Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program

Requirements

The US Department of Defense (DoD) put out a requirement for the procurement of Mine Resistant and Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for the Marine Corps and other Joint Forces. The MRAP vehicles were required to increase survivability and mobility of Marines and Soldiers operating in a hazardous fire area against known threats such as small arms fire, rocket propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices. Marines and Soldiers were expected to respond to a variety of missions.

To support these mission profiles, the US Government sought two categories/configurations of the MRAP vehicle. MRAP vehicles were described as armored vehicles with a blast resistant underbody designed to protect the crew from mine blasts, fragmentary and direct fire weapons. The two MRAP categories would consist of: Category I vehicles (6 persons or more including driver) to support operations in an urban environment and other restricted/confined spaces, including mounted patrols, reconnaissance, communications, and command and control. Category II vehicles (10 persons or more including driver) to provide a reconfigurable vehicle that would be capable of supporting multi-mission operations such as convoy lead, troop transport, explosive ordnance disposal, ambulance, and combat engineering. The MRAP would provide deployed commanders, various units, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Combat Engineer teams with survivable ground mobility platforms.

In order to perform these multiple missions, it was required that the MRAP vehicles of both types be reconfigurable to meet all mission requirements for that type. Reconfiguration capability would be primarily accomplished by removing/adding passenger seats and adding/removing GFE equipment, such as communications equipment, weapon stations, crew served weapons, ambulance litters and equipment, etc. The contractor was required to provide vehicles that provided flexible reconfiguration, but were not required to design the vehicles to integrate GFE items unless otherwise specified the requirements.

Performance requirements for both Category I and Category II MRAP vehicles were set forth in the MRAP Performance Specification. These requirements were as follows. All Categories shall sustain a forward speed equal to or greater than 65 mph on a paved surface with a 0% grade. All vehicles shall be capable, under their own power, of sustained off-road speeds of no less than 5 mph. All vehicles shall be capable, under their own power, of sustained road speeds over trails of no less than 25 mph. All vehicles shall ascend a reinforced surface with a 40% grade at a speed of 10 mph. All vehicles shall ascend and descend a 60% longitudinal grade at a minimum of 2 Miles per Hour (MPH). Each category shall ascend a grade of 5% at 45 mph in a forward direction. All vehicles shall be capable of operating on fuel carried in internal fuel storage tanks for a distance equal to or greater than 300 statute miles, at an average speed of 45 mph on a hard level surface. Each category shall demonstrate a minimum Mean Miles Between Operational Mission Failure (MMBOMF) reliability of not less than 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers (km)) of operation. The RTM shall have an operational reliability of 0.90 based on an 18-hour mission day, which equates to a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 170 hours.

Transportability requirements defined as follows. The MRAP shall be fit for self-deployment on highways worldwide and the vehicle shall be capable of being transported by rail, marine, and air modes in C-17 and C-5 aircraft in accordance with MIL STD 1366 as described in MIL HDBK 1791. The MRAP shall be capable of being transported by a C-130 aircraft (objective). The vehicle design shall enable preparation for fixed wing air transport, and reassembly after, to be accomplished in not more than 60 minutes using only onboard tools (objective).

Engine requirements were as follows. The diesel engine shall be capable of meeting all performance requirements in all environmental conditions using JP-8. The MRAP must also have the capability to complete its missions using JP-5 and commercial grade diesel as alternate fuels.

The requirements outline the required protection for the vehicle and its occupants. All variants shall provide integral protection for the crew from blast, shock, fragments, and fatal acceleration effects of mine blasts. The crew compartment shall withstand the blast effects without breach of the floor when a mine is detonated under any wheel or directly under the crew compartment. All vehicle tires shall have a minimum 30-mile run flat capability at 30 mph on a hard surface road after complete loss of air pressure in any two tires. The weapons turret for the USMC vehicle shall have the capability to support the Marine Corps Transparent Armored Gunner's Shield.

The RFP outlined the formal requirements of the potential contractors. In response to the MRAP RFP, offerors shall submit a proposal identifying specific capabilities for their proposed vehicle systems. These proposals shall be incorporated into this contract as an attachment at time of award. The MRAP Performance Specification and the contractor's technical proposal shall together form the contract requirements for MRAP vehicles. The contractor's proposal must meet or exceed all requirements in the Performance Specification identified as Threshold requirements. The Government reserves the right to test MRAP vehicles against the requirements of the Performance Specification and contractor technical proposal as specified herein. If the contractor's MRAP vehicles fail to meet these requirements in testing, then the contractor shall correct these deficiencies in the vehicle design through an ECO/ECP, and apply this design change to all delivered and to be delivered vehicles, all at no cost to the Government. The terms of any vehicle or sub-system warranties offered as part of the contractor's MRAP proposal shall become in effect at time of initial contract award.

Various elements of the potential contract were outlined. A Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) is the contract type effective for the performance period of this contract. Performance shall be made only as authorized by delivery orders issued in accordance with the ordering clause of this contract. The Government shall purchase a "minimum" quantity of two (2) Category I and two (2) Category II Vehicles for this contract within 30 days after contract award. The "maximum" quantity of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for this contract shall not exceed 1,500-Category I, and 2,600-Category II.

As a result of MRAP source selection, the Government may award one or multiple ID/IQ contracts to successful offerors. These initial ID/IQ contracts shall include an initial funded base quantity of vehicles (2 of each type) that shall be used for Performance Verification Testing (PVT) as described in the Performance Specification. Upon completion of this testing, the Government may award follow-on delivery orders (which may include awards under more than one ID/IQ contract), above the initial contract minimum order. Delivery Orders will be issued in accordance with FAR 16.505.

If the Government elects to award these follow-on delivery orders, the following criteria shall be used as the basis for deciding how to place these orders (in descending order of priority). The Contractor or Contractors vehicle systems that demonstrate the best overall performance in PVT testing (with survivability being the highest priority). The Contractor or Contractors that demonstrate the greatest capability to produce and deliver vehicles with the shortest ramp up time and greatest maximum production capacity, in order to meet the urgent delivery requirements for these vehicles.

Funding availability/affordability will also be a consideration in making the business decision as to how to proceed with an order or combination of follow-on orders. Due to the urgency of the requirement, the Government need not wait for all test vehicles to be delivered and tested before deciding to execute additional delivery orders. Early delivery of initial ID/IQ test vehicles is encouraged. The Government reserves the right not to test an offeror's vehicle if adequate US Government test data is available and validated by Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC).