April 28, 2024 | International, Security
Palo Alto Networks Outlines Remediation for Critical PAN-OS Flaw Under Attack
A critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-3400) in PAN-OS could expose your systems to remote code execution attacks.
February 2, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 01, 2021
NAVY
Raytheon Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney, Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $290,704,534 cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract. This contract provides material and support equipment for depot maintenance facilities, program administrative labor for non-recurring sustainment activities, mockup engines and modules for test cells, as well as supplies, services, and planning for depot activations in support of the F-35 Lightning II Program Lot 13 propulsion system for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (30%); East Hartford, Connecticut (22%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (10%); Indianapolis, Indiana (6.75%); Windsor, Connecticut (3.25%); Yuma, Arizona (1.25%); Norfolk, United Kingdom (1%); Leeuwarden, Netherlands (1%); various locations within the continental U.S. (3.75%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (21%), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $89,468,714; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $84,152,318; non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $45,225,342; and FMS funds in the amount of $15,886,074, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-21-C-0006).
Crowley Government Services Inc., Jacksonville, Florida (N62387-15-C-2505) is awarded a $25,484,291 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise a six month option period (P00128) for the operation and maintenance of five Navy ocean surveillance ships USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19); USNS Able (T-AGOS 20); USNS Effective (T-AGOS 21); USNS Loyal (T-AGOS 22); and USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS 23), and missile range instrumentation ships USNS Invincible (T-AGM 24); and USNS Howard Lorenzen (T-AGM 25). This modification provides for the exercises of a six-month option period to the bridge contract that was awarded on July 22, 2020. Work will be performed at sea, world-wide beginning Feb. 1, 2021, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $25,484,291 are obligated for fiscal 2021 and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This bridge was not competitively procured and was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code § 2304(c)(1). The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $14,184,813 cost-plus award-fee order N62786-21-F-0004, against previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-19-G-2313 to provide engineering and management services for LCS-21 post shakedown availability. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida (37%); Moorestown, New Jersey (29%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (18%); Washington, D.C. (15%); and Baltimore, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed by July 2022. Fiscal 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $5,339,694 funding will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Ellume USA LLC, Valencia, California, was awarded a $250,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure reliable home use testing without prescription requirements to meet the demand to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Valencia, California, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 1, 2022. Fiscal 2021 special funds in the amount of $250,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-21-9-0003).
NIKA Technologies,* Rockville, Maryland (W912DY-21-D-0017); Health Facilities Solutions, San Antonio, Texas (W912DY-21-D-0021); Polu Kai Tidewater,* Falls Church, Virginia (W912DY-21-D-0020); Vali Cooper International, Covington, Louisiana (W912DY-21-D-0018); VW International Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-20-D-0019); and The Outfit Inc., New Braunfels, Texas (W912DY-21-D-0016), will compete for each order of the $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide medical project support services, facility support services, quantity verification and analysis services, project development support services and commissioning support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $96,932,957 delivery order (FA8504-21-F-0022) to contract FA8504-17-D-0002 for C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment. This order provides funding for Option IV. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Special Operations Command operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,109,327; fiscal 2021 Air National Guard operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $22,126,544; fiscal 2021 Air Force Reserve operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,187,542; fiscal 2021 Air Force operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $54,486,354; and fiscal 2021 Special Operations Command research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,023,191 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $66,684,503. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Georgia, is the contracting activity.
Innovative Scientific Solutions Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $44,195,532 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Technology for Sustained Supersonic Combustion (TSSC). This is for the Technical Area 2 portion of TSSC. The mission of this TSSC effort focuses on development and evaluation of advanced aero propulsion systems and components, airframe structures, internal/external aerodynamics including integration into air vehicles, weapons and launch components with an emphasis on decreasing weigh and evaluating the effect of engine scale to determine operability, durability and performance. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed February 2028. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. The first task order will be incrementally funded with fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $20,000 at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-21-D-2401).
Cyber Systems and Services Solutions, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $17,765,741 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P0010) to contract FA8773-18-D-0002 to exercise Option Three for defensive cyber realization, integration and operational support services. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be completed Feb. 28, 2022. This modification is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,764,731 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity.
University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, has been awarded a $12,500,000 cost-reimbursement contract for “Photovoltaic Sheets for High-Specific-Power Space-Based Energy Harvesting (PVS-EH)”. This contract is to provide, develop and demonstrate the concept of PV “sheets” (PVS), consisting of modular, interconnect able, high-efficiency PV power sources fabricated on low-weight flexible substrates using scalable processing. Under this program, the contractor will further the effort to study and develop advanced materials, interfaces and electrical contacts for high efficiency and high specific power tandem thin film photovoltaic technologies to achieve lightweight solar sheet technologies that enable specific powers to exceed 1000 W/kg onboard spacecraft self- sensing, attribution and autonomy. Work will be performed in Toledo, Ohio, and is expected to be completed February 2026. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-21-C-0056).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,763,422 firm-fixed-price task order under the ground subsystems sustainment contract (FA8214-15-D-0001) for the Minuteman III Launch Control Center Block Upgrade production for the exercise of Option Year One of Malmstrom Wing I. Work will be performed in Ogden, Utah, and is expected to be completed Aug. 15, 2022. Fiscal 2021 missile procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total value of the task order after exercise of the previously mentioned option is $26,428,083. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8204-20-F-0071).
