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Boeing Awards Ares I Rocket
Subcontracts to Three Small Businesses
ST. LOUIS, June 2, 2008 – The Boeing
Company [NYSE: BA] has awarded three contracts
to small businesses under its NASA Ares I
Instrument Unit Avionics (IUA) contract.
The IUA, which guides the rocket into orbit,
consists of onboard computers, flight controls,
communications equipment, power systems,
navigation and control systems and other
instruments and their associated software for
monitoring the rocket’s speed and position while
supporting safe assembly, check-out and flight
operation. The IUA is the brains of the Ares I
rocket, which will transports astronauts into
orbit for their journey back to the moon by
2020.
Subcontracts were awarded to minority-owned
GeoLogics Corporation based in Alexandria, Va.;
to minority-owned Moseley Technical Services
Inc, based in Huntsville, Ala. and to
service-disabled veteran owned Muñiz
Engineering, Inc. Technologies, based in
Houston. All three companies are classified as
small disadvantaged businesses under government
contracting deadlines. The value of the
subcontracts was not disclosed.
Moseley Technical Services will focus on
supporting avionics subsystem development and
systems engineering and integration, GeoLogics
will provide software support to Boeing and MEI
Technology will provide support for the
electronic ground equipment development and test
activities.
Boeing conducted a competition among 15
companies and selected the three that offered
the best overall value. The source selection
team was drawn from engineering, finance, human
resources, supplier management and the small
business office. The contracts are for one year
with four option years that could last through
2013.
“Our evaluations were based on their
technical ability, management capability and
cost,” said Larry B. McWhorter, Boeing Ares I
IUA engineering manager who was involved in the
selection process. “Clearly, the proposals were
top-notch and we’re excited to have them work
with us to deliver a safe and reliable avionics
system for NASA’s next generation Ares I rocket.
This is the first of many opportunities for
engineering support services as we strive to
exceed our aggressive small business goals.”
McWhorter added the work would be valued in
the millions for each of these companies over
the life of the Ares I contract. All three
companies will hire new employees who will be
collocated with Boeing and NASA personnel in
Huntsville.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing
Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's
largest space and defense businesses
specializing in innovative and
capabilities-driven customer solutions.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated
Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with
71,000 employees worldwide.
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