Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) Nov. 13 said the Army is changing its acquisition strategy for Rifleman Radio and HMS Manpack radios to a multi-vendor concept after his push to promote competition.
Specifically, the Army has committed to a multi-vendor, multi-award acquisition process–set to be finalized by the end of the month–that would not only allow multiple companies to compete for the contracts, it would allow the Army to select multiple contractors to each make a percentage of the radios, according to a statement from Schumer’s office.
Earlier this fall, Schumer sent a letter and called Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and called him urging a commitment from DoD to open the competition for Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Manpack and Rifleman radio contracts by using a multi-vendor approach, which he said would level the playing field for commercial companies in the procurement process and helps provide higher-quality military radios for our nation’s troops.
“The Army and the DoD has read me loud and clear: it is only fair for the Army to eliminate their single-vendor procurement process for these next-generation radios, so that companies like Harris Radio can compete fully for this work,” Schumer said in a statement. “This new acquisition process will introduce a healthy competition in price and quality, and it has the added benefit of allowing commercial vendors like Harris RF in Rochester to compete for the contract on a level playing field.”
Dana Mehnert, group president of Harris [HRS] RF Communications, said: “We’re grateful for Senator Schumer’s support for competition in these important upcoming tactical radio procurements. Continuous competition is the best path to providing the warfighter with innovative and affordable tactical communications.”
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In a draft acquisition strategy earlier this year, the Army indicated it planned to award a single vendor a five-year contract for each type of radio.
Two contractors are certified to build each of the two radios–Riofleman Radio and HMS Manpack: General Dynamics [GD] and Thales each produce the Rifleman Radio. General Dynamics and Rockwell Collins [COL] each build the HMS Manpack. The two companies compete with each other on orders for either Rifleman or Manpack radios.
In May 2012, Schumer helped secure language in the Senate-passed Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) recommending a competitive acquisition process be approved for these radios before any funds are obligated for the full rate production of these radios.
Harris will now have a full and fair opportunity to compete to provide JTRS radios to protect troops that are certified through the Army’s Network Integration Evaluations (NIE). This fall, Harris rolled out its latest multi-channel radio, the Falcon III Multi-channel Manpack radio.
Schumer said Harris developed the Falcon III Multi-channel specifically in response to the DoD’s Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Factor radio program.
JTRS is the next generation integrated, software programmable tactical radio devices are expected to replace various current radios. The JTRS radios support increased capabilities such as broadband data, streaming video, voice capabilities.
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