Senate Bill sb2522c1
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Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SM 2522
By the Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, Base
Protection, and Spaceports; and Senator Jones
301-2593-04
1 Senate Memorial No. 2522
2 A memorial to the Congress of the United
3 States, urging the United States Department of
4 Defense to award the contract for the creation,
5 development, and implementation of the Mobile
6 User Objective System, known as MUOS, to the
7 project team led by the Raytheon Corporation in
8 partnership with Honeywell Space Systems,
9 however, if the contract is awarded to another
10 project team, the Florida Senate would be
11 supportive of that decision.
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13 WHEREAS, one of the most important components of an
14 effective and efficient military, whether in periods of war or
15 peace, is its communications system, and
16 WHEREAS, because the military superiority of the United
17 States is based in large part on the use of technologically
18 advanced weaponry and weapons systems, it is of the utmost
19 importance that the United States military utilize an equally
20 advanced communications system, and
21 WHEREAS, the communications system currently being used
22 by the servicemen and servicewomen of the United States Armed
23 Forces provides limited connectivity and will fall below
24 useful performance standards by 2009, and
25 WHEREAS, the Mobile User Objective System, known as
26 MUOS, is a massive and dynamic communications network being
27 developed for the safety and security of the United States
28 military, and
29 WHEREAS, MUOS, the United States Navy's next-generation
30 satellite communication system, solves the limitation problems
31 of the current system by providing a replacement which will
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Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SM 2522
301-2593-04
1 enable worldwide ground communications among all branches of
2 the United States military by 2009, and
3 WHEREAS, with the MUOS system, American military
4 personnel will have reliable radio communications capabilities
5 from the air, ground, or sea, whether they are fighting in
6 dense jungle terrain or in urban war zones, and
7 WHEREAS, more importantly, because of its effectiveness
8 and efficiency, the MUOS communications system will save the
9 lives of men and women serving in the United States Armed
10 Forces, and
11 WHEREAS, the United States Navy is scheduled to award
12 the $6.2 billion contract for the MUOS system in the first
13 quarter of 2004, and
14 WHEREAS, Raytheon Corporation's St. Petersburg
15 Division, in partnership with Honeywell Space Systems in
16 Clearwater, is currently competing for the contract, and
17 WHEREAS, under Raytheon's proposal, Raytheon would
18 serve as the prime contractor, responsible for overall system
19 design, integration, and communications software, and
20 Honeywell would develop the satellite's computer, which would
21 provide control of the payload that transmits signals among
22 aircraft, ships, military ground stations, military vehicles,
23 and military personnel, and
24 WHEREAS, the Raytheon/Honeywell Florida team has the
25 expertise and commitment to develop the technology, talent,
26 and resources needed to secure this project, and
27 WHEREAS, the MUOS contract would create an estimated
28 1,000 high-technology jobs along the Interstate-4 corridor,
29 paying an average salary of $65,000 per year, with staffing
30 beginning in mid-2004 and building to full strength in 2005,
31 and
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Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SM 2522
301-2593-04
1 WHEREAS, the high-wage project work would be spread
2 throughout Clearwater, Tampa, Orlando, and the Kennedy Space
3 Center, with labor income generated by the MUOS project
4 averaging $65 million per year by the end of 2005, and
5 WHEREAS, the MUOS contract is scheduled to be completed
6 in 2013 after the full constellation of satellites and ground
7 systems are in operation, and
8 WHEREAS, in keeping with Florida's long and proud
9 history in space integration and launch operations, securing
10 the MUOS contract would open the door for an influx of
11 aerospace technology work in the state, thus elevating the
12 stature of Florida's technology base, and
13 WHEREAS, MUOS would be a catalyst to increase
14 engineering and high-tech job opportunities in Florida,
15 attracting companies serving both the space and defense
16 industry, and
17 WHEREAS, the initiation of the MUOS project would
18 stimulate business, engineering, and computer-related talents
19 within Florida's universities and would generate the required
20 specialized competencies among our graduates who are seeking
21 high-technology careers, and
22 WHEREAS, MUOS would establish Florida as a premier
23 academic, scientific, and technology leader in the nation, and
24 WHEREAS, state university officials are eager to
25 partner in this venture which would capitalize on the
26 considerable intellectual resources within our state
27 university system, and
28 WHEREAS, by mobilizing the resources within its
29 institutions of higher education through internships, Florida
30 would cultivate a workforce that is focused on high-technology
31 and produce a steady stream of professionals who are prepared
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Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SM 2522
301-2593-04
1 to bring innovative advancements to the space research and
2 development industry, and
3 WHEREAS, the State of Florida is committed to assisting
4 in MUOS technology development, is committed to recruiting
5 engineers to support the MUOS project and retaining trained
6 engineers and scientists within the state, and recognizes the
7 need to support and enhance high-technology research in
8 Florida's universities, NOW, THEREFORE,
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10 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 That the Senate of the State of Florida urges the
13 United States Department of Defense to award the contract for
14 the creation, development, and implementation of the Mobile
15 User Objective System, known as MUOS, to the project team led
16 by the Raytheon Corporation in partnership with Honeywell
17 Space Systems.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the State of
19 Florida recognizes that other qualified contractors are also
20 bidding for this project and should the Department of Defense
21 award the MUOS contract to another project team the Senate of
22 the State of Florida would be supportive of that decision.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
24 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
25 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
26 United States House of Representatives, to the United States
27 Secretary of Defense, and to each member of the Florida
28 delegation to the United States Congress.
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Florida Senate - 2004 CS for SM 2522
301-2593-04
1 STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
2 Senate Bill 2522
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4 The most significant change made in the committee substitute
is the recognition that other qualified contractors are also
5 bidding for this project and should they be awarded the
contract instead of Raytheon the Senate would be supportive of
6 that decision.
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