DID has covered special contracts before, wherein the US government can issue “extreme situations, massive response” requests and demand to have them met, quickly, by private sector entities. Since that kind of capability used to require large numbers of extra troops, including numerous domain expert specialists, it’s worth reminding ourselves what a change this represents.
The $10 billion US Air Force Contract Augmentation Program III (AFCAP III) is such a program, also referred to as “expeditionary engineering.” The Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base, TX has just issued a set of indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts, which define the small roster of firms who have shown them the capabilities and capacities to handle the kinds of situations that AFCAP III may cover.
The realism of modern video games is allowing commanders to use these simulations in new ways, and incorporate new levels of subtlety. The British have grabbed on to the concept, and their experience is illustrative – but they are not alone by any means.
On May 20, DID reported a contract to refurbish and deliver 77 Hungarian T-72 tanks to the Iraqi Army, as the centerpiece of a new armored division. The good news is that those tanks are ready for delivery to the Iraqi 9th Army Division. The bad news is that the sustained failure of the Iraqi government to pay the contractor may result in those tanks being impounded in Kuwait or returned to Europe, as a result of reluctant legal action by Defense Solutions LLC.
The Headquarters Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued a $355.2 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract to the MITRE Corp. in Bedford, MA. The contract covers systems engineering and integration support for US Air Force programs in FY 2006, and will end by October 2006 (the end of the fiscal year). The support level is estimated at 929 direct staff years for the Air Force ceiling programs, and 131 direct staff years for the Air Force non-ceiling program. This effort also supports foreign military sales with Britain, France, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
MITRE was formed in 1958 as a not-for-profit corporation under the leadership of C.W. Halligan, and has a long-standing cross-fertilization with MIT. It manages three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): one for the Department of Defense (known as the DOD Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence FFRDC), one for the Federal Aviation Administration (the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development), and one for the Internal Revenue Service (the Center for Enterprise Modernization). MITRE also has its own independent research and development program that explores new technologies and new uses of technologies to solve its sponsors’ problems in the near-term and in the future.
Minority-owned small business qualifier SEI Group in Huntsville, AL won a $6.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for design, construction and installation of physical and electronic security measures in Baghdad, Iraq. To illustrate the potential importance of physical security measures to combat operations, read this news report re: how the dangerous “Route Irish” road to Baghdad airport was secured.
The contract period will end on Aug. 11, 2006. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on Aug. 11, 2005, and two bids were received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Winchester, VA issued the contract (W912ER-06-C-0002).
EADS is to equip the Eurofighter combat aircraft of Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Italy and Austria (see all Eurofighter program firms) as well as the Tornado combat aircraft of the German Armed Forces with a total of 364 Digital Map Generator systems (DMG). Orders worth a total of approximately EUR 50 million ($59 million) have been placed with EADS Defence Electronics. The contract involves the same DMG system that will be used in all Airbus A400M transport aircraft. To date, EADS has supplied 160 digital map generators for combat aircraft, including its DKG and EuroGrid families.
Digital map generators create raster and vector maps of the relevant operational area for the pilot in the cockpit, with the display appearing in real time from the pilot’s point of view. In addition, the generators allow the overlay of relevant information, the current deployment situation, and radar images generated by the airborne radar system. The delivery period for the DMGs ordered under this procurement ranges between 2006-2012.
Henry Schein Inc. in Melville, NY won a maximum $24.5 million firm-fixed-price with economic price adjustment, customer value for various dental supplies. These supplies will be used by the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were 50 proposals solicited and 8 responded. The performance completion date is November 08, 2006, and the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, in Philadelphia, PA issued the contract (SP0200-05-D-7423).
