**OCS Industry Day Questions and Answers**

August 25, 2008

**Question \# 1:** What will be the interface to the legal recorder,
analog or digital? How do you associate a conference to a line at a
position, especially if the specialist has five concurrent conferences?
Is there any interest in combining these functions? Is a conference on
hold also to be recorded?

**Answer:** The Operational Conference System (OCS) specification will
provide the details on the legal recorder interface. Briefly, everything
is recorded.

**Question \# 2:** Will there be any line conditioning, e.g., echo
cancelling, in the spec?

**Answer:** Neither the T-1 lines nor the DA lines are echo-cancelling.

**Question \# 3:** Is there any priority routing of trunks; e.g., use
lower cost trunks first?

**Answer:** No.

**Question \# 4:** Where can I find the security requirements?

**Answer:** Look at the latest version of FAA Order 1370.82.

**Question \# 5:** How many conference participants are you looking at?

**Answer:** The OCS specification will provide this number.

**Question \# 6:** Based on the discussion, it appeared a position could
have two types of functionality, role based and position based. Are
there unique elements that follow a person?

**Answer:** No, more role based. The overarching capability is for the
supervisor to assign incoming calls to people as conditions in the NAS
change.

**Question \# 7:** Are there any time based configurations?

**Answer:** Currently done by call forwarding or toggling between day
and night configurations. The OCS specification will provide details on
a more flexible means of making configuration changes.

**Question \# 8:** For pre-set conferences, are there alternate numbers
to call people? If yes, does the system automatically go to the next
number?

**Answer:** No, currently the specialist would call an alternate number
manually.

**Question \# 9:** No single point of failure wording was confusing in
the RD. Is a T1 circuit a single point of failure as it could affect
many conferences?

**Answer:** Yes. But if you had 25 T1s on one card and that card failed,
that would be more than single point of failure.

**Question \# 10:** How does a host manage five conferences?

**Answer:** One active and four on hold.

**Question \# 11:** Is there a desire to participate in more than
conference at once?

**Answer:** No, however there is a requirement to monitor lots of
conferences simultaneously.

**Question \# 12:** Is a touch screen required?

**Answer:** No, the intent of the market survey is to explore other
options.

**Question \# 13:** The layout for the new Command Center showed two
operating positions at a console. Is the size of the systems 65 consoles
(with multiple positions) or 65 operating positions?

**Answer:** 65 operating positions.

**Question \# 14:** Will OCS have to interface with other systems?

**Answer:** Though it could be different for OCS, the current system
interfaces only with a GPS (time source for the system), phone lines and
the legal audio recorder.

**Question \# 15:** Are source selection evaluation factors available?

**Answer:** Not at this time.

**Question \# 16:** What are the components of the OCS test program?

**Answer:** There will be an Operational Capability Assessment (OCA) as
part of the selection process. After contract award there will be
Factory Qualification Testing (FQT) and an Operational Test & Evaluation
at the Command Center (OT&E). In addition, there may be an Independent
Operational test & Evaluation (IOT&E). Also, there will be independent
security testing as part of the System Certification and Authorization
Package development.

**Question \# 17:** Will there be a system at the William J. Hughes
Technical Center?

**Answer:** Possibly, in addition one may be ordered for Oklahoma City.

**Question \# 18:** When will decision be made on services versus
equipment?

**Answer:** After the market survey responses are evaluated, probably
mid October.

**Question \# 19:** Are there specific items a maintainer needs to do at
the maintenance position?

**Answer:** Line level checks and logging capability but will consider
any metrics you want to offer.

**Question \# 20:** Has the logistic support requirements been defined?

**Answer:** No, they will be included in the Statement of Work (SOW).

**Question \# 21:** When the host terminates a conference, does everyone
go away?

**Answer:** Yes.

**Question \# 22:** The current system consoles contain handsets and
controls for both the operational and administrative phone systems. Will
this be true for OCS?

**Answer:** No, the administrative phone system will be a stand alone
system.

**Question \# 23:** What do you use the tone-on-active and tone-on-idle
circuits for?

**Answer:** These Direct Access lines are used to connect the Centers
and the larger towers and approach controls. There are about 85 such
lines.

**Question \# 24:** A new system is going into a new facility, will the
facility wiring support the system needs or will the system wiring be
determined by what's available at the facility?

**Answer:** Neither system nor facility wiring has been determined.

**Question \# 25:** Are you looking at the entire system being on the
operational floor or an interface on the floor connected to an equipment
room?

**Answer:** You are free to offer either.

**Question \# 26:** Does the current system allow the host to add,
delete, transfer, etc conference participants?

**Answer:** Yes

**Question \# 27:** Will there be one keyboard/mouse per position or one
keyboard/mouse for each system at a position?

**Answer:** Typically, each system at a position has its own
keyboard/mouse. We will consider the use of a virtual vice physical
keyboard.

**Question \# 28:** Does the current system use Push To Talk (PTT)?

**Answer:** The current system allows the specialist to toggle between
PTT and an open mike.

**Question \# 29:** What do you mean by no need to PTT during an
override call?

**Answer:** If a position is being overridden, the overridden position
has a hot mike to the overriding party. If the specialist does PTT, then
everyone will hear the overridden party. If the specialist does not PTT,
only the overriding party will hear the overridden party. Either way,
only the overridden party will hear the overriding party.

