Request for Information -5G Impact on the Future of Satellite C-band Availability

The United States Space Force Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO) acquires commercial satellite communications (COMSATCOM) services on behalf of mission partners in the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and other entities. 
CSCO is seeking to understand industry’s plans for accommodating the shift in C-Band from SATCOM to terrestrial 5G, with relation to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) press release, “FCC acts to free up C-band spectrum for 5g services” on February 28, 2020. Your responses to all questions should be answered in terms of plans for both the continental United States (CONUS) and international COMSATCOM services delivery.
This RFI is for informational purposes only. This RFI does not constitute a solicitation (Request for Proposal (RFP) or
Request for Quotations (RFQ)) or a promise to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Potential

respondents are advised the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the responding party’s expense. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable Government regulations. Proprietary information or trade secrets should be clearly identified. The use of “you”, “your”, or “your company” all reflect questions directly toward industry members and not individual responders.
Information Requested
The CSCO requests interested parties address the following questions:
- How does the FCC’s latest ruling impact satellite communications in the C-band
Spectrum, with relation to the DoD?
- What existing C-band satellites are impacted by the FCC’s latest ruling, and in what
way?
- Provide the expected end of life for affected satellites.
- What C-band satellites are impacted internationally, and in what way?
- Provide the expected end of life for affected satellites.
- As C-band services become limited, how does industry plan to supplement the impact of the FCC’s Ruling? What alternatives exist comparable to capabilities lost?
- In addition to the impact created in the CONUS region, what alternatives to C-band is
industry researching internationally?
- As current C-band satellites achieve end of life, what will be the effect on launch plans
for the future?
- CSCO understands C-band services may operate in the 4GHz to 4.2GHz range with a filter, what is the approximate size and form factor of the required filter? Is there any other type of equipment required or recommended to operate in the 5G environment?
- CSCO understands other countries have allocated, or are planning to allocate, portions of the C-band or adjacent spectrum to 5G. What portions of the satellite communication spectrum will be affected? Provide a description of the frequency range impacted by country.
- Please provide a brief explanation of any information you feel is germane to the expansion of 5G into other frequency bands in the US or internationally.
- Please provide links to relevant references and/or attachments of relevant press releases
and published policies.
Again, all responses should address industry’s plans for both CONUS and Internationally.
Submission Details
Responses should include:
1) Business name and address.
2) Name and business title of company representative.
3) Respondent’s perspective, structured according to the questions given in the previous section.
Responses shall be limited to a single document containing 30 pages or less. References and attachments will not be counted towards the page count limit. The document should be singlespaced, have one-inch margins, assume US letter-size (8 1/2 by 11 inches) page, use 12-point font, and be formatted for compatibility with Microsoft Word 2003 (or later) or Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 (or later). Submissions should be named according to the following
convention:
<Respondent company name; maximum of 12 characters> 5G Impact on the Future of Satellite C-band Availability _<date in YYYYMMDD format>.<filename extension of 3 or 4 characters>.
Submissions should not exceed a 5 MB e-mail limit for all items associated with the response. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received that is marked Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
Non-Government personnel will be used during the review of this RFI. The non-Government advisor may have access to all aspects of the company’s submission. All Government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described 41 USC 423. The following companies may be assisting during the review of this RFI:
Booz Allen Hamilton
8283 Greensboro Drive
Hamilton Building
McLean, VA 22102 USA
Competitive Range Solutions
1405 N. Green Mount Rd., Suite 560
O'Fallon, IL 62269 USA
E3 Federal Solutions LLC
8281 Greensboro Drive, Suite 400
McLean, VA 22102
All Government and contractor personnel reviewing responses will have signed non-disclosure agreements and understand their responsibility for proper use and protection from unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information as described 41 USC 423. The Government will not be liable for any damages incurred if proprietary information is not properly identified.
Questions about this RFI should directed exclusively by e-mail to Lechelle Hall, lechelle.m.hall.civ@mail.mil and Cody Badgett, cody.t.badgett.civ@mail.mil.
Companies wishing to respond to this RFI should send responses via electronic mail no later than June 3, 2020 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time to Lechelle Hall, lechelle.m.hall.civ@mail.mil and Cody Badgett, cody.t.badgett.civ@mail.mil.
Product Service Code:-
NAICS Code:-
Primary point of contact:- Cody T. Badgett  
cody.t.badgett.civ@mail.mil  
Phone Number 6184186510
Secondary point of contact:- Lechelle Hall  
lechelle.m.hall.civ@mail.mil  
Phone Number 6184186063