The Department of Defense, specifically the Department of the Army, is seeking white papers for the C5ISR / EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR) initiative at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The procurement aims to develop a suite of modular open systems that will enhance the Army's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C5ISR) and Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities, focusing on reducing Size, Weight, Power, and Cooling (SWaP-C) through the integration of advanced communication components. Interested vendors are invited to respond to four specific Problem Areas related to the development of a multi-waveform digital Software Defined Radio (SDR) card, a Cryptographic Subsystem (CSS) card, Digital Radioheads (DRH), and a VICTORY Audio Adapter (VAX), with responses due by April 4, 2025. For further inquiries, interested parties may contact Kellie N. Lamar-Reevey at kellie.n.lamar-reevey.civ@army.mil.

Request for White Papers (RWP) C5-25-1001

The government's intent is to utilize the Consortium for Command, Control, and Communication in Cyberspace (C5) OTA for this prototyping effort. More information about the C5-OTA can be found at https://cmgcorp.org/portal/member-resources/c5-ota/.

**Please note: the SoN for this RWP is marked CUI. Additionally, there is CUI-marked technical documentation that will be required to provide a response. Interested members should follow the instructions below to request the CUI SoN and Technical Documentation.

The future generation of the Army’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C5ISR) & Electronic Warfare (EW) systems will consist of a suite of modular open systems based on C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) residing in an OpenVPX Chassis.  The program responsible for prototyping this chassis is called CMOSS Mounted Form Factor (CMFF). This CMFF chassis will contain replacements for traditional mission equipment on OpenVPX cards inside one or more chassis. This will result in reduced Size, Weight, and Power-Cooling (SWaP-C) on current and future platforms. 

CMFF uses the open hardware architecture framework, OpenVPX, for fielding capabilities via cards in a CMOSS compliant chassis. CMFF uses the Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) standard to provide network-based interoperability using shared services such as switching and Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (A-PNT). CMFF also uses the Modular Open Radio Frequency (RF) Architecture (MORA) for functional decomposition to share RF resources such as antennas and amplifiers (Radioheads) using standard interfaces defined by MORA, and software frameworks that include Software Communications Architecture (SCA), and Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) to enable software portability. CMFF aims to converge multiple legacy A-PNT, Tactical Communications, Mission Command, and Force Protection systems into a common chassis utilizing the CMOSS standards to reduce the SWAP-C burden on the soldier.

In January 2021, the Army approved an Abbreviated – Capability Development Document (A-CDD) for C5ISR/EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) to establish an initial set of Army requirements desired to develop and employ these standards in prototypes for operational assessment. 

The CMFF A-CDD establishes requirements for a prototype that minimizes the need for platform specific integration and enables the fielding of evolutionary capabilities without the need for additional cabling, mounts, or upgrades to the CMFF chassis. This CMFF capability is governed by the CMFF Reference Architecture which is guided and derived from technical requirements found in the CMOSS Interoperability Requirements Specification (IRS), specifically including the Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSATM), FACE, VICTORY, and the MORA. CMFF also includes requirements from the Standardized A-Kit Vehicle Envelope (SAVE) and the Mounted Mission Command (MMC) Environmental Specifications documents.  These standards will enable CMFF to drastically improve the reliability, reusability, interoperability, and interchangeability of CMFF system components to include the chassis, payload cards, radio conditioning devices, radioheads, and key software modules.

Army Capability Manager Tactical Radios (ACM TR) has coordinated directly with representatives from Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications – Tactical (PEO C3T), PEO Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors (IEW&S), and PEO Aviation for the development of Annexes to the A-CDD. These annexes included with the A-CDD provide initial performance parameters for development of CMFF payload card capabilities and supporting peripheral devices to enable tactical radio communications, EW, positioning navigation and timing (PNT), mission command, data storage, local computing and switching infrastructure, and sensor capabilities for all mounted platforms, to include Aviation. CMFF systems and their payload cards will need to be simple and intuitive to install, operate, and maintain by Soldiers, and be resilient, reliable, and available to operate in all operational air and ground environments and against any enemy.

