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September 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – September 18, 2020

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

EFS Ebrex Sarl, Genève, Switzerland, has been awarded a maximum $250,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE300-17-R-0016 for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are throughout the U.S., Europe and North Africa, with a Sept. 15, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-4064). (Awarded Sept. 16, 2020)

Theodor Wille Intertrade GbmH, Zug, Switzerland, has been awarded a maximum $220,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE300-17-R-0016 for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are throughout the U.S. and Europe, with a Sept. 10, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-4065). (Awarded Sept. 11, 2020)

Federal Prison Industries, Inc.,** Washington, D.C., has been awarded a $39,270,400 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for Molle 4000 rucksack carriers. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Washington, D.C., North Carolina and South Carolina, with a Dec. 17, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-F065).

Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $36,322,721 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for numerous pharmaceutical products. This was a competitive acquisition with 17 responses received. This is a nine-month base contract with eight one-year option periods and one 15-month option period. Location of performance is Indiana, with a June 26, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Warstopper funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D0-20-D-0017).

EFS Ebrex Sarl, Genève, Switzerland, has been awarded a maximum $22,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE300-17-R-0016 for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are throughout the U.S., Europe and West Africa, with a Sept. 15, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-4067). (Awarded Sept. 16, 2020).

L3Harris Technologies Inc., North Amityville, New York, has been awarded a maximum $21,685,177 firm-fixed-price contract for P-8 aircraft sonobouy rotary launchers. 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 three-year, six-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a March 18, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy, Australia, South Korea, Norway, New Zealand and United Kingdom. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 Navy working capital funds; and Foreign Military Sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-20-C-V024).

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, (SPE7LX-20-D-0215, $20,937,847); and Michelin North America Inc., Greenville, South Carolina, (SPE7LX-20-D-0214, $9,811,994), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price requirements contract under solicitation SPE7LX-20-R-0159 for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle tires. These were competitive acquisitions with two responses received. These are four-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Ohio and South Carolina, with a Sept. 17, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio.

OJH Services Inc., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $16,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical and surgical supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 63 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a Sept. 16, 2025, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-20-D-0022).

Transhield Inc., Elkhart, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $7,705,846 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for tarpaulins and fitted vehicular covers. 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 three-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a Sept. 18, 2023, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio (SPE7LX-20-D-0218).

CORRECTION: The contract announced on Aug. 28, 2020, for Breton Industries Inc.,* Amsterdam, New York (SPE7LX-20-D-0166), was incorrectly announced. The awardee withdrew its offer and the contract was not awarded.

NAVY

Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, was awarded a $96,492,383 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-5462) under a multiple award construction contract for the design and construction of Michelson Mission Systems Integration Laboratory at Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of the Michelson Mission System Integration Laboratory project, which includes the construction of a new building and adjacent vehicle parking lot. The facility will consolidate functions performed in several existing buildings that were damaged by the July 2019 earthquakes. The building will be a consolidated mission system integration laboratory for research, development, testing and evaluation. The options, if exercised, provide for extended contractor warranty, electronic security system requirements and physical security equipment. The planned modifications, if issued, provide for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The task order also contains five unexercised options and two planned modifications, which if exercised, would increase the cumulative task order value to $99,206,940. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California, and is expected to be completed by November 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $96,492,383 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-D-5853). (Awarded Sept. 17, 2020)

Hiller Measurements Inc.,* Austin, Texas (N64267-20-D-0039); Logisys Technical Services Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama (N64267-20-D-0042); and Artisan Electronics Inc.,* Odon, Indiana (N64267-20-D-0043), are awarded a $66,300,000 combined firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a minimum of award of $1000 each for the Marine Corps Automatic Test Systems program. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) funding in the amount of $3,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work is expected to be completed at each awardees facility (Hiller Measurements, Dripping Springs, Texas; Artisan Electronics, Odon, Indiana; and Logisys Technical Services Inc., Huntsville, Alabama) according to each individual delivery order and is expected be completed by September 2025. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website, with 10 offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Norco, California, is the contracting activity.

Goodrich Corp., Jacksonville, Florida, is awarded a $64,183,265 combination firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture of surface ship sonar domes to support ship classes DDG-51, CG-47, and FFG-7 antisubmarine warfare requirements. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (82%); and the governments of Taiwan (11%); Egypt (3%); Japan (3%); and Spain (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September, 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2027. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (49%); FMS (27%); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (24%) funding in the amount of $6,195,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-20-D-GP57).

