letter from 112 small businesses in supper of general dynamics' "manpack" radio
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from http://bit.ly/1h5yqK7 :Radio Wars: Will Production Halt Force Army To Play Radio Shell Game?By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. on October 22, 2013 at 12:35 PMWASHINGTON: In the latest battle over Army radios, defense industry giant General Dynamics is beating the war drums once again. If the Pentagon doesn’t issue a new contract for backpack-sized “manpack” radios soon, GD warns, they and co-supplier Rockwell Collins will complete the current lot by the year’s end — a press release this morning said they’ve completed 2,300 of the 3,826 on contract — and then have to stop production. Such a halt could jeopardize the delivery of the latest digital communications to combat soldiers, the head of GD’s radio business told me. (Troops currently in Afghanistan are using the somewhat less capable Harris PRC-117G radio). An Army official, meanwhile, told me the situation was not so urgent — but the service’s backup plans are unsettlingly unclear.General Dynamics is definitely pushing hard. In what one skeptic called a “desperation move,” the company has mustered 112 of its suppliers from 24 states– all small businesses — and 65 members of Congress to write the Pentagon insisting that production must continue....[story continues at http://bit.ly/1h5yqK7 ]TRANSCRIPT
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October 08, 2013 The Honorable Frank Kendall Under Secretary of Defense Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics 3010 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20310-3010 Dear Under Secretary Kendall, We respectfully request your authorization of an extension of the current Low Rate Initial Production order for the Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit (HMS) Program AN/PRC-155 Manpack radio. There is no comparable device to the Manpack two-channel radio available to our soldiers today. Manpack enables connectivity of the individual soldier into the “big Army network.” For the first time in the history of military communications, because of the Manpack, dismounted troops will have their voices heard, their texts received, and their position location painted on a map, visible down to the squad level, making them more effective in their missions and preventing fratricide. As small business suppliers for this one-of-a-kind capability for our warfighters, we represent 35 veteran-owned small businesses, 9 service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, 26 small disadvantaged (SDB) businesses, 36 women-owned small businesses and 10 HUBZone businesses in 32 states across our country—321 small businesses altogether. Authorization of an additional 2,500 Manpacks under the current Low Rate Initial Production order would allow the Army to achieve its goal of fielding to the Capability Sets on time and avoid a break in production. On behalf of the thousands of private and unionized workers that support this program, we formally request this order proceeds so our soldiers can have this highly capable equipment as they operate in harm’s way. We thank you for your consideration and look forward to your response. Sincerely, Arizona
Christian P. Guy David Cole General Manager, CGS Technologies President, Excel Precision Phoenix Tempe
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Fred Gagel Bill Kapler President, Arizona Industrial Hardware AAA Pallet & Lumber Co. Chandler Phoenix
Christopher R Abrams Richard LaMoure Vice President, Abrams Airborne Mfg. Inc. VP of Operations, Arizona Components Co. Tucson Phoenix
Michele Lacrosse Kathy D. Baechler Managing Member, Southwest Tek, LLC Office Manager, StarRex Precision Parts, Inc. Scottsdale Mesa
Jason Saxton Greg Nelson President, State Seal Company President, Nelson JIT Packaging Phoenix Phoenix
Gary Oleksiak Dawn Visser President, UNI-FIX President, MJS Designs, Inc. Phoenix Phoenix
Sandy Ridgel Robert Budde Contract Admin., Ktec Equipment & Supplies President, Aero-Space Southwest, Inc. Chandler Phoenix California
Sudesh K. Arora John Rolle President, CEO, Natel Electronic MFG Services VP Sales & Engineering, Lenthor Engineering Inc Chatsworth Milpitas
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Riley K. Cole Dhiru Sorathia President, Roncelli Plastics, Inc. Sales Engineer, Rigiflex Technology, Inc. Monrovia Anaheim
Larry Christensen Donna Garrett PJC Technologies, Inc; Speedy Circuits Div President, Garrett Electronics Corp. Huntington Beach Santa Maria
Michael Dastmalchian
Maria G. Borja Michael Dastmalchian CFO, Metal Etch Services, Inc. Vice President, Statek Corporation San Marcos Orange
Gabriel Shar Tom Doslak VP, AeroAntennea Technology, Inc. VP Sales & Mkt, Steamline Circuits Corp Chatsworth Santa Clara
Mike McConnell David Grossman Director, KCA Electronics, Inc. Vice President, Glenn Dee/MGI Anaheim Moorpark
Harry P. Alteri Webb Driver Vice President, Ritec VP Strategic Sales, Anacapa Micro Products Simi Valley Oxnard
Rex Shook Regional Sales Manager, Elma Electronics Inc Fremont
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Colorado
Donald Gosbee David Premo President, Optimum Systems Int., Inc. President, Portable Power Systems, Inc. Arvada Thornton Florida
Mark Lunn Vice President, Bee Electronics, Inc. Fort Pierce Illinois
Steven Pagliuzza M.B. Justice President, CEO, Dial Tools Inc. President, Grid Connect, Inc. Addison Naperville