This CMFF PM TR Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Request for White Paper (RWP) is focused on the communication components (1-4) of this CMFF system, namely: a 1) digital Software Defined Radio (SDR) card to support the SINCGARS, WREN TSM, ATC (VHF/UHF LOS AM/FM) waveform applications, 2)  a Cryptographic Subsystem (CSS) card, 3) Digital Radiohead(s) (DRH) using digital inputs, and (4) a VICTORY Audio Adapter. Vendors may respond to one or more of the Problem Areas (PAs) listed below. Separate contracts may be awarded for each PA or combined if deemed more effective by the Government. It is the Government’s desire to consider responses from vendors with expertise and experience with CMOSS, VICTORY, MORA, and SOSA standards, SDR card development, tactical waveform porting, Cryptographic subsystems, and Radiohead development. Partnering with another vendor to provide a response is not encouraged (e.g, waveform porting). This RWP contains four (4) separate Problem Areas (PAs), as defined below:

PA 1: MULTI-WAVEFORM DIGITAL SDR CARD

The goal of this PA is to prototype a multi-waveform, multi-channel SDR card(s) residing within a CMFF compliant chassis that can simultaneously support multiple Waveform Applications (WFAs). The intent of this PA is to reduce CMFF program risk by focusing on and implementing a prototype SDR card solution that will satisfy CMFF Block II capability for both ground and aviation platforms, as listed in the Statement of Need (SoN) requirements. The vendor may choose a single (preferred) or dual (2) SDR card approach, as discussed in the SoN, complete with risk analysis and cost justifications.

PA 2: CRYPTOGRAPHIC SUBSYSTEM (CSS) CARD

The goal of this PA is to prototype a CMFF CSS card residing within a CMOSS/MORA/VICTORY compliant CMFF Chassis that can support the simultaneity, shown on TABLE A within the SoN, for the threshold WFAs defined in PA 1, using one or two (preferably one) SDR card(s). The intent of this PA is to reduce CMFF program risk by focusing on and implementing a prototype CSS card that supports all required waveforms hosted on a separate SDR card(s).

PA 3: DIGITAL RADIOHEAD (DRH)

The goal of this PA is to prototype Digital Radiohead (DRH) units, each with Digital and optional Analog interfaces, to support simultaneous WFA operation in the VHF, UHF, and L and S-bands.

PA 4: VICTORY AUDIO ADAPTOR (VAX)

The goal of this PA is to prototype a VICTORY Audio Adapter (VAX) that can control and translate audio signals between analog (platform) and VICTORY (CMFF chassis) digital audio supporting multiple WFAs instantiated on SDR cards in a CMOSS Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) chassis.  The VAX shall interoperate with SDR card(s) (PA 1) provided as part of CMFF Block II and enable interface to external analog intercoms and peripherals (headset, etc.).  The VAX shall also include mechanisms (SW or HW) to allow the user to select talk groups for Warrior Robust Enhanced Network (WREN) TSM® and similar waveforms as well as assign handsets to specific waveform channels.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESS TO CMFF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION:

Access to the CMFF SON and Technical Documentation is limited to companies who are members of the SOSA Consortium and the C5 Consortium.

To receive CMFF Technical Documentation, interested parties must supply proof of International Traffic In Arms Regulation (ITAR) compliance by submitting a copy of their Department of State, Defense Trade Controls Compliance (DDTC) registration statement with valid date (vendor may redact vendor registrant code) and sign the PM Tactical Radios Compliance Certification. 

All Documentation should be submitted to CMG no later than 5:00PM Eastern 4 April 2025. Requests for access after this date may be accommodated, but the Government does not intend to extend the RWP date or response date due to late requests for access.

 Upon receipt and verification, the CMFF Technical Documentation will be released to the interested party’s point of contact.

 Additional information about the required open standards can be referenced at the following links:

•           OpenVPX (http://www.vita.com)

•           SOSA (http://www.opengroup.org/sosa)

•           CMOSS, VICTORY, and MORA (https://sam.gov/opp/889a0f920a5f4e8db99b9ee5d35d329c/view)

•           SAVE, and FACE (https://apntoil.army.mil/standards-and-specifications)

C5ISR / EW Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) Mounted Form Factor (CMFF) Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR) (C5-25-1001)

Contract Opportunity Analysis

Solicitation Documents

Related Contract Opportunities

Project Timeline

Agency Information

Point of Contact

Place of Performance

Official Sources