CORRECTION: The contract modification (P00014) awarded to Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, Jan. 27, 2021, had an incorrect obligation amount. The operation and maintenance funds being obligated at the time of award should be $50,418,022, not $44,482,293 (FA8106-18-D-0002).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Stryker Corp., Portage, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $89,644,767 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for cranial and maxillofacial procedural packages and ancillary items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S .Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a one-year contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Michigan, with a Jan. 31, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-21-D-0011).
Exxel Outdoors LLC,* Broomfield, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $55,760,612 firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/definite-quantity contract for three-season sleep systems and components. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Colorado, with a Jan. 28, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-21-D-1439).
SNC Manufacturing LLC,** Orocovis, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $41,007,805 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for trousers. This was a competitive acquisition with eight responses received. This is a one-year contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Jan. 31, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-21-D-1413).
*Small business
**Small disadvantaged business
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2489417/source/GovDelivery/
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March 29, 2019 | International, C4ISR
Palantir wins competition to build Army intelligence system
By Shane Harris The Army has chosen Palantir Technologies to deploy a complex battlefield intelligence system for soldiers, according to Army documents, a significant boost for a company that has attracted a devoted following in national security circles but had struggled to win a major defense contract. Industry experts said it marked the first time that the government had tapped a Silicon Valley software company, as opposed to a traditional military contractor, to lead a defense program of record, which has a dedicated line of funding from Congress. The contract is potentially worth more than $800 million. The Army's decision to go with Palantir, which was co-founded by Peter Thiel, the billionaire investor and sometimes adviser to President Trump, brings to a close the latest chapter in a fierce competition. In March 2018, the Army chose Palantir and Raytheon to vie for the next phase of the Distributed Common Ground System (or DCGS-A, for Army), which lets users gather and analyze information about enemy movements, terrain and weather to create detailed maps and reports in real-time. The system is designed to be used by soldiers fighting in remote, harsh environments. But critics within the Army and in Congress have for years complained that DCGS-A cost too much and didn't deliver the intelligence and capabilities that soldiers needed. Some soldiers said the system was too hard to use and searched for alternatives. Many became backers of Palantir, which sells to governments and businesses, including in the financial and health care sectors. Palantir and its advocates argued that their software was cheaper and could meet all the Army's requirements. But Army brass defended their decision to pay for a custom-built platform. In 2016, Palantir successfully argued in court that the government was required by law to consider purchasing commercial products, when available, rather than custom ones. That sent the Army back to the drawing board and led to the face off between Palantir and Raytheon. Before his death. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) praised the new approach on Twitter, noting that after the Army had already spent $3 billion in development costs, “it was time to find another way.” Raytheon and Palantir were allowed to test their respective software platforms with a live audience of soldiers, who told them what they liked and didn't and what they would change. The two companies then refined their offerings to suit the Army's needs. Traditionally, the government first chooses a company to build a system according to a set of detailed requirements. But this approach let the Army take both companies' products for a test drive before settling on the winner. “The Army changed its approach to acquisition,” Doug Philippone, a former Army Ranger who leads Palantir's defense business, said in an interview. He said the company was always confident it could win if it were allowed to adjust its technology after getting feedback from soldiers, who he said put the software through a rigorous test, even parachuting out of airplanes with reinforced laptops containing Palantir's software. Chris Johnson, a spokesman for Raytheon, said the company was disappointed in the outcome. “We will wait for the Army's de-brief to understand their decision.” The Army did not provide a comment for this story. Raytheon and Palantir may compete for subsequent phases of work on the program. Unlike most Silicon Valley start-ups, which aim to make their fortunes building consumer applications and software, Palantir at its founding set its sites on Washington, believing that its data analytics tools would find an eager market among U.S. spy agencies and the military, which are constantly trying to manage ever-expanding streams of information. Philippone said the Army win had validated Palantir's strategy. “We founded the company around solving this particular mission,” he said. The company faced initial skepticism from investors, who thought it couldn't overcome entrenched bureaucratic interests and what they saw as political favoritism that led the Pentagon to spend billions every year with the same small group of Beltway contractors. “Everyone told us we should stay away from Washington because it was corrupt and we didn't know how to play golf with senators,” Joe Lonsdale, a Palantir co-founder, said in a 2011 interview. The company got an early investment in 2005 from In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture capital arm, which tries to quickly develop technologies that the intelligence agency might use. The In-Q-Tel connection helped Palantir get meetings with U.S. officials and intelligence analysts, and even test its software with the CIA's counterterrorism center, according to people familiar with the matter. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/palantir-wins-competition-to-build-army-intelligence-system/2019/03/26/c6d62bf0-3927-11e9-aaae-69364b2ed137_story.html
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March 28, 2023 | International, Aerospace
Autonomous tech can help keep US homeland safe, NORAD’s VanHerck says
“I think the future of homeland defense is vastly different than what we see today,” Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck told Congress.