EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 3, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a Best Value Gold Medal by the U.S. Defense Department's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for achieving 100 percent product quality and 100 percent on-time delivery of parts and assemblies for four aircraft programs: F/A-18 Super Hornet, B-2 stealth bomber, F-5 fighter and T-38 trainer.
This is the third consecutive year that the F/A-18, F-5 and T-38 programs have been honored by the DLA's Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) and the second year in a row for the B-2 program. The awards will be presented during the DSCR Business Conference June 7-10 in Richmond, Va.
"These gold medals reflect Northrop Grumman's commitment to provide our customers best-value products in terms of quality, cost and schedule," said Gary W. Ervin, sector vice president, Air Combat Systems, a business area of the company's Integrated Systems sector. "And since four different programs are being honored, the awards recognize the dedication of employees throughout our business area."
As the primary procurement center for aircraft equipment spares and maintenance items, the DSCR utilizes data from the Automated Best Value System database that collects delivery and quality records for all manufacturers providing products to the Defense Logistics Agency. Contractor rating from this system is one of the factors considered by the government when making best-value contract award decisions.
To receive a Gold Medal, the contractor must have a perfect rating on all contract lines shipped to the supply center in a 12-month period. Northrop Grumman delivered 437 contract line items and 11,443 parts worth more than $11.2 million in 2003. Silver and bronze awards are presented to companies with ratings of 99 percent and 98 percent, respectively.
As principal subcontractor to The Boeing Company on the U.S. Navy's F/A-18, Northrop Grumman produces the center/aft fuselage section and twin vertical tails and integrates all associated subsystems. The company is the prime contractor for the U.S. Air Force's B-2, a strategic, long-range, multirole bomber that can penetrate hostile air space without being detected. Northrop Grumman also is prime contractor for the F-5, an agile, highly maneuverable fighter in service with the United States and several other countries, and the T-38, the Air Force's primary supersonic trainer.
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration enterprise. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., it designs, develops, produces and supports network-enabled integrated systems and subsystems for government and civil customers worldwide. Integrated Systems delivers best-value solutions, products and services that support military and homeland defense missions in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; space access; battle management command and control; and integrated strike warfare.
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