The Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD issued four $100 million ceiling-priced, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contracts to provide engineering and technical services in support of the Naval Air Systems Command’s Avionics Department and its sensor systems. This contract was competitively procured under an electronic request for proposals as a 100% Small Business Set-aside; four offers were received, and all four were accepted. Each approved contractor will be provided a fair opportunity to compete for individual task orders, and work awarded under each task order awarded will be performed at individual contractor facilities located in California, MD; Alexandria, VA; and Bowie, MD (20%) and at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD (80%). The contracts are expected to be completed in March 2009.
European regulators have approved a deal between Finmeccanica SpA of Italy and Britain’s BAE Systems PLC to create Eurosystems, a set of joint ventures in defense electronics. A BAE spokesman said the deal would create a clearer management structure would also increase the chances of landing contracts in an industry dominated by heavyweight manufacturers. The deal breaks down as follows:
Electric Boat Corp. of Groton, CT is being awarded a $36.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-2100) for engineering and technical support for active nuclear submarines. The modification includes design changes for the subs and their support facilities, operational support, and R&D support of designated submarine research vehicles. Work will be performed in Groton, CT (84%); Kings Bay, GA (6%); Newport, RI (4%); Quonset, RI (3%); and Bangor, WA (3%), and is expected to be completed by March 2008. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC issued the contract modification.
Tadiran Spectralink Ltd. of Cholon, Israel, who make the communications systems for the battle-proven Pioneer UAV, have developed a new way for the soldier in the field to receive UAV pictures and data: the wrist-mounted Video Receiver And Monitor for Battlefield Operations (V-RAMBO), also known as a Personal Video Receiver. The system is a miniaturized version of the TVL-II system in Israeli attack helicopters and tanks. The 3-inch color video display attaches to the soldier’s wrist via an adjustable velcro strap, and the video receiver unit can be mounted on the soldier’s vest. Like the TVL-II, V-RAMBO broadcasts real-time video from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) directly to the wrists of individual Israeli Army infantry soldiers on the ground. TVL-II has been credited with helping to reduce the time it takes to identify and strike a target from minutes to seconds, an important consideration in urban environments and situations involving the targeting of terrorist leaders. AP Article: Wrist Video Gives Israeli Army an Edge. DefenseReview.com: V-RAMBO ‘Wrist Video’ System Puts Real-Time Video Right on Soldiers’ Wrists
Small business qualifier Cox Construction Co. of Vista, CA won an $18.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for Construction of a new Command and Control Facility at Fort Irwin, CA. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2006. Bids were solicited on Jan. 12, 2005, and four bids were received. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Los Angeles, CA issued the contract (W912PL-05-C-0003).
Raytheon’s Network Centric Systems in St. Petersburg, FL is being awarded a $10 million modification under previously awarded contract N00024-05-C-5101 for an additional four USG-2 Planar Array Antenna Assemblies (PAAA). The PAAA is a component of the Navy’s Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) System, which extracts and sharing sensor-derived information among multiple sites in order to coordinate and extend the range of naval air defenses. When fully deployed, the CEC is also intended to allow U.S. naval forces to act as ballistic missile defense networks using SM-3 Standard missiles as well as future weapons systems. Work on the PAAA will be performed in Largo, FL (55%); St. Petersburg, FL (31%); Dallas, TX (9%); McKinney, TX (4%); and El Segundo, CA (1%), and is expected to be completed by January 2007. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC issued the contract modification. See also PDF file: Navy Floats Network-Centric Warfare in COTS-based CEC
SafeNet Inc.’s Mykotronx subsidiary won a $7.7 million contract to develop an encryption card for the Department of Defense that can be plugged into the U.S. Government’s secure telephones for classified communication. The Enhanced Crypto Card will be based on the Forteeza Plus (KOV-14) Crypto Card previously developed for the Department of Defense. To date, SafeNet said, the U.S. Government has ordered 200,000 Forteeza cards. Baltimore Business Journal
Oshkosh Truck Corp. of Oshkosh, WI received a sole-source $14.7 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract initiated on Dec. 7, 2004 for Crew Protection and Air Conditioning Kits. Work will be performed in Jahra, Kuwait, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2005. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI issued the contract (W56HZV-05-C-0167).
Small business qualifier Chickasaw Nation Industries of Ada, OK won a $6.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for Construction of Mobile Barracks and Administration Units, an Arms Vault, and Associated Site Utilities at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Bids were solicited via the web on Feb. 17, 2005, and one bid was received. CNI has previously completed 20 government construction contracts, and this contract is expected to be complete in August 2005. The U.S. Army Engineer District, Kansas City, MO issued the contract (W912DQ-05-C-0005).
