ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (November 24, 2014) -- With a focus on transparency in future contracting opportunities, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) held an installation-wide Advanced Planning Briefing for Industry (APBI) last week.
The third annual APBI, which took place at the APG Post Theater with more than 900 in attendance, laid out potential contract awards aligned with technology roadmaps for each organization at APG, concentrating on Fiscal Year 2015 and 2016 opportunities.
The APBI brought together small and large businesses with representatives of each APG organization to provide detailed information on potential Army contracting opportunities. The event also offered the opportunity for industry representatives to ask questions about the various contracts.
With new technologies rapidly emerging in the commercial environment, this exchange of information served as a vehicle to continue the advancement of solutions, ideas, capabilities and efficiencies, APG leaders said.
Maj. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, commanding general of the Communications-Electronics Command at APG, said "open dialogue and trust" between the Army and industry partners is critical to future modernization.
"Our competitive advantage continues to be our people, and the relationship we share with our industry partners," he said. "If we want to continue that competitive advantage, we've got to continue to talk to each other so industry can get the predictability they're looking for, and we get the agility we're looking for."
Industry was briefed on opportunities for mission areas focused on: Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR); Research and Development/Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E); Chemical/Biological Defense (CBD); and Baltimore District Corps of Engineers/APG Garrison.
In response to industry feedback following last year's event, APG representatives enhanced networking opportunities between industry and organization leaders at this year's APBI by beefing up details on business opportunities and making it easier for small businesses to participate and provide input.
According to federal law, each executive agency with contract actions with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000,000 in a fiscal year shall prepare a forecast of expected contract opportunities to industry each year. The APBI goes one step further by offering a face-to-face event to enhance the partnership between APG and industry leaders as they continue to deliver state-of-the-art capabilities and support to Soldiers.
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