LETTERKENNY ARMY DEPOT, Pa. -- Col. Steven Shapiro, Letterkenny Army Depot commander, and Air Force Col. Daniel Berry, Joint Project Manager - Biological Defense, signed a memorandum of agreement April 14 during a ceremony in building 350.

Maj. Gen. Stephen V. Reeves, the Joint Program executive oficer for Chemical and Biological Defense witnessed the ceremony.

In 2001, LEAD and Edgewood Chemical Biological Center signed a memorandum of understanding for the production of 41 M31A1 Biological Integrated Detection Systems. The success of that effort led the JPM-BD to fund LEAD to produce and modify 77 M31E2 shelters in Fiscal Year 2004 and another 74 shelters in FY05. Since then, LEAD has modified an additional 63 shelters in FY06 and 150 in FY07.

Based on a November 2007 'Make or Buy Analysis', this agreement effectively transfers all remaining M31E2 BIDS assembly work performed by JPM-BD to LEAD. This new workload is expected to result in more than five new jobs and increases workload from $8.7 million in FY07 to $69 million in FY09.

Shapiro gave credit to the workforce during the ceremony. "When you produce a quality product on time and on schedule, it is recognized. Your hard work on BIDS these past few years has resulted in more work coming to Letterkenny".

As directed by JPM-BD, LEAD will provide manufacturing, material handling and storage expertise to assist in the production, fielding, sustainment (and potential retirement) of BIDS.

Letterkenny will begin performance of acceptance testing, and all remaining BIDS assembly and production verification test responsibilities currently performed by JPM-BD, no later than Sept. 30.