some further analysis of the MPM documentation...Paragraph 3 of...

some further analysis of the MPM documentation...



Paragraph 3 of the Statement of Work broadly defines the purpose of the EMD contract:

'The contractor shall provide all materials, equipment, hand tooling, personnel, and facilities necessary to manufacture, fabricate, integrate, produce, and deliver the types and quantities of deliverables specified by the contract. Upon successful completion of developmental test, operational assessment, and production qualification testing, the Government may exercise contract options for production and fielding.'

Note the end portion:

...the Government may exercise contract options for production and fielding.

The above refers to the bulk acquisition of MPMs after the EMD contract phase has been completed.


Looking to the Contract, the broad purpose is stated again in similar terms, as:

'MISSION PAYLOAD MODULE - EMD
CPFF
Mission Payload Module – Engineering, Manufacturing & Development Phase

Develop and design the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) components and sub-systems through the end of the Engineering, Manufacturing & Development Phase. The Contractor shall provide on-site engineering and technical support in support Government Developmental Test/Evaluation Effort. SOW Paragraphs 3; 6.2; 6.5.1.1; 6.5.1.2; 6.5.1.3; 6.5.1.4; 6.5.2.1; and 6.6.'

If you go to each of Statement of Work's paragraphs 3; 6.2; 6.5.1.1; 6.5.1.2; 6.5.1.3; 6.5.1.4; 6.5.2.1; and 6.6, you will see virtually all the effort is directed towards various forms of design and testing, with a very heavy emphasis on ammunition testing.

Otherwise the Contract goes on to break down all forms of testing required, requesting the Contractor to provide a price for each testing deliverable - here is a short list of what is required:

CONTRACTOR MUNITION TEST ARTICLES
GOVERNMENT MUNITION TEST ARTICLES
SYSTEM TEST ARTICLES
FINAL TECHNICAL MANUALS
TRAINING
CONTRACTOR TEST SUPPORT; LABOR
OTHER DIRECT COSTS
DRAWINGS
SYSTEM DRAWINGS
MUNITION DRAWINGS

LOW RATE INITIAL PRODUCTION – SYSTEM
Mission Payload Module – Engineering, Manufacturing & Development Phase
Manufacture and deliver the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) system IAW the System Performance Specification for the Low Rate Initial Production Phase. Quantity 30 each.


TRAINING/MAINTENANCE DEVICE

LOW RATE INITIAL PRODUCTION – MUNITIONS
Mission Payload Module – Low Rate Initial Production
Manufacture and deliver the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) munitions IAW the System Performance Specification through the Low Rate Initial Production Phase. Quantity 1,500 each.



FULL RATE PRODUCTION – SYSTEM
Mission Payload Module – Full Rate Production
Manufacture and deliver the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) system IAW the System Performance Specification through the Full Rate Production Phase.


The quantity shown for the above is 282 - it is also shown as an 'Option' item. This is known as Item 0013.

FULL RATE PRODUCTION - MUNITIONS
Mission Payload Module – Full Rate Production
Manufacture and deliver the Mission Payload Module - Non-Lethal Weapon System (MPM-NLWS) munitions IAW the System Performance Specification through the Full Rate Production Phase.


The quantity of ammo shown for the above is 1,500 - it is also shown as an 'Option' item.

There are 5 of these ammo requirements, totalling over 75,000 'rounds' or tubes of ammo.


Delivery Information starting at page 28 sets forth the dates by which the various deliverable Items are expected to be completed, and delivered finished or ready.

Testing and manual creation and the start of training is schduled for delivery and/or completion by Q1 of calendar 2014.

Low Rate Initial Production run of 30 MPMs is scheduled for delivery/completion October through end December 2014.


Full scale manufacturing and rollout of remaining 282 MPM units is scheduled for delivery/completion October 2015 through end March 2017.

I won't bore you with any more contract specs except to say, it is a detailed and complex contract, which will take some time for the company and its advisors to fully comprehend, and then answer by the very strict criteria set forth.

But know this, there is room for price adjustments after the successful party has been chosen.

Having seen the mountains of criteria needing addressing after the contract has been awarded, I wouldn't be surprised to see MST partnering with a private defense contractor group that already have years of prior experience, to assist us through the many stages of compliance and delivery under this huge contract -- in that way the company will further ensure that the Options to go into Low Rate then full scale production get exercised by the Marine Corps.


good luck