By Ann Roosevelt
The Army is revising its acquisition strategy for the potential multi-billion Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV), and though it has cancelled the current request for proposals, a new RFP will soon be issued, service officials said.
“We anticipate that a new RFP will be issued within 60 days, with a total anticipated delay of up to six months before the Army’s award of Technology Development Phase contracts, Paul Mehney, Army Ground Combat Vehicle program spokesman said. ” The Ground Combat Vehicle first production vehicle is still expected to be delivered approximately seven years after the initial contract award.”
The GCV is the Army’s modernization effort replacing the cancelled potential $87 billion manned ground vehicle (MGV) portion of the Future Combat Systems program (Defense Daily, April 7, 2009).
The GCV principles remain the same, Mehney said, the Army wants above all, force protection and survivability, but versatility and mobility are among the characteristics the new vehicle should have.
Teams led by General Dynamics [GD], BAE Systems, and SAIC [SAI] provided proposals by the May 21 RFP closing date. As many as three technology demonstration phase awards were expected in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010. Now the teams await the new RFP.
Mehney said the Army recently partnered with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (OSD AT&L to review the GCV core elements, including acquisition strategy, vehicle capabilities, operational needs, program schedule, cost, performance and technological specifications.
The focus of this Red Team review was to prioritize the vehicle’s achievable capabilities within a seven-year development, which is minimum period of time to properly design, develop and test a new vehicle.
Based on this review, the Army determined that both the acquisition strategy and RFP required changes to meet its program goals. These changes call for the Army’s reliance on mature technologies to develop the vehicle within the established time frame.
The review was part of the continuing effort within DoD to ensure that acquisition programs are effective and affordable, and in this case, meet the needs of soldiers.
Consulting with OSD AT&L, the Army concluded that cancelling and reissuing the RFP was necessary to implement these changes.
Importantly, “while this decision will result in a re-start of the source selection process, these adjustments are expected to avert any significant program modifications and delays in the future,” Mehney said. “These changes will posture the Army to deliver the first production vehicle within seven years from the date of initial contract award.”
This also is in line with Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey’s stated expectation that the new vehicle effort “set the standard” for successful development and acquisition in a time when defense budgets are shrinking (Defense Daily Jan. 15).
The revised Army GCV RFP is to “better ensure an achievable, affordable and timely infantry fighting vehicle,” the Defense Department said in a statement.
The acquisition strategy revision also seeks to mitigate risk over the seven year schedule following the initial contract reward.
Details of the specific RFP changes are still being finalized.