The US Marine Corps Systems Command have announced their intention to procure more than 25,000 suppressors from Knight’s Armament Company via a Sole Source contract. The Sole Source notice was published on the 9th of July and confirms plans to procure 25,853, 5.56mm Small Arms Suppressors for issue to the Corps’ close combat forces.

Here at TFB, we’ve closely followed the USMC’s interest in suppressors. Since 2016 they have been a procurement priority and have been tested extensively. Back in May 2017 Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines deployed to Norway all equipped with suppressors as part of USMC field testing. That same month the first Request For Information (RFI) was issued seeking new rifles, optics and suppressors. The Corps’ experiments with signature reduction continued with 3/5 Marines experimenting with suppressors, before in August issuing an RFI for an off-the-shelf suppressor. Since then news of the USMC’s evaluation of suppressors has been scarce until the latest sole source notice was released.

USMC M38 DMR with KAC NT4 (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michaela R. Gregory)

Here’s what the sole source notice says:

The Marine Corps Systems Command intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source (FAR 6302.1 (a)(2)(ii)), based on substantial duplication of costs to the Government that are not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with Knight’s Armament Company (KAC), 701 Columbia Blvd, Titusville, FL 32780, for up to 25,853, 5.56mm Small Arms Suppressors to be used on the following weapon systems: M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle (IAR), M4 Carbine and M4A1 Close Quarter Battle Weapon. The KAC Small Arms Suppressor will also enable the USMC to continue to use their existing bayonets, as well as their existing Small Arms Collimators (SAC), Laser Boresights (LBS), and Blank Firing Adapters (BFA), all of which are critical to accuracy and lethality in both training and combat. These items are interoperable with the current Small Arms Suppressor.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals.  However, any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement, ROM pricing, and manufacturing capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency, only if received by the closing date and time of this notice.  A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

(Knight’s Armament Company)

5.56mm QDSS NT4 Specs:

Connects to M4QD and Triple Tap Compensator. NT4 Gate Latch Connector. Available in Black and Flat Dark Earth (-BLK) (-FDE).

Specifications:
Weight: 22oz
Length: 6.5″
NSN: 1005-01-437-0324