Skyway Range Inc., on behalf of the Secure Autonomy Feedback and Evaluation Test Bed (SAFE-T) initiative under the Tulsa Tech Hub, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from qualified Uncrewed Traffic Management (UTM) service providers.
“This competitive procurement will select up to three UTM providers, each required to deploy and operate their own Discovery and Synchronization Service (DSS) that is interoperable with other UTMs and capable of exchanging data through the SAFE-T Integration Layer at Skyway Range,” the RFP states. The objective is to establish Tulsa as a neutral, multi-vendor UTM marketplace, enabling fair competition and interoperability, and to transition UAS operations into sustainable commercial use.
SAFE-T is Tulsa’s federally recognised beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operational environment. It creates a framework and a Surveillance Supplemental Data Service Provider (SDSP) that is designed to provide a system-level surveillance capability within the Federal Aviation Administration’s UTM framework.
Each selected UTM provider will integrate with the SAFE-T surveillance SDSP through a standardised API interface. The goal is to demonstrate multi-UTM interoperability using live Tulsa-area airspace, coordinating real-time flight planning, strategic deconfliction, conformance monitoring and contingency management.
Each UTM provider will be required to deploy and operate an independent DSS compliant with FAA and ASTM interoperability standards. They must integrate their DSS with other UTM providers’ flight plan and flight intent sharing, demonstrate interoperability among at least other UTMs in simultaneous BVLOS operations, and provide APIs supporting operator registration, flight plan submission, strategic deconfliction, conformance monitoring and contingency management. The UTM provider will also enable live flight operations with commercial UAS operators in Tulsa Oklahoma. Successful providers will participate in periodic technical reviews and data evaluation sessions convened by SAFE-T and in business development activities with Skyway Range to promote and attract new operators to come to Tulsa and use the SAFE-T system.
Selected vendors will be given free access for 36 months to the SAFE-T SDSP, including weather, ADS-B, Remote ID, radar feeds and ResilienX FRAIHMWORK system health monitoring. USD 75,000 per vendor (milestone-based) will be awarded for integration purposes along with USD 50,000 per year in years 2 and 3, contingent on continued operation in Tulsa. As part of the self-sustaining transition, no funding is provided in year 4.
Once the pilot or subsidised phase ends, future access to SAFE-T surveillance data will involve a reseller agreement with each UTM to include a negotiated and reasonable fee.
Proposals are due November 26 with vendor selection set for December 19.
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