MIDDLETOWN – The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium announced that the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport has executed a three-year extension of its Other Transaction Authority agreement for Undersea and Maritime Technology Innovation with the consortium.
The agreement was signed in June 2018 for three years, with options for up to 10 years. The extension builds on the consortium’s support of the U.S. Navy, as a community of industry leaders to advance the innovation of maritime technology.
According to its website, “UTIC welcomes membership by technology companies, academia and technical service organizations nationally who are working or wish to work in support of government technology prototype projects in undersea and maritime applications. Any commercial, nonprofit or academic institution that becomes part of the consortium will be eligible to receive an OT award.”
In its first three years, consortium members have received about $300 million in contracts.
“Our national defense is stronger thanks to this community of best-in-class experts, and our UTIC members continue to successfully compete for exciting and rewarding undersea and maritime technology opportunities in support of Navy needs,” said UTIC Executive Director Molly Donohue Magee, who also serves as executive director of the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance.
In addition to the $300 million in awards, more than 200 proposals have been placed in a “basket” provision. These proposals have gone through source selection and may be considered for award for up to 36 months after submission. The basket is a powerful tool that allows the government to award Other Transaction Authority prototype projects expeditiously, and effectively use funds that may become available later.
Of the consortium’s 300 members, 73% are nontraditional defense contractors and 70% are small businesses. Sixty-five percent of the proposals selected for award have been to nontraditional organizations.
The consortium defines a nontraditional defense contractor as “an entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least one year prior to the date a solicitation for its services is released, any contract or subcontract for the Department of Defense that is subject to full coverage under the DoD’s cost accounting standards.” These companies are often small or new and may have innovative technologies but lack the contracting resources and experience to navigate the Federal Acquisition Regulations, according to the consortium’s website.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
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