M110 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle Sysyem (M110 SASS) (Photo Credit: Marie Berberea)
The M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (M110 SASS) is classified as a Small Arms System. It is a medium caliber sniper rifle used in close-combat situations such as urban areas. The M110 includes a suppressor, 3.5×10 scope with illuminated Mil Dot Reticle. It also comes with a M151 Enhanced Spotting Scope that allows recognition and identification of targets at long distances. The spotting scope has 12-40x magnification with a 60mm objective lens diameter. The M110 is used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines. In addition several other countries use and obtain the M110 SASS through Foreign Military Sales (FMS).
Mil Dot Reticle in a sniper rifle. The Mil-Dot pattern is utilized when laser range finders are nonfunctioning or unable to be utilized. Snipers basic skills include the ability to calculate distance without a laser range finger. (Photo Credit: Lance Cpl. Reece E. Lodder)
M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (M110 SASS) details:
TM 9-1005-342-10 – Operator’s Manual for M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS)
TM 9-1005-342-23&P – Field Maintenance including Repair Parts and Special Tools List (RPSTL) for M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS)
Weapon Status:
Completed fielding of 2,083 total systems fiscal year 2016-2018
The M110 System is currently in the operation and sustainment phase, fiscal years 2019-2023
Major Contractors of the M110 Sniper Rifle:
Knight’s Armament Co – Manufacturer of the rifle.
Leupold & Stevens Inc. – Manufacturer of the rifle scope.
Contractor Details:
Knight’s Armament Company is a manufacturer, machine shop and research and development facility manufacturing complete weapon systems such as guns, rifles and accessories. Their CAGE code is 1S002; primary business classification NAICS code 332994 small arms manufacturing; listed Federal Supply Classes (FSC’s) 1005, 1240 and K010 – Guns, through 30mm, Optical sighting and ranging equipment, and Modification of weapons.
According to BidLink procurement history records Knight’s Armament Company has had several government contracts for the new manufacture of the M110 as well as repair and overhaul contracts.
Government contract activity for Knight’s Armament Company goes back to the year 1984 with relatively low competition on contract awards they win.
Leupold & Stevens Inc is a manufacturer, machine shop and research and development facility manufacturing a variety of Telescopic sights, Optical instruments, Spotting scopes, Rifle Scopes, Rangefinders, Ballistic reticles, Binoculars and accessories. Their CAGE code is 35848; primary business classification NAICS code 332994 small arms manufacturing. With over 650 employees they are a mid-sized business.
According to BidLink procurement history records Leupold & Stevens has had several government contracts for Optical instruments, Spotting scopes and Rifle Scopes with activity back to the year 1984 with relatively low competition on the government contract awards they win.
Where do I find Government contracts or solicitations relating to the M110 or related guns?
The Government Contracting Office issuing Solicitations and Contracts for buys, repairs and overhauls for the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) is:
Contracting Office: Project Manager Soldier Weapons
Contracting Office Code: W15QKN
Contracting Office Name: Army Contracting Command (ACC-NJ)
Contracting Office Address: Building 10 Phipps Road, Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000
Try searching at www.bidlink.net
BidLink has been a leading provider of DOD procurement research tools and data for the past 20 years. Find defense contracts, solicitations, sources for items, and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
Spoiler Actuator for B-52H Stratofortress (U.S. Air Force photo – Micaiah Anthony)
An actuator is essentially a device that converts energy into a motion. Actuators can be simple assemblies built from a grouping of parts like brackets, cylinders, gears and ball screws. The entire assembly usually built for a specific purpose is known as the actuator. They run on a variety power sources all depending the available power source such as electric, air, or hydraulic oil. The device is used to move, push or pull something and is usually part of a larger assembly such as an aircraft wing.
One example of an actuator in use is the action of your hand and fingers moving to picking up an object. Your hand is actually a very complex actuator. However the type of actuators we will be talking about are mechanical, nonhuman ones specifically what the Department of Defense (DOD) buys. Companies with any manufacturing expertise should explore producing actuators for the DOD as some of the items we reviewed only one manufacturer was listed, they were Sole Source.
