GPS III Follow-On

The U.S. Air Force announced September 14, 2018 selection of Lockheed Martin for a fixed-price-type production contract for 22 GPS III Follow-On satellites with a total estimated contract value up to $7.2 billion. The purpose of the GPS III program is to balance meeting the critical need to sustain the current GPS constellation and services while simultaneously supporting the evolving user requirements.

The U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's Global Positioning Systems Directorate (SMC/GP) intended to release a solicitation in FY2014 to purchase GPS III Follow-On Production Space Vehicles 09-20. The first Space Vehicle (SV) was planned for delivery in FY2019 with the remaining SVs notionally planned for delivery at an average rate of 2.4 per year.

The GPS Directorate (SMC/GP) administers the GPS III ACAT ID program. On 15 May 2008, the United States Air Force (USAF) awarded the GPS Block III to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC). Under this competitively-awarded contract LMSSC would design, develop, produce, test, and deliver up to eight (8) SVs with four contingency SVs and provide on-orbit engineering services to sustain those SVs in support of the GPS III ACAT ID program. In addition, LMSSC was performing GPS III technology development, systems engineering, and risk reduction activities. The GPS III Follow-On Production contract would leverage these investments to continue stable production and decrease costs, while implementing minor changes.

SMC/GP's intent was to award a sole source fixed price type contract to the GPS III Prime Developer, Lockheed Martin. The GPS III SV was deemed to be available only from the original source as it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements (10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)).

The mature GPS III SV01-08 design formed the technical baseline for this follow-on production. The new GPS III Follow-On Production contract was initially planned to produce 12 GPS III SVs that meet SV08 baseline requirements with minor capability changes. These changes resolve obsolescence, implement new policy, and improve affordability. Specifically they included signal upgradeability (digital waveform generator), accommodation of a redesigned Nuclear Detonation Detection System (NDS) payload, civilian rideshare payloads (Search and Rescue/GPS (SAR/GPS) and Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA)), dual-band transponders (Unified S-Band), Li-Ion batteries, and dual manifest launch capability. In addition to production, the contract included storage, launch operations, on-orbit support, production affordability initiatives and development of key performance parameter and key system attribute capabilities for future GPS III SVs.

The responding Prime Contractor (sources) must be able to produce, manufacture, integrate, test (including complete SV checkout and inter-segment tests), process for launch, store if necessary, and deliver GPS III SVs. In addition, the Prime Contractor must have the ability to conduct on-orbit checkout, and on-orbit engineering services (including surge capability for anomaly support) for the duration of the design life as a cost reimbursable effort.

These SVs will have modest capability improvements over the first eight (8) GPS III SVs currently on contract and shall otherwise be functionally equivalent and backward compatible to that stable design. Additionally, they must be fully compatible and interoperable with the GPS III supporting systems to include ground infrastructure, fielded GPS user equipment, and GPS III control segment (OCX). Finally, the SV design must provide a modern, scalable satellite bus that allows growth to include the additional capabilities required for SV21-32 as defined in the Capability Development Document in lieu of the Capability Production Document (CDD ilo CPD) with a minimum of bus non-recurring engineering.

SV Capability Enhancement was a high confidence, affordable solution employing mature technologies for incorporating signal upgradeability (digital waveform generator), accommodation of a redesigned Nuclear Detonation Detection System (NDS) payload, civilian rideshare payloads (Search and Rescue/GPS (SAR/GPS) and Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA)), dual-band transponders (Unified S-Band), Li-Ion batteries, and dual manifest launch capability on an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Medium.

The Government susequently modified this approach, to implement a two-phased acquisition approach to procure the next block of GPS III Space Vehicles (SVs). On 03 July 2015, USD (AT&L) approved the GPS III SV11+ Phase 1 Production Readiness Feasibility Assessment Amendment 3 to the GPS III Acquisition Strategy Document (ASD). In May 2016, the Government awarded three Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contracts for Phase 1 via a full and open competition. Phase 1 has determined that viable, low-risk, high-confidence sources exist to conduct a full and open competition for Phase 2, the production of 22 GPS III SVs starting in the FY19 timeframe. Phase 1 performance and findings have informed the Government's Phase 2 acquisition strategy; however, participation in Phase 1 is not a prerequisite to participation in Phase 2.

Phase 2 was planned as a single, predominantly Fixed Price Incentive-type contract awarded via full and open competition for production of 22 GPS III SVs. The Phase 2 RFP was released on 13 February 2018 to enable delivery of the first SV in 2026.

In April 2018, Lockheed Martin submitted a proposal to the government to build up to 22 additional GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) satellites which would bring even further enhanced capabilities to the GPS constellation's more than four billion users. SpaceNews reported April 25, 2018 Northrop Grumman had declined to bid on the U.S. Air Force GPS III Follow On contract. Boeing has decided to not submit a proposal to build up to 22 GPS III satellites for the U.S. Air Force. The GPS III Follow On (GPS IIIF) program will supply additional upgraded satellites to replace ones now in the constellation. “We have not put in a proposal for GPS III,” said Rico Attanasio, Boeing’s director of Department of Defense and civil navigation and communications programs, told Space News 18 April 2018.

On 10 December 2019 Raytheon Co., Aurora, Colorado, has been awarded a $13,543,046, bilaterally negotiated contract modification (P00310) to previously awarded contract FA8807-10-C-0001 to modify the technical baseline to fulfill the requirements of four requests for changes (RFC). The contract modification is for implementation of four RFCs (312, 343, 345, and 393) to the technical baseline. Work will be performed at Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,308,389,602.

Raytheon Co., Aurora, Colorado, was awarded 03 January 2020 a $11,711,659 bi-laterally negotiated contract modification (P00311) to previously awarded contract FA8807-10-C-0001 for Next Generation Operational Control System to incorporate an extension to the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIIF Special Study. The contract modification incorporates the GPS IIIF Special Study extension, which extends the period of performance of the current special study (Task 11), authorizes additional hours, and increases the value of the contract accordingly. Work will be performed at Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,323,226,802. No additional funds are being obligated at the time of award as the contract is incrementally funded. The United States Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Awarded on Jan. 2, 2020.

The program’s schedule as established in September 2018 may not meet Space Force’s requirement for keeping 24 operational M-code-capable satellites on orbit. This baseline schedule established the earliest delivery date for the first GPS IIIF satellite as January 2028, while the latest delivery date for the satellite was established as July 2028 (this schedule was then accelerated, as discussed below). Using Space Force data, if GPS IIIF satellites deliver at even the earliest date and each satellite launches 6 months after delivery, the constellation’s probability of providing 24 operational M-code-capable satellites will fall short of a 95 percent confidence level from early 2028 through late 2032.