The Pentagon yesterday awarded more than $1.2 billion in contracts to three companies for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.

International Military and Government LLC (IMG) was the big winner receiving a contract an awarded of $509.24 million for 1,000 MRAP Category I Low Rate Initial Production vehicles, according to the Pentagon.

Work will be performed in West Point, Miss., and work is expected to be completed April 2008.

Category I is a MRAP vehicle used by the Marine Corps and other forces for convoy operations.

Force Protection Industries, Inc. was awarded $376.644 million for 553 MRAP Category I vehicles and 247 MRAP Category II vehicles and vehicle sustainment Integrated Logistic Support.

The work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and is expected to be completed by April 2008.

BAE SYSTEMS was awarded $278.44 million for the purchase of 399 MRAP Category II vehicles and 112 MRAP Category II Ambulance Variant vehicles.

Work will be performed in York, Pa., and work is expected to be completed by April 2008. BAE also received a separate award of $44.33 million for 89 MRAP Category I United States Special Operations Command Variants and vehicle sustainment Integrated Logistic Support. The work will be performed in York and is expected to be completed by March 2008.

All of the contracts were competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.