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $60,484,968 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5431 to exercise options for design agent and engineering support services for the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK-31 Guided Missile Weapon System improvement program. The MK-31 RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is a cooperative development and production program conducted jointly by the U.S. and the Federal Republic of Germany under memoranda of understanding. The support procured under contract N00024-18-C-5431 is required to maintain current weapon system capability as well as resolve issues through design, systems, software maintenance, reliability, maintainability, quality assurance and logistics engineering services. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (99%); and Louisville, Kentucky (1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (47%); non-Foreign Military Sales, German (17%); fiscal 2017 (12%) and 2018 (9%) shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) (8%); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (5%); fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) (1%); and fiscal 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) (1%) funding in the amount of $4,260,151 will be obligated at time of award, of which funds in the amount of $2,046,931 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured under the exception 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(4), International Agreement. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Orbis Sibro Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (N39040-18-D-0003); Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0004); Delphinus Engineering, Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N39040-18-D-0005); and Oceaneering International, Chesapeake, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0006), are awarded a combined cumulative $54,535,105 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award modification to exercise Option Period Two to provide non-nuclear production support for Naval submarine projects/repairs. The services under these contracts cover marine electrician, industrial fire watch/laborer, marine pipefitter, outside marine machinist, marine painter, weight handler, marine ship fitter, shipwright, welder, sheet metal, marine insulator, abrasive blaster, deck tile setter, and sound tile setter for upcoming submarine availabilities. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by October 2021. No funding is being obligated at time of award. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, was awarded a $52,157,824 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00046) to previously awarded and announced contract N00030-17-C-0001 to provide services for the U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II D5 strategic weapon system programs, U.S. Guided Missile Submarine (SSGN) attack weapon systems, nuclear weapon surety, and future concepts. Work will be performed at Rockville, Maryland (60.4%); Washington, D.C. (18%); St. Mary's, Georgia (5%); Silverdale, Washington (3%); Rochester, United Kingdom (1.3%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1.3%); Portsmouth, Virginia (1.3%); Bremerton, Washington (1.3%); Tucson, Arizona (0.7%); Mechanicsburg, PA (0.7%); Wexford, Pennsylvania (0.7%); Groton, Connecticut (0.3%); Miami, Florida (0.3%); Ocala, Florida (0.3%); Rockledge, Florida (0.3%); Clarksburg, Maryland (0.3%); Columbia, Maryland (0.3%); Frederick, Maryland (0.3%); Gaithersburg, Maryland (0.3%); Ijamsville, Maryland (0.3%); Middletown, Maryland (0.3%); North Potomac, Maryland (0.3%); Olney, Maryland (0.3%); Jenison, Michigan (0.3%); Winston Salem, North Carolina (0.3%); Hudson, New Hampshire (0.3%); Buffalo, New York (0.3%); Valatie, New York (0.3%); Plain City, Ohio (0.3%); Downingtown, Pennsylvania (0.3%); Franklin, Tennessee (0.3%); and Plano, Texas (0.3%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Subject to the availability of funding, fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $40,214,390; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $11,943,434 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-17-C-0001). (Awarded Sept. 14, 2020).

Ocean Ships Inc., Houston, Texas (N32205-17-C-3100) is awarded a $48,441,377 modification for the fixed-price portion of a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise a one-year option period for the operation and maintenance of six oceanographic survey ships (T-AGS 60) and the navigation test support ship USNS Waters (T-AGS 45) in support of the Navy. This contract includes a one-year base period, four one-year option periods, and one six-month option period. Work for this option period will be performed at sea world-wide, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $48,441,377 are obligated and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was issued on an other than full and open competition basis. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-17-C-3100).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $20,019,391 delivery order N00383-20-F-0QW0 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029 for the procurement of five infrared receivers and four control processors in support of the F/A-18 Infrared Search and Track System. All work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and work will be completed by December 2023. Aircraft procurement funds (Navy) in the full amount of $20,019,391 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $10,729,836 contract modification (P00027) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N61340-17-C-0014. This modification procures initial spare parts, aircraft common equipment and aerial refueling equipment in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System suite of flight and maintenance trainer devices. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (95%); and Point Mugu, California (5%), and is expected to be completed in May 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,198,491; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,531,345 will be obligated at time of award, $1,198,491 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Colonna's Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded an $8,555,702 firm-fixed-price contract (N32205-20-C-4048) for a 90-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability of the cable laying, repair ship USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7). The $8,555,702 consists of the amounts listed in the following areas: Category “A” work item costs, additional government requirement, other direct costs and the general and administrative costs. Work will include the furnishing of general services, structural repairs, ships service diesel generator repair and maintenance, switchboard cleaning, ship's whistle repair, repair vent and drain piping, port cable drum and shoe brakes replacement, shower stall replacement, repair fiber and Ethernet cable runs, galley crew and office laundry duct cleaning and rebalancing. The contract includes eight options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $9,456,252. Fiscal 2021 capital working funds (Navy) in the amount of $8,555,702 will be obligated at the time of the award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 13, 2021. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the beta.sam.gov website and five offers were received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4084).

