Army Awards JLTV Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase contracts

By Mark Barbes, PEO CS&CSS Strategic CommunicationsAugust 22, 2012

Warren, Mich. -- Aug. 22, 2012 - The U.S. Army, today, announced the selection of three Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) firm-fixed contracts, approximately totaling $185 million dollars, for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Family of Vehicles (FoV). JLTV is a joint Army and U.S. Marine Corps program, with the Army designated as the lead service.

The three companies awarded under the full and open competition process are AM General, LLC (South Bend, Ind.), Lockheed Martin Corporation (Grand Prairie, Texas), and Oshkosh Corporation (Oshkosh, Wis.).

These awards are incrementally funded, firm-fixed price contracts for a 27 month period of performance. The full values of these awards include both the base contract effort (capped at $65M) and an evaluated, unexercised Level of Effort (LOE) option price. Approximately $99.5M was obligated for the three contractors for this action, with initial funding of approximately $28M - $36M for each contractor. The balance of the funding, up to full base contract amount, will be provided in FY13 and FY14.

The awards have been synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (https://www.fbo.gov) and ProcNet ACC- Warren Procurement Network (http://contracting.tacom.army.mil/majorsys/jltv_emd/jltv_emd.htm ) websites.

The JLTV FOV will provide vehicles, along with companion trailers, capable of performing multiple mission roles while providing protected, sustained, and networked mobility for personnel and payloads across the full spectrum of military operations.

"In developing the requirements for this new vehicle we collaborated closely with the Marine Corps and Industry, incorporating the collective lessons learned over the past decade of war. I am confident when all is said and done we will achieve the most capable, affordable vehicle that optimizes performance, payload, and Soldier protection in our light tactical vehicle fleet for the future," said Gen. Lloyd Austin, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

"This award is a significant milestone that brings JLTV closer to fruition, and reflects very successful collaboration between the Army and Marine Corps. Our teamwork will provide another much needed capability to both Soldiers and Marines while keeping cost and requirements in line," said Lt. Gen. William Phillips, Military Deputy/Director, Army Acquisition Corps, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology).

The contract awards follow the Department of Defense's formal approval of the JLTV program to enter the EMD phase. The EMD phase for the JLTV program is scheduled to last 33 months. EMD Contracts include delivery of 22 full-up prototypes (to be delivered starting 12 months after contract award) and contractor support to the comprehensive 14 month Government test program (blast, automotive, user evaluation).

"We were very pleased with the robust industry response to the JLTV RFP. The source selection team worked diligently through the large volume of proposals submitted to ensure that the partners chosen for the EMD phase gave the Services the best opportunity possible to take the next step in filling the critical capability gaps within the light tactical vehicle fleet," said Mr. Kevin Fahey, Program Executive Officer for Combat Support and Combat Service Support.

"The EMD contract awards reinforce the successful joint effort between the Services on JLTV. The strong Army-Marine Corps partnership recognizes that synergy is imperative in this austere budgetary environment, and is committed to the success of JLTV in filling the critical capability gap that exists in both Services' Light Tactical Vehicle fleets," said Mr. William Taylor, Program Executive Officer Land Systems Marine Corps.

The JLTV program is aligned under the management of the U.S. Army's Joint Program Office - JLTV (JPO JLTV) which falls under the leadership of the Program Executive Office for Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS). As the central component of the Army's and Marine Corps' Tactical Wheeled Vehicles strategy, JLTV will enhance the Services' mix of tactical vehicles by providing a balanced vehicle solution -- performance, payload and protection -- with increased transportability and expeditionary mobility over current tactical vehicle systems. Capability gaps found within the existing tactical vehicle fleet are the result of an imbalance in protection, payload and performance within a transportable vehicle.