines, so the first time an operational forma-tion got a true integrated network capability was when the first unit got the last radio we were fielding. It was exactly the wrong model. You would never build a tank in seven different areas and then show up at a unit and try to put it together right away. You would make sure you had integrated requirements, synchronize the delivery and development of those components, and bring it together in a system. To make sure you got it right, you would evaluate and test it as an integrated system, and then you would conduct Unit Set Field-ing. That’s what capability set management is—we’re just applying that model to the network,” he continued.

Morrison also pointed to the speed at which the Army has implemented NIE. “Although we sometimes feel like we’ve been doing this for years, we’re just nine months into executing the NIE construct,” he said. “I’ve never seen the Army move this fast for a non-operational requirement in my 25 years in the Army. We have turned this ship very quickly. We conducted our first NIE last June. It was not on the integrated network baseline that we wanted to field as part of Capability Set 13, but we knew we had to shock the system and get the Army moving in a common direction.”

The Army is also refining a process for communicating to industry about gaps in operational technology that need to be filled,

through a “sources sought” notice. The goal is to get industry part-ners to focus their research and development investments on the things the Army really needs.

Morrison summed up this way: “This isn’t just about buying the latest gadget. What we’re doing at Fort Bliss is fundamentally different. It is a complete assessment of everything associated with network capabilities.

“What we’re finally able to do in an operational venue is to take a look at the acquisition process from multiple points. It’s not just about the buying—we’re getting a great look at our requirements. In the past, we would write a requirements document, give it to the acquisition to build, and then it would be months or years before we went back to look at the requirements to make sure they are still right. Under this model, you’re able to look at the capability gaps and refine your requirements, because the soldier is now helping to guide materiel development. That’s the key thing—it has been invaluable.”

“Let’s figure out how to do that now instead of forcing it down to soldiers after we’ve purchased it,” said Price. “We need to see how they work in a lab environment before we take them to Fort Bliss.” O

For more information, contact MIT Editor Harrison Donnelly at [email protected] or search our online archives

for related stories at www.mit-kmi.com.


(Editor’s Note: Following is an update on the latest news from the Defense Information Systems Agency’s Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Center, based on the center’s newsletter, “COMSATCOM Scoop,” available at: www.disa.mil/services/satcom/comsatcom-services/scoop-newsletter)

COMSATCOM Center Update


COMSATCOM subscription services started being offered through General Services Admin-istration’s (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule 70 Special Item Number (SIN) 132-55 only recently, and Department of Defense customers may be wondering why they should consider subscription services over traditional transponded bandwidth solutions. The answer depends on the customer’s requirements.

Subscription services represent a different business model that introduces a different set of tradeoffs based on the ability to leverage a pre-existing, pre-engineered fixed satellite service (FSS) or mobile satellite service (MSS) solution, including terminals tied to a service, in any com-mercial frequency band, and are available imme-diately to government customers.

Subscription services offer two big advan-tages. First, subscription services can be acquired immediately because the end-to-end network solu-tion is pre-engineered. Second, many users can support their missions at lower costs because pricing models typically only charge for what is used. As a result, prices may be reduced because solution costs are shared across all customers.

However, subscription services offer three unique drawbacks. Because resources are shared, a user’s access or service levels are only assured to the established service level agreement. Also, because pricing levels include a price premium to account for an assumed amount of idle time, heavy users that require more sustained service could pay more over a billing cycle than if they had leased dedicated resources. And in some cases, subscription service customers need to accept specific terminals using a specific wave form.

Subscription services have actually existed in the IT and communications industry for decades. For example, home Internet service (such as through a cable or phone provider) shares a very expensive backhaul and back office infrastructure and can amortize (share) these costs across a large market of customers. As a result, custom-ers can access a multi-billion dollar infrastructure with “always on” service for only hundreds of dollars a year. While throughput commonly is much lower than the access bandwidth rate

marketed to users, few customers would consider paying billions rather than hundreds of dollars for Internet access.

Another common example is cellular service. Again, the multibillion dollar infrastructure is many orders of magnitude more expensive than retail service prices. In each of these examples, users may pay for service based on some combination of consumption factors, such as service levels (quality), megabytes transmitted and minutes of use. For applications that do not require 24/7 transmission, these users gain low cost service while accepting minor risks that congestion will slow Internet access or produce a busy signal for a phone call.