Where are actuators used?
The actuators that DOD buys are used in items such as Aircraft, UAV’s, Drones, Engines Missiles, Vehicles, Tractors, Cranes, Ships, Brakes, etc.
In our everyday life we use actuators in our homes and vehicles. Your washing machines’ spin/agitator action relies on an actuator. Engine actuators, brake actuators, tailgate actuators, windshield wiper actuators and mirror actuators are all used in your car. Actuators are basically devices used to move, push, pull, open and close things.
The U.S. Military, Department of Defense buys actuators and plenty of them. Uses include the above mentioned ones plus others such as Aileron actuators, Gun actuators, Aircraft actuators, and Motor actuators. As the Military equipment gets used and abused actuators either need to be replaced or repaired. Unlike most household items much of the U.S. Military equipment is very expensive with life spans approaching 50 years, so the process of repairing consumes spare parts such as actuators.
Actuator Motions
Actuators provide two basic types of motion linear or rotational motion. Actuators provide two basic types of motion linear or rotational motion. An Air/Hydraulic cylinder could be pushed and pulled; a rotary Ball screw/Lead screw can be turned by an electric motor.
Commonly used Actuators
Some common types of actuators are: Electro-mechanical actuators, Hydraulic-pneumatic actuators, Mechanical actuators, Electro-pneumatic actuators, Explosive actuators, Piezoelectric actuators.
Types of Actuators the Defense Department Buys
The Department of Defense uses a variety of actuator types on various platforms such as Aircraft, Ships, Systems, and Vehicles. For this article we decided to discuss a few types of actuators the Department of Defense is currently buying. We did some quick research in BidLink.net to find a few current open government solicitations to review, try it for yourself. After looking at a few interesting open solicitations for actuators we then reviewed all the past procurement history (contract history) for each of the NSN’s as well as related data found in BidLink, look below to see what we found.
The four categories of actuators we decided to review were: Linear hydraulic-pneumatic actuators, Rotary electro-mechanical actuators, a Parking brake actuator assembly and a Spring brake actuator. These 4 items were just a sample of what we found.
Linear actuator example. This Stabilizer trim actuator is used in the tail of a KC-135R Stratotanker. It controls the horizontal stabilizer, pilots it to adjust the pitch, or up and down movement, of the aircraft’s nose. Photo – Dakota Bergl
Linear Actuator
A simple example of a linear actuator in use by the U.S Marines is for the opening of a 500 pound vehicle rear door on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protection (MRAP) Buffalo vehicle. This specific actuator is a linear electric actuator. When DOD purchases this item they use the official Item Name: Actuator, Electro-Mechanical, Linear. When searching for government solicitations knowing what DOD calls the item “The official name” is essential in either researching past government contract awards or bid searching.
Linear hydraulic-pneumatic actuator
This NSN 4810-01-620-4341 (part number 3847AS286-1) is a linear hydraulic-pneumatic actuator currently being sold to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Maritime hardware and electrical division by a by a broker of military parts. This item is used with the Navy’s Ground Support Equipment (GSE).
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According to BidLink NSN records the approved manufacturer is Carolina Growler CAGE code 550C1. They supplied the part direct to DOD back in the year 2014 under two separate contracts. Since then from 2015 till today the part has been sold to the DOD by only one broker. Pricing has risen steadily for three years and skyrocketed in the past two years, now costing 3 times more than what the manufacturer charged when they sold it direct to DOD in 2014. See graph below for details.
Graph showing sales of an actuator sold to the Department of Defense directly by the manufacturer; then a broker takes over the sales and prices steadily increase. This specific example is for a linear hydraulic-pneumatic actuator NSN 4810-01-620-4341. This is not a unique case as we have seen this happen with other items.
What are some possible reasons for such a dramatic price increase?
Did the price for this NSN 4810-01-620-4341 go up due to material costs?
Is the item manufactured by only one company is it a sole source item? While working on another article we saw this same dramatic price hike on another NSN from the same broker.
Is there no competition?
These are the some of the questions that the data will answer.
What could some potential outcomes be after looking at the data?
