poking around

Bpost has been poking around into some of the recent groups to hit the news. Two have caught our eye. The first is the Office of Special Plans of which we know next to nothing. The second is defense contractor Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

According to online information, the SAIC is funding the Iraqi Reconstruction and Development Council (IRDC). Established by the Pentagon in late February, the council is made up of Iraqis who would participate in an interim administration in Iraq. The team is apparently headed by Imad Dhia and was temporarily stationed in Virgina.

Our interest, of course, is how much is being paid and under which contract to SAIC. After some looking around, bpost discovered a revised contract to SAIC dated February 13.

Science Applications International Corp., San Diego is being awarded a $7,715,691 to exercise an option under previously awarded indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00140-01-D-H029) for providing services in support of the U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Experimentation Directorate in support of the formulation and analysis of joint operational concepts. Work will be performed at Suffolk, Va., and is to be completed by October 2003. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Fleet Industrial Supply Center, Norfolk Detachment, Philadelphia is the contracting activity.

Our guess work is based on a) the Pentagon would not want to send the contract out for bid b) the contract had to be for services not goods c) the location specified needed to be in Virginia and d) the contract would commence after January 31 on or near the end of February. The contract is also for significantly less than most of the additional awards to SAIC that we saw online at Defense Link.

The U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Experimentation Directorate is a Pentagon program that is part of transforming military response. Here's how Navy Capt. Justin Sherin, chief of the directorate's information superiority working group initially described it:

a pro football team that has the best capabilities, but no game schedule

Bpost thinks the IRDC is now part of this new football team. And we think they just got flown to Baghdad for their first game.

SAIC is also handling the technical operations of the new radio station Voice of the New Iraq launched on April 15 in Umm Qasr. It's a bummer they wouldn't reveal how much the contract is worth or when they got it. If anyone stumbles on anything please let us know. We prefer solid facts to guesswork.

There are now a number of radio stations operating in Iraq. Clandestine radio is monitoring transmissions and reports on the bands so you can tune in if you've got a shortwave radio. It'll probably help if you speak a little Arabic but you can always just enjoy the music.

Note Try this link to Clandestine Radio.

Special thanks to P Glass for contributing to this report