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  September 10, 2018 | International, C4ISR

  Cyber Command’s acquisition authority still in its infancy

  By: Mark Pomerleau U.S. Cyber Command is still in the beginning stages of building out an acquisition capability. Eight years after its launch and about two years after being granted limited acquisition authority from Congress, the command is still working to demonstrate that its wares and abilities make good use of funds and that it is capable of managing contracts, its acquisition executive said. “I will say we are in our infancy from an acquisition perspective. We are putting the foundation of the personnel and the skills,” Stephen Schanberger said Sept. 6 at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit. “We're in the beginning stages right now.” In the fiscal 2016 defense authorization bill, Congress gave Cyber Command limited acquisition authority capped at $75 million with a sunsetting in 2021. Congressional aides have equated this authority to that of Special Operations Command, noting that they wanted to employ a crawl, walk, run mentality to make sure Cyber Command can execute it. Schanberger said the command is asking for more on both fronts, with a ceiling of $250 million and a sunset of 2025 — the timeline being the most important element as it makes it easier to work with vendors who know contracts might not be in doubt three years from now. For Congress's part, Schanberger said they want the command to show it can use the authority in the way it's supposed to and start to stand up the backbone of a contracting organization. This includes being able to put together solicitation packages, plan contracting strategy for years ahead and be able to effectively implement and put out proposals and award them without making a mess, he said. Schanberger said the command currently has one contracting officer and one specialist and a couple of contractors aside from himself in the contracting shop, though he expects those numbers to double in the next three months. Cyber Command issued its first contract under this limited authority in October 2017. Schanberger said the command awarded only one contract in fiscal 2017, due in part to the fact they lacked a contract writing system, which is now in place. In fiscal 2018, the command is on track to award roughly $40 million in contracts and in fiscal 2019 is on a path to get close to its cap, Schanberger said. Congress has also asked what the delineation lines are between the acquisition efforts of Cyber Command and those of the services, Schanberger said. “Right now what we really look at are what are the gaps between us and our service partners and how do we help fill those gaps,” he said. “Typically, there are a couple of programs where we did the prototyping efforts and we transitioned that to the services. That's where we see our most value ... things that can benefit all our service cyber components.” Some within Congress have expressed that Cyber Command has approached acquisition cautiously and are concerned the services aren't budgeting and providing the tools and capabilities that the cyber mission force needs. Schanberger said he thinks that command has demonstrated that it can issue contracts effectively, efficiently and quickly. However, he noted, he still does not think the command has the wherewithal internally to run something as big as the Unified Platform, one of DoD's most critical cyber programs, from a resource perspective. https://www.fifthdomain.com/dod/cybercom/2018/09/07/cyber-commands-acquisition-authority-still-in-its-infancy

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  February 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 05, 2020

