CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF

EUROPE

LAND

Sep 08. KBR subsidiary FTX Logistics has been awarded a contract by the MoD for an Improved Mobility Trailer to complement the HET fleet. (Source: MoD desider)

Sep 08. Lockheed Martin UK has been awarded a £75m contract amendment to provide the second increment of the Joint Asset Management and Engineering Solutions (JAMES) Programme. When combined with JAMES 1, it will deliver the full JAMES capability (Source: MoD desider)

24 Sep 08. Munitions: Disposal Arrangements. The Defence Contracts Bulletin (24 Sep 08) recorded the award of a £407,000 contract to Nammo of Sweden for the disposal of ‘out of life’ munitions.
Comment: In June 2008 Nammo was awarded a five-year Tasking Agreement by the MoD, for the ‘demilitarisation’ of ammunition. Nammo had previously won competitive tenders for the disposal of MLRS rockets and LAW 80 rounds. Nammo claims to be the leading European contractor specialising in ammunition disposal and expects to be well-placed to undertake the anticipated demand for cluster munitions disposal. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0838, 29 Sep 08)

26 Sep 08. Revision Eyewear, one of the leading suppliers of ballistic eyewear to armed forces and law enforcement agencies worldwide, is to supply an initial 10,000 Desert Locust® goggles to the Swiss Army. The successful contract was achieved following extensive soldier trials which place Revision as the eyewear of choice. Armasuisse released the tender to source protective goggles in April this year. The selection criteria were weighted as follows; 45 percent anchored on user trials, 25 percent based on quality testing while the remaining 30 percent was down to cost. An overwhelming 77 percent of trial users scored Revision as their preferred protective eyewear. Coupled with 95 percent quality performance score and overall best value the Swiss Department of Defence awarded the contract to Revision.

SEA

26 Sep 08. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded a $117,080,058 cost plus award fee fixed fee contract for Aegis Combat Systems Engineering to support the Government of Spain under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Government of Spain selected the U.S. Navy/Lockheed Martin Aegis Combat System (ACS) for its F-100 Class Flight II Shipbuilding Program. These requirements include the necessary combat systems engineering, computer program development, ship integration and test, logistics technical services and staging support to deliver a variant of the U.S. Navy Aegis Weapon System Cruiser Modernization Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Refresh 2 (CGM CR2) Computer Program and equipment to support the construction of the Spanish F-105 Frigate. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $125,039,679. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., (92 percent), and the Government of Spain, (8 percent), and is expected to be completed by Jul. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-5100).

Sep 08. Royal Fleet Auxiliaries (RFA): Maintenance. Defence Equipment & Support records (Desider, September 2008) that RFA Gold Rover has docked on Merseyside, as the first RFA vessel to be refurbished under a new through-life support contract. Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders (NSL) is to update RFA Gold Rover for her role refuelling RN warships as well as delivering aviation fuel, fresh water and dry stores. The £8.5m refit is the first maintenance docking of one of 11 ships, under a June 2008 contract.
Comment: The Defence Equipment Minister announced on 30 Jun 08 that NSL had been contracted for the maintenance of 11 RFA for over £180m. A&P Group are maintaining a further five RFA under a £53m contract. (Source: DNA DEFE