Navy may expand previous industry contract to develop USV technology

The Navy is considering re-opening a contract to include more industry partners to build various payloads and subsystems for its portfolio of unmanned surface vehicles.

The service originally selected 40 companies in February 2020 to receive indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple award contracts -- or IDIQ-MACs -- to compete for task orders from six functional areas: payloads, non-payload sensors, mission support systems, autonomy and vehicle control systems, ashore and host platform elements as well as logistics and sustainment.

In a notice published last week, the Navy is gauging interest if additional companies would want to pursue access to the USV IDIQ-MAC pool of awardees.

“Orders to date have included various design and integration studies, combat systems ship integration activities, and payload development and integration efforts,” the notice states. “The Navy is currently pursuing various unmanned sustainment support efforts as well, and planning is ongoing for other unmanned technology development efforts.”

Responses to the notice are due by Dec. 19.