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InDyne, Inc. Nabs Vanguard Contract, Largest Ever for a Small Business
By SUE MAYFIELD-GEiGER (Published 8/03)
On July 11, 2003, InDyne, Inc.'s President and CEO, C. Donald Bishop, signed his name to an eight-year, $430 million contract to run the Western Range at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The work entails consolidating six existing contracting efforts into one comprehensive operations and maintenance contract for the Air Force Space Command's 30th Space Wing, the organization responsible for all Department of Defense space and missile launch activities on the West Coast. Not only is this the largest federal contract ever awarded to a small business, but InDyne beat out nine companies for the job, including the incumbent, ITT Industries, which had held the contract for a whopping 44 years. In most cases, small companies like InDyne usually win only a portion of a large project as a subcontractor to a major business (i.e. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, etc.), but in the end, the Air Force was convinced that InDyne could handle the job. With about 740 positions affected by the contract consolidation, InDyne intends to retain as much of the current workforce as possible.
Competition was keen, but InDyne's proposal proved exceptional and provided the best overall value, according to Contracting Officer Evelyn Swain. InDyne teamed with Northrop Grumman Information Technology and will be responsible for: Western Range operations and maintenance; Support services; Training; Command, control, communications, information and computer systems services; Testing, modifying and installing communications, electronic and security systems at launch facilities; Launch control center and test facilities.
InDyne, founded in 1984, is no stranger to the Johnson Space Center, occupying offices on-site and in separate quarters on Point Lookout Drive. Their customer base list reaches from Goddard Space Flight Center (Maryland) to Stennis (Mississippi) to Kennedy Space Center (Florida), with multiple clients in between. Experiencing 1100% growth in the past five years, InDyne has certainly lived up to their Mission Statement: That their clients should pay for results – not efforts. They promise to "provide cost effective, quality services and solutions which are custom tailored to meet specific customer needs." The company employs about 900 people and recorded over $70 million in sales last year.
So who are they and just what exactly do they do? They are a high-technology firm specializing in information technology, science and engineering, and technical and administration services. Not only do they have multiple contracts with NASA, but also with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Veteran's Administration. More recently InDyne was awarded a technical support contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The array of services they provide is vast, but here is a breakdown:
Enterprise Management
• Integrated Program Management
• Data Warehouse
• Data Mining
• Systems Insight
• Knowledge Discovery & Management
• Learning Organizations
• Earned Value Management
Information Technology & Communications
• Applications Development & O&M
• Dynamic Internet/Intranet Website Development
• Internet Data Retrieval Systems
• Digital Signature Technology
• Electronic Data Interchange
• IT Security
• Networks & Servers
• Integrated Communications Services
• C4 Services
Science & Engineering
• Life & Microgravity Sciences
• Mission Support & Crew Training
• Peer Review – End-to-End
• Root Cause & Failure Analysis
• Structural/Fluids Analysis & Testing
• Systems Engineering & Integration
• Complex Computer Systems, Networks, Telecommunications, Imagery, and Video Systems
Technical & Administrative Services
• Configuration Management & Control
• Technical Training & Certification
• Metrology/Calibration Services
• Scientific, Digital, & Still Imaging
• Graphics, Publications & Exhibits
• Television Programming, Productions & Operations
• Public Affairs, Media Services & Educational Outreach
• Logistics & Mail Services
If it sounds technical, it is. That's why they won the contract. In a nutshell, here is a synopsis: InDyne, Inc. can do just about anything. Simply put, they deliver. Their talented group of professionals is capable, conscientious and dedicated. For instance, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI). They were established through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA whose purpose is to lead a world-class, national effort in integrated, critical path, space biomedical research that supports NASA's Human Exploration and Development of Space Strategic Plan by focusing on long-term human exploration of space.
Then there's the E911 Joint Communications and Emergency Operations Center, which is responsible for supporting the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station E911 Joint Communications and Emergency Operations Centers. InDyne provides both hardware and software support, integrating the functions of radio, video and phone communications into a central facility.
There's Rocket Motor Model Acoustic Testing, CD-ROM Production, and a mind-boggling list of other supportive activities. With offices in Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Ohio, California, Virginia and Maryland, classifying InDyne, Inc. as a "small business" seems almost unreal. (The Federal Government considers any company that employs fewer than 1,500 people as small business.)
Leonard Manzanares, a Small Business Administration procurement official, says that it took his office more than two years to convince the Air Force that a small business could handle the Vandenberg contract. "They typically think small business can't do the work," stated Manzanares, "so it's my job to convince them that they can."
Retired Air Force Col. Kenneth Cinal will officially serve as InDyne's Project Manager, who stated, "We're ready to go to work."
"It's truly an outstanding win for the company," stated InDyne's CEO Don Bishop. "We were delighted to be selected and are looking forward to a partnership with Vandenberg, 30 SW and the Air Force. Our enterprise management strategy and reputation for providing the government with cost effective, innovative solutions will ensure that VAFB's mission will result in success. We are proud of our WROCI team and are committed to the successful execution of the requirements of this mission-critical contract."
Bishop likes to keep a low profile, stating that it's the people who have made InDyne, Inc. what it is today. But everyone knows that it takes a leader to equal success. "Be that as it may, no one person can take a company to the heights Indyne has obtained. It is definitely a team effort," stated Bishop.
Accolades aside, this is something to celebrate. Congratulations to InDyne, Inc. on an outstanding win!
Publisher's Note: Visitors to InDyne, Inc.'s secure Clear Lake office in Nassau Bay will find employees at work on a number of projects from arranging expert panels who analyze the benefits of various NASA-related research proposals to designing, building and then shipping off educational displays dealing with space exploration. Located across the street from the Johnson Space Center, the building housing this office was once a movie studio which seems appropriate because you'd swear you walked into a prop room if you didn't know that these space suits, moon rocks and other artifacts are real.
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