Navy delays final solicitation for NGEN program

The Navy’s $10 billion Next Generation Enterprise Network request for proposals, which has long been planned for a Dec. 21 release, has now been put off with no firm release date.

According to the Federal Business Opportunities website, the Navy will instead release another, updated draft RFP along with a question-and-answer sheet on or around Dec. 19. The updated draft RFP will include revisions to the draft that was released in September.

The final RFP is now expected no earlier than the end of January, according to a statement the Navy issued on Dec. 9.

The program office is reviewing comments on the earlier draft RFP and striving to make the best use of them, said said NGEN program manager U.S. Navy Capt. Shawn Hendricks in the statement. “We are using the insight from all responses to further solidify the requirements and to ensure that we release a quality RFP that industry will be able to bid on and execute in order to provide enterprise network services to our sailors and Marines,” he said.

The release of the NGEN documentation is part of an ongoing dialogue between the Department of the Navy and industry to allow participants to be informed, make comments and ask questions, according to the statement. 
   
NGEN is the follow-on to the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet, held by Hewlett-Packard Co., which plans to bid as the incumbent. Other teams chasing the award include ones led by Harris Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp.