Northrop Grumman/PRB Services Inc. in Hollywood, Md., won a $7 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed fee, performance-based contract (N65236-01-D-6813) to provide software development, systems engineering and configuration management for various Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. Systems covered include:

DD (X) Concept

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems (NGSS) in Pascagoula, MS is received a $5.7 million cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-02-C-2302) to effect changes in the testing of DD (X) test articles. NGSS had recently received $10M to sharpen the Life Cycle Cost Estimates for the DD(X) ships, and this appears to be related. This contract will modify testing required to demonstrate Engineering Development Model design performance with respect to material characterization, corrosion resistance, static and dynamic seaway structural loading, structure and outfitting resistance to underwater shock, lightning protection, electromagnetic shielding, and radiation hazards. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, MS (52%) and Tewksbury, MA (48%), and is expected to be completed by September 2005. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., issued the contract.

Force XXI Battle
Command Brigade and Below

Northrop Grumman in Carson, CA received a placeholder delivery order as part of a $48 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to support simulation and training of land forces using PM Force XXI Battle Command Brigade And Below Systems. This system is known colloquially as “Blue Force Tracker,” which is the part of the system that shows the positions of all friendly units on a screen and also highlights identified enemy units.

This sole source contract for v4 installation kits and cables was initiated on June 21, 2004, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 3, 2008. Work will be performed in Carson, CA. The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, NJ issued the contract (W15P7T-05-D-J208).

Northrop Grumman in Linthicum, MD received a placeholder delivery order as part of a $70 million firm-fixed-price contract for Vehicular Intercom Systems, 9,500 Master Control Station/Light, and 19,000 Full Function Crew Station/Lights. Work will be performed in Reston, Va., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This was a sole source contract initiated in Sept., 2000. The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, N.J., issued the contract (DAAB07-00-D-D902).

Small business qualifier Datapath Inc. of Norcross, GA received a $17.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 14 Joint Network Node Satellite Communication Trailers and 38 Satellite Communication Battalion Command Post Node Trailers. Work will be performed in Norcross, GA and completion is expected by Dec. 31, 2005. This was a sole source contract initiated on Feb. 28, 2005, and Datapath has won other contracts from USAC-EC before for support and advanced network research. The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, NJ issued the contract (W15P7T-05-C-G204).

.50 cal goodness

Alliant Lake City Small Caliber Ammunition Co. LLC if Independence, MO received a delivery order amount of $8.2 million as part of a $372.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .50 caliber ammunition cartridges. Work will be performed in Independence, MO, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2006. This was a sole source contract (DAAA09-99-D-0016) initiated on Oct. 5, 2004 by the U.S. Army Field Support Command at Rock Island, IL.

Small Business qualifier Eyak Technology (EyakTek) LLC of Reston, VA received a $5 million firm-fixed-price contract for IT Unclassified and Classified Network Equipment and IT Systems. This sole-source contract was initiated on Dec. 13, 2004, and completion is expected by Aug. 31, 2005. Work will be performed in Fairfax, VA. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, VA issued the contract (HDTRA1-05-C-0014).

Department of Defense IT officials requested $7.4 billion for command, control, communications and computer systems in FY 2006 – a $1 billion increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, legislators are pushing for faster standardization; many think troops could better communicate and access intelligence in Iraq and Afghanistan if they consolidated their communications systems.

“The subcommittee is interested to learn why DOD has so many different tactical information technology systems performing similar, if not, the same functionality,” said Rep. Jim Saxton, R-N.J., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, during a March 3 hearing.

At the same time, the Defense Department’s CIO assured congressional leaders that combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be frustrated by a Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program policy that prohibits the services from buying existing radio systems without a waiver from the JTRS Joint Program Office. JTRS has not fielded deployable hardware since the program was started in 2001, forcing units to obtain waivers to buy radios urgently needed for combat requirements. The waiver process has resulted in some combat units going around the program office and the military procurement systems by buying commercial two-way radios online or at the local Radio Shack before they deploy.

Patriot Missile launch

Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a delivery order amount of $51.5 million as part of a $158 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Continuous Technology Refreshment of 90 Patriot PAC-2 missile forebodies and the upgrade of 73 Patriot GEM downlinks to GEM+ Frequency Generator. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2007. This sole source contract (DAAH01-00-D-0004) was initiated on June 30, 1999 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL.

M. A. Mortenson Co. of Minneapolis, MN won $10.4 million for firm-fixed price Task Order 0011 under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity multiple-award construction contract (N62472-02-D-0802). The Task Order covers construction of an Undersea Network Centric Laboratory at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, RI. Work will be performed in on the premises, and is expected to be completed by January 2007. The basic contract was competitively procured via the NAVFAC e-solicitation website. A total of 23 proposals werre submitted, and Mortenson received the contract on Sept. 18, 2002. The total contract amount is not to exceed $250,000,000 over the five-year performance period, and the five contractors selected may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the existing contract. Two proposals were received for this task order, which was issued by Engineering Field Activity Northeast at Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Lester, PA.