The first lesson of economics is scarcity. When supply is low and demand high, prices soar, and some will go without. In the U.S. Defense Department, both the demands and costs for reliable, resilient, and robust communication services continue to grow. As the services consider options to privatize aspects of communication, both the opportunities and challenges require thorough consideration.
communication
February 19, 2020
Client Solution Architects LLC, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $7,560,402 modification to a previously-awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee task order issued by the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command. This modification increases the value of the basic contract by $7,560,402; the contract's new total value is $26,964,672. This modification provides for the exercise of a cost-plus-fixed-fee option for an additional year of acquisition management, program management and integrated logistics support services for the Undersea Communications and Integration Program Office.
Augusts 22, 2019
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $34,872,647 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for up to 505,560 man-hours of technical, engineering, operations and maintenance support for communication-electronic equipment/systems and subsystems. These services are in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Special Communications Mission Solutions Division. Work will be performed at various locations outside the continental U.S.
August 1, 2019
To say Leonard Rokaw has witnessed the communication revolution would be an understatement. When he first joined the Signal Corps in 1942, he relied on semaphore flags and homing pigeons to communicate.
The WWII veteran is incredibly well-spoken and has a lot to say about the changes he’s witnessed in his 97 and a half years of life.
Though he only served three years in uniform, he spent his career as a civilian working at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Home of the Signal Corps Laboratories and later the Signal Corps Center, Fort Monmouth has had its hand in every bit of communication technology we use today, says Rokaw.
June 19, 2019
The U.S. Army chose New York-based Persistent Systems Wave Relay mobile ad hoc networking technology (MANET) to equip the Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) program of record. The company will be part of the QinetiQ North America (QNA) team supporting the CRS(I) program. The Army made the selection in March, the company reported.
Weighing less than 25 pounds, the CRS(I) is a backpackable robot that dismounted users can carry with sensor suites for viewing and detecting threats to improve situational awareness on the battlefield.
March 5, 2019
DRS Systems Inc., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $29,556,100 modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price material contract N65236-15-C-1007 with performance based cost-plus-fixed-fee provisions for design and system engineering support services. This modification extends the contract period of performance, increases the contract estimated ceiling by $29,556,100, and changes the cumulative estimated value of the contract from $54,094,742 to $83,651,029. This contract is for interior communication systems material support to U.S. naval vessels. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by February 2022.
January 30, 2019
When the Department of Defense (DOD) launched its Everything Over IP initiative nearly 10 years ago the focus was to bring traditional telecommunications technology—phone calls, streaming video and even faxes—to the digital world.
At that time, unified communications (UC), especially in the government workplace, was a relatively new concept. Remember, this was a time when voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones were still seen as cutting edge. Now, though, UC has become not just a business tool, but a strategic offering that can connect employees in disparate locations, including the frontlines.
October 1, 2018
By some measures, Dana Deasy, U.S. Defense Department chief information officer, has made a lot of progress in a little amount of time. He has developed an overarching digital modernization strategy, created a cyber working group, reviewed the department’s plans for implementing an enterprise-scale cloud computing architecture, and is leading an effort to establish a Joint Artificial Intelligence Center.
August 8, 2018
Government Marketing & Procurement LLC,* Wimberley, Texas, was awarded an $18,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to deliver, install, configure, engineer, furnish, and test hardware for the Vocera Wireless Hands-Free Communications Systems and supporting hardware/software infrastructure for Defense Health Agency facilities. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of August 1, 2023. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-18-D-0024). *Small Business
February 8, 2017
Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, is being awarded an $11,778,274 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide communications and interoperability for integrated fires in support of the Office of Naval Research. The future naval capability will develop networking and communications enhancements to enable next-generation sensor netting, electromagnetic maneuver warfare and integrated fires across the force. Work will be performed in St. Petersburg, Florida (35 percent); Largo, Florida (29 percent); El Segundo, California (27 percent); and Tewksbury, Massachusetts (9 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2020.
January 18, 2017
A communications network management software solution deployed last year across the U.S. Army has proven to drastically reduce network downtime as soldiers operate in an increasingly complex command post environment.
Army and civilian communicators and network specialists, untrained on PacStar’s IQ-Core Software, configured and managed complex networking equipment up to 10 times faster than comparable manual methods and with nine times fewer errors, according to an independent research firm’s report released today.
November 15, 2016
To obtain mission success, the U.S. military must maintain an emphasis on distributed operations that rely heavily on technological capabilities offered through cyberspace, said Brig. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh, USMC, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific.
Brig. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh: today's operational environment is as dangerous and complex as it has ever been.#AFCEATechNet
— George Seffers (@gseffers) November 15, 2016
June 17, 2016
Recent disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Sandy have demonstrated the importance of improving the nation’s emergency communications infrastructure at all levels of government. Ensuring consistent, uninterrupted communications during a disaster, and the days immediately following, is essential to an organization’s ability to meet mission-critical response requirements. Unfortunately, communications infrastructures easily fall victim to physical damage, leaving personnel and emergency responders unable to effectively communicate.
September 2, 2015
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,890,740 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Shared Spectrum Access for Radar and Communications (SSPARC) program (Coexistence Phase 2). The contractor will continue research in the area of spectrum sharing between radar and communications systems to build on prior work carried out in the coexistence thrust of Phase 1. Fiscal 2015 research and development funds in the amount of $5,352,607 are being obligated at the time of award.
March 13, 2015
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It’s a busy telecommuting day, and emails are pouring in faster than you can respond … and the phone rings … beep … it’s a recorded message. Or it’s been a long day, but dinner is done and smells great … and then phone rings … beep … it’s a recorded message. Or you’ve been waiting for a call all day and the phone finally rings … and it does, but instead of the person you’ve been waiting to hear from … beep … it’s a sales person from a company you don’t know. You get the idea.
November 21, 2014
A mobile operations fusion kit that provides easy, rapid and on-the-go interoperability for mobile field operations and communications will be developed in European and Middle Eastern military markets as well as in the United States.
C2UK Ltd. and Mutualink Incorporated partnered to further develop and circulate the communications-based product portfolio. Overseas, C2UK will leverage the state-of-the-art, secure communications and information-sharing technology, expanding the companies’ global reach, particularly of command and control (C2) systems.
April 5, 2011
ITT Systems Corporation, Colorado Springs, Colorado, was recently awarded a more than $96 million contract for the operation and maintenance of communication facilities, systems and equipment in Southwest and Central Asia and Africa. Work will be performed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar and Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2012. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, is the contracting activity.
