HMMWV Air Conditioning for Soldiers in Iraq

By Mary Rehm, Contracting Officer and Jim Lewis, Contract Specialist
Light Tactical Vehicle Division, TACOM Acquisition Center – Warren, Michigan

The Acquisition Center in Warren issued a Market Survey in December 2003 seeking sources to air condition (A/C) High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) deployed to Southwest Asia (SWA) that had add-on armor kits applied. 

Only one firm replied to the survey and the evaluation of that response determined that it did not meet the needs of the Army.  It was crucial that the Army develop an A/C solution which could be produced and delivered as quickly as possible to protect soldiers from injuries or fatalities due to the extreme heat. 

Temperatures inside armor kitted HMMWVs easily climbed over 160 degrees and A/C was urgently required to keep soldiers from becoming unconscious or falling asleep in the overheated vehicles and to prevent them from being killed by grenades being thrown through open windows, or by projectiles or bomb fragments.

In January 2004, Red Dot Corporation, a small business located in Seattle, WA, came forward with an air conditioning solution. 

Red Dot, an employee-owned firm, manufactures and supplies mobile heating and air conditioning systems for the heavy-duty trucking and off-road industries. The company employs more than 400 people at facilities in Seattle, Memphis, and England.  Red Dot, who had never had a government contract, provided a prototype for testing and voluntarily sent their personnel to Aberdeen Proving Ground (ATC) to observe/offer support for the test. 

This effort was entirely at their own expense; they were confident they had a solution to the Army's needs and felt it was their duty to do what they could do to help the Soldiers deployed in SWA.  The Red Dot prototype was subjected to intense testing and found to meet the urgent needs of the Army.

Once the requirements were defined and quantities set, a ceiling priced contract was awarded to Red Dot on March 12, 2004.  An intense alpha effort between the contractor and the government resulted in a contract signature within two days after receipt of funding. 

Red Dot remained flexible and very proactive to the Army’s needs, and was always willing to go over and above what was asked of them to meet urgent war needs. 

Red Dot is a true example of a company that is proud to help their country and Soldiers on the battlefield. 

Red Dot's first Department of Defense contract has proven them to be a truly exceptional partner.