Sources Sought
Timed Emitters Transmitting Highly Energized Radiation (TETHER)
Department of Defense · Department of the Navy
AI summarySources sought notice N00173-27-RFI-EN01: the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), part of the Department of the Navy, asks firms to show they can do research and development on ultra-precise timing systems called TETHER. This is a request for information (RFI), not a request for offers. Businesses send a capabilities statement of up to 10 pages by the response due date, November 9, 2026, 4:00 PM Eastern Time. The planned follow-on work would run a 12-month base year plus four 12-month option years, and some staff would need Top Secret clearances. More in the summary
Market research, not a bid. Replying is free and tells Department of the Navy who could do this work. Send a short reply to the contracting contact; no price is needed. See the contact
AI summary Beta
Sources sought notice N00173-27-RFI-EN01: the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), part of the Department of the Navy, asks firms to show they can do research and development on ultra-precise timing systems called TETHER. This is a request for information (RFI), not a request for offers. Businesses send a capabilities statement of up to 10 pages by the response due date, November 9, 2026, 4:00 PM Eastern Time. The planned follow-on work would run a 12-month base year plus four 12-month option years, and some staff would need Top Secret clearances.
Who can bid (4)
- Corporate experience: at least 10 years in each of five areas: clock ensembling algorithms (under 20 femtoseconds accuracy, picosecond precision, 3 parts per trillion stability), complex clocks, signal processing with large antennas over 60 ft, precision time delivery, and electro-optic/infrared sources for satellite testing
- Personnel who need access to Top Secret/SCI material must hold a final DoD-granted Top Secret clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) when the proposal is submitted
- Key personnel: one Systems Engineer with a bachelor's degree in a technical field and 15 years in timing and RF transmission engineering, with a resume. All key personnel need 10 years at high-precision RF generation facilities.
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- Some staff must meet Department of Defense cybersecurity workforce qualifications under DoD Directive 8140.01 and DoD Manual 8140.03 (formerly IAT Level II or III) to hold privileged user accounts
How to submit: Email a PDF to both the Contracting Officer, Richard Waterstreet (richard.j.waterstreet2.civ@us.navy.mil), and the Contract Specialist, Erica Turner (erica.n.turner9.civ@us.navy.mil). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (6)
From the version posted Oct 23, 2026.
- Serious: Top Secret/SCI clearances needed at proposal time. Staff who touch classified technical data must already hold final Top Secret clearances with SCI eligibility, which a small business without cleared people cannot get quickly.
- Serious: 10 years of corporate experience in five technical areas. The firm itself, not just its staff, must show a decade of work in clock ensembling, atomic clocks, large-antenna signal processing, precision time delivery and infrared sources.
- Worth checking: Senior key personnel with long experience requirements. The Systems Engineer needs 15 years of experience, and all key personnel need 10 years at high-precision RF generation facilities, which is hard to staff for a small firm.
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- Worth checking: Work may be done outside the continental United States. The notice allows performance at locations outside the continental United States (OCONUS) and requires the Contracting Officer's approval for any location not named in the contract.
- Minor: Satellite command-and-control experience does not count. Past performance limited to Satellite Communications Command and Control (SC2C) will not be treated as relevant, so show timing and RF experience instead.
- Minor: Information request only; set-aside decision may follow. Responses are not offers and the Government need not issue a solicitation, but a small business set-aside may be decided from the replies, so small firms should respond.
Read from the notice and 3 attachments. Show which files.
- TETHER - SOW 10.23.2026.pdf (read)
- TETHER - PQs 10.23.2026.pdf (read)
- TETHER CDRL A001 - A005 10.23.2026.pdf (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Research and develop ensembling algorithms (methods that blend many atomic clocks into one very steady time signal) and clock set-ups using atomic clocks, hydrogen masers and atomic fountain clocks
- Keep timing stable to 3 parts per trillion (PPT) over 10-second intervals
- Develop radio frequency (RF) transmission and signal processing from 1 GHz to 95 GHz, at power levels up to and including 120 dBm, using large antennas NRL already owns
- Build NRL-provided hardware and software designs through test and integration, write test plans, give end-user training, and forecast how systems will perform
- Make coated, fiber-reinforced concrete slabs with greater than 94% emissivity in midwave infrared (IR), plus infrared camera calibration work
- Deliver five Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) items: A001 Technical Status Report, A002 Financial Program Management Report, A003 Final Report, A004 Technical Data, A005 Patent Report
- Handle classified Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) technical data under a DD Form 254, the Department of Defense contract security classification form
- Period of performance
- 12-month base year plus four 12-month option years, per the draft statement of work
- Place of performance
- Washington, DC, USA per SAM.gov. The notice text also allows NRL facilities, Government field sites, contractor facilities, or other locations in the continental United States (CONUS) or outside it (OCONUS).
