R--RFI - L10 Mission Operations Center & Operations

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought

This RFI seeks information from industry regarding a potential Mission Operations Center (MOC) for the Landsat 10 project. Significant changes in the mission architecture necessitate updated industry input. The L10 project has been revised to a single observatory with a targeted launch in late 2031, impacting MOC requirements. The USGS is seeking cost-effective architecture solutions for MOC and Flight Operations functions, focusing on mature technological advances like cloud and enterprise hosting.

1. L10 MOC Architecture: Submissions can include updates to prior RFI responses or new architectures, utilizing existing or dedicated facilities, or commercially available solutions. Emphasis is on highly available, resilient, and flexible MOC systems.
2. Rough Order-of-Magnitude (ROM) Costs: Revised or new ROM costs for L10 MOC development, operations readiness, and long-term operations and sustainment are requested, using a provided template.

• This RFI is for planning purposes only and is not a solicitation for a contract or grant award. It does not obligate the Government to any contractual agreement or reimburse respondents for costs.

• Industry Briefing: Scheduled for 5/13/2026, 1:00-3:00 PM Central. Registration is required by 5/12/2026.

• Questions Due: 5/28/2026, submitted via spreadsheet (Attachment A).

• Responses Due: 6/4/2026, by 11:00 AM Central Time, submitted via email to Tricia Rampersad (trampersad@usgs.gov).

• Response Format: Limited to 30 pages (PDF format, except for the comments spreadsheet).

• Sources Sought: Companies should provide their size status based on NAICS 541330 (Engineering Services) and socioeconomic status on a separate 1-page response.

• The government will review responses to determine the type of set-aside for this requirement.

• Open to U.S. businesses, industry, universities, nonprofit organizations, federal centers, FFRDCs, and other U.S. Government agencies.

A comprehensive list of attachments is provided, including RFI questions, cost templates, MOC functions, IT security guidance, requirements documents, operational concepts, and mission synopses. Links to prior industry engagement materials are also included.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document contains a list of questions related to a Request for Information (RFI) or solicitation. It is intended to gather information from potential vendors.

• The document is structured with columns for 'Document', 'Section', 'Page', 'Requirement ID (if applicable)', and 'Question'.
• It lists specific questions that vendors are expected to answer.

Bidders should review these questions to understand the information the government is seeking. This document is crucial for preparing a comprehensive response to the RFI or solicitation, ensuring all requested details are addressed.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Landsat 10 MOC Functions Summary Version 2.0," dated April 8, 2026, provides a high-level overview of the core functions and operations of the Landsat 10 (L10) USGS Mission Operations Center (MOC). Its primary purpose is to clarify terminology related to these functions.

The document outlines the functions of the Mission Operations Center (MOC) and the Ground Network (GN), as well as the Data Processing & Archive System. Key MOC functions include:

• Telemetry and Command (T&C)
• Flight Dynamics/Orbit Operations (FD/OO)
• Planning & Scheduling (P&S)
• Contact & Activity Orchestration (CAO)
• Configuration Management & State Management
• Trending & Analysis
• Alerts & Notification
• Load Builder/Generator & Validation
• Analytical Modeling & Simulators
• Network and Infrastructure
• Mission Operations Situational Awareness
• Other Capabilities (Incident Management, Collaboration Tools)

It also details various external interfaces, including:

• Ground Network (GN)
• Data Processing & Archive (DPAS)
• Cal/Val
• S/C Vendor
• Instrument Vendor
• Launch Services Segment
• NASA GSFC Services (FDF, CARA, NSN)
• US Space Command
• US Naval Observatory

This document is relevant for bidders as it defines the operational framework, functions, and interfaces of the Landsat 10 Mission Operations Center. Understanding these functions is crucial for potential vendors to comprehend the operational environment, system requirements, and potential integration points for any proposed solutions related to the Landsat 10 mission. It helps in understanding the scope and complexity of the ground system operations.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides IT security guidance for the L10 Mission Operations Center (MOC). It outlines the security framework, requirements, and considerations relevant to the Landsat 10 mission.

