DoD Awards $6.36M for Rockwell Collins Communications Equipment, Sole-Sourced

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $6,362,159 ($6.4M)

Contractor: Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of Defense

Start Date: 2024-08-06

End Date: 2026-08-06

Contract Duration: 730 days

Daily Burn Rate: $8.7K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: IT

Official Description: RT-2036(C)/ARC W/ 1 YEAR WARRANTY (FMS) (33) MT-6567/ARC MOUNTING BASE (FMS) (30) 944M-4 LINK 11 SMART MOUNT (FMS) (30) MT-7006/ARC AMPLIFIER MOUNT (FMS)(30) AM-7642/ARC HPA (FMS) (33) MX-12366/ARC LNS TRIPLEXER (FMS) (33) RRS-200 (3)

Place of Performance

Location: CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN County, IOWA, 52498

State: Iowa Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Defense obligated $6.4 million to ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC. for work described as: RT-2036(C)/ARC W/ 1 YEAR WARRANTY (FMS) (33) MT-6567/ARC MOUNTING BASE (FMS) (30) 944M-4 LINK 11 SMART MOUNT (FMS) (30) MT-7006/ARC AMPLIFIER MOUNT (FMS)(30) AM-7642/ARC HPA (FMS) (33) MX-12366/ARC LNS TRIPLEXER (FMS) (33) RRS-200 (3) Key points: 1. Significant award for specialized military communications hardware. 2. Sole-source procurement raises questions about price discovery and competition. 3. Potential risk of overpayment due to lack of competitive bidding. 4. Sector is critical for defense communications infrastructure.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract's firm fixed price is set at $6.36 million for 730 days. Without competitive bids, it's difficult to assess if this price is optimal or if it reflects market value for the specified Rockwell Collins equipment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award to Rockwell Collins, Inc. This limits price discovery and may lead to higher costs for taxpayers as there was no opportunity for other vendors to offer competing prices.

Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition in this sole-source award means taxpayers may not be receiving the best possible price for this specialized equipment.

Public Impact

Ensures critical communication capabilities for the Department of the Navy. Supports advanced radio and wireless communications equipment manufacturing. Potential for higher costs due to single-source vendor.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

  • Sole-source procurement
  • Lack of competitive bidding
  • Potential for inflated pricing

Positive Signals

  • Ensures availability of critical communication hardware
  • Supports established defense contractor

Sector Analysis

This award falls within the Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing sector. Spending in this area is crucial for maintaining advanced defense communication systems, but often involves specialized, high-cost components.

Small Business Impact

This contract was awarded to Rockwell Collins, Inc., a large business. There is no indication that small businesses were involved in this specific procurement, either as prime contractors or subcontractors.

Oversight & Accountability

The sole-source nature of this award warrants close oversight to ensure the price is fair and reasonable. Accountability for the procurement decision should be clearly documented.

Related Government Programs

  • Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing
  • Department of Defense Contracting
  • Department of the Navy Programs

Risk Flags

  • Sole-source award
  • Lack of competitive pricing
  • Potential for cost overruns
  • Limited transparency in price justification

Tags

radio-and-television-broadcasting-and-wi, department-of-defense, ia, delivery-order, 1m-plus

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Defense awarded $6.4 million to ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.. RT-2036(C)/ARC W/ 1 YEAR WARRANTY (FMS) (33) MT-6567/ARC MOUNTING BASE (FMS) (30) 944M-4 LINK 11 SMART MOUNT (FMS) (30) MT-7006/ARC AMPLIFIER MOUNT (FMS)(30) AM-7642/ARC HPA (FMS) (33) MX-12366/ARC LNS TRIPLEXER (FMS) (33) RRS-200 (3)

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Defense (Department of the Navy).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $6.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-08-06. End: 2026-08-06.

What is the justification for the sole-source award of this contract?

The justification for a sole-source award typically involves unique capabilities, proprietary technology, or the absence of adequate competition. For this contract, the specific reasons for not competing it would need to be detailed in the contract file, likely relating to the specialized nature of Rockwell Collins' communication equipment and its integration into existing naval systems.

How can the government ensure fair pricing without competition?

Even in sole-source procurements, agencies can employ various methods to ensure fair pricing. This includes conducting thorough cost and price analyses, benchmarking against similar historical contracts (if available), negotiating aggressively with the vendor, and potentially seeking independent cost estimates or technical evaluations to validate the proposed price.

What is the long-term strategic value of this sole-source acquisition?

The long-term strategic value lies in maintaining and upgrading critical communication infrastructure for the Navy. While sole-sourcing can be costly in the short term, it may be deemed necessary if Rockwell Collins' equipment offers unique, indispensable capabilities that cannot be replicated by other vendors, ensuring operational readiness and interoperability.

Industry Classification

NAICS: ManufacturingCommunications Equipment ManufacturingRadio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing

Product/Service Code: COMM/DETECT/COHERENT RADIATION

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Solicitation ID: N0042122R0154

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Parent Company: RTX Corp

Address: 400 COLLINS RD NE, CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, 52498

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Manufacturer of Goods, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $6,362,159

Exercised Options: $6,362,159

Current Obligation: $6,362,159

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: N0042123D0001

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline

Start Date: 2024-08-06

Current End Date: 2026-08-06

Potential End Date: 2026-08-06 00:00:00

Last Modified: 2025-12-15

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