Global Positioning System (GPS) Spectrum Protection Report to Congress

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Global Positioning System (GPS) Spectrum Protection Report to

Congress

AGENCY: Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments on Global Positioning system

(GPS) spectrum report to Congress.

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SUMMARY: An interagency working group chaired by the Department of

Defense requests comments and recommendations from industry and end

users relating to the development of a report to Congress addressing

the national strategy for protection of the radionavigation spectrum

used by GPS. All persons and firms having relevant views on this

subject are invited to reply through the Department of Defense.

DATES: Pleas submit comments by November 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Office of Space Commercialization,

U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.,

Room 4817, Washington, DC 20230. Materials may be faxed to 202-482-5173

or transmitted via email to [email protected]. Comments can also be sent

via the following website URL which will contain a reprint of this RFC:

http://www.ta.doc.gov/space.spectrum.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Y. Kim, Policy Analyst, 202-482-

6125.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to guard against disruption of GPS

services that are vital to the national security and economic interests

of the Untied States, the Department of Defense is preparing a report,

at the request of Congress, setting forth a national strategy to: ``(1)

protect the integrity of the Global Positioning System frequency

spectrum against interference and disruption; (2) achieve full and

effective use by GPS of radio frequency spectrum currently allocated by

the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for transmission of

satellite navigation signals; and (3) provide for any additional

allocation of spectrum necessary for GPS evolution.'' The report is

required under Section 8137 of the Department of Defense Appropriations

Act of 1999.

The Government is issuing this public Request for Comments in the

hope of developing an appropriate overall national strategy that

incorporates and reflects the important interests of the industry and

end users. For the purposes of this RFC, all commercial, terrestrial,

and space-based radionavigation and radio communication users and

ventures are invited to participate, including, but not limited to, GPS

equipment manufactures, satellite manufactures, users of GPS equipment

and services. In addition, we seek comment from any entity that (1)

uses or has an interest in the protection of the radionavigation

spectrum used by GPS in general, or (2) has an interest in other

spectrum bands on which the services may be required to configure their

operations to accommodate provision of GPS. Responses to this RFC

should include any plans for collection and analysis of test and

demonstration data, and recommendations for additional filings for both

space-based and ground-based services, as appropriate, to meet civil

safety-of-life applications within existing international spectrum

bands allocated for radionavigation satellite operations.

An interagency working group chaired by the Department of Defense

and including participants from the Department of Commerce (which

includes the National Department of Commerce (which includes the

National Telecommunications and Information Administration), Department

of State, Department of Transportation, Office of Science and

Technology Policy, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration

will review all replies.

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The staff of the Federal Communications Commission will provide

technical assistance in the preparation of this report. A single

hardcopy and softcopy is requested for all submittals. Appropriately

labeled competition-sensitive or proprietary data will be protected as

required. This is not a request for proposal and it shall not be

construed as a commitment by the government to issue a solicitation or

ultimately award a contract.

Dated: August 25, 1999.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 99-22566 Filed 8-30-99; 8:45 am]

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