F-35 upgrades slip to 2024, drawing lawmaker’s ire

On the same subject

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  December 26, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  This Army unit is the first to field new company and battalion drones

  The new drones fit different mission profiles at the tactical level.

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  May 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Choosing the right commercial tech for government

  By: Meagan Metzger In today's crisis-stricken world, it is heartening to see leaders recognizing the importance of government support for innovative, private sector solutions to the problems facing the defense industry. For the Department of Defense, reforming policies and refocusing priorities so that commercial tech can be successfully implemented to support the defense industry's mission is essential. The DoD's endorsement not only encourages emerging tech startups to consider government compliance and scale in their business models from the very beginning; it also protects our national security — and service members in uniform — by putting the most innovative technology into play. But creating more opportunities for commercial tech companies to secure government contracts is only the beginning. For government agencies to successfully take advantage of innovative tech from the private sector, a few things need to happen — and the sooner, the better. First, the government needs to look beyond legacy contracts. As has been noted by venture capital leaders, the announced provisions of the coronavirus relief legislation, the CARES Act, “to streamline the Defense Department contracting process” currently apply only to contracts worth $100 million or more. This excludes emerging commercially successful tech companies that could have a significant impact at the government level. Separate, though related, are needed reforms to the Small Business Innovation Research program. The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2020 provides additional SBIR flexibility for small businesses that are more than 50 percent owned by venture capital, but the DoD has yet to fully promulgate this new flexibility authority. Until eligibility standards are adjusted, the DoD is missing the chance to work with proven, VC-backed companies. Of course not all commercial tech companies are equipped to support government missions; and to ignore the importance of a rigorous evaluation process is even more harmful than ignoring commercial tech all together. Finding emerging tech is easy. Evaluating and equipping tech companies for success in government is hard, particularly when national security is a critical concern. The COVID-19 crisis has made it even more apparent that government agencies need to be able to implement tech solutions quickly and trust that they will perform as expected. A tech company with proven success in the private sector may draw the government's attention and show that it can deliver, but there are other equally important indicators to consider when determining if a company is capable of performing as expected at the government level. The Pentagon, like any government agency, must rely on data-backed advice and expertise to identify which commercial tech solutions are most likely to succeed in the federal market. Finding technology companies should not be a quantity play, but focus more on fit and quality. Moving fast requires working with private sector partners who have experience vetting tech companies for government contracts, which we've seen leaders do, like Space and Missile Systems Center's Air Force Col. Russell Teehan and the head of Air Force Program Executive Office Digital Steven Wert. Partners that are federally focused — with deep knowledge of government problem sets and missions — can identify which tech companies are viable technically and will be viable in the federal market. Assessing tech's viability requires specific experience evaluating a set of qualitative characteristics unique to this market, in addition to the typical “can they work with government" questions like: “Where is the code compiled?” Government agencies should also look to VCs and accelerators that can specifically guide tech companies through the government market contracting process and equip them to succeed in the long term. For instance, in 2019, the United States Air Force worked with Dcode to scout technology for the service's Multi-Domain Operations Challenge, and seven of the 30 finalists were companies that had completed the Dcode accelerator to prepare for success in the federal market. Supporting these tech companies requires more than just a singular contract award. To get over the “valley of death,” companies have to understand everything from compliance to how to staff, rework operational processes and market effectively, to name a few. There is no question that working with the right emerging tech companies is imperative for the DoD and other government agencies. But at a moment in history when time is particularly of the essence, there is no room for trial and error when it comes to identifying which tech companies can meet the government's specific needs. By working with private sector partners that have extensive government expertise and proven results, the DoD can confidently implement innovative technology that addresses its most critical needs in a time of crises and well into the future. Meagan Metzger is the founder and CEO of Dcode. She also serves on an advisory board for Booz Allen Hamilton, and another advisory board for the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum. She previously worked as chief operating officer of a mobile and cloud company, as well as chief strategy officer at an IT consultancy. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/05/14/choosing-the-right-commercial-tech-for-government/

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  September 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – September 16, 2020

  AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, California, has been awarded a $298,044,362 firm-fixed-price Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications contract. This contract provides a payload to develop hardware and software. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be completed May 2025. This is a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $31,190,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8808-20-C-0049). L3Harris Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $13,534,278, fixed-price incentive firm modification (P00008) to contract FA8823-20-C-0004 for system sustainment services Option Year 1. This modification updates and revises the maintenance of space situational awareness integrated capabilities sustainment performance work statement requirements for the current option year. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $21,165,500 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $98,994,351. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the contracting activity. NAVY Core Tech-Hawaiian Dredging LLC, Tamuning, Guam, is awarded a $42,876,637 firm-fixed-price contract for design and construction of Munitions Storage Igloos Phase 3 at Andersen Air Force Base. The work to be performed includes construction of 20 adequately sized, configured, sited and protected munitions storage igloos required to support forward-positioned munitions at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The facilities will include reinforced concrete foundations, rated 7-bar construction, floor slabs, columns, beams, lighting and electrical support, fire protection systems, lightning protection systems, intruder detection systems and all necessary supporting utilities for complete and usable facilities. The contract also contains four unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $49,677,730. Work will be performed in Yigo, Guam, and is expected to be completed by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $42,876,637 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with seven proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-C-1324). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $41,437,959 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This contract provides intermediate level repair capability at Fleet Readiness Centers. Additionally, it provides for the development of support equipment to test and troubleshoot aircraft armament equipment specifically pylons, bomb rack units, sonobuoy launchers, armament control panel and the aft pneumatic source in support of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (60%); Indianapolis, Indiana (30%); Whidbey Island, Washington (5%); and Jacksonville, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in September 2024. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $34,897,349; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,540,610 will be obligated at time of award, $34,897,349 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 Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-C-0843). Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $21,405,614 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures the Electro-Optics fourth generation (EO4) console and replaces the legacy Electro-Optics third generation console configuration to mitigate obsolescence, decreased availability and rising sustainment costs. The EO4 console subsystem is hosted by the electronic Consolidated Automated Support System family of automatic test systems and is used to test, diagnose and repair the H-60 Multi-spectral Targeting System and F/A-18 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared weapon systems. This contract covers the EO4 program lifecycle with emphasis on the engineering and manufacturing development phase, which includes design and development, production and delivery of five engineering development models, spares and calibration equipment as well as support for integration, test and other program requirements. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed in September 2023. 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, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0935). BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $20,306,232 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00017) to previously awarded and announced contract N00030-19-C-0007 to provide logistics engineering and integration support of the U.S. Ohio-class and UK Vanguard-class Strategic Weapon System (SWS) platforms, including support of future concepts. Work will be performed in Saint Mary's, Georgia (45.4%); Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (30.1%); Rockville, Maryland (13.6%); Silverdale, Washington (2.9%); Portsmouth, Virginia (1%); Mount Dora, Florida (1%); New Market, Maryland (1%); Carlisle, Pennsylvania (1%); Mooresboro, North Carolina (1%); Mesa, Arizona (1%), Saint Simons Island, Georgia (1%); and St. Peters, Missouri (1%), 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 $16,641,589; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $3,664,643 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1)(4). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00030-19-C-0007). Shape Construction Inc.,* Poulsbo, Washington, is awarded a $13,726,809 firm-fixed-price task order (N44255-20-F-4357) under a multiple award construction contract to construct the Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling Trainer (NSST) Naval Station Everett, Washington. The work to be performed involves the renovation of Bldg. 2200 on Naval Station Everett into a multi-level space for the installation of the NSST. Renovation will include, but is not limited to, supports, power, data pathways, curtain supports and infrastructure, structural modifications, a new elevator, removal of existing equipment, replacement of roof, design and construction of a perimeter wall, and all utility and system interfaces for the new space. Work will be performed in Everett, Washington, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $13,726,809 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4006). Communications and Power Industries LLC, Beverly, Massachusetts, is awarded a $13,211,358 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 60 precision approach landing systems radio frequency components and assemblies in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Webster Outlying Filed Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Division. Work will be performed in Beverly, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in September 2025. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0047). Salmons Dredging Corp.,* Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $12,000,000 for crane rental and crane operator services at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. The initial task order is being awarded at $3,753,761 for barge crane and mobile crane rental and operator services at the Nuclear Power Training Unit, Goose Creek, South Carolina. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by June 2021. All work on this contract will be performed in Goose Creek, South Carolina. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $4,880 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with one proposal received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-20-D-0062). The Clement Group LLC,* Montgomery, Alabama, is awarded a $10,933,245 firm-fixed-price task order (N69450-20-F-0894) under a multiple award construction contract for a police station and emergency operations center (EOC) facility at Marine Corps Support Facility (MCSF), Blount Island, Florida. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a new two-story police station and EOC facility within MCSF Blount Island. The new facility will be masonry with a metal roof, special foundations and emergency power circuits and will feature sustainable technologies. The options, if exercised, provide for furniture, fixtures and audio visual equipment. The task order also contains two unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase the cumulative task order value to $12,014,234. