DOD taps industry for commercial satellite guidance

The Defense Department wants input from providers of commercial satellite services regarding their ability to support future military communications requirements.

In a sources-sought notice issued June 10, the Defense Information Systems Agency is requesting industry input on a variety of matters related to commercial satellite capabilities.

DOD wants to identify:

● Ways to expand or identify new means to leverage commercial satellite capabilities.

● Factors that drive the selection of various commercial products and services.

● Approaches to reduce impediments to the use of commercial satellite services.

● Methods to track the evolution of services and products.

DOD also wants information about how far ahead the commercial satellite industry plans, how it develops new technologies, and what technologies and services it plans to roll out in the future independent of DOD’s needs.

Furthermore, DOD also wants to know what industry might do to ease its concerns about foreign and private ownership and global competition for limited resources. Other areas of particular interest related to commercial satellite services include information assurance, situational awareness and connectivity to the Global Information Grid.

DOD will use the information to help shape its future acquisition strategy, the announcement states. DOD is taking action on the matter in response to Section 912 of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act.

DOD might request one-on-one meetings with commercial satellite providers who respond to the request for information. Responses are due July 10.