**Question \# 30:** Can anyone add/delete participants to a conference
or only the host?

**Answer:** Anyone can add their conference to another ongoing
conference. Once the conference is added, only the new host can delete
parties.

**Question \# 31:** Can the host remove himself/herself from a
conference?

**Answer:** The host can put a conference on hold and the other
participants can continue to communicate. The host can rejoin the
conference at any time by taking the conference off hold.

**Question \# 32:** What size display are you looking for?

**Answer:** Something larger than the current display to increase
functionality, but not so large that it consumes all available console
space.

**Question \# 33:** Can anyone other than the host mute a party?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 33:** Will Uninterruptible Power Supplies be used?

**Answer:** No, OCS will use critical power.

**Question \# 34:** Does your current system move a speaker to the top
of the conference participant list so the host can easily identify the
speaker?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 35:** Are there multiple lines to the centers?

**Answer:** Yes

**Question \# 36:** If I select a center from the map view, do I call
multiple lines?

**Answer:** No, for example some maps display ZDC and some display
ZDC.S. These are two distinct areas within Washington Center.

**Question \# 37:** Why is OVR grayed out?

**Answer:** The override function has not yet been implemented.

**Question \# 38:** Is authentication required for system access?

**Answer:** Currently, maintainers, system administrators and second
level engineering support are the only personnel required to provide two
factor authentication.

**Question \# 39:** What is the background of the operators?

**Answer:** The vast majority come from and Air Traffic Control
background.

**Question \# 40:** Can a specialist at a position replay a conference
they have participated in?

**Answer:** No, they would have to use the legal recorder.

**Question \# 41:** Does the current system allow videoconferencing?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 42:** Who will perform maintenance and is there a need for
a Help Desk?

**Answer:** This information will be included in the SOW.

**Question \# 43:** Why are P, I, O and FO grayed out on the dial pad?

**Answer:** The current system was never connected to DSN, so these keys
were not necessary. There is currently no intent for OCS to connect to
DSN either.

**Question \# 44:** If you do not use DSN, how do you communicate to DOD
facilities?

**Answer:** Normal phone lines.

**Question \# 45:** Are there international calls made?

**Answer:** Yes, and some require pauses in the dialing sequence.

**Question \# 46:** If you add participants to a conference, do you hear
the line ringing?

**Answer:** On the current system, the only time you hear ring back is
on a point to point call.

**Question \# 47:** Could you expand on changing DA buttons on the fly?

**Answer:** The intent is to allow a supervisor to have the rights to
reconfigure a position to receive calls not normally associated with
that position; e.g., routing incoming calls from Seattle Center to the
Miami position. This could be for only a few hours before restoring to
the normal assignments.

**Question \# 48:** Who determined what appears to be a limited number
of colors on the displays at the position?

**Answer:** The colors were based on suggestions from the FAA Human
Factors Lab and modified to meet operational needs.

**Question \# 49:** Do you use a speakerphone?

**Answer:** Yes, but not often.

**Question \# 50:** Once you touch a button on the display, does the
system connect that party?

**Answer:** No, the call is not initiated until you touch the CALL
button.

**Question \# 51:** Is there a way to pre-empt a call; e.g., console 44
is speaking to ZNY and you need to speak with them?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 52:** If you select a party from the phonebook, does a
button appear for that party on your homepage?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 53:** Are there any syntax checks for phonebook entries?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 54:** Is there a search function for preset conferences
like there is for the phonebook?

**Answer:** No

**Question \# 55:** Are the unique rings per position or per incoming
call?

**Answer:** All incoming calls to a position have the same ring.

**Question \# 56:** Is there a stand alone system for training?

**Answer:** Currently, three consoles are in a "training room". These
consoles connect to the current system but do not use operational phone
lines.

**Question \# 57:** Does the Specialist login?

**Answer:** Currently, there is no requirement for the Specialist to
login.

**Question \# 58:** Do you have the ability to add a footswitch?

**Answer:** Each position can support a footswitch. Currently, about
seven Specialists use them.

**Question \# 59:** Who handles configuration control?

**Answer:** For the current system, the AF technicians maintain the
configuration maps. The replacement system should allow more people to
make changes.

**Question \# 60:** Is there a message that indicates line in use?

**Answer:** If there is a button on the map/button/list view of the
homepage for that organization, there is an indication. Otherwise, the
only indication is on the traffic management page.

**Question \# 61:** Who does configuration changes?

**Answer:** The AF technicians currently do configuration changes. For
complex changes, second level engineering support may assist.

**Question \# 62:** Who maintains the phonebook?

**Answer:** Currently, personnel requesting changes submit them to one
of several phonebook coordinators who review the proposed changes and
forward them to the AF technicians for action.

**Question \# 63:** Will there be the possibility to run remotely a
position from the Herndon facility to the new facility for testing
purposes or for operation during transition period?

**Answer:** We have not considered these options.  May consider doing so
during the test period.  Depends on what is developed in the test plan.\
\
**Question \# 64:** Will there be testing conducted using operational
lines and none test period before full cutover?\
**Answer:** Yes.  Most likely both systems will run simultaneously
depending on test plan.