[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42482-42483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10553]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2024-0331]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)--
``Shoreside and Shipboard Open-Source Software Defined Radio (SDR) 
Technology''

AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General 
Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) to evaluate the suitability of 
implementing open-source-based SDR technologies on shore-side and 
shipboard environments. The effort would include evaluating the utility 
of a P25 Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)-compliant 
interface for software defined radios (SDRs). This CRADA would leverage 
Coast Guard network infrastructure and shipboard IT communications 
systems to evaluate open-source SDR technologies and determine how they 
can be implemented to support multiple Coast Guard core mission areas 
for shore-side and shipboard use under a variety of scenarios. 
Technology researched, tested, and prototyped will adhere to all active 
Coast Guard, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) standards and 
regulations. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering 
with GDMS, we are soliciting public comment on the possible nature of 
and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, 
the Coast Guard invites other potential participants, who have interest 
and capability, to consider submitting proposals for consideration in 
similar CRADAs.

DATES: Your comments and related material must reach the Coast Guard on 
or before 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-
2024-0331 using the Federal portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See 
the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
notice of intent, or wish to submit proposals for future CRADAs, 
contact Mr. David Cote, GS-13 CIV, Project Official, IT and Network 
Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1 Chelsea 
Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 860-271-2693, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background and Purpose

    The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is investigating technologies to 
facilitate transition from traditional radio systems, which are 
typically implemented using hardware-based solutions, to open-source, 
SDR technology. The USCG uses multiple radio frequencies (RF), within 
multiple frequency bands, operating over multiple radio hardware 
solutions. Current infrastructure creates challenges in flexibility, 
cost-efficiency, upgradability, adaptability, and interoperability of 
USCG field operators and command and control center personnel. The USCG 
has initiated a push of some RF systems into cloud-based environments, 
like Rescue-21 servers, and wish to continue examining how to move 
additional RF environments into open-source, cloud-based service 
platforms. The USCG strives to move to a multi-user, multi-mission RF 
environment to exploit the RF spectrum and make it more user-friendly.
    The USCG desires to take advantage of evolving ``open source'' SDR 
technologies to enable enhancements to its communications operations 
within its eleven mission areas. This CRADA intends to examine 
technology that improves RF environment scalability, reduces 
maintenance costs, deploys agile SDR systems with open application 
programming interfaces (API), provides 24/7 remote operability and 
configurability, and supports simple technology updates and 
interoperability. Our desire is to identify non-federal partners that 
can successfully configure an open source SDR across multiple 
waveforms.

II. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan 
to

[[Page 42483]]

respond to comments in the Federal Register, we will respond directly 
to commenters and may modify our proposal in response to received 
comments.
    Comments should be marked with docket number USCG-2024-0331 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; 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 
DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice, 85 FR 14226, March 11, 
2020). We also accept anonymous comments.
    We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of 
inquiry through the Federal Decision-Making Portal at https://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 the website's instructions.
    We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have 
provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this 
document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, 
March 11, 2020).

III. Discussion

    CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710a.\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 USCG Research and Development Center 
(RDC) will collaborate with one or more non-Federal participants. 
Together, the USCG RDC and the non-Federal participant will evaluate 
the suitability of open-source software defined radio technology in a 
shore-side and shipboard environment to conduct USCG missions.
    We anticipate that the USCG's contributions under the proposed 
CRADA will include the following:
    1. Provide appropriate staff with pertinent expertise to take the 
lead in accomplishing the required tasks; collaborate with selected 
non-Federal participants to evaluate the suitability of open-source 
software defined radio technologies;
    2. Provide information regarding the USCG's interest in the open-
source software designed radio technology needed for creating the test 
plan, and co-design specific operational test scenarios, bringing in 
real-world maritime expertise;
    3. Obtain, transport, and provide all of the ensemble items to be 
used during the testing;
    4. Provide personnel support to non-Federal participant to assist 
with setting up and execute testing in accordance with the agreed upon 
test plan;
    5. Work with non-Federal participant to develop a final report, 
which will document the methodologies, findings, conclusions, and 
recommendations of this CRADA work.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions 
under the CRADA will include the following:
    1. Provide appropriate staff with pertinent expertise to support 
the above-mentioned tasks;
    2. Provide all necessary facility resources needed to conduct open-
source software designed radio technology demonstrations and testing;
    3. Provide technical support for all technology demonstrations and 
proposed test plans;
    4. Provide technical data for the equipment, software, and services 
to be utilized;
    5. Provide shipment and delivery of any equipment required to 
conduct evaluations, demonstrations, and test events as described in 
the CRADA;
    6. Provide travel and associated personnel and other expenses, as 
required, for subject work;
    7. Provide test data upon completion of testing.
    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 based 
on:
    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 GDMS, for participation 
in this CRADA. This consideration is based on GDMS briefings to the 
USCG's Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Cyber and 
Intelligence Service Center (C5ISC) on its open-source software defined 
radio technology plans and availability of appropriate facilities to 
execute demonstrations and test scenarios. However, we do not wish to 
exclude other viable participants from this or future similar CRADAs.
    This is a technology suitability effort. The goal of this CRADA is 
to evaluate the suitability of implementing open-source SDR 
technologies on shore-side and shipboard environments. 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).

M.P. Chien,
Captain, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development 
Center.
[FR Doc. 2024-10553 Filed 5-14-24; 8:45 am]
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