NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT

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BAA-N00173-8201

Effective 1 MAY 2009

WHITE PAPERS DUE 1 JUNE 2009

NRL Broad Agency Announcement - Information for the Preparation and Submission of Proposals

SELECT BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

AWARD CONSIDERATIONS

WHITE PAPER AND PROPOSAL PREPARATION

UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS

REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

1. NRL is looking for research on a miniaturized, modular, cryptographic AVE solution with decreased size, weight, and power (SWaP) via innovative processes, novel technologies, and improvement of existing products for SmallSat and NanoSat satellites, with priority for the SmallSat solution while still addressing the NanoSat problem.  The Government is particularly interested in innovative approaches for rapidly developing a low cost, integrated, small form factor solution for NSA Suite B command uplink decryption and authentication and combined telemetry/mission data downlink encryption for SmallSats and derivative technologies for NanoSat embeddable solutions. SmallSats is defined as having relatively short mission lives (1-3 year), weigh less than 1000 kg, and may have maximum mission data rates up 10 Mbps currently with a goal of 1 Gbps.  NanoSats have very short mission lives (1 year), weigh less than 10 kg, have mission data rates less than 1 Mbps, and have an orbital average power of < 10 Watts. White Papers addressing both NSA Suite A and suite B algorithms will also be considered.

2. Due to the rapid response nature of this requirement, the solution should be based on an existing NSA certified product or should be able to leverage NSA-approved Tailored Unified INFOSEC Criteria (T-UIC), Tailored Information Assurance System Requirements Document (T-IASRD) or similar certification documentation.  As part of the response, the contractor should propose a set of delta security requirements and certification documentation to achieve NSA Certification of the proposed approach. If no such documentation exists, please explain processes or procedures in your white paper that you assume will aid in expediting NSA approval.

3. Existing terrestrial based solutions may be viable candidates for these space mission classes provided the contractor can provide evidence that proposed technology will survive on orbit for the mission life with acceptable Single Event Effect performance.

4. The white paper shall include a schedule and Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) for both the AVE solution(s) and minimally modified GOE and should address your recommended approach for each listed item while keeping in mind the following order of importance:

a.   Size/Weight/Power—show your analysis and prioritization in optimizing these criteria
b.   Cost and schedule to reach prototype demonstration
c.   Estimated production cost.
d.   NSA Certification Approach (detail shall be provided in paragraph 2 above)
e.   Integration Package—explain your end crypto unit design and how you plan to integrate an embeddable solution into an end crypto unit
f.    Algorithm employment—explain which algorithms and modes you can implement and your rationale for algorithm selection and implementation
g.   Minimum and maximum data rate—explain your analysis and assumptions
h.   Interfaces—explain your choice of data, control, and power connections
i.    GOE cryptographic interoperability—identify an existing or adaptable solution capable of encryption/decryption with the same algorithm, mode, and key.
j.    Spacecraft bus-- There is no standard SmallSat bus, and an entire NanoSat bus must fit within a 10 cm cube, accommodate standard PC-104 form factor cards. Identify how you would connect a SmallSat end crypto solution or an embeddable NanoSat solution into a bus.

5. Please ensure your white paper addresses the following questions, including your design solution (see paragraph 3 above), which will be used in formulating the acquisition strategy:

a.   Assuming your company is requested to submit a formal proposal in June 2009 with an expected contract/grant award in November 2009, how will you be able to leverage current or similar capabilities into an aggressive delivery schedule allowing delivery of a prototype by November 2010?  Describe/Explain previously approved certifications you intend to leverage in order to expedite certification of new product.  Your description/explanation should include a listing of relevant documents and address how previous certifications would accelerate or aid certification of your proposed solution for this effort.
b.   Due to the potentially aggressive schedule (mentioned above) a successful contractor will need to have current and relevant experience with space cryptography and the NSA certification process.  Briefly describe your experience with NSA Type-I certification of similar crypto devices and the overall NSA certification processes, limiting such description to no more than one page.
c.   Identify critical technology elements you envision would be required for your proposed design and describe how they will operate as required the described environments. Provide evidence that the proposed technologies will have Total Induced Dose (TID) radiation requirements to survive in the intended orbit for its mission life.  Identify any Single Event Effect (SEE) mitigation required, if any, for the approach.  Please limit your response to this question to no more than three pages.