Semper Fi UC

The U.S. Marine Corps is looking for a good UC solution, specifically one that will provide secure email, video conferencing and chat in a "suitcase-based" form factor.

Responses to the Corps' RFI (request for information) for an "Expeditionary Command and Control Suite (ECCS)" are due in today. Private industry is being asked to provide information for a transit case/suitcase based communications solution that provides links both to the DoD's secure IP network as well as to the non-secure Internet for email and web access, secure voice, secure video teleconferencing, plus access to various standardized collaboration planning tools.

ECCS would go in with lead teams to provide communications back to "higher headquarters" for on-the-fly/on-the-move communications until larger network systems can be established. Strong collaborative communications capability is necessary for everything from peacetime humanitarian operations to "kicking in the door" in wartime.

Contractors will have to provide ECCS "production, sustainment, systems engineering, integration, fielding and logistics support to provide communications capabilities with ECCS and services to the Marine Corps" with an always-on help desk, along with software and hardware upgrades, and training included.

If the Corps likes what it sees in the RFI responses, it could order anywhere between $2 million and $75 million of gear and supporting services over a five-year period.

For more:
- Information Week article [1].
- If you're interested the federal descriptions, FBODaily has the detailed scoop [2].