  NAVY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded an estimated $7,729,639,286 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to include all options, if exercised, for the procurement of Department of Navy (DoN) service management, integration and transport used on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, the outside continental U.S. Naval Enterprise Network and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. This acquisition will provide the DoN with base network services that are currently provided under the Next Generation Enterprise Networks contract such as electronic software delivery, end user core build, endpoint detection, logistics management, network operations, security operations, service desk, transport and virtualization services. Work will be performed across the DoN and is expected to be completed in February 2025. If all options are exercised, work could continue until August 2028. The first task order will be awarded with the basic contract and fulfills the minimum guarantee of $10 million with fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. Contract funds for the initial task order will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website and the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0054) and awarded the contract on behalf of the Navy's Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems. Advanced Acoustic Concepts LLC, Hauppauge, New York (N00024-20-D-6321); Aerostar Technical Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6322); Arete Associates,* Tucson, Arizona (N00024-20-D-6324); Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama (N00024-20-D-6325); Azimuth Inc.,* Morgantown, West Virginia (N00024-20-D-6326); BAE Systems Electronic Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire (N00024-20-D-6327); BMT Designers & Planners Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6328); Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc.,* Reading, Pennsylvania (N00024-20-D-6329); The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6330); General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6331); Gibbs & Cox, Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6332); Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, doing business as Metal Shark,* Jeanerette, Louisiana (N00024-20-D-6333); HII Fleet Support Group LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6334); Hydroid Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6335); ICI Services Corp.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6361); L-3 Unidyne Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6336); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6337); Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey (N00024-20-D-6338); Maritime Applied Physics Corp.,* Baltimore, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6339); Micro Systems Inc., subsidiary Kratos-MSI, Fort Walton Beach, Florida (N00024-20-D-6340); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, New York (N00024-20-D-6341); Oasis Systems LLC,* Rockville, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6342); Oceaneering International Inc., Hanover, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6343); Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6344); Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6345); Raytheon Co., Portsmouth, Rhode Island (N00024-20-D-6346); Reliable Systems Services Corp.,* Melbourne, Florida (N00024-20-D-6347); Rolls-Royce Marine North America Inc., Walpole, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6348); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6349); System Engineering Associates Corp.,* Middletown, Rhode Island (N00024-20-D-6350); Sedna Digital Solutions LLC,* Manassas, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6351); Serco Inc., New London, Connecticut (N00024-20-D-6323); Spatial Integrated Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6352); Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (N00024-20-D-6353); AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6354); The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (N00024-20-D-6355); The Columbia Group Inc.,* Washington, District of Columbia (N00024-20-D-6356); Tridentis LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6357); Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems (UEOS), Braintree, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6358); and W R Systems Ltd.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6360), are awarded a firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost only indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract (IDIQ-MAC) to support the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems. The IDIQ-MACs have a five-year base period and one five-year ordering period option, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $982,100,000. These businesses will have the opportunity to compete in the awarded functional area for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in various locations in the contiguous U.S. in accordance with each delivery order and work is expected to be completed by February 2025, and if the one option is exercised, completed by February 2030. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $1,000 ($40,000 total) is being obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities with 42 offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. GE Aviation Systems LLC, doing business as GE Aviation, Vandalia, Ohio, is awarded $26,583,200 for a firm-fixed-priced delivery order N00383-20-F-AK01 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-17-G-AK01 for the procurement of 101 generator converter units used on the F/A-18 aircraft. All work will be performed in Vandalia, Ohio, and will be completed by January 2025. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $26,583,200 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. The Oak Group Inc.,* Camden, New Jersey, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order N40085-20-F-4527 for $15,974,500, under a firm-fixed-price multiple award construction contract for the design and construction of a Marine Corps Reserve Center in Syracuse, New York. This project is to design and construct a new Marine Corps Reserve Center, as well as a new high-bay pre-engineered metal building storage warehouse, and a new pre-engineered canopy/shelter addition for tactical vehicle parking. The facility will contain a drill hall space, classrooms, open and private office spaces, an armory, a supply warehouse, a gym with adjacent locker and shower spaces, various training areas and a medical suite. This project consists of demolition of existing structures and site features, new building construction, paving/parking areas, access roads, utilities infrastructure work, comprehensive site improvements including storm water management and security improvements including fencing. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $15,974,500 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-17-D-5038). DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $7,813,986 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5200 to exercise options to perform services for evaluation, implementation, proofing of equipment changes, related engineering services and repairs, modifications/alternations and government furnished equipment repair and maintenance in support of Cooperative Engagement Capability “Bravo” equipment. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $641,028 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $641,028 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Aptim Federal Services LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded an $80,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation services and response actions in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 4, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0022). Social Services Missouri Department, Jefferson City, Missouri, was awarded a $16,399,172 firm-fixed-price contract for food service at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 5, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $16,399,172 were obligated at the time of the award. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W911S7-20-C-0002). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2075679/source/GovDelivery/

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  November 25, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  US finalizes awards to BAE Systems, Rocket Lab for semiconductor chips