Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance

The Department of the Navy Information Warfare Systems Command awarded a Master IDIQ for interoperable communications technical assistance on March 23, 2015, with ordering closed as of March 21, 2020—this vehicle is no longer accepting new task orders. The scope covers DHS technical assistance and R&D supporting federal, state, local, tribal, and non-governmental entities across project operations, governance, tactical communications enhancement, systems analysis and engineering, software development, testing and validation, training, emergency response, and system administration.

The vehicle is effectively exhausted. Twenty task orders totaling $128.7 million in combined potential value have been awarded, with $115.4 million obligated (90% of potential). The most recent orders issued in March 2020 against a now-closed vehicle, and all task-order performance windows have completed. No new work can be pursued here.

Competition is highly concentrated. Lafayette Group, Inc. holds 13 of 20 orders representing $92 million in combined potential value; Science Applications International Corporation holds 7 orders representing $36.7 million. These two firms captured 100% of awarded business. All 20 orders were unrestricted, non-set-aside work. Customer base is singular: the Department of the Navy Information Warfare Systems Command placed all 20 orders.

Task orders operated under cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing with typical ceilings ranging from under $500,000 to roughly $20 million. The largest single order, issued March 21, 2020, for public safety strategic communications and interoperable communications technical assistance, carried a $9.2 million ceiling. Earlier orders addressed FirstNet customer relationship management support, FirstNet Chief Coordinating Officer support, cybersecurity and communications governance, elections infrastructure planning, and spectrum relocation analysis. Obligated dollars tracked close to ceiling values, indicating full utilization of awarded capacity.

Ordering momentum was irregular—2 to 6 orders per year across 2016–2020—reflecting task-order-based execution rather than steady consumption. By the 2020 ordering closure, the vehicle had delivered nearly a decade of Navy-led interoperable communications support without refresh or successor vehicle named in the source material.

SSC Pacific is the responsible agent for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) technical assistance and research and development (R&D) related to interoperable communications. DHS provides technical assistance and R&D for the advancement of interoperable communications to federal, state, local, tribal, and non-Governmental entities. To meet these overall mission responsibilities, support is required for these capabilities in the areas of: project operations, planning and development; governance and standard operating procedures; tactical communications enhancement; systems analysis; systems engineering; software engineering; research and development; design and fabrication; integration and Implementation; test, evaluation, and certification; independent validation and verification; training and workshops; exercises and events; operational emergency response and recovery support; configuration management; quality assurance; information sharing; and system administration.