• Overview and Outline: Details the Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process, including NIST RMF Framework, FedRamp Compliance, FISMA, POAM, Continuous ATO, and Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA).
• Security Documentation: Lists typical security documents required for ground systems, such as FIPS-199, ICD, ISA, MOU/A, ISCP, BIA, SSP, COOP, and PIA. It notes that the MOC will provide content for constructing these documents.
• MOC Boundaries and Authorizations: Describes NASA and USGS IT security boundaries and mentions the requirement for M-22-09 Zero Trust Architecture. Includes a conceptual diagram for Landsat 9.
• Directives and Mandates: Outlines applicable directives and mandates, including M-22-09 (ZTA, Multi-Factor Authentication, Data in Transit/Rest), M-21-31 (Logging), BOD 22-01 (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities), and BOD 23-01 (Visibility and Vulnerability Detection).
• Data Protection: Covers dissemination controls (CUI/PII/ITAR) and TLM/CMD data protections, including encrypted commanding (AES-256 or better) and the need for SSL/TSL tunnel protection for TLM D/L.
• Existing Missions IT Security Overview: Details the joint USGS and NASA endeavor for IT security implementation, adherence to NIST 800-53 Rev5, and notes that Landsat 9 was rated as a Moderate Impact System. The security level for Landsat 10 is not yet defined.
• MOC Vendor Security Analysis: Encourages efficient security implementation methods and solicits feedback.

This document is crucial for bidders to understand the IT security requirements, standards, and compliance obligations for the L10 MOC. It highlights the expected security architecture (ZTA), mandated directives, data handling policies, and the overall security framework that will govern the mission. Bidders should pay close attention to these security aspects when developing their proposals and solutions.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Landsat Multi-Satellite Operations Center (LMOC) Requirements Document Version 9.0", outlines the Level 4 requirements for the Landsat Mission Operations (LMO) Landsat Multi-Satellite Operations Center (LMOC). It encompasses the LMOC functionality, performance specifications, and interfaces required to support both Landsat 8 (L8) and Landsat 9 (L9) missions.

• Scope: Details requirements for the LMOC to support L8 and L9 operations.
• LMOC Overview: Provides a high-level overview of the LMOC's systems and capabilities, including Telemetry & Command (T&C), Data Management (DM), Trending & Analysis (T&A), Flight Dynamics (FDS), Mission Planning (MPS), Alerts and Notifications (ANS), Analytical Modeler (AM), and Infrastructure.
• LMOC Level 4 Requirements: Encompasses general requirements, security, infrastructure, facility, mission planning (including image planning, collection requests, interval planning, constraint checking, mass storage modeling, and contact scheduling), flight dynamics, telemetry and command, displays, limit checking, T&C operations, T&C simulator, and analytical modeling.
• Backup LMOC (bLMOC): Details requirements for a backup LMOC to support space asset protection and contingency operations.
• Appendices: Includes an acronyms list and references.

This document is crucial for potential bidders as it defines the technical and operational requirements for the Landsat Multi-Satellite Operations Center. Understanding these requirements is essential for any vendor proposing solutions or services related to satellite operations, data management, mission planning, ground systems, or related infrastructure for the Landsat program. It provides insight into the specific functionalities, performance expectations, and interfaces that any supporting system or service must adhere to.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, titled "MOC Operations Concept," details the operational concept for the Landsat Multi-Satellite Operations Center (LMOC). It outlines the intended uses, functional threads, and use cases that drive the design and testing of the LMOC system. It also describes the LMOC's interactions with the Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 observatories, the Ground Network Element (GNE), and the Data Processing and Archive Segment (DPAS).

• Introduction: Describes the purpose and scope of the LMOC system.
• Flight Operations Team Roles and Responsibilities: Details the various roles within the Flight Operations Team (FOT), including the Flight Operations Manager (FOM), S/C Engineers, Mission Planners, Ground System Engineers, and others.
• Use Cases and Functional Threads: Outlines major use cases such as pre-launch operations readiness, Landsat 9 LEO&C operations, mission transition to LMOC, day-in-the-life science operations, simultaneous real-time T&C with multiple spacecraft, instrument calibration, and mission data management.
• Maintenance Operations: Covers system patching, security scanning, and software update processes.
• Misuse Cases: Addresses potential IT security incidents, hardware failures, and disaster recovery scenarios.
• Acronym List: Provides definitions for numerous acronyms used throughout the document.

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the operational environment and requirements for the Landsat Multi-Satellite Operations Center. Bidders involved in developing or supporting systems that interface with or operate within this environment will find detailed information on system architecture, operational processes, team roles, and specific use cases. Understanding this document is crucial for aligning proposals with the government's operational expectations and technical requirements for the Landsat mission.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Excerpts from Special Study Report: LMOC Scalability for Landsat Next Performed Summer, 2023," provides historical reference and informational insights into the Landsat Multi-satellite Operations Center (LMOC) system's scalability for the Landsat Next mission. It is intended for internal LMOC studies only and should not be construed as direction or guidance for the LNext MOC. The study reflects the state of the MOC in summer 2023 and is not updated.

