The Department of Defense just announced they are in the process of seeking a small business for the manufacture all of their Light Weight Company Mortar Systems (LWCMS). This sources sought notice covers the 60 mm M224A1 Mortar System, 81 mm M252A1 Mortar System, and the 120 mm Mortar Systems which include the M120A1 Towed, M121 Carrier-Mounted Mortar Weapon System and associated items.

The Government contraction opportunity could potentially lead to contracts awarded over 82 Million Dollars according to 2020 budget estimates. The 2020 Army budget line item justification of $33,848,000 for mortar weapon systems includes procurement of forty-seven (47) M224A1 (60 mm) mortar systems, fifty (50) M252A1 (81 mm) mortar systems and seventy-six (76) M120 (120 mm) mortar systems, 49 each M326 Mortar Stowage Kits and related costs such as engineering, warehousing, training etc.

These are actually two (2) separate government contracting opportunities, one covering the 60 mm M224A1 mortar system and the 81 mm M252A1 mortar system, the other is for the M120 (120 mm) mortar systems, and M326 mortar stowage kit. Both of these government contracting opportunities were posted as market surveys to identify new manufacturers of mortar weapon systems by the Project Manager for Combat Ammunition Systems (PM CAS). The contracting office U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey (ACC-NJ) at Picatinny Arsenal posted these sources sought notices on behalf of PM CAS.

The contracting opportunity is for a total production of 400 mortar weapon systems over 5 years.

Government estimates purchasing approximately 100 each 60 mm M224A1 mortar systems and 100 each 81 mm M252A1 mortar systems and 200 (120 mm) mortar systems. This government contracting opportunity is for the mortar weapon systems does NOT include any Ammunition (AMMO).

Contract manufacturing companies or interested government contractors are requested to submit a response before July 22, 2019. Some of the parts needed to produce the mortar systems may be supplied by the Government as Government Furnished Property (GFP).

To see more details about the Mortar Systems take a look an article under the section Product Manager Precision Fires and Mortars (PM PFM) in BidLink.

The current contract for the Mortar Weapon Systems is W15QKN-16-D-0054 awarded to EFW Inc a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America stock symbol ESLT, CAGE code 0WEC9. Elbit Systems of America also operates other subsidiaries who sell to a variety of products to the Department of Defense and they are International Enterprises, Inc CAGE code 50218, Kollsman, Inc. CAGE code 89944, M7 Aerospace LLC CAGE code 3DAW1 and Real-Time Laboratories, Inc. CAGE code 62319.

These Mortar Weapon Systems include procurement of M224 60mm Legacy Mortar Weapon System; M252 81mm Legacy Mortar Weapon System; M224A1 60mm Lightweight (LW) Mortar Weapon System; the M252A1 81mm LW Mortar Weapon System (to include the M253A1 81mm LW Inconel cannon); the M121 120mm Carrier Mounted Mortar Weapon System, and the M120A1 120mm Towed Mortar Weapon System to include the M326 120mm Mortar Stowage Kit (MSK) with the M1101 Light Tactical Trailer (LTT).

The following 60mm and 81mm Legacy/LW Mortar Weapon Components, 120mm Mortar Weapon Components and associated support equipment (includes Basic Issue Items (BII), Direct Support (DS) Tools, and Additional Authorized List Items (AAL)) will be provided as Government Furnished Property (GFP) in order to integrate complete Mortar Weapon Systems under this effort:

Army FY 2020 Budget Breakdown – Mortar Weapon System

Base $14.907 million

40 each M224A1 (60 mm) mortar systems

24 each M252A1 (81 mm) mortar systems

18 each M120 (120 mm) mortar systems

Army FY 2020 Budget Breakdown OCO – Mortar Weapon System

Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) $18.941 million

7 each M224A1 (60 mm) mortar systems

26 each M252A1 (81 mm) mortar systems

58 each M120 (120 mm) mortar systems

49 each M326 Mortar stowage kits

The Mortar Weapon System listed in the Overseas Contingency Operations budget are in part to support the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR). CJTF-OIR was established by United States Army Central Command (ARCENT), Camp Arifjan, Kuwait on June 24, 2014 in order to formalize ongoing military actions against the rising threat posed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The two solicitations can be found in BidLink, simply type “mortar” or any one on the listed solicitations below and you will see these and other government contracting opportunities. Any company who wishes to become a new manufacturer of the 60 mm mortar weapon systems, 81 mm mortar weapon systems, or the 120 mm mortar weapon systems respond to the market survey before July 22, 2019. The 60 mm and 81 mm systems are listed as Total Small Business Set-Asides (SBSA). Drawing packages are available so these opportunities are listed as Full and Open Competition.

W15QKN-19-X-06OR– 120 mm Mortar Weapon Systems

W15QKN-19-X-06OQ – 60 mm and 81 mm Systems Total Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA)

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