Boeing officials must send a letter within 30 days to Army officials managing the program at Fort Monmouth, NJ to explain how they can execute the contract. After reviewing the letter, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and service officials can decide to terminate, restructure or continue the contract.
Satellites have short production runs, which means that most of the investment in building them should come during the research and development phase. The National Security Space Acquisition Policy 03-01, adopted in October 2003, recognizes some unique aspects of satellite procurement, and aims to give more senior-level attention to satellite programs at earlier stages of their development.
In keeping with that objective, the Air Force made revisions in late December to:
Small business qualifier Engineering Solutions & Products Inc. in Eatontown, NJ, won a $0 placeholder delivery order as part of a $134.1 million time and materials contract for Force XXI Battle Command and Below/Blue Force Tracking Global Services. “Blue Force Tracker” (BFT) is the technology’s colloquial name, and this digital command and control system that provides on the move, near real time, situational awareness to the vehicle mounted platform level by showing where friendly units and identified enemy units are located. The systems share positional updates, text messages and other information with other BFT equipped units across the battlefield. The BFT network also provides commanders the ability to digitally control and monitor their subordinate units’ status and position.
Performance location for this contract will be determined with each delivery order, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2009. There were an unknown number of bids solicited via the Internet on Jan. 4, 2005, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command in Fort Monmouth, NJ is the contracting activity (W15P7T-05-D-J222).
Articles that offer stories and analysis of Blue Force Tracker’s benefits, uses in real-life situations, and present drawbacks include…
The University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Advanced Technology (IAT) Electromagnetic Systems Division showed off its electromagnetic rail gun (RailGun) technology demonstrator at the 24th Army Science Conference (ASC 2004). Founded in 1990, IAT Electromagnetic Systems is an autonomous research unit tasked with aiding the U.S. Army and Navy with rail gun technology. Rail guns are currently being contemplated as a later weapons upgrade on the USA’s DD[X] destroyer program, as part of the Army’s Future Combat Systems program, and in space.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, VA has issued six firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, multiple-award construction contracts (contract numbers N62470-05-D-6830/6831/6832/6833/6834/6835) for general construction projects at naval and USMC facilities in North Carolina. The total amount per contract is not to exceed $15 million (base year and four option years) with a guaranteed minimum of $5,000 each, bringing the cumulative total for all six contracts to $90 million. All contracts went to small businesses as defined by Pentagon procurement standards.
JLG Industries Inc. in McConnellburg, PA received a sole-source $6.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for All-Terrain Lifter Army System (ATLAS) Rough Terrain Forklifts (and GlobalSecurity.org profile). Work will be performed in McConnellburg, PA and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2007. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-05-C-0229).