DOD might look for new companies to manufacture this item.
New Manufacturers might consider becoming a new source for this item.
Current Solicitations for NSN 4810-01-620-4341
This linear hydraulic-pneumatic actuator is ordered several times per year at varying quantities. Last week a government solicitation was posted asking for a quantity of 22 pieces. Will a new manufacturer start producing this item or will the price rise again?
Sole Source Items
When items are “Sole Source” one effect can be price increases due to no competition. Some companies look at items with no competition as potential business opportunities for them. The Department of Defense does not want items with only one source. They are constantly looking for new sources; manufacturers with specific skills should be on the lookout for items like these.
Rotary electro-mechanical actuator
This Rotary actuator NSN 3010-01-316-0190 U.S. Army part number 12285327-1 is actively being purchased by the Department of Defense. A complete drawing package is available from the DOD for any manufacturer interested in making this item. BidLink contract procurement history records show the same manufacturer has been winning contracts for this item for the past 5 years. There is currently an open solicitation for this NSN 3010-01-316-0190 with potential contract value over $100,000.00
This item is used on a few different U.S. Army and U.S. Marine tanks.
Parking brake actuator assembly
This NSN 2530-01-568-0031 part number TG404-0819 from HDT Expeditionary Systems/DHS Technologies is parking brake actuator assembly used by the U.S. Army as part of their Trailer Mounted Support System (TMSS) Generator/Power Plant Utility. This is one of the many shelter systems the U.S. Army uses when setting up Tactical Operations Center or TOCs all over the world when they deploy. It’s pulled by a HMMWV and if you go camping you’ll want one of these. It’s basically a full size tent complete with AC Generator, HVAC unit and electric outlets included all mounted on a trailer. In fact you might have seen one on display if you live in Laredo, Texas. The Department of Defense gave the Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division one of these setups in May of 2018.
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land and Maritime Vehicle support division is currently looking for new sources of this item and they say there is an annual demand quantity of 41. The last contract price we show in April 2019 was around $2,000.00 each. All the DOD suppliers shown in our recent procurement history for this were all brokers.
Trailer Mounted Support System (TMSS)TG200-1000T. The Parking brake actuator assembly NSN 2530-01-568-0031 is used on the Trailer Mounted Support System (TMSS) above.
Spring Brake Actuator
The NSN 2530-01-483-3949 is a Spring brake actuator used on the 2.5 Ton Multi-Purpose Vehicle Trailer. It’s a combination an air operated braking device that performs the functions of service braking and emergency or park braking. One section of the device functions as a brake chamber and the other section uses a heavy duty spring, piston, and diaphragms.
This current open solicitation SPE7L1-19-T-210B for this NSN 2530-01-483-3949 closes next week is for a quantity 145 pieces. DOD has a complete set of drawings for any company to review. This current solicitation for spring brake actuators is also a Hubzone Set-Aside.
Past Procurement history shows a mix of distributors/brokers and OEM selling this item. Companies like Oshkosh and Haldex make parts like this, however since DOD has a complete set of drawings any company with manufacturing capabilities could become a new source for this item.
In this review we uncovered opportunities for manufacturers of brake components and vehicle parts. In addition the review of the data showed us other potential trends and opportunities. We only looked at 4 parts today, the Department of Defense posts thousands of new solicitations per day for parts they need.
Time spent researching; going beyond just simple bid searching can lead to new opportunities for your company to sell to DOD. Asking questions like who sold the item in the past? Is the company a manufacturer or a broker? What other parts do they make? Where are those items used? These are some of the questions you should ask while reviewing the data. You might find new directions or new product lines your company can produce.
BidLink has been a leading provider of DOD procurement research tools and data for the past 20 years. Find defense contracts, solicitations, sources for items, and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
The U.S. Government purchases supplies and services in a variety of ways such as posting solicitations for supplies or services they need to places like FedBizopps or DIBBS. They also purchase items, micro purchases directly from companies using their Government credit card.
U.S. Government Credit Cards
Does the government use credit cards?
