REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala.– The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville has awarded a crucial $35 million contract aimed at enhancing telecommunications support at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH).
This Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract focuses on upgrading secure infrastructure across critical sites located on the Mokapu Peninsula, near Honolulu.
MCBH plays an essential role in providing forward-based, sustainable, and secure training and operational support for the U.S. Marine Corps, enabling forces to project power into the Indo-Asia Pacific Region.
The contract details a comprehensive suite of services, including engineering, procurement, installation, operation, maintenance, and sustainment of telecommunications systems and networks at MCBH and its ancillary sites.
Due to concerns over outdated legacy infrastructure and unsupported equipment, the telecommunications and IT infrastructure aboard MCBH has faced scrutiny across the Hawaii region.
For the past 37 years, MCBH received support from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) through various contract vehicles, with the most recent being the Pacific Enterprise Services – Hawaii (PES-HI) contract.
However, DISA recently announced it would not be renewing the PES-HI contract, which subsequently transferred responsibility for capabilities previously provided by DISA to the supported military departments and Department of Defense activities.
The MCBH Communications and Information Systems Directorate (CISD) recognized that they lacked the necessary staff, equipment, or capabilities to provide reliable voice and data network services to their customers at the base, prompting them to seek quick resolution.
In response to this urgent need, the MCBH CISD reached out to the Huntsville Center’s Facility Technology Integration (FTI) program for support.
Patrick Parten, project manager for Huntsville Center’s FTI-Gen program, emphasized that the Project Development Team designed the IDIQ contract to deploy advanced infrastructure and ensure ongoing technical support, critical for maintaining secure and reliable communication capabilities.
“This contract encompasses all activities associated with the full lifecycle management of all MCBH telecommunications resources, maintaining adherence to the highest standards and regulatory compliance throughout the contract duration,” Parten stated.
With an emphasis on quick execution, the team aimed to provide at least a 60-day transition period, enabling the new contractor to reach full performance swiftly.
Upon contract award, technicians rapidly began collaborating with the MCBH Communications and Information Systems (S-6) division to migrate outdated telecommunications equipment to modern voice-over internet protocols.
This transition aligns with the U.S. Marine Corps’ Force Design 2030 modernization requirements, enhancing operational capabilities and improving quality of life across all property assets at MCBH.
The efforts of Huntsville Center’s contracting staff were pivotal in expediting the contract process for a timely award.
Parten specifically acknowledged Robert Marsh, the contracting officer, and Jasmine Fortenberry, the contracting specialist, for their diligent work in ensuring that the contract was awarded within the agreed timeframe.
Colonel Sebastien Joly, commander of Huntsville Center, stressed the importance of effective communication with stakeholders for the expedited contract turnaround.
“We are proud to be able to commit to and deliver a vital break-fix capability for MCBH within their required timeline preventing any disruption to their mission,” Joly remarked.
image source from：https://www.army.mil/article/284907/huntsville_centers_rapid_contract_deployment_fills_marine_corps_gap_at_hawaii_base
