The Army has launched a competition to procure Rifleman Radios. Opened on Jan. 5, the request for proposals will move the Army closer to Full Rate Production for the radio, which is part of the Handheld, Manpack and Small-form Fit (HMS) program.
According to an article at army.mil, the Army plans to award contracts and receive the first radios under them during fiscal 2015. FRP is slated to begin in fiscal 2017.
The full and open competition will result in contracts for multiple vendors, creating a “radio marketplace,” according to the Army. Winning vendors will then compete for individual delivery orders.
“The full and open competition gives all vendors the opportunity to participate as we work together to deliver the most technologically-advanced and user-friendly radios for Soldiers,” said COL James Ross, project manager for tactical radios, quoted in the article. “Our goal is to field radios that not only consistently improve their capabilities, but also get simpler for soldiers to operate.”
The IDIQ contract will have a five-year base ordering period with an optional five-year extension.