Yes, the U.S. Government has used purchase cards (IMPACT cards, Credit cards) for over 30 years to buy supplies and services. The Government Purchase Card (GPC) program was created in the late 1980’s as a way for federal agencies to streamline the acquisition process by providing the end user an efficient way to obtain goods and services directly from vendors rather than processing request through Government procurement offices. The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1998 said by October 1, 2000, “at least 90 percent of all eligible purchases made by the Department of Defense for an amount less than the micro-purchase threshold shall be made through streamlined micro-purchase procedures”.
What is an IMPACT card?
International Merchant Purchase Authorization Card
What is a micro purchase?
A micro purchase according the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is “an acquisition of supplies or services using simplified acquisition procedures, the aggregate amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold”.
What is the micro purchase threshold 2019?
The micro purchase threshold according to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) as of May 2019 is $3,500. There are some exceptions – see Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 2 – Definitions of Words and Terms https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-2-definitions-words-and-terms
Contract for Credit Card Services
The General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Office of Acquisition Operations, Office of Travel, Motor Vehicles and Card Services (QMA) recently awarded two $700 Billion dollar contracts for the GSA SmartPay program.
GSA SmartPay Details:
What is SmartPay?
The SmartPay program is the largest government-wide charge card services program in the world. It is run by the General Services Administration (GSA) a department of the U.S. Government. It is said to support more than 560 agencies/organizations around the globe. In fiscal year 2016 U.S. Government agencies/organizations spent $28.5 billion using the GSA SmartPay purchase card.
GSA established the SmartPay program in 1998 and the current program name is SmartPay 3. Over the past 21 years the program has evolved and grown. The previous master contracts were under the name SmartPay 2 which ended in 2018.
GSA SmartPay covers four main areas: Fleet, Travel, Purchase and Integrated solutions.
Fleet: Fueling and maintenance of vehicles, boats, planes or equipment.
Travel: Travel such as Airfare, car rentals, lodging and meals.
Purchase: Day-to-day business purchases necessary to run an organization.
Integrated solutions
Interesting SmartPay Facts:
In December 2018 there were close to 3.3 Million government credit card holders under the GSA’s SmartPay program.
In November 2018 the Department of Defense had over 81,000 SmartPay “Purchase” credit card holders.
Banks use what are known as a Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) to identify different types of businesses. Merchant Category Codes are reported on some U.S. Government spending reports.
Here are a few code examples with vendors who supplied the items:
Code – Title – Vendor
5942 – Book stores – Amazon
5200 – Home supply warehouse stores – Home Depot
5732 – Electronics stores – Apple
Some government agencies block certain MCC codes to prevent misuse of the credit card.
Who are the top 5 big box stores the Government buys from?
In 2018 the U.S. Government spent a total of $74 Million dollars with the following companies using credit cards. The top 5 big box stores selling to the US Government are Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes, Office Depot, and Ace Hardware. Sales are based on 2018 SmartPay chip cards (credit card) data.
See the chart below the breakdown of sales.
Top 5 Big Box Stores Selling to the US Government
Since the U.S. Government encourages its employees to use credit cards to make purchase for supplies under the micro-purchase threshold of $3,500.00 they could potentially NOT buy from your company if you did not accept credit cards. One question as part of your System for Award Management (SAM) registration to get your CAGE code is “do you accept credit cards as a method of payment ?” https://sam.gov/SAM
SmartPay Contracts – Details
Previous Contract – This contract expired on November 2018
Program name: GSA SmartPay 2 (SP2)
Master Contract Numbers & Company:
GS-23F-T0002 – J.P.Morgan Chase
GS-23F-T0003 – Citibank
GS-23F-T0004 – US Bank
Current Contract – Began in November 2018, will continue through 2031 is all options are chosen.
Program name: GSA SmartPay3 (SP3)
Master Contract Numbers & Company:
GS-36F-GA001 – US Bank
GS-36F-GA002 – Citibank, N.A.