• LMOC Overview: Describes the LMOC system's role in providing telemetry, command, trending, flight dynamics, and mission planning services for Landsat 8 and 9.
• Scalability Analysis: Details the scalability of various LMOC subsystems, including Telemetry and Command, Trending and Analysis, Data Management, Mission Planning, and Flight Dynamics.
• Proposed Near Term Actions: Identifies potential improvements for L8/L9 operations and LNext preparation, such as STK Scheduler replacement and Cloud Migration.
• Cloud Migration Strategy: Discusses the benefits and approaches for migrating LMOC components to the cloud to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
• System Architecture: Presents high-level architecture diagrams and discusses the integration of new subsystems and potential cloud migration.
• Operational Considerations: Examines fleet operations, context architecture, and ROC mapping for a multi-satellite environment.
• Scalability and Reuse: Assesses the scalability and potential reuse of various LMOC hardware and software components for future missions.

This document provides a detailed technical overview of the existing Landsat Mission Operations Center (LMOC) and its scalability for future missions, specifically "Landsat Next." While not a solicitation, it offers insight into the current systems, potential challenges, and proposed solutions (like cloud migration and system upgrades) that may inform vendors about the operational environment and future technology directions for Landsat missions. Understanding these aspects can help bidders assess their alignment with the program's technical landscape and identify potential areas for future engagement or support.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Landsat Flight Operations (LFO) Project System Configuration Management (CM) Policy Version 1.0," establishes the practices and processes for Configuration Management (CM) within the Landsat Flight Operations (LFO) Project and its subordinate structures. It governs Configuration Item (CI) change management throughout the lifecycle of projects under the Land Satellites Data System (LSDS) Program.

• Scope: Covers CM for LFO ground- and space-based assets, including identification and control processes for physical, virtual, hardware, software, and logical Configured Items (CIs).
• Roles and Responsibilities: Details the roles of the Configuration Management Lead, Software Configuration Manager, Hardware Configuration Manager, and CCB Chair.
• Change Requests (CRs): Outlines the process for submitting and prioritizing CRs (Routine, Urgent, Emergency) for documentation, software, and hardware changes.
• Configuration Control Boards (CCBs): Identifies the primary CCBs involved (LSDS CCB, OPRB/OCCB, GS CCB) and their role in managing baselines and approving changes.
• Configured Items (CIs): Provides examples of CIs, including documents, design documents, diagrams, interfaces, management plans, requirements, scope documents, software/hardware, and data/files.
• Non-Configured Items (Non-CIs): Lists examples of items that do not require formal change control but may be managed through the process, such as contract reports, guides, forms, lists, milestone reviews, and procurement reports.

This policy is relevant to potential bidders as it defines the framework for how changes to the Landsat Flight Operations Project's systems, software, and documentation are managed. Understanding this policy can help bidders anticipate the processes involved in proposing or implementing changes, the roles of various control boards, and the types of items subject to configuration management. This is particularly important for any work involving the development, modification, or maintenance of systems or software related to the Landsat program.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document outlines the Cloud Security Responsibilities for the Cloud Hosting Services (CHS3) initiative, detailing the shared responsibility model between the customer (USGS/NASA) and the cloud vendor (CHS). It aims to clarify security obligations for cloud-hosted applications and data.

• Cloud Shared Responsibility Model: Differentiates responsibilities for security "in" the cloud (customer) versus security "of" the cloud (cloud vendor).
• Customer Responsibilities: Includes managing customer data, platforms, applications, identity & access management, operating systems, network & firewall configuration, client-side data encryption, data integrity authentication, vulnerability management, and application/system logging.
• CHS (Cloud Vendor) Responsibilities: Includes managing account provisioning, network security, data access, organizational networks (direct connect, transit network, enterprise WAF, network logging), infrastructure software, hardware, and global infrastructure (regions, availability zones, edge locations).
• Security Requirements: Adherence to FISMA Moderate requirements, FedRAMP authorization for services, provision of networking resources, securing root user accounts, managing eCDN-WAF, limiting public access to S3 data, and enabling/maintaining core AWS services.
• Core Services Managed by CHS: Lists specific AWS services managed by CHS, including IP addresses, GuardDuty, Route 53, VPC, Athena, CloudTrail, Config, Control Tower, Direct Connect, Health, IAM Identity Center, Organizations, Systems Manager Explorer, Image Factory, and Enterprise Content Distribution Network-Web Application Firewall.

This document is crucial for understanding the security framework and operational boundaries within which cloud services will be provided. Bidders need to be aware of the defined responsibilities to ensure their proposals align with the security posture and requirements of CHS3. It highlights the specific security controls and services that will be managed by CHS, and those that remain the customer's responsibility.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Statement of Capabilities from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. It outlines the hosting services offered by EROS to meet federal program needs.

