The U.S. Army will be holding an “industry day” on Oct. 1, 2010, in Dearborn, Mich., in an effort to clarify the new emerging requirements for its Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program.
According to a Sept. 22, 2010, announcement, the upcoming “briefing to industry” will “familiarize industry partners on the GCV requirement changes from the previous RFP [Request for Proposals] and promote understanding and networking among potential program participants.”
“The Army is committed to the Ground Combat Vehicle program as a necessary means to provide mobile protection for Soldiers against modern combat threats,” it reads. “The Army recently partnered with DOD to review the Ground Combat Vehicle core elements, including vehicle capabilities, operational needs, program schedule, cost, performance and technological specifications. The focus of this ‘Red Team’ review was to prioritize the vehicle’s achievable capabilities within a seven-year development, which is [the] minimum period of time to properly design, develop and test a new vehicle. Based on these reviews, the Army determined that the acquisition strategy and RFP required changes to meet its program goals. These changes call for the Army’s reliance on mature technologies to develop the vehicle within the established timeframe. In consultation with DoD, the Army concluded that cancellation and issuance of the new RFP was necessary to implement these changes. While this decision will result in a re-start of the contractor selection process, these adjustments are expected to avert any significant program modifications in the future.”
Noting that attendance at the event “is voluntary and is not required to submit a proposal,” the announcement stresses that no draft or actual solicitation will be released prior to or at this event. Rather, the upcoming briefing is designed to enhance industry understanding of the GCV proposal requirements, familiarize industry with the Army’s “vision” for the Ground Combat Vehicle, review the acquisition strategy, and “promote discussion of the synergistic capabilities among potential industry partners.“