I.E.-Pacific Inc.,* Escondido, California, is being awarded an $8,261,000 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-5233) under a multiple award construction contract for boiler plant repairs onboard Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California. The work to be performed provides for the repair and seismic improvement of Steam Plant 4 Boiler Building 14530. The scope of work includes repair and seismic upgrade of the building structure, as well as repair by replacement of various facility systems due to the severity of the interior and exterior damage. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California, and is expected to be completed by October 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,261,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-17-D-4637).

ARMY

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, was awarded a $92,870,000 cost-no-fee contract to support the information operations, vulnerability/survivability assessment and analysis. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 17, 2030. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QX-20-D-0001).

BAE, Kingsport, Tennessee, was awarded a $91,919,386 modification (P00004) to contract W52P1J-19-D-0074 for the production and delivery of explosives. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2023. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $24,885,638 firm-fixed-price contract to construct training, shower and locker space. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 21, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $24,885,638 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington, North Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912PM-20-C-0031).

ITES Venture LLC,* Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $21,698,218 firm-fixed-price contract to provide support services for the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Eustis, Virginia; and Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2020 through 2024 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $21,698,218 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S7-20-F-0425).

Lynxnett LLC, Suffolk, Virginia, was awarded a $19,131,298 hybrid (firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials) contract for support of the operations and maintenance of the command and control and infrastructure operations for U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. V Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $18,091,660 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W50NH9-20-C-0016).

Lewis Machine and Tool, Eldridge, Iowa, was awarded a $17,031,520.00 firm-fixed-price contract to order M203/M203A2 grenade launchers and spare parts. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0107).

General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,305,952 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for receipt, inspection, diagnosis, repair, testing, storage, issue and unique identification marking to parts for the M1A1/M1A2 Abrams tank, M2A3/M3A3 Bradley fighting vehicle and the M104 Wolverine platforms. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas; Anniston, Alabama; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and Tallahassee, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $14,305,952 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity W56HZV-20-C-0216).

D. Wheatley Enterprises Inc.,* Belcamp, Maryland, was awarded an $11,500,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to procure modular-powered air-purifying respirator systems and spare components. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 17, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911SR-20-D-0006).

Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded an $11,143,240 firm-fixed-price contract for beach nourishment. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Bethany Beach, Delaware, with an estimated completion date of March 18, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $11,143,240 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (W912BU-20-C-0045).

Koontz Electric Co., Morrilton, Arkansas, was awarded a $7,828,828 firm-fixed-price contract for the installation of transformers at Fort Peck Dam, Montana. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Peck, Montana, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 4, 2022. Fiscal 2020 Western Area Power Administration funds in the amount of $7,828,828 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-C-0045).

SSI Technology,* Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $7,181,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide auxiliary power units for sustainment of the M88 Tank Recovery Vehicle fleet. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0106).

AIR FORCE

One Network Enterprises Inc., Dallas, Texas, has been awarded a $61,861,916 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the item master logistics capability initiative. This contract provides for commercial off-the-shelf software licenses and related technical support services. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed September 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,833,576 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8770-20-D-0004).

Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded an estimated $56,808,158 modification (P00056) to exercise the option on contract FA3002-14-C-0013 for support of T-1, T-6, and T-38 undergraduate pilot training. Work will be performed at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2021. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity.

Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired Inc., West Allis, Wisconsin, has been awarded a $12,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for a contractor-operated civil engineering supply store at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Work is expected to be completed Oct. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,400,000 will be obligated during the first base year. The 30th Contracting Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, California, is the contracting activity (FA4610-20-P0070).

University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded an $11,499,335, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00037) to contract FA8650-18-C-2808 for Air-Launched Small Unmanned Air Systems (SUAS) services development, including pre-launch, launch and post-launch command and control, system integration, capability development and flight testing to provide additional warfighter capability through air-launched off-board operations. This modification is for within-scope effort for development and integrating autonomy, cooperative control and pointing, navigation and tracking activities, system integration and expansion of SUAS capability development and field testing. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed March 1, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $26,499,215. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Madison, Mississippi, has been awarded a $7,800,476 modification (P00021) to exercise an option on contract FA3010-18-C-0007 for full food services. Work will be performed at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount will be obligated when they become available. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler AFB, Mississippi, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY

SPN Solutions Inc., Tyson Corner, Virginia, was awarded a $48,831,385 firm-fixed-price contract (HT0014-20-C-0012), for an information management and information technology (IM/IT) initiative that will provide both existing and ongoing comprehensive support to nine task areas: application and web development support services, data center operations support services, IT help desk end user device support services, information assurance support services, network operations support services, telecommunications support services, interagency support, clinical informatics support services and information business operations. The contractor will perform IM/IT related services to support the IT department at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Maryland. This contract was a competitive acquisition with 43 proposals received. The base period of performance is Sept. 30, 2020, through April 30, 2021, and two 12 month options. The base year will be funded by fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds. The Defense Health Agency, Contract Operations Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 11, 2020)

*Small business
**Mandatory source

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2353697/source/GovDelivery/

On the same subject

  • The military is scrambling to understand the aviation crash risk from a new 5G sale

    December 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR

    The military is scrambling to understand the aviation crash risk from a new 5G sale