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $10,933,245 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 Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-19-D-0918). Leidos Inc. Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $7,090,632 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order issued under a General Services Administration (GSA) One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This task order provides research support services to the chief science executive and the Research Services Directorate at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), San Diego, California, by conducting high-level technical and programmatic support tasks on various Navy and Marine Corps projects and contractor assistance in program execution. Work will be performed onsite at NHRC in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by September 2024. The base period of performance under this task order will be awarded with fiscal 2020 Navy research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funds. Fiscal 2020 Navy RDT&E funding in the amount of $752,337 will be placed on the task order at time of award and the remainder will be incrementally funded. The total aggregate value of the task order for the base period and three option periods is $7,090,632. This task order was competitively solicited to all OASIS Unrestricted Pool 4 large business award holders with one offer received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-20-F-0263). (Awarded Sept. 14, 2020) ARMY Chavis Inc., Maxton, North Carolina (W91247-17-D-0015, P00002); Outside the Box LLC, Richmond, Virginia (W91247-17-D-0014, P00002); CMC Building Inc., Bolton, North Carolina (W91247-17-D-0013, P00002); Lifecycle Construction Services LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (W91247-17-D-0017, P00002); and W4 Construction Group, Kalamazoo, Michigan (W91247-17-D-0018, P00002), were awarded $36,0000 in modifications to execute a broad range of maintenance, repair and minor construction projects at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Bids were solicited via the internet with 17 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2022. U.S. Army 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is the contracting activity. Critical Solutions International, Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded a $35,685,503 modification (P00012) to contract W56HZV-17-D-0045 for support of the Husky 2G Vehicle-Mounted Mine Detection. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 Pseudo-Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $35,685,503 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Intercontinental Construction Contracting Inc.,* Passaic, New Jersey, was awarded a $23,566,504 firm-fixed-price contract for renovation of the Caven Point Army Reserve Center Facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Jersey City, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of March 18, 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army Reserve) funds in the amount of $23,566,504 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0036). Nova Group Inc., Napa, California, was awarded a $22,124,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Ellsworth Type III Hydrant Fuel System installation. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 15, 2022. Fiscal 2016 and 2020 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $22,124,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-C-0039). Nova Group Inc., Napa, California, was awarded a $16,577,550 firm-fixed-price contract to replace and construct a new jet fuel complex at the Fresno Air National Guard Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Fresno, California, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2022. Fiscal 2016 and 2018 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $16,577,550 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity (W91238-20-C-0022). Rice Lake Contracting Corp., Deerwood, Minnesota, was awarded a $15,286,000 firm-fixed-price contract for waste water treatment plant alterations at Fort McCoy. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of July 13, 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army Reserve) funds in the amount of $15,286,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-C-0043). Messer Construction Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, was awarded an $11,471,000 firm-fixed-price contract for addition and alteration of an aircraft maintenance hangar at Grissom Air Reserve Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Grissom, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of March 10, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Air Force Reserve) funds in the amount of $11,471,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0039). Canvas Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $9,015,348 time-and-materials contract for programmatic service support for the Aviation Mission Systems and Architecture program office. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 15, 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Army); operations and maintenance (Army); research, development, test and evaluation (Army); and Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan, Albania, Croatia, Greece, Jordan, Latvia, Morocco, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates) funds in the amount of $9,015,348 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-20-F-D003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Mount Rogers Community Services,** Atkins, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $14,834,277 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for advanced combat shirts. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Virginia, Florida, and Kentucky, with a Sept. 15, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-N120). The National Industries for the Blind,** Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $14,834,277 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for advanced combat shirts. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, and New York, with a Sept. 15, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-B090). M&M Manufacturing,*** Lajas, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $9,213,750 modification (P00015) exercising the first one-year option period of an 18-month base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1145) with three one-year option periods for various types of blouses and coats. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Sept. 19, 2021, ordering period end date. Using military services are Navy, Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Amyx Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $10,352,459 modification (P00044) for contract HTC711-17-F-D001 providing continued non-personal advisory and assistance service support providing functional, engineering and resource management services for entire acquisition lifecycles for information technology systems supported and in support of the U.S. Transportation Command and other associated supporting organizations. Work will be performed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The option period of performance is from Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital (TWCF) operating funds; TWCF capital funds; and operations and maintenance funds will be obligated on Oct. 1, 2020. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $48,590,167 from $ $38,237,708. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY UPDATE: The contract ceiling for the award announced on Sept. 3, 2020, to Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Reston, Virginia (HC1084-20-D-0009), for Enterprise Storage Solutions (ESS) III for Defense Information Systems Agency's Operations Center, has been updated to $640,000,000 from $79,452,482. The face value of this action is $70,250,013. The period of performance for the base period has also been revised to Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2025, and the option years follow consecutively through Sept. 30, 2030. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2350212/source/GovDelivery/