BUB: US DoD Contracts

Taking a quick look at a few contracting bits and pieces out there...

DARPA has another cute acronym out there, this one is SCENICC: Soldier Centric Imaging via Computational Cameras

The Soldier Centric Imaging via Computational Cameras (SCENICC) Broad Agency Announcement seeks proposals that fully exploit the computational imaging paradigm and associated emerging technologies to yield ultra-low size, weight, and power (SWaP) persistent/multi-functional soldier-scale Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems that greatly enhance warfighter awareness, capability, security, and survivability.

Anyone want to take a swag as to what this actually means? And is SCENICC any worse of an acronym than "GUARD DOG" (Graph Understanding and Analysis for Rapid Detection - Deployed on the Ground)

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What does TACOM's new Ground Combat Vehicle RFP look like?

The GCV IFV Program's intent is to develop and deliver an affordable and effective infantry fighting vehicle in seven years by utilizing mature technologies and focusing on system design that integrates all subsystems and components.
It is the Government's intent for contractors to utilize mature, low-risk technologies. To this end, offerors need to identify their approaches to maximize the inclusion of mature technologies selected, giving consideration to any modifications necessary for effective integration. Offerors may non-developmental, modified non-developmental or developmental solutions. The specific evaluation criteria are described in Section M of this RFP.
The GCV IFV Program is driven to achieve four primary imperatives referred to as the "Big Four". These imperatives have been decomposed into the Tier One (1) GCV IFV Performance Specification requirements.
These "Big Four" imperatives are defined as follows:
-Force Protection is achieving a threshold level of protection for all occupants against the threats identified in the classified annex of the GCV IFV Performance Specification.
-Capacity is a vehicle crew and a fully-equipped nine soldier Infantry squad.
-Full Spectrum is a versatile platform able to adapt and/or enhance capabilities through configuration changes of armor and network while providing for growth over time in terms of size, weight, power and cooling.
-Timing is the delivery and acceptance of the first production GCV IFV vehicle within seven years of the TD phase contract award.

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And the Navy is cutting 2 different contracts for the Littoral Combat Ship contract.

The Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal USA each a fixed-price incentive contract for the design and construction of a 10 ship block-buy, for a total of 20 littoral combat ships from fiscal 2010 through fiscal 2015.

The amount awarded to Lockheed Martin Corp. for fiscal 2010 littoral combat ships is $436,852,639. The amount awarded to Austal USA for the fiscal 2010 littoral combat ships is $432,069,883. Both contracts also include line items for nine additional ships, subject to Congressional appropriation of each year’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program requirements. When all 10 ships of each block buy are awarded, the value of the ship construction portion of the two contracts would be $3,620,625,192 for Lockheed Martin Corp., and $3,518,156,851 for Austal USA. The average cost of both variants including government-furnished equipment and margin for potential cost growth across the five year period is $440 million per ship. The pricing for these ships falls well below the escalated average Congressional cost cap of $538 million.

“The awards represent a unique and valuable opportunity to lock in the benefits of competition and provide needed ships to our fleet in a timely and extraordinarily cost effective manner,” said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.

This award is a unique opportunity to maximize the buying power on the LCS Program by leveraging the highly effective competition between the bidders. Each contractor’s 10-ship bids reflect mature designs, investments made to improve performance, stable production, and continuous labor learning at their respective shipyards. The award was based on limited competition between teams led by Lockheed Martin and Austal USA. Under these contracts, both shipbuilders will also deliver a technical data package as part of the dual award, allowing the government a wide range of viable alternatives for effective future competition.

By: Brant