    By: Valerie Insinna and Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — As part of a broader move to boost the 5G industry in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 8 began auctioning a portion of C-band electromagnetic spectrum, a move the committee's chairman, Ajit Pai, celebrated as “a big day for American consumers and U.S. leadership in 5G.” But, in the weeks leading up to the auction, more than a dozen commercial aviation groups warned the sale could, as one study put it, lead to “catastrophic failures” with the potential for “multiple fatalities.” At the core of the concerns are radar altimeters, a critical piece of aviation technology used by military, commercial and civil aircraft of all types — including helicopters and unmanned aerial systems — to measure the distance between an aircraft and the ground. The aviation groups worry that 5G operations on the spectrum sold by the FCC could cause interference that would provide inaccurate readings on altimeters or cause their failure outright, in essence leaving pilots unaware of how far they are from the ground and potentially leading to crashes over the United States. According to a memo obtained by Defense News, those concerns are shared by the head of the Federal Aviation Administration and the number two at the Department of Transportation, who are calling on the FCC to pause the sale so the safety issue can be studied more closely. The FCC, in turn, has said its own technical studies show little to no risk involved and it intends to continue moving forward. Now, with the auction underway, the Defense Department is scrambling to catch up. The Pentagon has yet to determine the effect on military aircraft and has not established a formal position on the sale, with officials rushing behind the scenes to set up meetings and understand the potential long-term impacts. A Pentagon official, in response to questions from Defense News, would only say the department's policy board on federal aviation and aviation cyber initiative task force — an interagency organization led by the FAA — are reviewing reports by industry groups about the risk of 5G interference. Senior leaders from the Defense Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the aviation cyber initiative plan to meet Dec. 21 “to discuss findings and to establish an interagency way ahead to validate and respond to these reports,” the official stated. Among those expected to attend are Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie Jr., the official who manages Army aviation assets; Brig. Gen. Eric DeLange, director of the Air Force cyberspace operations and warfighter communications office; and several cyber experts from the FAA and DHS. Perhaps most notably, Honeywell Industries, a key producer of radar altimeters, has also been invited to discuss possible alternatives to current systems — a sign that the defense industry is taking the issue seriously. Honeywell declined to comment. If the spectrum sale continues, some experts are warning a best case scenario may be that the department has to spend millions of dollars and thousands of man hours to design, procure and install new radar altimeters across the military's fleet of airborne systems. The worst case? As one senior government official with experience in aviation said, “There will be accidents, property's going to be destroyed and people are going to die.” The ongoing dispute Under the Trump administration, the FCC has focused on the sale of spectrum in order to goose the nascent 5G industry, which administration officials see as a driver for American economic growth. Branded as the 5G FAST Plan, the commission has moved quickly to sell C-band spectrum. This particular auction involves spectrum in the 3.7–3.98 GHz frequency, with the hope of selling more than 5,000 new flexible-use overlay licenses. Satellite operators using the C-Band have agreed to repack their operations out of the band's lower 300 megahertz (3.7-4.0 GHz) into the upper 200 megahertz (4.0-4.2 GHz), in two stages. They expect to complete the move in December 2023. As of Dec. 17, more than 50 bidders had reportedly put forth over $15 billion in offers for the spectrum rights. Currently, the 3.7–3.98 GHz frequency portion of the C-Band is relatively quiet, occupied predominantly by low-powered satellites. For decades, this made the neighboring 4.2-4.4 GHz frequency a perfect place for the operation of radar altimeters, which are also called radio altimeters. But that frequency may not stay quiet for long. Once 5G telecommunications are introduced in the 3.7-3.98 portion of the band, there is a “major risk” that those systems will create “harmful interference” to radar altimeters, according to an October study from the RTCA, a trade organization that works with the FAA to develop safety standards. “The results of the study performed clearly indicate that this risk is widespread and has the potential for broad impacts to aviation operations in the United States, including the possibility of catastrophic failures leading to multiple fatalities, in the absence of appropriate mitigations,” the RTCA stated in its report. Research for the report was conducted by the Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute, a cooperative research organization based out of Texas A&M University. Radio altimeters are critical during landings, once an aircraft moves below 2,500 feet from the ground. At that point, no other instruments provide an accurate measurement of a plane's distance from the ground. “It's so important to have an accurate reading, because if it's a bad reading it could lead to the airplane doing something you don't want it to do.” explained Terry McVenes, the RTCA president and chief executive. McVenes is a former Boeing safety executive with 30 years' experience in the commercial aviation industry. “If your airplane thought it was 1,000 feet above the ground but was only 50 feet above the ground, well... you could have a problem,” he said. The trade group filed the report with the FCC in early October, and shortly afterward met with an FCC engineering team. But since then, “We've heard nothing back from the FCC, had no other direct interactions with them” outside the official filling process, he said. The release of the study triggered a last-minute request by 12 trade groups, including the Aerospace Industries Association, which represents military aviation companies, to consider mitigation efforts based on the report. The groups called the findings “the most comprehensive analysis and assessment to date on this subject, based on the best assumptions, parameters, and data... It has been peer reviewed for accuracy and validity and should not be dismissed by the Commission.” The report has also gained the attention of Steven Bradbury, the acting deputy secretary for transportation, and Steve Dickson, the FAA administrator, who in a Dec. 1 letter obtained by Defense News warned that the spectrum sale could specifically damage both the Terrain Awareness Warning System, a major safety function for aircraft, and Autoland features relied on for pilots when landing a plane. “Given the scope of the safety risk, and based upon our current knowledge, it is unclear what measures will be necessary to ensure safe operations in the [National Aerospace System], or how long it will take to implement such measures,” the two leaders wrote. “Depending upon the results of further analysis, it may be appropriate to place restrictions on certain types of operations, which would reduce access to core airports in the U.S. and, thus, reduce the capacity and efficiency” of commercial aviation. That letter, sent to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, was requested to be added to the FCC's public docket. However, the letter has not been posted to the FCC's public docket as of press time. The FCC and supporters of expanding 5G argue that the concerns are overblown. “In the C-Band Order, the Commission concluded that our rules would protect radio altimeters used by aircraft, and we continue to have no reason to believe that 5G operations in the C-Band will cause harmful interference to radio altimeters,” Will Wiquist, a spokesman for the FCC, said in a statement. “Among other things, these altimeters operate with more than 200 megahertz of separation from the C-band spectrum to be auctioned, more protection than is afforded in some other countries. “Moreover, the RTCA report was prepared outside of the joint aviation/wireless industry group that was set up at the Commission's request and is not a consensus position of that group. Indeed, at least one other member of that multi-stakeholder