[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23001-23002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09034]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2016-0291]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Troposcatter 
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 Comtech 
Systems, Inc., to investigate the potential operational use of 
troposcatter technology. The research includes employment of their 
Modular Transportable Transmission System (MTTS) in northern Alaska to 
establish beyond line of sight (BLOS) network links without using 
existing infrastructure or satellite communications. Specifically, the 
MTTS will provide a wireless IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) data link between 
two locations separated by long distances and elevated terrain. The 
MTTS will be setup in locations with no shelter/protection from the 
Northern Alaskan environment. A Pilot Demonstration schedule has been 
proposed in which Comtech Systems will provide their MTTS to connect 
two points separated by 68 miles with a 3000 foot elevation in between. 
The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (R&D Center) will 
prepare a Pilot Demonstration Assessment Plan and Comtech Systems will 
operate the equipment for exploratory development over a one week 
period to collect information on suitability, reliability, maintenance 
requirements, and ease of use. While the Coast Guard is currently 
considering partnering with Comtech 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 May 19, 2016.
    Synopses of proposals regarding future CRADAs must reach the Coast 
Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) on or before May 19, 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 LCDR Samuel 
Nassar, Project Official, C4ISR Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 
860-271-2727, 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-2016-0291and 
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

[[Page 23002]]

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 
Troposcatter communications technologies. After an initial installation 
and training, the Coast Guard plans to evaluate designated platforms 
outfitted with the communications technologies for a period of one 
week.
    We anticipate 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 support in and around Nome, AK.
    (3) Coordinate Pilot demonstration network connectivity between 
various internet protocol (IP) systems.
    (4) Collaborate with non-Federal partners 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 troposcatter communications equipment 
to ensure the communications link is usable.
    (3) Secure, with R&D Center assistance, Special Temporary Authority 
(STA) to employ the equipment within the desired frequency bands.
    (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 Comtech Systems, Inc. for 
participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on the fact 
that Comtech Systems has demonstrated its technical ability as the 
developer, manufacturer, and integrator of troposcatter transmission 
equipment. 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 troposcatter transmission. 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: March 24, 2016.
Captain Dennis C. Evans,
USCG, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development 
Center.
[FR Doc. 2016-09034 Filed 4-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P