November 21, 2023 | International, Naval
North Korea claims it successfully put spy satellite into orbit
North Korea claimed Wednesday to have successfully placed a spy satellite into orbit with its third launch attempt this year.
October 30, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - October 30, 2019
NAVY
CubicGATR Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $325,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a maximum 172 Next Generation Troposcatter system manufacturing and delivery, test support, technical data delivery, logistics data delivery, training data delivery and training support, fielding support and sustainment support. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be complete by October 2029. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $28,820,220 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award, and funds will not expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-20-D-2000).
BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $119,938,228 modification to exercise options for the fixed-price-incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed price contract line item numbers (CLINs) 4000, 4003 and 4004 portions of a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006). This modification is for the purchase of 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles and associated production, fielding and support costs and depot support products. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $119,938,228 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was based on full and open competition with the solicitation publicized on the Federal Business Opportunities website with five offers received. The option CLINs were included within that contract and are being exercised in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-7 Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation-Marine Systems, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee $7,542,234 contract modification (P00024) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-16-C-0015) to provide support for technical engineering services, design and development engineering, component and full scale test and evaluation engineering and tactical underwater launcher hardware production to support the development and production of the Common Missile Compartment. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California (55%); Ridgecrest, California (20%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (10%); Bangor, Washington (5%); Kings Bay, Georgia (5%); Barrow-In-Furness, England (2%); New London, Connecticut (1%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (1%); and Arlington, Virginia (1%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $315,604; and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $5,454,694 are being obligated on this award. Funds in the amount of $315,604 expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation and United Kingdom funding in the amount of $1,771,936 will be obligated on this award. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Stonewin Capital LP, New York, New York, has been awarded a minimum $34,494,452 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for marine gas oil. This was a competitive acquisition with 41 responses received. This is a 60-month contract with one six-month option period. Locations of performance are New York, California, Texas and South Carolina, with an Oct. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Military Sealift Command, Coast Guard and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE608-20-D-0350).
AvKare Inc., Pulaski, Tennessee, has been awarded an estimated $10,600,000 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for Metformin HCL ER tablets. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Tennessee, New York and Kentucky with an Oct. 28, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services, and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D2-20-D-0084).
AIR FORCE
L‐3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded an estimated $30,000,000 firm-fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity modification (P00019) to previously awarded contract FA8106‐17‐D‐0001 for contractor logistic support of the Air Force C‐12 fleet. Work will be performed in Madison, Mississippi; San Angelo, Texas; Okmulgee, Oklahoma; Buenos Ares, Argentina; Gaborone, Botswana; Brasilia, Brazil; Bogota, Columbia; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Budapest, Hungary; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Nairobi, Kenya, Rabat, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bangkok, Thailand; Ankara, Turkey; Edwards Air Force Base, California; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Joint Base Elmendorf‐Richardson, Alaska; Oslo, Norway; and Yokota Air Base, Japan, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2020. The estimated cumulative face value of the contract is $120,000,000. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY
InteIillidyne LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a $27,041,715 firm-fixed-price contract to provide direct support to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Global Service Center and the enterprise to fully support the integration of all desk side support, remote, or onsite troubleshooting, onsite information technology touch labor, network support services activity program management, network security and infrastructure assurance activities to include risk management framework support, in-room video teleconferencing support, Defense Health Headquarters site asset management and network/systems engineering, where required, into the Military Health System Joint Active Directory Management and the Military Health System Medical Community of Interest network environment systems and infrastructure. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. This contract will have a one year period of performance, Oct. 30, 2019, to Oct, 29, 2020, with one six-month option period. This contract provides continuity of services until DHA is able to conduct a competitive award anticipated in the third quarter of fiscal 2020. This award utilizes fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $27,041,715. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
ARMY
Quasonix LLC,* West Chester, Ohio, was awarded a $21,736,371 firm-fixed-price contract for Quasonix telemetry transmitters in support of live fire testing. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 28, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-D-0003).
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Azusa, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $20,000,000 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Azusa, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0003).
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,995,345 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in San Diego, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0002).
Harris Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,994,752 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0001).
Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $19,958,883 through the Missile Defense Agency's authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited via publication through the Space Enterprise Consortium Other Transaction Agreement between Space and Missile Systems Center and Advanced Technology International (FA8814-18-9-0002). Twelve proposals were received. Under this award, the contractor will provide the Missile Defense Agency's Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Program with prototype payload design and signal-chain processing risk reduction demonstration. The work will be performed in El Segundo, California, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2020 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0004).
