Oshkosh Defense [OSK] said Friday it was “disappointed” to lose the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) re-compete contract, and said it’s pursuing a debrief on the source selection decision.
The company did not confirm whether it plans to protest the Army’s award of the JLTV follow-on production contract to
AM General.
“We were disappointed to learn the government’s decision,” Oshkosh Defense said in a statement to Defense Daily. “As the incumbent manufacturer, only Oshkosh’s JLTV proposal leveraged substantial JLTV experience and established infrastructure, while providing best-in-class upgrades to the JLTV platform.”
The Army announced on Thursday it awarded the potential 10-year, $8.7 billion re-compete production contract to AM General, which may cover delivery of up to 20,682 JLTVs and up to 9,883 JLTV Trailers (Defense Daily, Feb. 9).
“We are humbled and honored to receive this contract and continue our strong partnership with the U.S. Armed Forces. The effort that we put into our winning proposal is testament to our commitment to serve those who serve to protect us” Jim Cannon, AM General’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “It was with the warfighters in mind that we set out to not only demonstrate our world-class manufacturing capabilities, but also to integrate innovative solutions into the JLTV so they receive the best product for their mission.”
AM General received an initial $230.9 million JLTV production order from the Army, with deliveries expected to begin within 17 months.
Oshkosh Defense won the original JLTV competition in 2015 and noted it has delivered more than 19,000 vehicles and 3,500 trailers to date.
The Army owns the JLTV’s data package, and the Program Executive Office Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS) said the competition “focused on a best value determination that includes retaining the capability of the JLTV today, while ensuring that it can be upgraded in the future with the latest technologies.”
“The JLTV follow-on contract strategy was designed to provide a fair and competitive environment, while ensuring the Army obtained a premier manufacturer that delivers the highest quality, most capable, and affordable tactical vehicle in the world,” PEO CS&CSS said in a statement announcing Thursday’s award. “Effective competition is the critical element for controlling cost and maximizing buying power for the government. The JLTV engagement strategy with industry has been very successful in establishing executable timelines, adding mature technology insertions, and providing transparency throughout the process to allow contractors to make individual business decisions”