This is the same concept that has driven commercial satellite service providers to develop their own subscription service offerings. MSS providers have been operating through a subscrip-tion services model for several decades, primarily offering voice services, although the offerings have increased emphasis on data services recently. The FSS providers more gradually adopted subscrip-tion service models, starting with retail last mile access—for example, home Internet service via sat-ellite to rural communities—during the onset of the dot-com era.

The government, meanwhile, has been slower to adopt subscription services as a viable replacement to standard transponded capacity solutions, primarily due to a prevailing belief that all applications require assured access. As morale/welfare/recreation (MWR) applications gain more prominence and as budgets continue to shrink, warfighters increasingly are investigating subscrip-tion services that can offer greater bandwidth for lower costs.

Customers like the Military Sealift Com-mand (MSC) illuminated the limitations of Defense Information Systems Network Satellite Transmission Services-Global (DSTS-G) and fortified the need to put subscription services on the core Future COMSATCOM Services Acquisition (FCSA) contract. MSC’s requirements, including large prospective footprint, uncertain loca-tions due to transiting ships, and primary need for MWR services, pointed to a subscription services

solution, but the lack of subscription services on the DSTS-G contract forced the COMSATCOM Center to pursue a stand-alone contract. Lessons learned from MSC and other customers allowed DISA and GSA to shape the new FCSA contract to more readily and effectively bring subscription services to the warfighters.

Subscription services, as defined under the Schedule 70 SINs, are pre-existing, pre-engineered FSS and/or MSS solutions in any COMSATCOM frequency band. Subscription ser-vices can include shared or dedicated satellite resources, ancillary terrestrial component, and vendor-specified networks and equipment. MSS subscription services are billed on a per-use basis (including per minute, per megabyte or per month) and are ideal for customers without well-defined usage requirements. For instance, if a customer has requirements for bandwidth in Central America, but the number of users can range from a couple to a couple hundred, subscription services might be the recommended option.

The subscription services per-use rate on the Schedule 70 132-55 SIN includes the air-time, materials, engineering, network manage-ment, monitoring, integration and operations required to deliver the service. Equipment can-not be sold separately on 132-55, but vendors can choose to include it as part of the service package.

Warfighters currently are benefiting from sub-scription services on the FCSA contract, which includes 22 vendors on the 132-55 SIN. DISA provided commercial Ku-band very-small-aper-ture terminal (VSAT) communication services to commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) for “plain old telephone service” and video teleconference services. CNIC requested 512/512 Kbps rates scalable to 1024/1024 or 1544/1544 in emergencies. The savings of going with a subscription services solution was on the order of 10 to 15 times what would be expected of a similar transponded capacity solution.

In another example, DISA provided MSS solu-tions to a variety of clients in the past through the

Weighing the Subscription DecisionThe choice between subscription services and traditional transponded bandwidth solutions depends on customer requirements.

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Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) has become increasingly attractive to the warfighter due to higher than legacy-offered data rates and the compact and ruggedized traits of BGAN terminals.

For several years, DISA has offered the BGAN family of services to DoD users, with customers implementing and maintaining stove-piped solutions to access Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) services or tunneling traffic through the Internet.

This led to the implementation of redundant infrastructures. Most importantly, this presented concerns about mission assurance—largely related to the network path because redundant infrastructures traverse the public Internet and operational security—primarily due to the num-ber of commercial entities that know who, and potentially where, users are.

To address such concerns, the DISA COM-SATCOM Center is proud to announce the devel-opment of a remote access service (RAS) that will provide a secure, managed, DoD enterprise

capability that enables BGAN users to reach NIPRNet and SIPRNet DISN services.

RAS is being developed incrementally to accelerate delivery and will evolve over time to include various DISN services. At initial operat-ing capability (IOC), RAS will establish NIPRNet and SIPRNet access within the Europe theater and will:

• Require users to terminate traffic at the RAS gateway and not tunnel traffic across the DISN.

• Provide space communications protocol standards-compliant and KLAS-developed performance enhancing proxies to ensure enterprise interoperability.

• Allow users to reach back to obtain voice and video services if located within a home enclave, since at IOC, RAS will only provide access to NIPRNet and SIPRNet.

• Provide a simplified service fulfillment process intended to accelerate gateway activation.

• Provide management, monitoring and troubleshooting for the RAS infrastructure; end-user equipment is the responsibility of the user’s organization.