• Introduction: Describes EROS's mission to provide secure, resilient, and scalable hosting services.
• Facilities as a Service (FaaS): Details physical infrastructure (secure space, power, HVAC, environmental monitoring) and physical security (24x7 staffing, secure access, video monitoring).
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Covers virtual infrastructure capabilities including core capabilities (customizable VMs, modern hardware, high-performance storage, redundant networks) and vendor responsibilities (application/workload control).
• Network & Connectivity: Describes robust enterprise network capabilities, including redundant paths, secure segmentation, high bandwidth support, integration with federal networks, and threat monitoring.
• Software Defined Networking (SDN): Highlights EROS's use of SDN for adaptability, enhanced security, performance improvements, support for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), centralized management, rapid provisioning, and traffic optimization.

This document provides potential bidders with detailed information about the capabilities and infrastructure available through the USGS EROS Center for hosting federal IT systems. It serves as a foundational document for understanding the services and environment that may be part of a future solicitation or contract.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, titled "Landsat 10 Mission Synopsis," provides a notional overview of the Landsat 10 mission architecture and segment functions. It is intended to offer high-level context for the mission's objectives.

• The document outlines the motivation for Landsat 10, including its role in continuing the 50-year Landsat data record, providing enhancements for users, and delivering substantial economic benefits.
• It details the Landsat 10 mission background, objectives, and the partnership between NASA and USGS.
• Technical aspects covered include the mission overview, space and ground segment architecture, operational concept, and data handling.
• Specifics on the Landsat Instrument Suite (LandIS), spectral bands, data products, and the World Reference System-3 (WRS-3) are provided.
• Information on the ground system, mission operations, data processing, and communication approaches is also included.

Important Note: This document explicitly states that "There are no requirements contained in this document, and it should be considered as reference material only." Information on actual requirements is provided in the L10 Spacecraft Statement of Work (SOW) and associated requirements documents. Therefore, this synopsis serves as background information to understand the mission's scope and objectives, rather than a set of actionable requirements for bidders.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Landsat 10 (L10) Design Reference Case – 18 Days (DRC-18) Definition," Version 2.0, dated May 2026, provides an overview of the Landsat 10 mission's operational image acquisition scenarios over an 18-day period. This period is defined by the mission's Worldwide Reference System-3 (WRS-3) grid repeat cycle.

• Background: Details the Landsat 10 mission as a follow-on to previous Landsat missions, aiming to provide continuous, moderate-resolution land remote-sensing data for at least five years.
• Purpose: Outlines the DRC-18 as a definition of image acquisition scenarios over an 18-day period.
• Scope: Describes the image acquisition cadence and references instrument calibration activities based on the current operations concept.
• Key Features of DRC-18: Includes the start path/row, a non-contractual start date (March 12, 2022), approximate orbits per day, path/row coordinates in the WRS-3 grid, and the inclusion of both imaging and instrument calibration activities.
• Spreadsheet Format: The DRC-18 is provided as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (LSDS-2389) containing detailed acquisition data, including DRC Day, Scene Center Time, Path, Row, Collection Type, and Sun Angle.
• Collection Types: Details various collection types, including Nominal Earth Imaging (sunlit land), Lamp Calibration, Solar Calibration, Lunar Calibration, Night Imaging, and Off-Nadir Acquisitions.
• Narrative Description: Provides an overview of the 18-day operations, including sun-lit land imaging, night imaging for specific targets (fires, volcanoes), and various calibration activities.

This document is crucial for understanding the planned data acquisition strategy for the Landsat 10 mission. It details the types of data that will be collected, the areas covered, and the timing of these acquisitions within an 18-day cycle. This information is essential for potential bidders to assess the mission's capabilities, potential data availability, and how the mission aligns with their own data needs and research interests in Earth observation.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet (Attachment_L-2_L10_DRC-18_spreadsheet_1.xlsx) containing acquisition data. It is intended for bidders to use in developing proposals or for government evaluation, detailing specific collection events.

• DRC Cycle Day: Day within the Digital Reconnaissance Collection (DRC) cycle.
• Scene Center Time: Exact time of the collection event.
• WRS-3 Path & Row: World Reference System coordinates for the collection.
• Collection Type: Categorization of the collection (e.g., 0, 1, 6, 7).
• Sun Angle: Angle of the sun during collection.
• Timestamps: Specific dates and times of entries (e.g., 2022-03-16T17:17:29+00:00, 2022-03-25T23:49:55+00:00).
• Categorical/Numerical Data: Columns with numerical identifiers and associated quantitative values, some with row headers like 'Day 5', 'Day 14', 'Day 15'.

This spreadsheet provides granular data on collection events and potentially historical or performance metrics. Bidders should analyze this data to understand the scope of potential data acquisition, operational context, constraints, technical approach, resource allocation, and inform pricing strategies. It is crucial for understanding the quantitative aspects of the requirement and ensuring all data requirements are addressed in the proposal.