Robotic Bomb Squads On Rush Order

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Indian Head Division at Indian Head, MD has issued a pair of emergency 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(2) orders for robotic Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) systems. iRobot of Burlington, MA won an $18.3M firm-fixed-price contract (N00174-05-C-0012) for its PackBot EOD and associated spare parts, based on two proposals solicited and two proposals received. Foster-Miller Inc. of Waltham, MA is being awarded a $5.2M firm-fixed-price contract (N00174-05-C-0011) for Talon IIIB robotic EODs and associated spare parts, also based on two proposals solicited and two proposals received. The military currently uses the Talon IIIB in Iraq and Afghanistan to find and disable improvised explosive devices. Both projects are expected to be completed in September 2005.