PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – In a significant recognition of innovation and efficiency, the Air Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Systems Program (PMA-264) at the Naval Air Systems Command was recently honored with the Department of the Navy Acquisition Excellence Award for Competition Excellence Acquisition Team of the Year. This prestigious award was presented at a January 10, 2024 ceremony. Mr. Bill Fleming, the production integrated program team lead (IPTL) for PMA-264, accepted the award on behalf of the team.
PMA-264’s Future Production Sonobuoy Acquisition Team received this accolade for its exceptional and agile approach to rejuvenating the Sonobuoy industrial base through novel contracting strategies. The award acknowledges the team’s response to a critical industry shift that commenced in 2017 following the Department of Justice’s rejection of a proposed merger between two leading sonobuoy developers over monopoly concerns.
The dissolution of the merger necessitated a reevaluation of contracting processes to maintain an uninterrupted supply of sonobuoys, crucial for peacetime and combat missions. PMA-264, recognizing the ongoing demand for sonobuoys, adapted to these new challenges by assembling a team of experts from various departments. This team included members from the Sonobuoy integrated program, the acquisition team, and additional NAVAIR personnel specializing in procurement, source selection, cost analysis, business financial management, legal affairs, and the small business office.
Their groundbreaking strategy aimed to incentivize the sonobuoy industry, encouraging growth and transition from a sole source to a competitive market environment. This approach was vital in ensuring a robust industrial base ahead of the conclusion of the existing sole-source contract. The dissolution of major sonobuoy suppliers presented further challenges, necessitating a shift in the contracting approach to accommodate new vendors and ensure their qualifications for different sonobuoy types.
The Other Transactional Authority (OTA) was a pivotal element in this transformation, which expedited acquisition, procurement, and documentation processes. OTA agreements were essential in collaborating with industry partners outside traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contracts. This innovative approach provided insights into new vendor designs, schedules, and sonobuoy performance, aligning them with production timelines.
The government team’s efficiency in tracking company progress and relaying information was critical in qualifying new vendors. A key outcome was establishing a multiple award delivery order contract, acting as a marketplace for new vendors to compete and onboard annually.
Capt. Dennis Lloyd, PMA-264 program manager, praised the team’s embodiment of NAVAIR’s workforce talent. He highlighted the collaborative efforts of the program management and financial team, Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division engineering experts, NAVAIR procurement group, and the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium in supporting NAVAIR OTA efforts.
This integrated approach has been instrumental in addressing the increasing demand for sonobuoys, securing multiple vendors, and managing various sonobuoy variants while meeting critical ASW warfighting needs and operational requirements.
Capt. Lloyd further emphasized the team’s adaptability, strategic alignment, and innovative use of contracting strategies as key factors in cost-effectively meeting the nation’s warfighting capability and capacity needs.
Sonobuoys, the primary sensors used by the U.S. Navy’s air ASW forces, are essential for detecting, localizing, classifying, and tracking enemy submarines during peacetime and combat operations. PMA-264 oversees manufacturing and delivering six sonobuoy capabilities, including bathythermograph, passive, active/passive combination, multistatic source, multistatic receiver, and special mission series sonobuoys. The program also develops, acquires, and sustains airborne air ASW systems and sensor requirements for the fleet, along with various programs and platforms employing sonobuoys.