Final operating capability will establish redundant capabilities in the Pacific theater, where future enhancements will look to include voice and video DISN capabilities.

To date, the RAS team has made signifi-cant progress towards deployment, successfully testing the BGAN RAS proof of concept in the Joint Interoperability Test Command lab at Fort Meade, Md., in March and is currently awaiting certification and accreditation approval.

The COMSATCOM Center intends to install BGAN RAS in Europe, late 4QFY12 with ser-vices available to pilot users and early adopters in early 1QFY13.

The COMSATCOM Center would like to discuss your BGAN requirement and how RAS can work for you. If interested, please contact [email protected]. O

The Distributed Tactical Communications System (DTCS) program was awarded the 2012 Innovation Award by the Mobile Satellite Users Association at the recent Satellite 2012 Confer-ence. Effective government and industry collabo-ration among Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) Division of DISA, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren Division, Iridium, Boe-ing and ITT Exelis yielded rapid deployment of a Netted, one-to-many push-to-talk voice, position location information (PLI) and low rate data.

DTCS ultimately enabled an on-the move, over-the-horizon and beyond line-of-sight com-munications solution for U.S. warfighters in remote locations. DTCS mitigates the communi-cation challenges warfighters face when operat-ing in an area with little or no infrastructure, over wide-area ranges and in austere terrain. With over 7,000 radio terminals fielded, the devices’ real-time PLI provides a common tactical and

operational picture for all users on a net, enabling critical awareness that can save lives. DTCS is an extension of “Netted Iridium,” and represents a breakthrough in mobile satellite communica-tions on a global scale.

The government team of NSWC Dahlgren and the EMSS Program Office spearheaded the deployment of DTCS. EMSS played a piv-otal role in the quick development, testing and deployment of this COTS technology in response to U.S. Central Command’s urgent operational requirement for units in Iraq and Afghanistan. The DTCS team overcame significant obstacles to deliver DTCS to the field within five months, resulting in an important contribution to keeping warfighters in austere environments connected and safe.

Phase 3 development of Netted Iridium started in 2010, and began including “the-aterwide” or Global Reach nets and making

infrastructure improvements that enable greater efficiency, increased capacity and improved qual-ity of service. Phase 3 implementation will sup-port up to 30 times more volume of reporting devices on a real-time basis, thanks to these efficiency improvements. This opens up oppor-tunities for real-time data distribution across sensors, vehicles, operations centers and dis-mounted personnel.

The EMSS Program Office and its industry partners continue to develop and implement advanced network management, support and monitoring tools, and improve scalable architec-ture and latency to enhance the evolving com-munications and situational awareness needs of the warfighter.

EMSS announced a price drop for the DTCS Radio Only (RO) handset. The new DTCS RO price will be $4,999, a 16 percent decrease from the previous cost.

Innovations in Tactical CommsGovernment/industry collaboration honored for communications solution for remote locations.

BGAN Remote Access

Inmarsat contract, and currently through Schedule 70 SIN 132-55. We have seen significant savings from the recently awarded Army blanket purchase agreements (BPAs). Based on average usage

patterns, the new Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) BPAs are expected to reduce average BGAN costs by 40 percent as compared to the Inmarsat IDIQ contracts.

Whatever your needs, feel free to reach to the COMSATCOM Center to discuss how subscription services may be valuable for your requirements.

New service will enable Broadband Global Area Network users to reach NIPRNet and SIPRNet services.


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AccessData . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3www.accessdata.com/forensicsArtel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16www.artelinc.comBlue Coat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9www.bluecoat.comCapitol College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27www.capitol-college.edu/mitCarahsoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4www.carahsoft.com/dco/upgradeeIQnetworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.eiqnetworks.com/disamit0512Intelsat General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25www.farmorethansatellites.comKansas State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23www.dce.k-state.edu/engineeringNova Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19www.nova-dine.comNSSPlus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2www.nssplus.comRedcom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3www.redcom.comSolarWinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8http://bit.ly/solarwinds_complianceUniversity of Maryland University College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5http://military.umuc.edu/anyplace

May 15-17, 2012Joint Warfighting Virginia Beach, Va.www.afcea.org

May 15-17, 2012GSA Training Conference and ExpoSan Antonio, Texaswww.expo.gsa.gov

June 4-8, 2012GEOINT Community WeekWashington, D.C. areawww.usgif.org

June 25-27, 2012Cyber Warfare and Security SummitWashington, D.C. areawww.cyberwarfareevent.com

