NR - 09.001 - January 9, 2009
QUEBEC– The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Gateway, together with the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, today announced the contract award for the Canadian Forces’ new medium-sized logistic trucks. Under the contract, the Canadian Forces will be receiving 1300 Militarized Commercial Off-the-Shelf (MilCOTS) vehicles.
“In line with our Canada First Defence Strategy, the Government of Canada continues to deliver on its promise to equip our Forces with the tools they need to do the jobs we ask of them,” said Minister MacKay. “These new trucks will be the logistics backbone of the land force, moving people, equipment and supplies efficiently and where they are needed most.”
The MilCOTS vehicles will be used in Canada to support domestic operations. The new fleet of trucks represents an essential investment for the Canadian Forces.
“It's essential for Canadian soldiers to be provided with quality equipments to perform their duties,” said Minister Verner. “These trucks are another example of our government's commitment to provide adequate equipment for the Canadian Forces.”
The $274 Million contract was awarded to Navistar Defence LLC following a competitive procurement process. Canada will take delivery of the first trucks in the summer of 2009, with all the trucks to be delivered within 18 months after the contract award.
The Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy applies to this contract, which means that Navistar Defence LLC will generate one dollar of economic activity in Canada for every dollar it receives from the contract. The maintenance and repair of the MilCOTS vehicles will be supported commercially through a well-established local dealer network, benefiting Canadian industry and local economies.
The MilCOTS vehicles are the first element of the Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS) project. The MSVS project will provide a replacement for the current medium logistic trucks, which have been in use since the 1980’s and are reaching the end of their service life. In addition to the MilCOTS, the MSVS project also seeks to acquire standard military pattern vehicles (designed specifically for use in foreign operations). A request for proposal for this acquisition will be issued in the summer.
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Note to Editors: The commercial model designation for the MilCOTS vehicle is the Navistar 7400 SFA 6x6. More information about the Medium Support Vehicle System project is available at www.forces.gc.ca
