October 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
AIR FORCE
Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $239,113,565 definitization modification (PZ0001) to contract FA8672-20-C-0005 for StormBreaker (SDBII, GBU-53/B) production Lot 6. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed Nov. 28, 2023. The current action relates to classified Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and 6.3% of contract value supports FMS. Fiscal 2020 production funding in the amount of $265,281,689 is being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $271,894,434. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.
JOINT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER
Redhorse Corp., San Diego, California (FA701420A0020); Cyber Point International LLC, Baltimore, Maryland (FA701420A0021); Elder Research Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (FA701420A0019); Barbaricum LLC, Washington, D.C. (FA701420A0018); and Enterprise Resource Performance Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (FA701420A0022), were awarded five-year competitive blanket purchase agreements (BPAs), each with a $100,000,000 ceiling, to provide services to the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Missions Directorate. The services include software development, machine learning, cognitive and systems engineering, operations research, and user experience design. Work on the contract will occur in Arlington, Virginia. The ordering period is from Sept. 25, 2020, through Sept. 24, 2025. The contracting activity is the Air Force District Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
ARMY
Construction Outfitters International Inc., Boerne, Texas (W9128F-21-D-0001); Fluor Federal Services LLC, Reston, Virginia (W9128F-21-D-0002); Weston Solutions Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania (W9128F-21-D-0003); Greenway Enterprises Inc., Helena, Montana (W9128F-21-D-0004); and Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (W9128F-21-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facility renovations and repair requirements for Defense Intelligence Agency defense attache offices in U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 14, 2027. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity.
Craig Technical Consulting Inc.,* Merritt Island, Florida, was awarded a $49,845,380 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to procure scientific and engineering support services for the Army Aberdeen Test Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 14, 2025. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-21-D-0002).
Aegis Defense Services LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $15,974,994 firm-fixed-price contract to provide U.S. Forces Afghanistan with private security service protection. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 29, 2023. Fiscal 2021 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (Army) funds in the amount of $15,974,994 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Afghanistan, is the contracting activity (W91B4N-21-C-2000).
DRS Network & Imaging Systems, Melbourne, Florida, was awarded a $10,425,596 firm-fixed-price contract for Direct Support Electrical System Test sets. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Kuwait) funds in the amount of $10,425,596 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-21-C-0055).
NAVY
AAR Aircraft Services Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $67,262,091 modification (P00009) to previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, time and materials, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0111. This modification exercises options to procure P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, fulfillment of depot in-service repair/planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, aircraft on ground support and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy, the government of Australia, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in October 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $65,704,035 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for air traffic control platform integration technical and engineering services, including systems production, development, test, evaluation and improvement; operational software development and maintenance; field change programs; test beds; overhaul and restoration; and fleet and supply support in support of the Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Division systems and subsystems. Work will be performed St. Inigoes, Maryland (60%); and Lexington Park, Maryland (40%), and is expected to be completed in December 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal and two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0002).
The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $61,554,305 modification (P00005) to previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, time and materials, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0113. This modification exercises options to procure P-8A Poseidon CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot-level maintenance and repair in support of the Navy, the government of Australia, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia (97%); and Seattle, Washington (3%), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
StandardAero Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is awarded a $46,003,699 modification (P00009) to previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, time and materials, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00019-18-D-0110. This modification exercises options to procure P-8A Poseidon CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot-level maintenance and repair in support of the Navy, the government of Australia, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (86%); Cincinnati, Ohio (11%); and San Antonio, Texas (3%), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
CH2M Hill Constructors Inc., Englewood, Colorado, is awarded an $8,388,171 firm-fixed-price modification to task order N69450-20-F-0078 under previously-awarded multiple-award construction contract N62470-19-D-8024 for Hurricane Sally recovery at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The work to be performed provides for immediate restoration/sustainment and clean-up recovery actions due to damage caused by Hurricane Sally. Specific elements of work include roofing/seal building envelope; rip-out/tear-out; mold remediation; vegetation/tree clearing/chipping; waste/debris collection, removal and disposal; traffic management; and security fencing. This award brings the total cumulative value to $22,635,705. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida, and is expected to be completed by November 2020. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funding in the amount of $8,388,171 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity.
