By Nicolette Cormier, PMA265 Program Support

Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD -- Congratulations to the F/A-18E/F M61A2.20mm Automatic Gun System Team for winning the FY 2001 Department of the Navy Competition and Procurement Excellence Award. The award was presented to the team by Under Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Susan Morrisey Livingstone, during a ceremony at the Pentagon on July 17, 2002. This is the third 2001 Department of Navy award for the F/A-18 Program.

The team consisted of Jack Frazier, F/A-18 Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Production Manager; Maj. Fred Jones, Weapons System Information Team, Armament Systems; Greg Denman, PCO, AIR-2.5 Supervisor; Shawn Campbell, AIR-2.5 Contract Negotiator; Adrienne Somerville, AIR-2.5 Contracts; Michael Kangas, AIR-2.5 Contract Negotiator and Kelly Chism, AIR-2.2 F/A-18 Contracts. Speaking on behalf of the team Frazier said the award brought a great sense of accomplishment. "It was a great honor to receive such an award. The team worked many long hours on the contract."

Frazier said, "This new contract, gives us a totally integrated GFE package; the entire gun system is government furnished. The Navy is now able to return to a brand new gun, as opposed to buying remanufactured weapons from the Air Force. We also now have a government furnished ammo system, vice the high cost contractor furnished system. Moving the contract from CFE (Contractor Furnished Equipment) to GFE has saved the Navy a ton of money. "

Frazier explained that in the previous contract the gun system was fragmented in three ways. "The former gun was procured as a "rebuilt" unit from the Air Force," he said. "The cost had risen from a price of $24,000 to a current price of $73,000. The ammunition handling system was contractor furnished, and was slated to cost $208,000 per gun, and the gun barrels (six per gun) totaled $ 7,200. The new contract was eventually negotiated for a grand total of $228,000.00 per system for an average contract price."

The contract awarded to General Dynamics Armament Systems, in Burlington, Vermont will save the Navy $ 11,732,000 over the base year and three option years, starting immediately, with the FY01 procurement. Frazier remarked that the F/A-18 program had already received nine systems.

One individual and seven teams were selected from the 25 nominations received. Because all nominees had significant accomplishments, this year's selection process was particularly difficult. In the final analysis, the M61A2.20mm Automatic Gun System for the F/A-18E/F Aircraft Team's effort was determined to be one of the best, reflecting a most exemplary achievement.

For more information concerning this award or on the F/A-18 Program, contact Denise Deon Wilson at 301-481-6263 or visit our web site at http://pma265.navair.navy.mil.

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