group has expressed significant concerns with the study and several of its assumptions, and the Commission's experts have concerns with this study as well.” The member group that expressed concerns about the study is the wireless trade association CTIA, which in December filled with the FCC a document that called the findings “lacking and unreliable” and “unsound and unsupported.” Among the specific concerns raised by CTIA were that altimeter requirements used in the report were overly stringent, that it did not break down results by altimeter brand and model, and that the report relied on “unrealistic” scenarios during testing. McVenes said RTCA is open to conducting the research again if presented with new data to work with, but has yet to see that information from CTIA or the FCC. Risks to military aviation Although the RTCA study looked exclusively at civil and commercial aircraft, almost all military aircraft are equipped with radar altimeters that are very similar to their commercial counterparts, said the senior government official. Defense News granted anonymity for this official to speak candidly about the risks to pilot safety. While radar altimeters made for military aircraft are sometimes built to slightly more stringent requirements — having the ability to function in extremely cold or hot environments, for instance, or to withstand higher gravitational forces — they still reside on the same portion of the spectrum as commercial ones and are vulnerable to the same interference, the senior government official said. The cargo planes and aerial refueling tankers operated by the Air Force's Air Mobility Command would be most hindered by the interference produced by 5G due to their similarities to commercial aircraft, said Mike Holmes, a retired Air Force four-star general and former head of Air Combat Command. Holmes reviewed the RTCA report at Defense News' request. Many of the Air Force's mobility assets are either based on commercial passenger jets, such as the Boeing 767-derived KC-46 tanker, or are equipped with commercial off-the-shelf avionics. As such, certain mobility aircraft are approved to conduct landings in bad weather conditions when the pilot has to rely on the aircraft's instruments — such as the radar altimeter — instead of visual cues. “You wouldn't be able to fly that approach if your radar altimeter was being interfered with and you couldn't get a good signal,” Holmes said. “For the military...you'd probably divert someplace else.” For tactical aircraft, the bigger concern would be low-level flights over terrain such as mountains. Fighter pilots use their radar altimeters when flying close to the ground to evade enemy radar or surface-to-air threats. However, Holmes noted that not all fighter jets — such as the 1970s era F-15C — have radar altimeters, and that pilots would still be able to rely on visual cues. Still, he said, if a radar altimeter is offering faulty information due to interference, that could lull pilots into a false sense of security about how far they are from the ground. “Part of [the problem] is going to be trying to know whether you're getting interference or not,” he said. The senior government official noted that the special operations community could be particularly hurt by 5G interference. Certain aircrews of platforms, such as the C-130 or C-17, receive specific training to fly special operations low level missions, which involve flying close to the ground and inserting or extracting special operators, and those training missions may become more difficult to execute if 5G interference is a problem. This training “is often executed under the cover of darkness. Depth and obstacle perception can be hindered in darkness due to the human eye's cell structure,” the official said. “Night vision goggles provide compensation but still limit the pilot's situational awareness.” If the sales go through, the military will likely have to modify or replace its altimeters to meet whatever new safety standards the FAA eventually approves to mitigate the risks of 5G interference, Holmes said. “If you go ahead and give up this part of the spectrum, the interference will drive changes that have to be made either to modify the equipment that is being used for 5G, to modify the equipment that are on airplanes, or to modify the procedures that determine how you use that equipment,” Holmes said. Replacing or modifying altimeters will take time and funding — two commodities defense experts predict will be in short supply over the coming years — as defense budgets flatten. In the near term, Holmes projects the services will change their training practices to eliminate any added risk to pilots caused by altimeter interference, such as restricting pilots of certain aircraft from landing in bad weather or ensuring that pilots of fighter aircraft take off with enough fuel so that they can divert to another airport if their radar altimeter no longer works. In short, the military will have to give up money, time and effectiveness to fix the problem. “The outcome would be lack of efficiency. You wouldn't fly [certain] approaches in bad weather. So there would be times you couldn't go do what you were [planning on] doing, whether that's moving passengers or cargo in the civilian world or whether that was passengers or cargo in the military,” Holmes said. “But ultimately, I would think the impact is going to be greater on the commercial airline world than it was on the military world.” A billion dollar problem While the satellite operators who currently operate within 3.7-3.98 GHz will receive some proceeds of the sale, allowing them to move to another portion of the spectrum, no funding is set to be given to the civil, commercial and government entities that rely on radar altimeters for safe aerospace operations. As a result, it is likely that the U.S. military will have to replace “many or most” of the radar altimeters currently onboard its airplanes, helicopters and drones, the senior government official said. And because radar altimeters have all been developed to operate on the same portion of the spectrum, there is no off-the-shelf replacement already on the market for which interference wouldn't be a concern. On the commercial side, McVenes said if industry has to replace altimeters across its fleet, a price tag of “several billion dollars is probably on the low estimate.” That price tag could well jump for the military side, given the complexity of work on military systems - it is easier to swap out a part on a commercial plane than a stealth-coated fighter - and the infamous prices of defense procurement. Meanwhile, the Defense Department could need to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the engineering work necessary to develop new altimeters, procuring those systems, testing and recertifying each platform for normal operations, and finally, installing the new hardware on potentially hundreds or thousands of aircraft across the military's inventory. “It will take many years, if not decades,” the senior government official said. In the two months since the report was released, industry has jockeyed to get more time to study the issue and to put measures in place to mitigate the risks. In a Nov. 17 letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Aerospace Industries Association and 13 other aerospace trade groups implored members of Congress to take action to protect the frequency bands used by radar altimeters. “We are concerned that without this congressional intervention to understand potential implications and ramifications, decisions will be made with a frightening lack of understanding of aviation requirements,” the groups stated. Help from Congress seemingly came Dec. 7, when Rep. Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who leads the House committee, sent a letter to FCC Chairman Pai calling for the commission to postpone the sale. “These RTCA findings are alarming; they not only align with earlier research identifying harmful effects of 5G networks to radio altimeters, but they reflect a clear need for the FCC to return to the drawing board with this premature plan,” he wrote. “There is no question that additional study is needed to understand the full extent and severity of 5G interference with radio altimeters and whether any mitigations are feasible — or even possible — to ensure flight safety. “We must never take a chance with aviation safety — and at no point should commercial interests be placed above it.” A day later, the FCC pressed forward with the auction. https://www.defensenews.com/2020/12/21/the-military-is-scrambling-to-understand-the-aviation-crash-risk-from-a-new-5g-sale

