REQUEST FOR INFORMATIONPURSUANT TO FAR 15.201(e) INTRODUCTION The U.S. Coast Guard is developing requirements for a LORAN-C Transmitter. The purpose of the Request for Information (RFI) is to gather information to assist the U.S. Coast Guard in formulating functional requirements, and identify qualified vendors who are able to meet our requirements. The U.S. Coast Guard is open to alternative ideas. Respondents are encouraged to provide information about alternatives that can help the U.S. Coast Guard better define its requirements and obtain a solution that meet its needs. BACKGROUND LORAN-C was originally developed to provide radio navigation service for U.S. coastal waters and was later expanded to include complete coverage of the continental U.S. as well as most of Alaska. Twenty-four LORAN-C stations work in partnership with Canadian and Russian stations to provide coverage in Canadian waters and in the Bering Sea. LORAN-C provides better than 0.25 nautical mile absolute accuracy for suitably equipped users within the published user areas. Advances in technology have allowed for greater automation and consolidation of LORAN-C operations. The existing system is being modernized to take advantage of such technology. More information on system modernization may be found at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov.loran.modernization.htm. THE OPERATION STATUS OF LORAN-C LORAN-C provides Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. LORAN-C is approved as an en route supplemental flight navigation system for both, Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations. The LORAN-C system serves the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, and Alaska. While the U.S. Government continues to evaluate the long-term need for the LORAN-C radio navigation system, it will continue to operate the LORAN-C system in the short-term. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION The U.S. Government is exploring methods of replacing the AN/FPN-44 and AN/FPN-64/64A series LORAN-C transmitters presently in the inventory. Replacement transmitters shall fully integrate into the Coast Guard LORAN-C Transmitting Stations with the existing Timing and Frequency Equipment (TFE), the Remote Automated Integrated Loran (RAIL) monitor and control system and with the various types of Loran transmitting antennas and shall not employ vacuum tube technology. In an effort to reduce Loran-C Navigation System Unusable Time (UT), it may be required to provide an easily transportable, self contained transmitter system to be used as a temporary Loran transmitter, and also a transportable Test Load Device that can be easily configured to closely simulate the electrical characteristics of any Loran transmitting antenna. While this RFI focuses on a new operational LORAN-C Transmitter, the U.S. Coast Guard remains open to alternative ideas and considerations, as pertaining to the enhancement of the Loran-C signal availability, integrity, accuracy and continuity. Respondents are encouraged to provide information about alternative methodologies that may help the U.S. Coast Guard better understand the potential of using differing analog/digital/hybrid modulation schemes to assess whether solutions exist to enhance the capability of Loran-C, while not affecting the current users of the Loran-C system. DECRIPTION OF INFORMATION REQUESTED All vendors with an appropriate product or capability to produce a product relating to the requirements, set forth in the Potential Requirements attached hereto are invited to submit a Capability Statement and contact information. The Capability Statement should discuss the product’s capabilities in meeting the potential requirements, the product’s system requirements, the product’s integration specification (if available), and any other specific and pertinent information that would enhance the U.S. Coast Guard’s understanding of the information submitted. Respondents should also complete and/or enhance the Potential Requirements which contains provisional requirements for the Loran Transmitter. We recognize that not all requirements may be met by a single system. Please indicate in your response which capabilities require custom developed solutions. Recommendations for functional or operational requirements for the transmitter are warranted and will be welcomed. DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to the RFI. Respondents needing confidential treatment for any proprietary information they furnish must comply with the U.S. Coast Guard’s confidential treatment regulation a 17 C.F.R. 200.83. Responses to this RFI will not be returned. HOW TO RESPOND Please submit your response to this RFI via email to Ms. Jeannie Sansone at
[email protected], phone 609 523 7258, by Monday, July 10th, 2006, 10:00 A.M. EST. Technical questions call 609 523 7239 Mr. Edward Braknis POTENTIAL REQUIREMENTS 1) Produce the on-air signal as specified in COMDTINST M16562.4A (1994) http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pubs/loran/sigspec/Default.htm 2) Match to existing antennas (625 to 1350 feet with measured impedance, resistance and reactance), at the radiated power (400 to 840 kW), to produce this signal. 3) Accommodate Loran Data Channel 9th Pulse. The proposed modulation scheme for this enhanced LORAN-C system may be reviewed at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/loran/9th-pulse-modulation-ldc.html . The purpose of this modulation is to provide additional communications and allow for a concept of differential Loran to improve accuracy and integrity for both navigation and timing users. 4) Perform such that the LORAN-C system availability of 99.9%, as defined in the Federal Radio Navigation Plan, is achievable. To meet this system availability, the transmitter portion of the system must be capable of meeting a higher level of availability. 5) Interface with existing subsystems, these subsystems being Timer and Local and Remote Monitors. The Timer generates the signals for pulse generation. The Local and Remote Monitors interact with local and remote sites for command and control of the Loran Stations. Summary Interfaces are described below: Timer Interface: The primary signals from the timer are the clock and pulse triggers. Five (5) MHz Clock signals are provided via TTL level line driver circuitry, with both high and low sides of the driver available to the transmitter. The Pulse Trigger is the timing strobe that is provided to the transmitter to initiate the transmitter’s pulse generation circuitry. The trigger signals are transformer coupled, with both high and low sides of the transformer output available to the transmitter. One trigger is provided for each transmitted pulse. The Timer subsystem maintains the timing necessary to accurately produce the Pulse Triggers. Local and Remote Monitor Interfaces: The Local and Remote Monitor use TCP/IP on both Ethernet based Local Area and Wide Area Networks to transfer time stamped messages representing commands (from Local and Remote Monitors), status information (including configuration, faults, alarms), and engineering data to and from the transmitter and the local and remote monitoring devices.