On 04 June 2021, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) awarded its first Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to Advanced Technology International (ATI), Summerville, S.C., for the establishment and management of the Maritime Sustainment Technology Innovation Consortium (MSTIC).
According to NSWCPD’s summer 2020 public announcement requesting proposals for a Consortium Agreement Base OTA: “Other Transaction (OT) authority offers an alternative approach, when appropriate, from the typical Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contracting opportunities in order to engage non-traditional defense contractors in federal acquisition accelerating the developmental path to greater innovative solutions and ideas to government requirements. OTs are legislative authorities that permit agencies to enter into Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).”
The Consortium that will be organized and operated by ATI will provide traditional and non-traditional defense contractors the “full breadth, depth, ability, and expertise to support high-level technologies as they relate to maritime sustainment technology and innovation,” per NSWCPD’s solicitation request last year. In addition to defense contractors, the MSTIC will also include members from academia and civil maritime, per the official agreement.
“This is a momentous occasion for NSWCPD as the signing of this OTA and creation of the MSTIC will enhance our mission effectiveness and fleet support,” said NSWCPD Technical Director Tom Perotti. “We look forward to collaborating on a variety of innovative prototyping projects involving technology areas such as data transformation, cyber, logistic and supply chain management, and digital engineering, among others.”
There are a number of benefits that will be realized through the MSTIC as the members leverage their combined capabilities.
The Consortium will afford industry, academia and government stakeholders enhanced networking opportunities to develop and sustain state-of-the-art Maritime technologies through innovative prototyping projects. In addition, this Consortium model will allow for NSWCPD to obtain industry feedback and input on rapidly evolving technologies early on in the process. Another advantage is the Consortium will provide a mechanism for “creating technology transition partnerships between small technology innovators and large system integrators,” according to the 2020 solicitation announcement.
“ATI is launching a MSTIC website, which is directed to industry to join the Consortium. Internal to NSWCPD and the government, we will have a customer OT Wiki site with how to utilize the OT if one desires,” said NSWCPD Contracting Officer, Alicia McPeters, adding that there would be lunch and learns for customers in the future.
ATI, a nonprofit, manages both OTA-based and FAR-based collaborations, many of which are for the Department of Defense, including the Information Warfare Research Project-IWRP Consortium, with its agreement awarded in 2018, for research, development, and prototyping of information warfare-related projects and programs.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,700 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.
Date Taken: | 06.23.2021 |
Date Posted: | 06.23.2021 15:11 |
Story ID: | 399564 |
Location: | US |
Web Views: | 1,076 |
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