  • Here’s how one Army leader sees the future of war

    August 23, 2018 | International, C4ISR

    Here’s how one Army leader sees the future of war

    By: Mark Pomerleau The Army of the future will be leaner and that means junior officers will have more responsibility and more capability in their hands, a top Army general said Aug. 21. Lt. Gen. Theodore Martin, deputy commanding general of Training and Doctrine Command, said in future wars a platoon or company may be the unit that takes action. Martin, speaking at the TechNet Augusta conference, said that units have become smaller since World War I. Then, the U.S. military fought with huge field armies. World War II was fought with armies and corps, the Korean and Vietnam Wars were fought primarily with divisions, and the modern counterinsurgency wars have been fought with brigades, Martin said. With a potentially smaller, and leaner, structure, the junior officers that will command these units will have have capability within their power. “The type of assets that now reside at the brigade level, my grandfather ... if he were alive today [he] would be totally flabbergasted by what a colonel can bring to bear on the battlefield under his or her own authorities,” Martin said. Brigades today are led by colonels. In the future, Martin envision a lieutenant who will have grown up in a multidomain world with an education in the Army that is much different than that of today, and which prepared him or her for the future fight. Army leaders will expect that a platoon will take advantage of electronic warfare, cyber and information operations. This could mean the platoon will throw an electronic warfare grenade that will blind enemy mission command systems, jam radios and block similar attacks to keep friendly radios online. Then, as the platoon gets closer to its objective, perhaps they will send an email to the enemy commander saying something like their wife is cheating on them or their bank account has been emptied, as a way to create an additional distraction, Martin said. Martin acknowledged this vignette seems a little far-fetched, but in the multidomain battlefield “that's what we're going to be facing and it's a race to capability,” he said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/technet-augusta/2018/08/22/heres-how-one-army-leader-sees-the-future-of-war/

  • Rheinmetall wins major artillery ammunition order for Ukraine worth over €140 million

    December 4, 2023 | International, Land

    Rheinmetall wins major artillery ammunition order for Ukraine worth over €140 million

    The order encompasses tens of thousands of complete 155mm artillery shells, including the projectile, fuse

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