Chris D. Grady Michelle Forbes President, L.D. Redmer Screw Products, Inc. Sonoscan, Inc Bensenville Elk Grove Village Indiana
Jacob L. Smelser Lisa Bledsoe President, Omega Micro Technologies, Inc. Customer Service, JFW Industries, Inc. West Lafayette Indianapolis Iowa
Jerry Bitterman CEO, Geater Machining & Manufacturing Independence
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Maryland
Gary LeCompte Vijay Kulkarni VP Operations, Kenlee Precision Corp. President, GL Communications Inc. Baltimore Gaithersburg Massachusetts
Paul S. Wagner Tammy Soper Vice President, CDP Fastener Group, Inc. President, Alexander Machine & Tool, Co. Inc. Brockton Woburn
Doug Gobin Anuj Srinastava President, V-Tron Electronics Corp. Renaissance Electronics & Communications, LLC South Attleboro Harvard
Edward F. MacDonald Dan Merrill Owner, Mair-Mac Machine Co., Inc. Vice President Operations, Piconics, Inc. Brockton Tyngsboro
Michael Zapolski Tiffany Cutting Vice President of Sales Business Development Manager, Axis Technologies, Inc. C&D Electronics Lowell Plainsville
Frank Dawson Mark Abare Sales, Beyond Components President, Plastic Distributors & Fabricators Inc. Westford Haverhill
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Dan Bousquet William J. Puleo Major Account Rep., Cases Cases, Inc. President, Newcom Metal Production Corp. Wakefield Randolph
Mike Fernandes Jim Veglas President & CEO, Polyneer Inc. CBM Industries, Inc. New Bedford Taunton
Jay Sherburne Jonathan B. Lawrence Project Manager, Metalcrafters, Inc. Vice President, Sonolite Plastics, Corp. Methuen Gloucester
John McDonald James S. Coskren President, CEO JEM Electronics, Inc. President, CIL, Inc. Franklin Lawrence
Edward Colognesi Matt Cady VP, Southbridge Sheet Metal Works, Inc. Production Manager, Wrobel Engineering Sturbridge Avon
Tom Barry Deborah McGonagle President, Yeuell Nameplate & Label Co Fabricated Product Manager Woburn Greene Rubber Company Woburn
Josh Roseman John M. Caputo Executive VP, Arnold Industries President, Parisi Associates, Inc. Canton Billerica
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David A. Varsano Jeff Sands CEO, Pacific Packaging Products, Inc. VP, Hardware Specialty Co Inc Wilmington Marlboro Michigan
Paul E. Miller Vice President & General Manager R.A. Miller Industries, Inc. Grand Haven Minnesota
Mark B. Thomas Paul J. Wagner CEO, HEI, Inc. Chairman and CEO, Minnesota Wire Victoria St Paul
Rick Taylor Mary Kosters Vice President, Taylor Machine, Inc. Owner, Unimatic Inc Circle Pines Saint Louis Park
Neil J. Vill Cheryl L. Lund President, CEO, World Data Products, Inc. VP Business/Product Development Minnetonka Avatek Corporation Eden Prairie
Shelly Zavoral Federal Sales Manager, Transition Networks, Inc. Minnetonka
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New Hampshire
Mark Ryan Leonard Galvin, Jr. Mark Ryan President, Linear & Metric Co. Sales Manager, Brevan Electronics Londonderry Merrimack
James Kennedy Ray M. Anderson President, JMK, Inc. President, Knapp & Koester, Inc. Amherst Keene New Jersey
Mark G. DeLeo Gary S. Kuskin Vice President, CDM Electronics, Inc. President, Sonetronics, Inc Turnersville West Belmar
Howard Schrier Vice President, Nova Electric Bergenfield New York
Michael Cole Vicki L. Flora Vice President, Rojan Electronics President, BJG Electronics, Inc. Poughkeepsie Ronkonkoma
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Richard Hardwick Rey Green Sales Account Executive Gen. Manager, RLC Electronics, Inc. TruForm MFG/Product Integration & MFG Mount Kisco Rochester
Gene Geraci
Gene Geraci Kyle Roelofts Vice President of Sales and Marketing Director, Business Developments Advanced Technical Materials (ATM) Bren-Tronics, Inc. Patchogue Commack
Carl F. Fahrenkrug, P.E. Thomas Skutch President, Microwave Filter Company, Inc. Director of Contracts, MITEQ, Inc. East Syracuse Hauppauge Ohio
Ken Moore VP, Electronics & Communications, Advatech Pacific, Inc. Dayton Oregon
Chad Haima Dave Matheny Vice President of Sales, Pentagon EMS Executive VP, ESAM, Inc. Hillsboro Grants Pass Pennsylvania
William Sinclair Les Riggall President, Aries Electronics, Inc., Sales Manager, Brandon Products Group Bristol North Wales
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Albert G. Feczko William Pote III VP Sales & Field Engineering, Timesys Corporation CEO, Megaphase Pittsburgh Stroudsburg
Steve Miller VP, CCO Effective Shielding Co., Inc. West Chester Rhode Island
Russel J. Hall Vice President, Ritronics Inc. Warwick South Carolina
Tara Flowe Marc Foster Sales Account Executive, Mercom Corp. Director, Strategic & Government Sales Pawley’s Island Sealevel Systesm, Inc Liberty Tennessee
Richard Farris Vice President Operations, Wiremasters, Inc. Columbia Texas
Don Webb Jeffrey B. Ceasario President, EVS Supply President, Christian Manufacturing Richardson Austin
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Jim McNeal Paul T. Zimmer Vice President, Electro Plate Circuitry, Inc. CEO, Texas Spectrum Electric, Inc. Carrollton Wylie Utah
Thomas L. Breault Director of Aerospace & Government Programs, Parvus Corporation Salt Lake City Virginia
Scott Sions Natalie Gregory Executive VP/Program Manager, Tim Price, Inc Vice President Tim Price, Inc dba Contact! Corp Carahsoft Technology Corporation Winchester Reston
David T. Whelan CEO, Alliance Micro Inc Chantilly Washington
Marc Sweet President, Argosy Component Sales Bellevue (112 Soldier’s Network suppliers have signed this letter, representing 24 different states)