Knights Armament Corp, Titusville, FL, was awarded a $24,909,740 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The award will provide for the procurement of M110 semi-automatic sniper system. Work will be performed in Titusville, FL, with an estimated completion date of March 21, 2017. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The US Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-12-D-0029).
NCI Information Systems, Inc, Reston, VA, was awarded a $34,074,541 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. The award will provide for the services in support of fully integrated soldier systems. Work will be performed in Middle River, MD; Fort Belvoir, VA; Fairfax, Va.; Fort Benning, GA; Sierra Vista, CA; Vint Hill Farms, VA; Kuwait; and Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of September 23, 2012. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-11-C-0076).
NCI Information Systems provides PEO Soldier Integrated Logistics Support.
Alliant Techsystems Operations, LLC, Independence, MO, was awarded a $2,541,000,000 fixed-price economic-price-adjustment contract. The award will provide for the procurement of 5.56 mm small caliber ammunition. Work will be performed in Independence, MO, with an estimated completion date of September 14, 2013. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, IL, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-09-D-0027).
The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) is “soliciting executive summaries, white papers and proposals for advanced research and development of Innovative Systems for Military Missions.” What interests us in particular is the area that is called out; “Ground and Soldier Systems” as well as several “cross-cutting capabilities: Design Synthesis, Manufacturing, Qualification and Verification & Validation (V&V), and Autonomy.”
According to TTO:
Submitting an executive summary and white paper are opportunities for proposers to have DARPA personnel review their proposed technical concept and receive feedback regarding the relevance of their idea to the TTO mission.
For the purposes of this BAA, relevance to the TTO mission applies to all submissions and is evaluated as follows:
1. The proposed technical effort is evaluated as applicable to the focus areas.
2. The proposal is important to TTO’s area of responsibility as outlined in the BAA.
3. The submission is suitably structured to produce a TTO program or product.
4. TTO has the appropriate personnel to manage the effort.
5. The proposed effort would lead to a useful addition to the TTO program portfolio.
6. There are funds available for the proposed effort.
7. The effort is not duplicative of ongoing efforts in TTO.
As this is a Broad Agency Announcement it will be open for one year unless otherwise directed. To learn more, visit www.fbo.gov.
Ceradyne was recently awarded a contract for their Enhanced Combat Helmet for use by the US Army and Marine Corps. One of the key ingredients to the success of their design was DSM’s Dyneema HB80 unidirectional (UD) composite. HB80 happens to be the only material that passed stringent ECH testing and is currently used in vehicle armor applications.
In a press release, Dr. James Zheng, chief scientist Soldier Protective and Individual Equipment, PEO Soldier said, “The ECH program represents a major advance in helmet technology that can deliver enhanced superior protection for our troops. Our close collaboration with leading industry partners such as Ceradyne and DSM Dyneema enabled us to utilize their valuable technological expertise and support, resulting in the new ECH helmet.”
Ceradyne, makers of the Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH) has received the first (~$3 million) of possibly two low rate initial production orders. Ceradyne expects full rate production to commence during second quarter of calendar year 2012 with totals to exceed $170 million. It’s good to see this program moving forward after it was plagued with curing issues after showing initial success. According to Ceradyne and the Marine Corps, slight changes in the manufacturing process to accommodate the transition of tech development to production had to be dealt with to ensure consistent performance.
Called the Ceradyne Diaphorm Ballistic Helmet, the winning ECH design is twice the price of current Army and Marine Corps helmets, but provides up to 70% improvement in ballistic protection. In addition to delays, the program has received criticism over its arbitrary protection level (an undisclosed .30 threat) since there has been no move to dissipate the energy of such a round. Additionally, the size, weight and shape of the Army’s ACH was chosen for the ECH. Rather than decreasing weight and maintaining current ballistic protection to make troops more agile and to help offset the added weight of applique sensors and lights, the choice was made to maintain the current burden on the wearers neck and increase ballistic protection. Instead of telling industry that they wanted to defeat a threat, the Marine Corps wrote a requirement that boxed everyone into a narrow set of solutions.
On the other hand, both Soldiers and Marines will be receiving a new, more protective helmet. What’s more, the legacy Army’s ACH and USMC LWH both rely on Aramid fabric (Kevlar) while the ECH uses an advanced thermoplastic (PE) product. Reliance on Aramids for ballistic armor such as the IOTV and IMTV result in heavier armor systems. Hopefully, this paradigm shift in headborne systems will open up new materials options for body armor.
BAE Systems has been awarded a four-year Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract to produce Improved Outer Tactical Vests (IOTV) and accessories used by the US Army. That DLA awarded the contract lets you know that this is a sustainment contract.
“This award reinforces our position as a valued partner in the body armor market” said Don Dutton, vice president and general manager of Protection Systems at BAE Systems Support Solutions. “DLA continues to see demand for sustaining these life-saving products, as well as the value and quality that all of our equipment affords.”
The company has received an initial $48 million in orders, which are expected to be completed by February 2013. The total value of the contract orders could reach approximately $267 million over the next four years.
The US Army Research Development Engineering Command, Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA, is conducting a Request for Information for Concept (White) Papers on Personal Augmentation Technologies for the Warfighter and Homeland Defender.
They are interested in technologies and concepts that provide improvements in strength, endurance and/or ergonomics while maintaining user safety and reducing muscular fatigue, physical injury, and soreness during various load carriage and various tasks, are of interest. Example load carriage tasks include heavy and repetitive lifting, load transport, and difficult load tasks in unique environments. Ease of use and integration with current and future user clothing and individual mission equipment are factors of interest. Long operating life from a reliable power source, and low cost are also factors of interest.
There are 4 specific personal augmentation technology types sought:
1. Agility – Lightweight, low-powered, quick reaction physiological assist device for dismounted users. Injury reduction, high mobility, and endurance are key focuses.
2. Support – Physiological assist device that helps wearer to conduct sustainment and logistics tasks including heavy supply lifting, loading, unloading, and transporting at a Forward Operating Base (FOB) or alike. Injury reduction, strength assist, and throughput/production augmentation are key focuses.
3. Extreme Support – Specialized physiological assist device designed for specific tasks in extreme environments. Able to interface with special tools to conduct specific tasks. Example users include wild land firefighters and urban search and rescue. Injury reduction, strength assist, and high mobility are key focuses.
4. Depot / Industrial – Specialized physiological assist device designed for specific tasks in unique depot environments. Able to interface with special tools to conduct specific tasks. Injury, stress, and fatigue reduction and throughput/production augmentation are key focuses.
Interested parties have until March 31 to submit white papers in accordance with NSRDEC Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) 11-13, under topic # C16- Future Warrior Technology Integration, which can be found at https://www3.natick.army.mil/. Proprietary information will not be shared outside of the Government.
Check out the solicitation on FBO.