Solicitation Number GS10F17LPP0003
General Services Administration
Office: Federal Acquisition Service (FAS)
Location: Office of Acquisition Operations, Office of Travel, Motor Vehicles and Card Services (QMA)
Product Service Code (PSC) R710 Support- Management: Financial
NAICS 522110 Commercial Banking
Office code: 47QRAC
The Office of Professional Services and Human Capital Categories (PSHC) is responsible for the strategic leadership, oversight, and management of FAS’s professional services, human capital services, and charge card management programs and contracts.
BidLink has been a leading provider of DOD procurement research tools and data for the past 20 years. Find defense contracts, solicitations, sources for items, and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
To immediately improve the efficiency of your bid searches; be sure that you’re using the right item category.
Wherever you may go to find current DoD bidding opportunities (DIBBS, FedBizOps, BidLink.net, etc.), it’s really important to follow some basic guidelines for conducting productive searches. With thousands of new solicitations published daily, and possibly hundreds for just the type of products that you can supply, you’ll simply never have enough time to wade through all the information without an efficient bid management process. In this post, we review one of the fundamental elements.
Many people try to find government contracting opportunities by searching for them under their company’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. After all, when you first registered your company at the SAM.gov website you provided the NAICS code that best describes your business.
Unfortunately, this is not the way to do it. Consider the following.
Let’s say you are a distributor of electrical connectors. The NAICS code describing your business is “423610; Wholesalers of Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment.” Currently, over 6,000 companies list themselves under this NAICS code in their SAM.gov registrations. They include distributors of all of the following products:
Alarms
Batteries (except automotive)
Electrical Boxes and fittings
Busbars and trolley ducts
Capacitors (except electronic)
Circuit breakers
Coaxial cable
Electric wire and cable conduit
Electrical conduits and raceways
Electrical connectors
Electrical construction materials
Current-carrying wiring devices
Electrical distribution equipment
Electric light fixtures
Electric motors
Electric prime movers
Electrical apparatus
Electrical fastening devices,
Electrical fittings
Flashlights
Fuses
Electrical generators
Electrical hanging devices
Hardware, transmission pole and line
Electrical industrial controls
Electrical measuring Instruments
Insulated wire or cable
Electrical insulators
Light bulbs
Electrical lighting fixtures
Lightning arrestors
Electrical Lugs and connectors
Electrical meters
Electric motor controls
Motors, electric
Panelboards, electric power distribution
Pole line hardware
Electrical power transmission equipment
Electrical receptacles
Voltage regulators
Relays
Security systems
Signal systems and devices
Storage batteries (except automotive)
Electrical distribution switchboards
Electrical switches
Electrical transformers
Electrical transmission equipment
Electrical unit substations
Insulated Wire
Wiring supplies
However, when the Department of Defense posts solicitations for these items, it hardly ever uses NAICS code 423610.
When we searched in BidLink.net for open solicitations under NAICS code 423610, this is all we got:
(Click to Enlarge)
The alternative? To get good results from your bid searches, you have to use the right Federal Supply Classes (FSC’s).
Try setting up a solicitation search in your preferred site to see the difference. A search with NAICS code 423610 will show very few solicitations, whereas searching with a code like FSC 5935 (the FSC for “Electrical Connectors”) gives MUCH better results, like this:
(Click to Enlarge)
To immediately improve the efficiency of your government solicitation search; use the applicable Federal Supply Class !
BidLink is a leading commercial provider of DoD procurement and government contracting data and bid management tools. To find DoD solicitations, research contracting history in detail, and bid more effectively, try BidLink.net. You can sign up for a FREE TRIAL and DEMO here >> Free Trial Signup.
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If you found this article interesting, try another >> DoD Procurement; Acquisition Method Codes (Part 1)
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Every day the Defense Logistic Agency (DLA) creates thousands purchase requests for items they buy on a regular basis. DLA is the prime buying activity for any item such as sustainment or spare parts that support the troops or any of the thousands of systems used throughout Military and Federal Government agencies.
While the Federal Government shutdown 2019 continues (as of January 15, 2019) the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to remain in operation awarding thousands of Government Contracts and issuing Government Solicitations every day.