July 10-12, 2012TechNet Land Forces—SouthTampa, Fla.www.afcea.org

August 14-16, 2012TechNet Land Forces—EastBaltimore, Md.www.afcea.org

MIT RESOURCE CENTER

CaptainShawn P. Hendricks

June 2012Volume 16, Issue 5NEXTISSUE

Program ManagerNaval Enterprise Networks Program OfficeU.S. Navy

Cover and In-Depth Interview with:

• Big Data• Tactical Satellites

• Social Media Analytics• Cyber Intrusion Detection

Special Section:GSA 8(a) STARS II Users Guide

Features

Insertion Order Deadline: May 24, 2012Ad Materials Deadline: May 31, 2012

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Q: What separates Nova from other companies of similar size in the same industry?

A: Nova is a different type of company. We are owned by the Navajo Nation, and as such have enjoyed the benefit of being a tribal 8(a). We have taken an approach—from the chief executive officer to the receptionist—that we are a representative of the Navajo Nation and that we carry with us the added weight that every engagement with customers and partners has a reflection back to our ownership. As such, we have built a stellar reputation as a company that performs in an exceptional manner and self-performs a significant portion of our prime contracts, while partnering with high quality companies of integrity to fill gaps.

We are also driven to give back to the Navajo Nation. In pursuit of this directive, Nova is self-funding our own high performance data center that will be based near the Navajo Nation in Albu-querque, N.M. Nova’s 25,000 square foot data center will be a stellar example of high performance, Tier III level facility that is extremely energy efficient. Our internally engineered facility is expected to achieve an average of 22kw/rack at <1.1 PUE.

The Nova facility will also perform a dual function of providing hands-on training for Navajo individuals, allowing Nova to augment its staff with highly qualified Navajos and/or give them the tools to take on a quality job within the IT industry. We expect to break ground on this facility in the summer of 2012.

Q: What makes Nova a great choice as an industry partner for the federal government and Department of Defense?

A: Nova is a customer-focused, employee-driven company with employees cur-rently in 11 states and Bahrain, working in large Defense Information Systems

Agency DECCs, Army NOSCs and NECs. Our employees serve the federal gov-ernment and DoD in many capacities, including engineering and managing networks, systems, data and information security in all of these facilities.

As Nova has rapidly grown over the last seven years, we have stayed true to the values with which we began. We rec-ognize the value of our employees and we recognize the value of continual self-improvement and education. As such, Nova provides an overall benefits and compensation package that allows our employees to focus on service delivery, thus resulting in better performance and quality.

Nova embraces the ITIL methodology as a basis for continual service improve-ment. We utilize the ITIL framework internally as a base to build from that provides the flexibility to be customized to an organization. The implementation of and discipline to stick to implemented processes and procedures as developed through a properly implemented ITIL framework will allow any organization to accurately measure the right things, recognize areas of weakness and dem-onstrate continual service improvement, which all great organizations strive for.

Q: What unique benefits does your company provide its customers in comparison with other companies in your field?

A: One of the overlooked elephants in the room, when it comes to the data center consolidation initiatives that are moving forward currently within the federal and DoD sectors, is that many of the facilities are not measuring how efficient they currently are. Data center power consumption is a significant cost driver in a facility. To move forward with consolidation initiatives without understanding current power consump-tion and opportunities for efficiency gain is akin to trying to navigate without a compass.

Undertaking a robust and in-depth current analysis of data center efficiency to set a baseline, and then taking action on opportunity for efficiency improve-ment, will offer a significant cost savings on a per user/per application basis that is compounded as data center consolida-tion takes place—therefore offering a compounding effect in real cost savings moving forward.

Nova has the team and the ability to analyze and engineer efficiencies in heating and cooling, power usage, rack placement, data consolidation, virtual-ization and configuration management, which is unusual for a company of our size. We also recognize that we cannot be all things to all people, so we continu-ally reach out and develop relationships with high quality partners that share our values.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: I am honored that Nova Corporation is able to serve our federal government and DoD customers in the capacity that we do. I am also blessed to be part of a company that has the opportunity to blaze a path for other commercial Navajo companies in the future and through our efforts provide opportunity for advancement of Navajo youth for years to come. O

[email protected]

John SniderChief Executive Officer and President

Nova Corporation

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Military Information Technology

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