[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1439-1440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00474]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-1120]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Broadband 
Cellular and Satellite Communications Exploratory Development

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General 
Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., to investigate the operational use of 
broadband cellular technology, including equipment that may be 
integrated into the National Public Safety Broadband Communication Band 
14 LTE Network (commonly called FirstNet). The research also includes 
tactical employment of Multiple User Objective System (MUOS) Satellite 
Communications and common operational picture applications to establish 
Coast Guard network centric operations. A Pilot Demonstration schedule 
has been proposed in which General Dynamics will provide and install 
their Band 14 LTE Network, GeoSuite Server Common Operational Picture 
application, Satcom radios, smart phones, vehicle routers, modems, and 
antennas suitable for installation on select Coast Guard surface 
vessels, boarding teams, command center and ground vehicles. LTE 
Network base station radios will be placed on an existing CG-owned 
tower or a deployable equivalent. The Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center (R&D Center) will prepare a Pilot Demonstration 
Assessment Plan and a Coast Guard Sector will operate the equipment for 
exploratory development over a six-month period to collect information 
on suitability, reliability, maintenance requirements, and human 
systems interoperability. While the Coast Guard is currently 
considering partnering with General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., the 
agency is soliciting public comment on the possible nature of and 
participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the 
Coast Guard also invites other potential non-Federal participants to 
propose similar CRADAs.

DATES: Comments must be submitted to the online docket via http://www.regulations.gov, or reach the Docket Management Facility, on or 
before February 11, 2016.
    Synopses of proposals regarding future CRADAs must reach the Coast 
Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) on or before February 11, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov in 
accordance with Web site instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice 
or wish to submit proposals for future CRADAs, contact Wayne Buchanan, 
Project Official, C4ISR Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 
860-271-2759, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan 
to respond to comments in the Federal Register, we will respond 
directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of 
comments.
    Comments should be marked with docket number USCG-2015-1120 and 
should provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You 
should provide personal contact information so that we can contact you 
if we have questions regarding your comments; but please note that all 
comments will be posted to the online docket without change and that 
any personal information you include can be searchable online (see the 
Federal Register Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets, 73 FR 
3316, Jan. 17, 2008). We also accept anonymous comments.
    We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be 
submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the Coast Guard 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Documents mentioned in this 
notice, and all public comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that Web site's 
instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up 
for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted or a 
final rule is published.
    Do not submit detailed proposals for future CRADAs to the Docket 
Management Facility. Instead, submit them directly to the Coast Guard 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Discussion

    CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710(a).\1\ A CRADA promotes 
the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as 
well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent 
with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party 
or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research 
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.
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    \1\ The statute confers this authority on the head of each 
Federal agency. The Secretary of DHS's authority is delegated to the 
Coast Guard and other DHS organizational elements by DHS Delegation 
No. 0160.1, para. II.B.34.
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    CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that 
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have 
a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement 
contracts, grants, and other type of agreements.
    Under the proposed CRADA, the R&D Center will collaborate with one 
non-Federal participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal 
participant will collect information/data for performance, reliability, 
maintenance requirements, human systems integration and other data on 
LTE broadband and MUOS communications technologies. After an initial 
installation and training, the Coast Guard plans to evaluate designated 
platforms outfitted

[[Page 1440]]

with the communications technologies for a period of six months.
    We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the 
proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Develop the Demonstration Pilot Assessment Plan to meet the 
objectives of the CRADA with a diverse set of real-life mission 
scenarios.
    (2) Provide the pilot demonstration range and range support in and 
around a Coast Guard Sector.
    (3) Evaluate utility of a Coast Guard tower for installation of the 
LTE base station radios or identify an alternative site to deploy a 
mobile tower.
    (4) Coordinate Pilot demonstration network connectivity to desired 
CG networks and systems and seek all spectra approvals.
    (5) Collaborate with non-Federal partner to prepare demonstration 
documentation including equipment assessments, final report(s), and 
briefings.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participant's contributions 
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Assist the R&D Center in the development and drafting of all 
CRADA documents, including the pilot demonstration assessment plan, 
equipment assessments, final report(s), and briefings.
    (2) Provide and maintain the LTE Band 14 Network and MUOS 
communications equipment including radios, handsets, vehicle routers, 
and modems, to ensure the network is accessible.
    (3) Secure, with R&D Center assistance, Special Temporary Authority 
(STA) to implement the Pilot using Band 14 spectrum.
    (4) Provide technical support, training and maintenance throughout 
the period of performance to ensure maximum availability and utility of 
the networks.
    The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants 
all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard 
will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development 
costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this 
notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be 
unclassified and have no more than five single-sided pages (excluding 
cover page, DD 1494, JF-12, etc.). The Coast Guard will select 
proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
    (1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to 
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
    (2) How well they address the following criteria:
    (a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party 
contributions described; and
    (b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party 
contributions described.
    Currently, the Coast Guard is considering General Dynamics Mission 
Systems, Inc. for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is 
based on the fact that General Dynamics has demonstrated its technical 
ability as the developer, manufacturer, and integrator of LTE Band 14 
Network equipment and MUOS Satcom technologies. However, we do not wish 
to exclude other viable participants from this or future similar 
CRADAs.
    This is a technology assessment effort. The goal for the Coast 
Guard of this CRADA is to better understand the advantages, 
disadvantages, required technology enhancements, performance, costs, 
and other issues associated with Band 14 LTE broadband wireless 
communications and MUOS satellite communications. Special consideration 
will be given to small business firms/consortia, and preference will be 
given to business units located in the U.S. This notice is issued under 
the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: December 24, 2015.
Captain Dennis C. Evans, USCG,
Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2016-00474 Filed 1-11-16; 8:45 am]
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