CBP seeks program assistance for SBInet

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By Alice Lipowicz

By Alice Lipowicz

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is looking for a contractor to help manage the SBInet virtual fence and other border surveillance projects.

The goal is to acquire contract support in all aspects of planning, developing, revising, coordinating, managing and implementing programs, projects and processes that fall under the program management office’s responsibilities, the notice states.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection wants to hire a project management contractor to help ensure that the SBInet virtual fence and other border surveillance projects meet their goals.

The Secure Border Initiative (SBI) Program Management Office intends to publish a request for proposals March 16. In a notice published March 11 on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, agency officials said they had determined that a single indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract will best meet its requirements.

“An IDIQ contract allows the program management office the flexibility to meet dynamic requirements during various phases and deployments of SBInet by issuing task orders,” the notice states.

The term of the planned contract is one base year plus four one-year options.

SBI is one of the Homeland Security Department’s most ambitious technology programs. It includes development and deployment of the $6.7 billion SBInet electronic surveillance system along the southwestern U.S. border with prime contractor Boeing Co. The initiative also includes physical fencing and vehicle barriers along the border.

A 28-mile prototype system has been operating on mobile towers in Arizona since February 2008. Contractors are expected to begin construction on permanent towers and an operational system for a 53-mile section of the Arizona/Mexico border in April.

The program management office is seeking a contractor that can provide support for:

  • Performance planning and metrics development and tracking.
  • Budget and financial management.
  • Program control.
  • Planning and business operations.
  • Operational requirements development.
  • Logistics operations and facilities maintenance.
  • Systems engineering.
  • Architecture and system design.
  • Environmental planning.

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