The top three manufacturers (by number of solicitations) posted by DLA today are SPS Technologies and Oshkosh Corporation. Yes that’s only two companies; SPS Technologies has both the 1st and 3rd place position. SPS Technologies is a manufacturer of fasteners and Oshkosh Corporation makes trucks and vehicle parts, DLA buys a lot of both.
These open government solicitations cover a variety of items. The fasteners are things like Rivets, Screws, and Bolts. The automotive parts cover items such as Vehicle heaters, Cylinder assemblies, Bushings, Cable assemblies and parts kits to name a few.
Government Solicitations typically list the officially accepted manufacturer and/or offer opportunities for new manufacturers to become “New Qualified Sources” through a source approval process.
Selling to the DoD can provide government contractors a virtually endless stream of government bid opportunities covering all types of items.
BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD procurement and solicitations for the past 19 years. Find defense contracts and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
On November 20, 2018, the Defense Department switched their document generation system to use an antiquated document format called Dynamic XFA (XML Forms Architecture). XFA is not part of the PDF standard. It was included in Adobe LiveCycle in 2002 when the company acquired Canadian service provider Accelio, who was using XFA. This produced confusion as Adobe already had its own way of handling forms called AcroForms.
Adobe announced the discontinuation of the Dynamic XFA format in 2011. It is not part of the PDF 2.0 standard and is not included in their latest PDF creation tools.
This has been causing havoc all over DOD and the private sector as people have been unable to open many military documents with anything other than Adobe Acrobat Software. Attempting to open these files in the web browser produces this message:
“To view the full contents of this document, you need a later version of the PDF viewer. You can upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
For further support, go to www.adobe.com/support/products/acrreader.html”
This change affects documents from DIBBS, a primary source of solicitations and awards for the defense department. After receiving many complaints from end-users about the format change, DIBBS released this statement:
Some suppliers have commented that they cannot open the solicitation and/or awards on DIBBS. This is not an issue with DIBBS, but your browser settings when it comes to Adobe. The following links are provided that can assist and properly setting your computer to read Acrobat Adobe documents. A way of testing this being the issue, if you can download the PDF to your local PC and then open it, then you need to update the plug-in in your browser.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t help people who want to view the documents in a web browser instead of opening the bloated Adobe Acrobat program. It also doesn’t help people using Macintosh or anyone who wants to open these documents on an iPad, iPhone or Android. Shortly afterward, DIBBS began receiving complaints that their full-text search was not working. This is likely because their own system is unable to convert these Dynamic XFA documents into something that can be searched. When reaching out to DIBBS about the issue we received this response:
We did switch to another format due to security. This may be affecting the text search. The Tech Teams are still working to solve this. We were unaware of the original switch and have not been informed as to the solution to this yet.
The DIBBS Team
Its obvious that they have discovered the huge mistake and are attempting to resolve it. We anticipate that they will migrate to a standardized PDF format which would resolve the above issue. In the meantime, contractors are dealing with the inconvenience of trying to open these obscure files.
Because the format is obsolete, there are very few tools that can work with it. At BidLink, we have explored over a dozen different tools to potentially convert these files into normal, flat PDF files. So far, none of these tools produce an acceptable result. We will continue to look for solutions, but are hopeful that DOD will simply abandon Dynamic XFA entirely.
MV-22B Osprey (Photo by Lance Cpl. Amy Phan/Released)
History of the V-22 Osprey
The V-22 Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft which has been under development, modified, changed and upgraded for nearly 4 decades. The U.S. Army began the program to develop an experimental aircraft back in 1981, it was known as the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing experimental aircraft or JVX. The U.S. Navy later took over as the lead component with full-scale development of the V-22 beginning in 1986. In 2005 the DAB approved the aircraft for military use and full rate production.
DoD Budget
According to Department of Defense (FY) 2019 budget estimates, the overall Navy aircraft procurement objective is currently set at 461 V-22 aircraft. There are 3 basic variants of the aircraft with the loins share dedicated to the U.S. Marine Corps. The 2019 budget breakdown is as follows:
Marine Corps model number MV-22: Total quantity of 360 aircraft. The Marines achieved IOC in 2007 and have a projected FOC date of 2018. Inventory is currently at 200 aircraft as of January 2014.
