Questions to post in SAM

STAR-FISH CALL 017 - Secure By Design, FA9453-21-S-0001 – Questions sessions for 22 Oct 2026 at 0900 MNT. Could Attachment 2 be updated to CALL 017 instead of Call 013. Yes, have added updated WORD and PDF version into CALL. Can the Government please provide a template in Word format? Formatting and spacing is affected when we export from a PDF to Word and we don't want to be penalized for adjusting the format. Updated
The draft DD Form 254 provided is blank. Will the government provide a draft DD-254 that is filled out prior to white paper due date? No, this is DD 254 is a ‘draft’ place holder as of right now as the classification depends on the white paper responses. CALL 017 submission instructions: Will consolidated written responses to all offeror questions be posted to SAM.gov, and by what date? Given the 17 Sep Q&A and 12 Oct deadline, we request posting no later than 26 September 2026. YES, consolidated questions will be posted to the announcement for all parties to view. Our team will like to know if we can submit a White Paper without a ROM in reference to the subject solicitation? YES

SOO 1.0
The purpose statement lists PNT, MW/MT, ISR, and SATCOM. These represent different bus classes, orbits, contact profiles, crypto postures, latency requirements, and ground architectures. Is there a single primary reference mission, or is the flat-sat expected to be mission-agnostic? The mission and SV bus will target P-LEO. The flat-sat should be partially representative of a on-orbit SV. A already built SV and Flat-sat are appropriate. The flat-sat should have a fidelity that allows for cyber experimentation but not fully model the actual SV. The flat-sat will need to be hardware based at core but can have simulated and/or emulated subsystems and payloads. SOO 1.0, 4.0
What capability will the Government possess at the conclusion of Phase IV that it does not possess today? The SOO defines activities and reports but not the resulting operational capability, its owner, or its operational home. The government will poses a cyber-hardened flat-sat and space vehicle. The capability is mission assurance in a cyber-contested env. Red-teaming will be a major part of determining the MOPs, etc. The government has flexibilities to select red-team or evaluator.

SOO 4.0
What Measures of Effectiveness and Measures of Performance will be used to determine that "secure by design" has been achieved? No MOEs or MOPs appear in the SOO, the CALL, or Section C of the draft RFP.