DHS221-004 Tango Tango

The purpose of this project, the Broadband Push-to-Talk Interoperability Platform (BPIP), is to design, develop, and operationalize a push-to-talk interoperability service that enables PTT communications between organizations that use broadband push-to-talk services from disparate vendors. This phase of the project will focus on analysis of major BPTT vendors’ features and protocols; specification of the service’s interface to external BPTT systems, at the network, transport, and session layers; specification of the service’s domain model and how to adapt it to other vendors’ systems; specification of the service’s software and hardware architecture; and proposals for a commercial model. The risks and challenges, along with possible mitigation measures, of the specified approach will be documented. The results of this phase of the project will be used in succeeding phases to build and operate a prototype system, and then to operate the interoperability service as a commercial cloud-based subscription service. The offerors currently operate a broadband push to talk company, serving over 500 public safety agencies, and provide interoperability capabilities among those that request it. This project would extend interoperability much further, across organizations that use other external BPTT vendors, and would generate significant commercial interest from public safety agencies at the federal, state, county, and local levels.