IDT News

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA, VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS AND DEFENSE SECRETARY GATES

THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY DOES NOT SUPPORT AMERICAN WARFIGHTERS, AMERICAN WORKERS, AMERICAN INDUSTRY OR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS

To Our Distinguished Leaders:

If you were a soldier deployed in a combat zone tonight, would you rather have the best protective equipment, or the cheapest?

THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY JUST CHOSE THE CHEAPEST.

Infrastructure Defense Technologies, LLC ("IDT") of Belvidere, Illinois manufactures critical force protection equipment (in this case, protective barriers), designed to protect deployed troops against the most likely and deadly threats from enemy forces – threats such as bullets, Rocket Propelled Grenades, Improvised Explosive Devices and truck bombs.

The Defense Logistics Agency ("DLA") recently conducted a competitive solicitation for protective barriers, after spending many years and billions of dollars purchasing a single product manufactured by a FOREIGN ENTITY ON A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT. The purpose of the competitive solicitation was to develop alternatives to the sole-sourced product, find products which last longer and meet weapons threats specifically seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The solicitation stated that technical factors were "Significantly more important than cost or price".

Seven companies submitted proposals, and IDT’S PRODUCT RECEIVED THE BEST TECHNICAL RATING, BOTH OVERALL AND IN TERMS OF PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS. Our price was determined by DLA to be "Fair and Reasonable". However,

THE DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY AWARDED THE CONTRACT TO THE SAME FOREIGN COMPANY.

A successful award of this contract would have created hundreds of new jobs at IDT, in a region where the unemployment rate exceeds 15%. Our estimated steel purchases would have been in excess of 80 million pounds per year, and would have created or saved hundreds of steel production, distribution and trucking jobs in places like Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. Further, an award of this contract would have benefitted not only other small businesses, but also would have established subcontractor relationships with non-profit agencies for the blind and severely disabled. We had planned on hiring combat veterans for key positions in our company.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES IS PROTESTING THIS OUTRAGEOUS DECISION WITH THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.

Mr. President, the cornerstone of your economic plan has been the creation and retention of jobs in America, and we present to you a prime opportunity to do so. As citizens, taxpayers and constituents in your home state, we ask that your Administration immediately look into this unjust contract award, which will deprive our troops of the best equipment available, and prevent the creation of hundreds of American jobs.

And to the United States Congress, we ask that you freeze the funding for this contract, and demand an explanation from the DLA as to why they are choosing to stick it to the American Soldier, American Worker, American Business and the American Taxpayer in one fell swoop.

IN A TIME OF WAR, AMERICA'S WARFIGHTERS DESERVE THE BEST PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT…NOT THE CHEAPEST.

IN THIS TIME OF ECONOMIC CRISIS, AMERICANS NEED JOBS…..IN AMERICA, NOT OVERSEAS.

Infrastructure Defense Technologies has received no government grants, no bailouts, no TARP money or stimulus cash. We never asked for any. We want only one thing: The opportunity to fulfill our mission of protecting America’s deployed troops, and creating good paying jobs with benefits in a desperate time. We thank you in advance for your assistance.

Respectfully Submitted,
INFRASTRUCTURE DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
3575 Morreim Drive
Belvidere, Illinois 61008
www.infrastructure-defense.com