Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN), 5

The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) is seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a potential new requirement for the Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN). The DREN provides high-bandwidth, low-latency, and low-jitter communications to connect the Department of Defense's Science and Technology, Research and Development, Test and Evaluation, Modeling and Simulation, and Acquisition Engineering communities. The scope of effort includes the provision of transmission circuits, carrier-neutral data centers, nodal/site equipment, and network operation center services. Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper, addressing specific questions related to these components. The Government seeks actionable guidance to help assist with future DREN acquisition planning, focusing on performance, security, cost, and innovative solutions. • The DREN program requires high-bandwidth, low-latency, and low-jitter communications. • The scope of effort includes transmission circuits, carrier-neutral data centers, nodal/site equipment, and network operation center services. • Respondents are asked to provide general comments on the advantages and challenges of a multiple contract procurement model. • The Government seeks recommendations on industry best practices, state-of-the-art technologies, and emerging solutions. • The response should not exceed 15 single-spaced pages and 5 MB in email size.