iRobot Awarded $286 million XBot Contract!

I've been waiting to write this post for 6 months, but it's finally happened!
iRobot has WON the $286 million xBot Contract for up to 3,000 robots!

The long, sad saga of how 29-year-old former iRobot employee (and DeLorean driver) Jameel Ahed created a company called Robotic FX, built a PackBot-imitating robot in the basement of his father's dentist's office, underbid iRobot and was awarded the massive xBot contract, was inexplicably deemed capable of producing 3,000 robots by the Army despite having eight employees, was caught on camera by a private investigator dumping evidence in a Dumpster after iRobot filed suit, admitted to shredding 100 CDs and wiping all of his computer hard drives, was inexplicably STILL backed up by the Army and an assistant U.S. Attorney, and finally ws SMACKED down by federal Judge Nancy Gertner who issued the injunction against Robotic FX's Negotiator for using iRobot trade secrets, is finally over.

This has been expected for more than a month, but it's starting to feel like Christmas.

BTW, remember that the contract is for UP TO $286 million. iRobot will have to win orders, not just the contract. But as iRobot successfully argued to the judge, there is HUGE first mover advantage that will benefit the company for years to come for subsequent and follow-on contracts. This is a MASSIVE win for the company that will still be paying dividends 10 years from now.

UPDATE: The Boston Globe has coverage here. "It's a story of theft and betrayal and coverup, and coverup of the coverup," said Joseph Dyer, president of iRobot's government and industrial robot business unit.

Here is the company press release:

iRobot Wins $286 Million U.S. Army Contract
Company Selected to Deliver up to 3,000 Military Robots in Expanded, Broad-Scale Robot Deployment to U.S. Infantry Forces
BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 18, 2007 – iRobot Corp. (Nasdaq: IRBT) today announced it has been awarded the xBot contract, a $286 million Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), on behalf of the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Under the terms of the contract, the Army could order up to 3,000 military robots, spare parts, training and repair services over the next five years.
The award marks a turning point in the way the Army uses robots in combat, which until now have been deployed in limited numbers only to explosive ordnance device (EOD) specialists. With this award, the Army broadens the deployment of robots in larger scale to general infantry forces for a variety of critical missions in addition to EOD. iRobot immediately will begin to deliver the first 101 robots for urgent deployment.
"This new generation of robots is set to arrive in theater and change the way the Army fights," said Joe Dyer, president of iRobot Government and Industrial Robots. "Robots give our troops the distinct advantage of completing critical missions at a safe distance; more robots create a greater strategic advantage. We are honored to serve our troops by delivering these robots for urgent deployment."
iRobot was selected to fulfill the contract as the lowest priced, technically qualified bidder deemed able to deliver as a responsible contractor. iRobot's winning xBot prototype robot is based closely on the combat-proven iRobot® PackBot® military robot platform. xBot is a generic name, and the robots delivered to forces under the contract will be named iRobot PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit. These robots are smaller and lighter than the iRobot PackBot 510, with a robust gripper and an observation mast equipped with a low-light-capable zoom camera.
iRobot has delivered more than 1,200 PackBot robots, which are at work conducting dangerous missions while warfighters remain out of harm's way.