ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Illinois (July 3, 2024) – On March 5, Army Contracting Command – Rock Island awarded a firm-fixed price unpriced change order contract to Olin Winchester, operating contractor of Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. The contract is for Next Generation Squad Weapon – Ammunition Manufacturing Facility construction. This construction contract supports modernization activities at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, a key Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri.
This program is led by the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition at Picatinny Arsenal. The construction contract award is the culmination of an 18-month design activity led by the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, executed by Olin Winchester, and supported by a geographically diverse and cross-functional team of U.S. government teammates and commercial contractor support.
Robert Goetz, the Army’s project management office lead for the Next Generation Squad Weapon -Ammunition Manufacturing Facility, said that the ammunition is a key component of the Next Generation Squad Weapon system.
“Lake City Army Ammunition Plant was identified as the organic industrial base production location for the revolutionary 6.8 mm Next Generation Squad Weapon ammunition,” said Goetz.
Goetz explained that the objective of their design contract was to design a new facility to house state-of-the-art production equipment for the ammunition.
“The production building and process support systems are designed to accommodate best practice manufacturing methods, processes and equipment to provide flexible, sustainable, and maintainable operations,” said Goetz. “Entering the construction phase is a huge program milestone.”
Ben Styvaert, the ACC-RI procuring contracting officer supporting this requirement, stated that one of the most significant contributions the team provided was coordination between stakeholders who came together under a tight schedule for this award. Stakeholders included Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems and Project Director Joint Services, project management offices within the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition, as well as Army Contracting Command-Rock Island, the Joint Munitions Command, and Olin Winchester.
“Coming together to meet a tight schedule, we had timing challenges that we had to work through," said Styvaert. “Regular sync meetings, sometimes occurring daily, really helped us get through those issues. The full commitment of all the stakeholders was key in getting this awarded.”
Throughout the requirement, the team also was assisted by Ryan Breitbach and Megan Villinis, cost price analysts in the ACC-RI Pricing Division. They provided pricing expertise and assisted the contractor in providing an adequate proposal for the Defense Contract Audit Agency as well as to perform a cost analysis.
“We coordinated with the Defense Contract Audit Agency and got them involved early,” said Breitbach. “Megan and I attended several meetings in the procurement planning of this action, and we will continue support this project through definitization.”
Breitbach stated that the support that they provided to this contract was a little unique because it was a construction type effort, and the dollar value was quite large. It required an assist audit on one of Olin Winchester’s major subcontractors.
“The timelines were pretty tight, and this is a highly visible action. This facility when complete will ultimately support the Soldiers and strengthen our military capability,” said Breitbach.
The Next Generation Squad Weapon-Ammunition Manufacturing Facility construction program will be followed by a phased equipping program to integrate state-of-the-art ammunition manufacturing capabilities. The facility will house modern manufacturing systems designed to execute all aspects of the NGSW Ammunition, including metal parts manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls and testing laboratories, maintenance operations, and general use administrative areas.
According to Styvaert, one of the main challenges was aligning schedules and coordinating across multiple stakeholders and multiple programs. For example, preparing the site for the Next Generation Squad Weapon-Ammunition Manufacturing Facility relied on completion of a demolition contract managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
“Aligning schedules to ensure closeout of the demolition contract while preparing for the construction unpriced change order award was key to the team’s success,” said Styvaert.
The U.S. government and Olin Winchester are mobilizing to support construction. Upon completion of the construction and equipping programs, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant will provide high-volume capability within the organic industrial base and utilize state-of-the art manufacturing equipment, processes, facilities, and infrastructure to help fulfill the Army’s future Next Generation Squad Weapon Ammunition requirement. To read more about the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program’s benefit to the Soldier, please visit: https://www.peosoldier.army.mil/Equipment/Equipment-Portfolio/Project-Manager-Soldier-Leathality-Portfolio/Next-Generation-Squad-Weapons-Program/
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