*Small Business
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2002532/source/GovDelivery/
On the same subject
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June 11, 2018 | International, C4ISR
Reports: Google won’t renew Pentagon contract to use AI
By: The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO — Google won't renew a contract with the Pentagon that provides the company's artificially intelligent algorithms to interpret video images and improve the targeting of drone strikes. That's according to reports in Gizmodo, Buzzfeed, and The New York Times Friday. The reports said Google Cloud business head Diane Greene told employees of the decision not to renew the 18-month deal past the end of 2019, when the current contract ends. Google representatives did not respond to a request for comment. The so-called Project Maven had riled Google employees, including several who quit and thousands of others who signed a petition asking CEO Sundar Pichai to cancel the project and enact a policy renouncing the use of Google technology in warfare. https://www.c4isrnet.com/news/pentagon-congress/2018/06/03/reports-google-wont-renew-pentagon-contract-to-use-ai/
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June 26, 2018 | International, Aerospace
B-21 Bomber Critical Design Review by End of Year
JOHN A. TIRPAK The secret B-21 bomber will progress to a major milestone—critical design review—by the end of this year, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randall Walden said Monday. Walden also revealed that the B-21 is merely one of 28 programs being managed by the RCO, which he noted is funded at about $30 billion over the five-year future year defense plan. Walden, speaking at an AFA Mitchell Institute event in Arlington, Va., said the B-21 has already passed its preliminary design review, and noted that the release of drawings for the bomber is progressing well. As for critical design review, "we haven't done it, but we're on our way," and he predicted it would happen by the end of December. Major design work on the bomber is taking place at Northrop Grumman's Melbourne, Fla., facility. He acknowledged that subscale models of the aircraft have been tested in wind tunnels, but said no full-size version has yet been fabricated. "Component testing" is moving along at an "appropriate" speed, he said. "We're looking forward to ... an 'on-time' start of production," Walden said. Walden has spoken publicly about the RCO in a number of venues, but was more forthcoming than usual about the organization and its products at the Mitchell event. Of the 28 projects in the RCO's portfolio, 13 are "ACAT 1," he noted, meaning they are major defense acquisition programs, which usually means a major platform, like an aircraft, missile, or command and control system. While Walden would only identify the B-21 and X-37 orbital vehicle among those that the RCO is working on, he said the majority of the rest could best be characterized as "family of systems" projects. Interestingly, Walden said the RCO has not been called on to undertake any hypersonics programs. The Air Force is pursuing hypersonics projects with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the other services are conducting independent research in the field. Walden said the RCO has about 220 people, who are headquartered at JB Anacostia-Bolling, in Washington, D.C. Among them are experts from the line Air Force who are "embedded" with programs to offer operator advice on design and development. Four bomber pilots are attached to the RCO to advise on the B-21's development, he noted. The B-21 program manager—who Walden did not name—has had experience with management of the F-22 and F-35 programs, he said. The B-21 program has long been scheduled to produce a "usable asset" in the 2024 timeframe, according to comments offered by Air Force officials for the last three years. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chair of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces panel, revealed in March that problems had arisen with airflow to the B-21's engines, and Walden said Monday that these had been resolved. "Complex weapon systems, especially engine integrations, ... you've got to get throat sizes done right, prior to anything being built" he said, referring to the serpentine tunnels by which air reaches the B-21's engines, which are buried in the fuselage. The RCO obtained "insight from actual lab testing" and found the optimal solution, he said. The RCO has been asked to help with the set-up of a dedicated "Space RCO" at the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., and Walden said he has recommended veterans of his own shop to run it, especially those who have worked on space systems, and they have been hired, he said. Walden resisted allowing his own people to be hired away for the new organization, he said. Walden was asked whether the RCO is working on a successor platform to the X-37, and although he did not reply directly, he did say that it is "no different from any other system, ... it starts to get old," and there begin to emerge problems with vanishing vendors and parts obsolescence. However, he forecast no "big change" in that program in the near future. The X-37 tends to fly two-year missions, and various agencies that use the data collected from it are very happy with its activities, he said. Walden told Air Force Magazine he is not experiencing trouble obtaining the workforce he requires, but he said he's aware that major vendors are experiencing difficulties hiring all the engineering and especially software talent needed to execute the Air Force's array of high-tech projects. He also reported that the RCO's experience with protests—wherein a contractor not selected for a program complains that the judging was not fair—is no worse, and probably somewhat better, than that experienced by the Air Force in its "white world," or non-secret programs. Commenting on the "culture" of the RCO, Walden said it is largely based on the Lockheed "Skunk Works" model of small teams with tightly defined objectives and a vastly shortened reporting chain. Where the RCO saves time and money is usually in the area of "deciding to do" something and not going into endless coordination efforts. The RCO can save two to three years on a project simply by having the authority to make decisions, Walden said, avoiding "the tyranny of consensus." It reports to an executive committee comprised of the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the service's acquisition executive, and the Pentagon's acquisition chief. It's not possible to rush the development of, say, an aircraft, he said, noting that basic design must be gotten right or problems are inevitable later on. It takes about three years at a minimum to develop a design, he said. Asked whether the RCO can provide a model to the overall acquisition system, Walden said it can be applied to a degree, but there is the risk that the organization could get too big. "There is a knee in the curve. I can't tell you" what it is, he said, but at a certain size, an RCO-like acquisition agency would no longer be able to do things rapidly. The value of something of constrained size, like the RCO, is to "make a decision, get on contract," Walden said. The mainstream acquisition system takes "an inordinate amount of time" on those two steps. An analysis of alternatives can take up to three years and "sometimes no one makes a decision," Walden said. Walden insisted the RCO is fully observant of the 5000-series of acquisition regulations, but makes a careful review of them on all its efforts and works to "avoid" the ones that don't really affect its programs. He also said the organization turns away many people who want to be involved in overseeing or getting briefed on RCO activities unless they are required under regulations. Even so, he said the RCO has a good relationship with Congress because it tries to be transparent with members, and even when it runs into problems, people on Capitol Hill "want to help." He added that the Pentagon's "risk-averse" acquisition process took many years to get that way and reversing that mindset to one of risk-taking and experimentation will not happen quickly. http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2018/June%202018/B-21-Bomber-Critical-Design-Review-by-End-of-Year.aspx