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- Offers due
- November 9, 2026, 4:00 PM Eastern Time
- How to submit
- Email a PDF to both the Contracting Officer, Richard Waterstreet (richard.j.waterstreet2.civ@us.navy.mil), and the Contract Specialist, Erica Turner (erica.n.turner9.civ@us.navy.mil)
- Page limits
- Capabilities statement: 10 pages, excluding the cover page
What to include when you submit
- Send the response as a PDF to both email addresses
- Use the email subject line “RFI Response – TETHER – N00173-27-RFI-EN01”
- Give business name and address, and the name, title, phone number and email of the main company contact
- State business size (Large or Small) and the type of small business, if any
- Include your CAGE Code and Unique Entity ID (UEI)
- Include a narrative showing you can do the work, with relevant past performance
Current contractor
This is a follow-on to the Target Accuracy Precision Emitters (TAPE) program under Contract No. N00173-23-D-6000. The notice does not name the current contractor.
Not in the notice text
- The Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) attachment, TETHER CDRL A001 - A005 10.23.2026.pdf, couldn't be read; check it on SAM.gov for report formats and delivery schedules.
- The Personnel Qualifications refer to an attached DD Form 254, but the notice lists only three attachments; the number and type of clearances and any facility clearance are not stated.
- The contract type, estimated value and any set-aside are not stated; the notice says a small business set-aside decision may be made after responses.
- The notice does not say whether a solicitation will follow or when.
- The specific place of performance is not fixed; SAM.gov lists Washington, DC, and the text allows other sites in the United States and abroad.
- The requirements are in draft form and may change before any solicitation.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside. Any business can reply: this is market research, and no bid is being taken yet.
- To respond, send a short reply to the contracting contact near the top of this page. No price is needed.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 23, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Office
- Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
- Product/service code
- AR13 · Space R&D Services; Space Flight, Research and Supporting Activities; Experimental Development
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541715)
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Sources sought notice
Full notice text from SAM.gov
1. Purpose / Objective The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Space Systems Development Division (SSDD), seeks information from industry regarding capabilities to perform research, development, prototyping, test, and integration in support of the Timed Emitters Transmitting Highly Energized Radiation (TETHER) effort. Objective: This is a follow-on to the Target Accuracy Precision Emitters (TAPE) program under Contract No. N00173-23-D-6000. The Government intends to advance high-precision timing and frequency technologies to achieve femtosecond-level accuracy using large apertures, complex clock ensembles, and associated RF/IR systems in support of Navy and Department of War (DoW) mission requirements. A draft Statement of Work (Attachment 1), Personnel Qualifications (Attachment 2), and Contract Data Requirements List (Attachment 3) are provided for review when preparing responses. 2. Place of Performance Performance may occur at Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) facilities, Government field sites, Contractor facilities, or other locations within the Continental United States (CONUS) or outside the Continental United States (OCONUS), as required to meet contract requirements. The Contractor shall coordinate access to Government facilities, field sites, and Government-furnished equipment with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Performance at any location not otherwise identified in the contract, including additional CONUS or OCONUS locations, requires prior approval by the Contracting Officer. 3. Information Requested Interested parties that have the capability to perform these services are requested to submit a Capabilities Statement (not to exceed 10 pages, excluding cover page) that includes the following: Business name and address; Name, title, telephone number, and email address of the primary company representative / Point of Contact; Business size status (Large or Small) and type of Small Business (if applicable); CAGE Code and Unique Entity ID (UEI); A narrative demonstrating the ability to perform the required services, including relevant past performance. 4. Submission Information • Submit responses electronically in PDF format to both of the following: Richard Waterstreet, Contracting Officer – richard.j.waterstreet2.civ@us.navy.mil Erica Turner, Contract Specialist – erica.n.turner9.civ@us.navy.mil • Email subject line: “RFI Response – TETHER – N00173-27-RFI-EN01 • Responses are due no later than 9 Nov 2026 at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. • Late responses may not be considered. 5. Points of Contact Contracting Officer: Richard Waterstreet – richard.j.waterstreet2.civ@us.navy.mil Contract Specialist: Erica Turner – erica.n.turner9.civ@us.navy.mil 6. Attachments 1. Draft Statement of Work (SOW) – TETHER, dated 23 Oct 2026 2. Draft Personnel Qualifications (PQs) – TETHER, dated 23 Oct 2026 3. Draft Contract Data Requirements List (CDRLs) – TETHER, dated 23 Oct 2026 7. Disclaimer This RFI is issued for informational and planning purposes only in accordance with FAR 15.201. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or Invitation for Bid (IFB). Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government will not pay for information received in response to this RFI and is under no obligation to issue a future solicitation as a result of this notice. The Government reserves the right to use information provided in response to this RFI for any purpose deemed necessary. The intent of this RFI is to gauge industry interest, small business interest, capabilities, and relevant experience. A small business set-aside decision may be made as a result of the responses received.