Colt have been awarded to a contract worth nearly $60 million to produce M4 carbines for America’s allies. Back in July we reported that Colt, along with FN, Remington and Daniel Defense, had been selected to produce M4 carbines for Foreign Military Sales. Remington is believed to have been the first to have been awarded a Foreign Military Sales contract for production as a result of the Department of Defense’s downselection.

The latest Foreign Military Sales contract is worth just over $57 million to produce a batch of 10,000 carbines for export, which is almost double the earlier announced contract. This suggests that there is more to the contract than just 10,000 carbines. The purchasing country does not interact directly with the manufacturer, rather, the Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency acts as an intermediary. The agency places orders, organises the logistics of delivery to the purchaser. Purchasing countries must have proven credit or have deposited payment with the US Government.

Colt have been awarded a firm fixed price contract to produce M4s destined for Jordan, Morocco, Afghanistan, Senegal, Tunisia and Pakistan. These are participating countries which have been approved and authorised by the Department of Defense.

Here is the Department of Defense’s contact award announcement, posted on the 20th September, in full:

Colt’s Manufacturing Co. LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded a $57,722,819 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Jordan, Morocco, Afghanistan, Senegal, Tunisia and Pakistan) contract for procurement of up to 10,000 additional M4 and M4A1 5.56mm carbine rifles. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 20, 2019. Fiscal 2018 foreign military sales funds in the amount of $57,722,819 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-18-F-0115).

The contract will be a much needed boost for Colt in the face of continuing legal and financial issues. The exact distribution of the 10,000 carbines between the countries listed in the announcement is unknown. Production and delivery is set to be completed in 12 months, by the 20th September 2019.

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