Calling All Radio Suppliers

The U.S. Army is conducting a full and open competition to acquire more quantities of the Rifleman Radio and also will soon open competition for purchasing additional Manpack radios. The draft request for proposals (RFP) seeking solutions from all industry partners for the Rifleman is now available, and an informational industry day will be followed by the release of the formal RFP.

The goal of the new competitions is to decrease costs, increase overall system functionality and reduce the size, weight and power requirements of the radios. One key component is to enable soldiers to communicate from the small unit level to the individual dismounted warfighter. The full and open competition includes technical and field tests of the solutions that current and new industry partners propose.

An indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a five-year ordering period is expected to be awarded to a single vendor for the Rifleman Radio, Army officials say. The service plans to conduct a follow-on competition within the next three to five years for the next generation of the radio, they add.

Contract awards for both radios are scheduled for fiscal year 2014.