US Marine Corps Employing Dogs to Detect IEDs

USMC IED Detector Dog(click to view full) The US Marine Corps is buying dogs that can detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. The USMC Regional Contracting Office National Capitol Region in Quantico, VA awarded an $8.7 million firm-fixed price contract to K2 Solutions in Southern Pines, NC for the purchase of 112 trained and certified IED detector dogs. The contract also covers maintaining a pool of 247 dogs as well as training for the dogs and handlers. The contract includes kenneling of the dogs, including feeding and medical care during the period of performance; team integration training for 4 weeks at a training venue designated by the USMC, currently Twenty-Nine Palms in California; and contractor field support services to assist the USMC after deployment. The contract has an option for the procurement of replacement dogs, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $8.8 million. K2 will perform the work at Southern Pines and Twenty-Nine Palms and expects to complete it by Aug 4/10. The contract was competitively procured via a request for proposals, with 3 proposals solicited and received by the USMC Regional Contracting Office National Capitol Region (M00264-09-C-0028). USMC’s Military […]