Contact: Josh Davidson, PEO C3T: 443 395 6488, joshua.b.davidson.civ@mail.mil

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (April 16, 2012) -- The U.S. Army hosted an industry day on April 13, 2012 at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) to discuss its Solider Radio Waveform (SRW) Appliqué radio procurement.

The industry day was attended by 66 people representing 19 different companies.

Industry participants had the opportunity to discuss the acquisition timeline and ask questions of Army experts regarding the Performance Work Statement (PWS) released April 3, 2012. The Army collected these comments and questions and will use them to inform its approach to the final PWS and forthcoming Request For Proposals (RFP), to ensure those documents include the necessary information and reflect current technology.

The industry day was hosted by the Program Executive Office for Command, Control Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T), Product Manager Network Systems (PdM NS).

"This event was an important step in the procurement process for SRW Appliqué, which will be a vital link to voice and data for the dismounted Soldier," said Lt. Col. Troy Crosby, product manager for Network Systems. "The Army provided industry partners with our expectations for the technology necessary to meet the defined capability gap, as well as the role of SRW Appliqué in the larger, integrated tactical communications network for Capability Set 13. We also discussed the acquisition timeline for this procurement, and responded to industry questions about the Performance Work Statement. It was a productive exchange of information that will benefit both the Army and industry as we move forward to buy and field this capability."

The industry day was part of the Army's first procurement action resulting from the Network Integration Evaluations (NIE) and Agile Process, a new quick-reaction acquisition methodology to address defined capability gaps and insert new technologies into the overall network at a lower cost. This approach will accelerate the pace of network modernization to a rate unachievable by traditional acquisition strategies.

In February, the Army issued a "sources sought" notice for the single-channel, vehicle mounted SRW Appliqué radios. Ten responses were received, and the Army will continue to work with industry in preparation for RFP release.

The industry day was open to any interested vendor, regardless of whether they have participated in an NIE or submitted a response to the sources sought.

The Army plans to buy approximately 5,000 of the vehicle-mounted radios, with a smaller number to be fielded as part of Capability Set 13, the first integrated group of network technologies that will be fielded to Army brigade combat teams starting in fiscal year 2013. Recently conducted NIEs confirmed an operational need for these single channel radios.

Running the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) SRW waveform, the radios will transmit information between the squad- and team-level JTRS Rifleman Radio and the Army's larger tactical communications network. They will act as a conduit for voice and data between the dismounted Soldier, his unit and higher headquarters, increasing situational awareness and reducing fratricide.

SRW Appliqué is intended as an interim solution until the two-channel, vehicle-mounted component of the JTRS Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) family of radios is approved for fielding. The Rifleman Radio is also part of the HMS program.

SRW Appliqué is distinct from the Army's separate effort under the Agile Process to procure a JTRS Ground Mobile Radio (GMR) replacement, known as the Mid-Tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR).

For detailed information on the industry day, please visit: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunitydf0469ee541df6877d2e51afb7ffc07b46c421d1e7b2865393709128b7125723b169b895e83e83a0e8dfcd4a70b8c175e043e864bc82e034d65b0e2e81bc3a89mode=formdf0469ee541df6877d2e51afb7ffc07b46c421d1e7b2865393709128b7125723b169b895e83e83a0e8dfcd4a70b8c175e043e864bc82e034d65b0e2e81bc3a89id=ac0ce5450b7631eeb295a3d9de2db19edf0469ee541df6877d2e51afb7ffc07b46c421d1e7b2865393709128b7125723b169b895e83e83a0e8dfcd4a70b8c175e043e864bc82e034d65b0e2e81bc3a89tab=coredf0469ee541df6877d2e51afb7ffc07b46c421d1e7b2865393709128b7125723b169b895e83e83a0e8dfcd4a70b8c175e043e864bc82e034d65b0e2e81bc3a89_cview=0