Small biz to support big mission

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston

The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) center in Charleston, S.C., announced today it is awarding a Pennsylvania small business an $18.7 million contract for command and control work supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sytex Inc., Doylestown, Pa., was awarded the contract for communications technical support for the Air Force to ensure that command and control information is available to deployed forces and other Defense Department mission requirements.

The base year contract is worth $18.7 million, and four one-year options could bring the contract's total value to $95 million.

According to the SPAWAR solicitation, which was issued in September 2002, as many as 90 people will be sent to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and "other areas of Southwest Asia to meet mission requirements."

The positions that SPAWAR is looking to fill include satellite systems operators, technical controllers, information technology network administrators, IT specialists and mobile communications technicians.

Work will be performed in government-owned and -managed facilities overseas within the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, and is to be completed in January 2004.

SPAWAR indicated that the contract was competitively procured as a small-business set-aside.