Early this week, the Department of National Defence of Canada released a Request for Proposals for their next generation Soldier system. According to DND, “Integrated Soldier System Project will provide the soldier with an integrated suite of equipment that includes weapon accessories, electronic devices, sensors, individual equipment and operational clothing. This soldier system will significantly increase soldier performance, as soldiers and low-level command centres will seamlessly share data and voice communications through a network. This capability will facilitate effective and timely interaction. As a result, soldiers will have more comprehensive situational awareness, real-time tactical information and greater synchronization of activity.” What we’ve got here is a classic Soldier digitization program straight out of the 90s. It is another attempt to integrate sensors and comms onto the Soldier as a platform in order to increase Situational Awareness which will result increased survivability and lethality.
Diagram – Canada DND
They intend to award two contracts to one successful bidder. According to the RFP these two contracts consist of:
“The first contract, called the ISS Acquisition Contract will be over an approximate period of four (4) years and will consist of a qualification of the ISS and then, if successfully qualified, the purchase of a firm quantity of ISS in pre-determined batches totaling one thousand six hundred (1,600) units as complete system along with associated preliminary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) such as technical documentation, training and initial provisioning of spares, with the option to purchase, in multiple parts, optional quantities up to an additional five thousand twenty four (5,024) ISS-Suites as complete system or component by component.
The second contract, called the ISS Optimized Weapon System Support Contract, will be for the ISS In-Service Support and Improvement Activities over a period of five (5) years plus 3 two-year irrevocable options allowing Canada to extend the term of the Contract.”
Potential offerors have until 2012-04-18 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time EDT to submit their proposals. The ISSP RFP is available on Merx, the Canadian equivalent of FedBizOpps.