Navy model number CMV-22: Total quantity of 48 aircraft. The projected date for IOC is 2021 with an FOC date of 2022. While the budget has a quantity of 48 projected, the Navy currently plans to procure only 44 aircraft.
Air Force AFSOC model number CV-22: Total quantity of 53 aircraft. They achieved IOC in 2009 with a projected FOC date of 2024.
Basics
The V-22 Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft, capable of Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) with the ability to fly forward like a conventional fixed-wing aircraft. In fact the Osprey can operate as a helicopter or a turboprop aircraft. The V-22 is capable of flying over 2,100 nautical miles with a single refueling, giving the Services the advantage of a V/STOL aircraft able to rapidly self-deploy to any location in the world.
The USMC is using the MV-22 variant to replace the CH-46E and CH-53D. The Air Force CV-22 variant replaces the MH-53-J/M and the Navy CMV-22 will be replacing the C-2A in the Navy inventory.
The V-22 Osprey program estimates each aircraft to have a service life of 25 years with the fiscal year in service ending in 2054. The current program office is NAVAIR PMA-275.
Companies Involved
Many companies have been involved in the design and building of the V-22 Osprey. The Prime contractor is Bell Boeing Joint project office cage code 3B1R2.
There are numerous companies producing the many systems within the aircraft. Below are a few we looked at; they produce, modify or repair the types of items listed.
BAE Systems Controls – Cage code 89954 is involved with items such as flight control computers and circuit card assemblies.
EFW Inc – Cage code 0WEC9, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems is involved with special purpose computers for the V-22 as well as main displays for the aircraft.
Moog – Stock ticker symbol MOG, Cage code 94697 is involved with rotary electro-mechanical actuators, and electric power plants for the aircraft.
Honeywell International – Stock ticker symbol HON operates under various cage codes with items such as the ACU-22/A compressor, flight information display units, and control valves.
Eaton Corporation – Stock ticker symbol ETN, Cage code 99643 provides things like pneumatic brake valves and hydraulic brake master cylinders.
Summary and more to come
We’ll be reviewing more of our data on the V-22 Osprey in the future creating other articles and reports. We plan to show the all companies involved and what they manufacture for the V-22. If you can’t wait feel free to look at some of the data yourself.
BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD procurement and solicitations for the past 18 years. Find defense contracts and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
The Department of Defense (DoD) owns a lot of vehicles, one of many items they purchase in support of those vehicles frequently is car covers, truck covers or the official name DoD uses “Cover, Fitted Vehicular ”. This specific solicitation will result in an award of around $30,000 to the small business that submits the winning bid.
This specific vehicle cover is used on the HUMVEE (or HMMWV). There are other similar covers they buy on a regular basis. Companies wishing to sell or are US manufacturers of car covers should look into this one as DoD has drawings for any company that wants to become a new supplier. The solicitation closes August 27, 2018.
Also there’s only one company currently making this item and DoD specifically mentions in the solicitation they seeking new manufactures to make this item. This item and as well as many others in this category of “car covers” are good candidates for companies interested in increasing government sales.
BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD procurement and solicitations for the past 18 years. Find defense contracts and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how identifying items correctly in your search for government solicitations and contracts can really make a difference. Now, we’ll go a bit deeper into search technique for a Bid-To-Win approach.
Many companies that sell to the government search for government solicitations on the website FedBizOpps where agencies of the Federal Government and the Department of Defense (DoD) publicly post upcoming contracts actions (i.e. solicitations and advanced notice of contracts) expected to exceed $250,000 in value.
Frequently, individuals searching for contracting opportunities on FedBizOpps are not searching as efficiently as they can. This can become very time-consuming and costly as FedBizOpps posts, on average, 7,000 new opportunities weekly, covering the FULL range of products and services purchased by the government.
At BidLink.net we’ve helped tens of thousands of government contractors and suppliers improve their Bid-To-Win ratio. Over the years we’ve had many conversations with beginner to experienced government suppliers that indicate room for improvement in how they search for contract opportunities.
