Marines seek rugged notebooks

Marine Corps officials are in the market for durable notebook computers. The Systems Command at Quantico, Va., requested ideas from industry leaders April 19 for semiruggedized, ruggedized and ultraportable laptop computers. Vendors must submit their ideas by May 19, according to information posted on the Federal Business Opportunities' Web site.

Marine Corps officials want certain specifications for each device:

Semiruggedized notebook computer — 1.6 GHz Intel Corp. Pentium Centrino processor, 60G hard drive and a maximum weight of 6.8 pounds with battery.

Ruggedized notebook computer — 1.2 GHz Centrino processor, 60G hard drive and 8.5 pounds.

Ruggedized ultra-portable device — 900 MHz Intel Pentium III or 1 GHz Centrino processor, 40G hard drive and 4.5 pounds.

The winning vendor must provide help-desk support, a telephone hot line and warranty support 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Corps officials asked vendors to identify a General Services Administration schedule or a GSA reseller from which to buy the durable notebook computers. Vendors must also include the devices' environmental test data and how they meet environmental requirements.