[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 154 (Monday, August 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48273-48274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17399]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Notice of Request for Information on Positioning, Navigation, and 
Timing Resilience

AGENCY: Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP).

ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: On behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's 
(NSTC) Subcommittee on Resilience Science and Technology (SRST), OSTP 
requests input from all interested parties on the development of a 
National Research and Development Plan for Positioning, Navigation, and 
Timing (PNT) Resilience. The plan will focus on the research and 
development (R&D) and pilot testing needed to develop additional PNT 
systems and services that are resilient to interference and 
manipulation and that are not dependent upon global navigation 
satellite systems (GNSS). The plan will also include approaches to 
integrate and use multiple PNT services for enhancing resilience. The 
input received on these topics will assist the Subcommittee in 
developing recommendations for prioritization of R&D activities.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
11:59 p.m. ET on September 9, 2020. Comments received after this date 
may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Responses should be submitted via email to 
[email protected] and include ``RFI Response: PNT Resilience'' 
in the subject line of the message.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Respondents need 
not reply to all questions listed. For all submissions, clearly 
indicate which questions are being answered. Each individual or 
organization is requested to submit only one response. Submissions 
should include the name(s) of the person(s) or organization(s) filing 
the comment. No other personally identifiable information, business 
proprietary information, or copyrighted information should be included. 
Submissions should not exceed 10 pages in length using 12 point or 
larger font and should be in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF 
format. Submissions that cite references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies of, 
or electronic links to, the referenced materials.
    In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 15.201(e), ``RFIs 
may be used when the Government does not presently intend to award a 
contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market 
information, or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these 
notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form 
a binding contract.'' Additionally, the Federal Government will not pay 
for response preparation or the use of any information contained in the 
response. Submissions are subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
disclosure and may be posted, without change, on a Federal website.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions to Adam 
Balkcum, OSTP at [email protected]or 202-456-4444.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PNT has become an ``invisible utility'' that 
is integral to and enables a wide array of applications such as 
financial transactions, synchronization of power networks, and the 
precision landing approaches of aircraft. PNT services are currently 
provided or augmented by a number of terrestrial and space-based 
systems, with the most notable and widely used being the Global 
Positioning System (GPS). Satellite platforms, such as GPS, provide 
global coverage but at great distances and with low signal intensity, 
which can be more easily interfered with at the local level by natural 
phenomena and by technological means (both intentional and 
unintentional). On February 12, 2020, President Trump signed Executive 
Order (E.O.) 13905, ``Strengthening National Resilience Through 
Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services,'' with 
the goal of ensuring that the Nation's critical infrastructure can 
withstand disruption or manipulation of PNT services. E.O. 13905 
directs the development of a national plan for the R&D and pilot 
testing of additional, robust, and secure PNT services that are not 
dependent on GNSS. These additional services may consist of multiple 
systems with varying functional specifications to satisfy one or more 
applications with differing requirements. To further enhance 
infrastructure resilience, the plan will also consider approaches to 
integrate and use multiple PNT services including GNSS services.

Questions To Inform R&D Plan Development

    The SRST seeks a better understanding of current PNT efforts and 
challenges, how PNT services may be used in the future, and what R&D 
activities could be beneficial for improving overall system resilience. 
In responding to the questions below, please consider the priority PNT 
R&D needs specifically directed towards developing resilient, non-GNSS 
dependent services and equipment, and the role of the Federal 
government in executing or encouraging the appropriate R&D activities. 
Resilience is desired in the overall system, which includes sources of 
PNT, distribution means, augmentation methods, and user equipment. 
Resilient systems have protections, mitigations, and responses that 
allow for continued proper system functioning or recovery within an

[[Page 48274]]

acceptable time period during major disruptions.
    1. (a) How will PNT services be used over the next ten years? (b) 
What values for precision and integrity for non-GNSS dependent systems 
over the same timeframe will support assured PNT services and why? (c) 
Similarly, what level of synchronization to Coordinated Universal Time 
(UTC) is anticipated to be needed?
    2. What may affect or prevent the adoption, integration, and 
operation of resilient PNT services and equipment?
    3. (a) What system architectures or concepts could be conducive for 
PNT system resilience? (b) What features or capabilities in equipment 
or systems could provide effective protections or mitigations against 
interference or manipulation? (c) Which principles of cybersecurity may 
be leveraged to achieve this? (d) What challenges may occur in 
integrating and using multiple PNT services within user equipment?
    4. What R&D activities are currently being conducted, or planned, 
to develop non-GNSS dependent PNT services or equipment, or to improve 
the resilience of PNT services or equipment?
    5. (a) What knowledge or capability gaps currently exist that, if 
filled, could contribute to improving resilience? (b) What R&D 
activities are best suited to help fill these gaps? (c) What role does 
the Federal government have to encourage and collaborate on these 
activities?
    6. What additional information or suggestions could help inform the 
development of the R&D plan?
    Thank you for taking the time to respond to this Request for 
Information. We appreciate your input.

    Dated: August 3, 2020.
Sean Bonyun,
Chief of Staff, The White House Office of Science and Technology 
Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-17399 Filed 8-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3270-F0-P