Clare Grason, chief of the U.S. Space Force’s Commercial Satellite Communication Office, said the military branch is in discussions with multiple satcom service providers over the possibility of creating a federated network for the Defense Department, SpaceNews reported Monday.
She told the publication that USSF is writing the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit Satellite-based Commercial Services solicitation to give vendors an opportunity to propose new technological concepts for DOD.
“The government could essentially acquire its own constellation within a constellation and manage it with a level of autonomy that we haven’t had before with commercial partnerships,” Grason added.
USSF received approximately 20 industry responses to a draft request for proposals and expects to issue the final RFP notice for the upcoming procurement effort in the spring of 2022, according to the report.
Companies that will secure spots on the potential $875 million multiple-award contract for PLEO services will bid for orders over a 10-year period.
GovCon Wire, sister site of ExecutiveGov, is scheduled to host an event on Jan. 19 to offer the business sector insights on DOD’s procurement and modernization goals in the space domain. Visit the GCW Events page to learn more about the Space Acquisition Forum.