The Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for the Hand Held, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) advanced radio program, part of the Army’s network, is coming to a close by the end of the year, and radio producers General Dynamics [GD] and Rockwell Collins [COL] await word from the top Defense Department acquisition official on a contract extension and acquisition strategy.
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| HMS Manpack Radio Photo: General Dynamics |
Defense Department Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall has yet to authorize extending the LRIP contract which will come to an end next month. More than 2,200 of the Army’s target of 3,800 Manpack radios have been delivered.
The Army intends to implement a full and open competition to buy the manpack radios, but to cover the period it might take to choose and certify new vendors, the LRIP contract could be extended to avoid a production break, something that concerns members of Congress.
In an Oct. 11 letter, more than 60 members of Congress wrote to Kendall and Army Secretary John McHugh supporting an LRIP extension and applauding the plan to move to full rate production in 18 months. However, they were concerned that without an LRIP extension there could be a break before full production that could “have harmful consequences for the program and delay fielding of this crucial capability to our soldiers.”
The members wrote that even if proposals for full-rate production were issued that day–Oct. 11–the process would by “unlikely” to be completed and a contract awarded without a production break leading to increased cost for the radios and delayed fielding.
On Nov. 13, Republican Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake wrote Kendall requesting a response by Nov. 18 to four questions that would clarify the status of the HMS Manpack LRIP extension.
According to the letter, funds were requested in fiscal year 2013 to support the extension for more radios to support fielding requirements during the full-rate production competition.
While McCain and Flake acknowledge budget contortions and force drawdowns, they point out that “funding for the Manpack radios that was appropriated in F Y ’13 has apparently not been fully expended and the Army requested an additional $323.7 million for the radios in FY ’14.
So the senators wanted answers to four questions: has he approved the LRIP extension; if not, does he plan to approve an extension, if so, “when and under what conditions.”
Also, they wanted to know if he issued guidance to the Army to submit a revised acquisition strategy and if he has, could he provide his justification for seeking a revised acquisition strategy.
While the Army plans to open competition on the radios, there has always been a competition on Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) programs. In the initial competitions, the Army selected two manufacturers for each radio, to include HMS Manpack.