By adding supplementary clearance teams at no additional cost, we accelerated clearance operations, which provided an added value to our client.
The Digital Air Ground Integration Range (DAGIR) at Fort Bliss is the largest fixed operational range within the continental United States. The range has been heavily used for decades, with munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) present at the site ranging in size from 20 mm projectiles to Stinger missiles. In addition, the project site contained hundreds of M42 submunitions and improvised conventional munitions (ICMs), which required special handling and treatment measures to safely clear the site.
Through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District through the Huntsville WERS Contract issued to our SBA-approved joint venture, we completed a MEC and munitions debris (MD) removal action to support future construction operations at this range. Additional construction support activities were also tasked to us through modifications under this Task Order. This work was performed under a hybrid contract: Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) for clearance and removal actions, and Cost Plus Fixed-Fee (CPFF) for the construction support services.
We removed MEC and MD across more than 400 acres of operational range land. By adding additional clearance teams at no additional cost to the client, we were able to accelerate the clearance in order to clear significantly more acreage in a shorter time span, providing an added value through allowing additional operating space for range construction activities to commence sooner. We fielded seven unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance teams (more than 50 personnel) to conduct MEC surface clearances and intrusive clearances to depths of 2 and 3.75 feet below ground surface. Clearance activities were conducted with magnetometers and White’s All Metals detectors in a mag-and-dig format.
Our UXO Quality Control (QC) and Safety oversight for this project was critical to the overall success. We developed and implemented a detailed QC Program that incorporated the three-phase control process. Our UXO QC Specialist performed daily, random, and scheduled inspections of all work areas and definable features of work (DFOWs) to verify quality performance. The Work Plans, including the Accident Prevention Plan (APP), covered all safety aspects of the project. These plans were thoroughly discussed and reviewed with the client, our site personnel, and any subcontract personnel performing work under this TO. The results of the Quality and Safety implementation were 2,200 grids cleared (over 400 acres) with no QC failures and zero MEC-related recordable incidents.
The greatest evidence of customer satisfaction is in repeat business. In this case, we received additional orders to provide all munitions response services necessary to remove MEC and material potentially presenting an explosive hazard (MPPEH), to include MD and range related debris (RRD), from the four identified borrow pits and their associated access roads plus one pond area in the DAGIR.
For more information, please contact us.