DHS identifies 5 companies for SBI short list

Published 31 March 2006

DHS has selected the short list companies for its SBI project — and these companies are already forming coalitions with small and mid-size firms better to prepare themselves for a successful bid

DHS has identified five companies as “competitive” for the Secure Border Initiative (SBI) procurement, with a request for proposals scheduled for release today. Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Ericsson have already confirmed that they had been identified by DHS in an “advisory downselect,” which allows Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to create a short list of companies deemed equipped to handle the overall procurement (we note that Boeing would not confirm its selection to the short-list).

Companies continue to prepare for a final procurement bid, with a contract expected in September or October. Several companies have already held small business vendor days to attract a sufficient number of small or medium-sized businesses — as required by the terms of the project — to their team. Lockheed Martin will hold a small business day today in Northern Virginia after holding six similar functions in cities along the southern and northern borders. So far, only two teams have announced their rosters of companies for the procurement. Raytheon has announced its slate of large businesses for the procurement, staying with the same team — IBM, BAE Systems, and Bechtel National — which it has had for a year and a half. CBP’s Web site says that Ericcson has also signed on a sizable team which includes L-3 and Computer Sciences Corporation.