Army issues its first RFP supporting the Network Integration Evaluation
- By Defense Systems Staff
- Dec 21, 2012
The Army is looking for mature solutions to support a vehicle tactical router need, and to participate in the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 14.1 event scheduled to take place in October-November 2013 at Fort Bliss, TX, and White Sands Missile Range, NM. This marks the first RFP to support the NIE events, according to the System of Systems Integration Directorate (SoSI), which is issuing the RFP.
The RFP is anticipated to be a multiple, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity task order contract with a base order and potential for future orders for production and related support.
Industry will be expected to provide vehicle tactical routers and engineering/field service support for laboratory network integration and laboratory based risk reduction, as well as NIE activities to include: equipment training; assisting in the physical, electronic, software and data integration of the vehicle tactical router with emerging and existing equipment; and assisting in the preparatory communications exercise to verify connectivity of the equipment to be used in the exercise and trial run.
In addition to the RFP, the Army plans to issue a broad Sources Sought notice in early January 2013 to supplement NIE 14.1 assessments. The NIE 14.1 Sources Sought capability gaps to be released include: brigade and battalion command post mobility, operational energy, integrated trouble ticketing, small unit in-garrison training, and aerial layer network extension, air-ground network architecture and enterprise-wide trouble ticket improvements.
“NIE 14.1 will allow the Army to assess these broad gaps, and then provide lessons learned to target requirements as we enter NIE 14.2, which is planned to be the first Joint Service NIE construct,” said Colonel Robert Carpenter, SoSI director in a statement.
The Army will hold an Industry Day on January 9, 2013 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, to keep the industrial base informed of timelines, event status and integration information for NIE 14.1.