On March 31, the Pentagon awarded a $46 million contract to Combat
Support Associates, based in Fort Worth, Texas. Under the contract, Combat
Support would help in the flow of U.S. troops and equipment from Kuwait. The
company has already been under contract to the U.S. military.
"This procurement is for base operations support services, including
security and logistics for supplies and services, which are critical to
accomplishing the mission and functions of assigned and tenant units moving
into, out of, and within the country of Kuwait," the Pentagon said on April
6.
Officials said the U.S. military has nearly 20,000 soldiers in Kuwait to
help in the withdrawal from Iraq. They said this has marked an increase in
American personnel based in the Gulf Cooperation Council sheikdom in an
effort to enhance security and other functions.
"Base operation services also support the Coalition/Joint Reception,
Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration mission; promotes security and
stability within the region; and provides operational support for Operation
Iraqi Freedom, while simultaneously fulfilling international security
commitments and theater deterrence in support of the Defense Cooperative
Agreement between the United States and Kuwait," the Pentagon said.
Officials said the U.S. military has been copying elements of its
command and control network in Iraq for installation in Afghanistan. They
said the Pentagon has awarded a $14 million contract to
FedTech Services to develop an information technology solution in
Afghanistan — termed Theater Network Management Architecture — that would
be similar to that operating in Iraq.
The contract with Combat Support would take place in Kuwait through
September 2010. The statement said one bid was solicited and received.
The Pentagon also awarded a $77 million contract to DRS Technical
Services to assist in the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. Under the
contract, DRS would support the transition of the military's command,
control, communications and computer capabilities from several locations
within Iraq to the Baghdad International Zone, the U.S. embassy, and other
enduring forward operating bases.
"The majority of the services involve project management, program planning
and analysis, telecommunications engineering, systems and network
engineering and integration, and communications infrastructure installation
to include inside and outside plant architecture," DRS said on April 7.