*Small business
http://ttps://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2383996/source/GovDelivery/
November 8, 2022 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
Webinar presentation: https://455299.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/455299/CMMC%20Roadmap%20and%20how%20Exostar%20can%20help%2010_26_2022.pdf Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEyzrvKv0os
April 29, 2020 | International, Aerospace
By: Kirk Pysher In a few months, the U.S. Air Force will choose two of the four competing space companies to provide five years of launches in the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. One of the core objectives for this program is to increase affordability by leveraging the technologies and business models of the commercial launch industry. Is that a realistic expectation given the current commercial space market and historical precedents? Historically, the commercial launch market has seen significant variability. Launches of commercial communication satellite constellations began in the early 1970s with NASA serving as the launch provider. New launch providers began to emerge from the commercial world after the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 allowed the private sector to provide launch services. We then witnessed a remarkable growth in commercial space launches in the 1990s that peaked just before the turn of the century. Then, until about 2014, the commercial launch market stabilized at 20-25 commercial geostationary orbit satellites per year that were split essentially between three global launch suppliers. Since then, new entrants into the commercial launch market and pricing pressure from terrestrial-based communication systems have significantly impacted the viability of the commercial launch market, reducing profit margins and returns on investment across the board. The expected 20-25 commercial GEO missions is now in the range of 10-15 launches per year and is expected to remain at that level beyond the NSSL five-year period of performance. With new entrants into the commercial launch market, that 40-50 percent reduction in annual launch opportunities will now be competed among seven to eight global launch providers, putting further pressure on the viability of those launchers. Additionally, commercial launch revenue is also expected to decrease over that period by as much as 30 percent as satellite operators look to reduce their launch cost through shared launch, smaller spacecraft and reduced launch pricing. Given the projected commercial launch market and additional competition from new entrants, launch service providers will have difficultly building and maintaining viable commercial launch business plans, let alone having commercial launch-driven capital to invest in new technology. History has proven that no commercial launch service provider can succeed without having an anchor government customer. The commercial launch market simply has not been able to provide the stable, long-term demand needed to maintain affordable pricing, innovation and factory throughput for the Air Force to benefit from. History has also demonstrated that it is the Air Force with NSSL since 2003 that has provided the launch service providers with a stable number of launches. The defense and commercial launch markets have a fundamental difference. The former focuses strictly on satisfying national security mission requirements in space — needs that are driven by risk, strategy and geopolitical events regardless of vulnerabilities in commercial markets. The defense market began in the late 1950s with industry designing, developing and building launch vehicles for the U.S. government to place critical national security satellites into orbit. Early on, we saw a large number of launches in the beginning — peaking at more than 40 in 1966 — before activity levels decreased to level out by 1980. After more than 400 launches of defense-related satellites, the defense launch market finally settled into an average eight launches annually, whereas the commercial launch market is strictly tied to the ability of global satellite operators to close business plans and obtain institutional and/or private funding on new and replacement satellites. The global COVID-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of all commercial markets. Airlines, aircraft manufacturers and commercial space companies are needing to seek tens of billions of dollars in government assistance; and private commercial space investors are also reassessing their risk postures, as is demonstrated by the recent OneWeb bankruptcy filing. Given the projected decline in commercial launch along with the historical precedents, there would be significant risk for the Air Force to expect to leverage benefit from commercial launch. In fact, I believe history has demonstrated that it is commercial launch that is able to leverage the benefits derived from the steady cadence of defense and civil government launches. The Air Force, in its role as anchor customer, needs to clearly understand commercial market dependencies and business cases of its key providers. With that understanding, the Air Force will mitigate any risk of critical national security missions being dependent on a finicky and fluctuating commercial market. Kirk Pysher is an aerospace executive with more than 20 years in the commercial launch market, serving most recently as the president of International Launch Services until October 2019. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/04/28/will-commercial-and-military-launch-programs-ever-be-truly-complementary/
September 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval
WOOD DALE, Ill., Sept. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines and governments worldwide, has secured a new $118.6 million contract with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to deliver two 737 aircraft and associated support equipment to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The firm-fixed price contract, estimated to last two years, entails the acquisition, modification, acceptance and delivery of two 737-700 Increased Gross Weight (IGW) series commercial aircraft. The aircraft will meet USMC C-9B replacement medium lift requirements and be designated as C-40A aircraft when delivered. AAR leveraged expertise across its Government Programs, Parts Supply and MRO activities within the Aviation Services segment to deliver this innovative solution to NAVAIR. "We are honored to be selected by NAVAIR to manage the procurement, upgrade modification and delivery of these aircraft," said John Holmes, AAR President and CEO. "This integrated solution delivers an outstanding product focused on cost efficiency that directly aligns with the Secretary of the Navy's recently announced initiative to achieve greater output and faster turnaround times for their dollars spent. AAR is excited to promote this innovative partnership to all areas of government to highlight the benefits of utilizing commercial aftermarket solutions to meet military requirements." The aircraft will be certified in accordance with the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25 (airworthiness standards) in three aircraft configurations, all-passenger, all-cargo and a combined-passenger-cargo configuration. "Our engineered approach seamlessly delivers a comprehensive solution from across AAR's businesses that combines best practices from our industry-leading repair, engineering services and supply chain solutions," said Nick Gross, AAR Senior Vice President of Government Solutions. "We are eager to see these aircraft delivered for service in support of the Navy and Marine Corps." AAR will manage the program and provide parts distribution from the company's headquarters in Wood Dale, Illinois, perform engineering out of the Indianapolis MRO facility, and provide maintenance and modification services at the Oklahoma City MRO and Miami Landing Gear Services facilities. For further detail on the contract award, please view the U.S. Navy's public announcement here. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include Parts Supply; OEM Solutions; Integrated Solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include Mobility Systems and Composite Manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-secures-118m-c-40-aircraft-procurement-and-modification-contract-with-naval-air-systems-command-in-support-of-us-marine-corps-300913204.html