To illustrate some of the issues we’ve found that can interfere with efficient searching, here is made-up conversation of the type we often have with new users of our system:
BidLink.net — What type of product does your company manufacture or sell?
User — We make injection molded parts and can do rotomolding as well.
BidLink.net — Can you be more specific? Maybe if you give me the names of some of the items that you produce I can show you how to find open solicitations.
User — Oh, we sell things like dust caps, plastic parts, plastic cases and equipment cases. I know my competitors sell them to the government, but I can’t find any bids or DoD contracts for them.
BidLink.net — Well, how do you currently search for past sales and open government solicitations for the items that interest you?
User — We search fbo.gov for “injection molded parts,” the NAICS code 326199 and for names like “dust caps.” I keep on getting no results, or just lots of stuff unrelated to what we sell.
At this point, it’s clear to us where the problem lies. Fortunately, it’s one that’s easy to solve. But before we do so, let’s review what’s going wrong in this User’s searches.
As a general rule, the government buys things, not processes. In the above example, “injection molding,” is a manufacturing process. When a solicitation or contract award is posted by the government, the manufacturing process for the item is rarely mentioned. So, don’t search for government business opportunities by industrial capability or manufacturing process.
Another related point is that NAICS codes (the North American Industry Classification System), is far too broad a descriptor to be used for highlighting the SPECIFIC ITEMS that YOU sell. In the above example (of a manufacturer / supplier of dust caps and plastic parts) the applicable NAICS is 326199 (“All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing”). Yes, their NAICS code is correct for what they make and sell, but No, they’re not going to zero-in on government opportunities for their specific products by searching under this broad NAICS code — that search will return far too many results to be manageable.
In the above example, after a couple of minutes of research in BidLink.net, we found the item description that pointed to what we all call “dust caps.” These, in turn, pointed to over 100 open solicitations for dust caps — one supplier has recently sold 55,231 dust caps under a single contract. The correct identification is: “Cap-Plug, Protective, Dust and Moisture Seal.”
So, here are the general steps you can use to quickly search for realistic government business opportunities for your company. This method involves following the path your competitors already use to obtain their government business.
Research the companies that you already know are supplying the government with the items you wish to sell (i.e. your competitors).
Review the line item detail on their past government contracts. Note which items you could supply, keeping an eye out for the item identifications under which the government orders the item(s) and the corresponding prices, and other contract details — to help you make informed competing bids in the future.
Then, make sure that you’re on the list to automatically receive notification of all solicitations for those same items.
Before long, you should be receiving in your Inbox all the same solicitations that your competitors are bidding on and winning as they build their government contracting business.
We believe that there’s no better tool than BidLink.net for consolidating this type work. You can see for yourself with a free trial. Along with your trial, we’ll be happy to suggest further improvements to your search technique and workflow that will increase your efficiency and help you develop a strong Bid-To-Win government contracting business.
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BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD solicitations and contracting for 18 years. Find defense contracts and research your competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
DoD and the US Military use their own language especially when it comes to naming items. When searching for manufacturers, suppliers, contracts or solicitations you need to think like they do. Each item they purchase has its own unique naming convention.
Today we quickly look at the Zip ties or cable tie. One of the official names DoD uses to describe these items is “Strap, Tiedown”. If you’re looking for either Manufacturers, Suppliers, Solicitations (MSS) use this official name and your results will be much better.
Manufacturers
A couple of manufacturers currently producing zip ties are Panduit, Cage code 06383 and Thomas & Betts Cage code 56501. Ty-rap is a trademark of Thomas & Betts.
Find the manufacturers Cage code that relates to the NSN you are seeking.
Once you see the NSN-manufacturer-cage relation, look at procurement history relating to that NSN – Those are your suppliers.
Solicitations
This past week DoD posted solicitations for cable ties worth close to $30,000.00 and that’s just last week. When searching for government solicitations be sure to use correct nomenclature, in this case “Strap, Tiedown”. One of the cable tie NSNs open for bid is 5975-01-120-1088.
Using the correct nomenclature no matter what you’re looking for your results will improve.
BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD procurement and solicitations for the past 18 years. Find defense contracts and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
