Jane Edwards
The U.S. Space Force plans to release requests for proposals for commercial satellite communications services and equipment starting next month and award up to $2.3 billion worth of comsatcom contracts in 2022 and 2023, Breaking Defense reported Friday.
Future comsatcom acquisitions cover four service areas: COMSATCOM Transponded Capacity; COMSATCOM Subscription Services; Complex Commercial SATCOM Solutions; and COMSATCOM Satellite Business Solutions, according to a presentation by Mike Nichols, chief of the COMSATCOM solutions branch at the Commercial Satellite Communications Office, at an event Friday.
One of the notable solicitations that the Space Force plans to release is for the proliferated low-Earth orbit satcom services, which could be worth up to $875 million. The service branch is expected to release in March 2022 the solicitation and award the multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract by August 2022. Space Systems Command will serve as the contracting office for the IDIQ contract.
The U.S. Army’s Blue Force Tracker II program is worth up to $655 million and covers the procurement of “L-band channels, SHF satellite connectivity, internet service desk, rack hosting and hands-on support services at each satellite earth station, and Host Nation Agreement services.” A solicitation is expected to be released this December and contract award could occur by June 2022.
