Atlantic Signal is proud to announce it was recently awarded a 45-million dollar contract from the United States Marine Corps for Hearing Enhancement Devices (HED).
The original solicitation by the USMC was released in April of this year to provide a hearing protection headset with dual comm capability, a hearing protection-only headset, dual comm push-to-talk and radio cable assemblies for the CORPS’ 6 pin military radios and Motorola XTS commercial portables.
Proposal submittals and test and evaluation equipment was provided near the end of May and field test and evaluations were subsequently held utilizing the equipment provided by the various competitors.
Atlantic Signal submitted their exclusive 3M/Peltor ComTac V headset along with a hearing protection-only version of the headset. The Push-to-Talk submitted by Atlantic Signal was the company’s INVICTUS SS Dual Comm PTT over-molded in the CORPS’ required coyote color. The INVICTUS SS features twin shrouded actuation switches with a blackened steel MOLLE clip designed with multi-position capabilities allowing the end-user to position the PTT switched inboard or outboard when mounted to the vest. The INVICTUS SS push-to-talk also features two capped radio interface receptacles at the bottom of the housing. This system allows the user to connect a single or dual cable radio interface mix depending upon mission requirements. Further, the ComTac V headset chosen by the USMC features a custom cabled downlead designed and built by Atlantic Signal that provides radio RX in both earcups when a single radio cable is connected to the INVICTUS SS PTT and portable radio. When a second cable is connected the two incoming radio signals are automatically split between the headset’s two ear cups – offering ease of TX identification when two radio signals are being received at the simultaneously. The ComTac V headset features a removeable rubber sleeve from the over-the-head steel frame that captures the cables connecting the speakers and ambient environmental microphones in each ear cup. The company was also required to provide replaceable gel cups pads for the headsets along with an accessory rail connector (ARC) for helmet mounting each comms headset.
“We are proud to have been chosen by the USMC for the HED Program. We followed the HED proposal requirements adding some additional end-user features not necessarily requested and felt confident that our product mix would stand up against any competitor we faced. We were notified in mid-August that we had been chosen to provide the equipment requested in the USMC HED proposal only to have a disgruntled competitor file a protest with the USMC Program Office and SBA. The protest forced our company to assemble legal representation to address the litany of baseless claims made by the protestor which pushed the award out another 30 days. The protesting company’s claims were found to be undeserving and a decision was rendered in favor of Atlantic Signal. Unfortunately, the protestor appealed the decision again, further delaying our company’s ability to begin production planning and delivery of the initial 10 million dollars in equipment requested. Subsequently the protestor’s appeal was again found to be without merit and nearly a quarter year after the initial award was made to our company, we were finally able to begin production. The protestor’s actions accomplished nothing more than delaying delivery of critical equipment to our warfighters”, stated Randall Hedrick, President and Managing General Member of Atlantic Signal.
Atlantic Signal is based in Topeka, KS and specializes in the design, development and manufacture of ancillary devices for use with both Law Enforcement and Military radios worldwide. Along with the aforementioned USMC HED award, Atlantic Signal has also been awarded multi-year contracts with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s nationwide Special Operations Units (SOU), Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) and Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), New York Police Department Emergency Services Units (ESU), United States Coast Guard Maritime Security & Support Teams (MSST), United States Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Teams (MSRT), Security Forces Assistance Brigade 3 (SFAB), United States Border Patrol and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) among many others.
