Navy approaches industry to help safeguard attacking Marines from beach-based mines
PANAMA CITY, Fla., 17 Dec. 2006. U.S. Navy officials are looking for a prime defense contractor to develop the Counter-Mine System (CMS), which will use a precision-guidedstandoff weapon to destroy surface and buried mines on the beach.
The CMS will be programmed prior to launch, and is to clear buried and proud mines in the surf and beach zones in support of amphibious landings by U.S. Marines or other attacking forces. Navy officials want this capability in place by 2015.
Researchers at the The Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City, Fla. released a sources-sought announcement Dec. 16 looking only for prime contractors to propose plans for building a CMS. The federal solicitation number is N6133107QMH01.
The overall plan is to integrate the future CMS into the Assault Breaching System (ABS) of Systems. Security on this project is tight, and the Navy requires interested contractors to have personnel and facilities cleared to secret levels of security.
Navy leaders will release a draft solicitation on the CMS project for industry comment in spring 2007.
For now, however, the Navy is asking interested companies to show recent experience in counter-mine systems, and an ability to operate within an integrated process and product development environment that uses joint government and contractor integrated product teams.
Interested companies also have experience with explosive mine countermeasures or explosive weapons on aircraft.
Companies that want to participate should respond to this solicitation no later than 16 Jan. 2007 with documentation showing the necessary capabilities.
To respond, companies should contact the Navy's John Hutton by e-mail at [email protected], by phone at 850-234-4289, or by post care of NSWC PC Code E33, 110 Vernon Ave., Panama City, Fla. 32407.
For more information, this solicitation is online at http://www.ncsc.navy.mil/Contracts/Hines/SS_07QMH01.htm.