Customs and Border Protection has awarded contracts to three companies to provide new and upgraded surveillance towers to enhance border security, selecting Advanced Technology Systems Company (ATSC), General Dynamics [GD], and Elbit America for the work.
CBP announced the awards on Wednesday on the government business opportunities website Sam.gov, saying that Elbit’s award is for $23.9 million, ATSC $23.4 million, and GD One Source, LLC, for $20.5 million.
The Integrated Surveillance Towers (IST) Consolidated Tower & Surveillance Equipment (CTSE) awards are for medium- and long-range surveillance towers and include various subsystems and sensors for U.S. Border Patrol agents to continuously detect, identify, classify, and track items of interest within each tower systems’ coverage area along the southern and northern borders of the U.S.
CBP said it plans to acquire about 277 new IST towers in 53 separate Border Patrol areas of operation (AoRs) and upgrade about 191 legacy surveillance towers in 31 separate AoRs. Last December, CBP issued the solicitation for the IST CTSE program, saying the required surveillance capabilities include fixed and relocatable systems for short-, medium-, and long-range operations along the northern and southern borders and for maritime awareness.
Elbit America, part of Israel’s Elbit Systems [ESLT], previously provided the long-range Integrated Fixed Towers (IFTs) to the Border Patrol and GD the medium- and short-range Remote Video Surveillance System (RVSS). The IFTs include cameras for day and night sensing, radar, and related communications. The RVSS systems include day and night cameras that Border Patrol agents control remotely.
ATSC, which is based in Northern Virginia, has provided security surveillance systems to the U.S. Army.
CBP also procures short-range border security surveillance towers from Anduril Industries under the Autonomous Surveillance Tower program.
The request for proposals in December said that CBP would award up to three indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts that an 18-month baser period, and four option periods for a total potential performance period of up to 14 years.