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

How COVID-19 Has Affected Defense Production (Podcast)

Although defense production has largely continued during the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturing plants have not escaped the reach of the disease. Facilities have been shut down for short periods of time or the number of workers has been reduced in order to ensure the safety of the workforce. The U.S. Defense Department anticipates a three-month slowdown for most of its development and procurement programs.

Here is a look at some of the specific factory closures and slowdowns that have occurred since the spread of COVID-19 began.

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/how-covid-19-has-affected-defense-production

On the same subject

  • A la recherche de l'IA hybride

    April 3, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    A la recherche de l'IA hybride

    Vice-président recherche, technologie, innovation du groupe Thales, David Sadek intervenait jeudi 24 octobre à Toulouse au Forum Innovation IA, un événement organisé par Sciences et Avenir pour le groupe Challenges. Explicabilité, validité, intégrité... " Pour une IA de confiance " : c'était l'intitulé de l'intervention de David Sadek, le vice-président recherche, technologie, innovation du groupe Thales. "Nous aimerions tous pouvoir toujours faire confiance à tous nos outils technologiques. Mais en réalité tout dépend du contexte. Dans le cas des outils reposant sur l'IA, si Netflix me recommande un film que je trouve détestable, ce n'est pas bien grave, on s'en remettra. Mais dans le cas des systèmes critiques tels que l'on en conçoit régulièrement chez Thales pour des applications défense, espace et aéronautique, la question de la confiance est primordiale". David Sadek énonce trois impératifs, qui sont autant d'axes stratégiques de la feuille de route IA chez Thales, pour aller vers cette " IA de confiance ". Pour qu'une application de l'IA soi digne de confiance, il faut d'abord qu'elle soit capable d'expliquer. Si elle se contente de proposer ou décider sans être capable de dire pourquoi et comment elle est arrivée à cette proposition ou décision, la défiance s'installera. Elle doit donc être capable de répondre à la question : " Pourquoi ? ". "Si par exemple un copilote IA recommande au pilote humain de virer à 45°, et que ce dernier demande " pourquoi ", le copilote doit pouvoir répondre par exemple : " parce qu'il y a un problème météo (ou une menace ...) droit devant ". Il ne s'agit pas de simplement tracer la décision, de pouvoir indiquer à ses concepteurs quels neurones, quelles couches de neurones, ont fait pencher la balance dans un sens ou un autre, mais bien d'expliquer dans une langue compréhensible immédiatement par le pilote". Ce qui indique qu'à l'aspect intelligence artificielle s'ajoute celui de " l'interaction homme-machine ". IA connexionniste et IA symbolique Cela implique, en restant sur cet exemple, une capacité de compréhension et de génération du langage naturel. Mieux, le pilote appréciera de pouvoir dialoguer dans un langage mixte, reposant sur l'oral et le geste (pour désigner un point sur une carte, etc.). Deuxième impératif selon David Sadek : il faut pouvoir démontrer la validité d'une application de l'IA. C'est-à-dire sa conformité aux spécifications. "Le système développé doit faire tout ce l'on attend de lui et rien que ce que l'on attend de lui. Ce qui suppose que l'on sache spécifier très proprement". On connait l'exemple d'un jeu de bataille navale, un " serious game " destiné à former des officiers de la marine, qui gagnait à tous les coups, parce qu'il sacrifiait systématiquement chaque vaisseau touché, pour ne pas ralentir la flotte. Aucune règle ne prévoyait, n'interdisait ce cas de figure, passablement inacceptable. Troisième impératif pour une " IA de confiance ", selon David Sadek, la responsabilité des systèmes reposant sur l'IA. C'est-à-dire leur conformité aux cadres légaux, réglementaires et moraux. On connait le tendon d'Achille des réseaux de neurones : ce sont des boîtes noires, on voit ce qui entre et ce qui sort, mais on ne sait pas (trop) ce qu'il se passe à l'intérieur. C'est pourquoi David Sadek insiste sur le fait qu'il faut s'intéresser aussi à " l'autre IA ", l'IA symbolique, celle qui repose sur des règles et des raisonnements et qui s'oppose à l'IA connexionniste des réseaux de neurones. Cette IA symbolique, qui fait moins les gros titres, qui n'a pas connu les progrès fulgurants de l'IA des réseaux de neurones, est plus à même de répondre à ces trois exigences : expliquer, valider, responsabilité. C'est pourquoi la réponse à cette triple exigence passe sans doute, entre autres, par " l'IA hybride ", une IA tirant parti de ces deux branches de l'intelligence artificielle. Par Pierre Vandeginste https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/high-tech/intelligence-artificielle/ia-pvdg_138526

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 04, 2020

    September 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 04, 2020

    DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY International SOS Government Services Inc., Trevose, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $960,362,689 single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price task order contract for health care support services by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). This contract supports the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) by supplementing the healthcare capabilities and capacities of overseas military treatment facilities and provides healthcare in remote overseas locations. This was a full and open competitive acquisition. The TOP contract is for $19,803,735 operations and maintenance funds for a base year (transition-in) and seven one-year option periods. It provides a wide range of health care support services for TRICARE eligible beneficiaries outside the U.S. and Washington, D.C. The performance completion date is Aug. 31, 2028. The DHA Managed Care Contracting Division, Aurora, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HT9402-20-D-0002). (Awarded Aug 31, 2020) NAVY Raytheon Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $579,837,316 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, which includes $146,269,941 firm-fixed-price undefinitized line items and $433,567,375 firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee definitized line items. This contract provides unit and depot level F-135 propulsion system spare parts, spare engines and modules in support of the F-135 propulsion initial spares requirements for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (93%); Indianapolis, Indiana (6%); and Bristol, United Kingdom (1%), and is expected to be completed in December 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0013). Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $272,161,641 fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract for the production and delivery of eight UH-1Y and four AH-1Z helicopters for the government of the Czech Republic. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%); and Amarillo, Texas (40%), and is expected to be completed in November 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $272,161,641 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(f)(2)(e). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0061). Advex Corp., Hampton, Virginia (N00164-20-D-GW63); Chesapeake Machining and Fabrication, Baltimore, Maryland (N00164-20-D-GW06); Kodiak Manufacturing, Allison, Pennsylvania (N00164-20-D-GW07); and Merrill Technologies Group, Saginaw, Michigan (N00164-20-D-GW08), will compete for each order of the $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for machining and fabrication requirements in support of the development, maintenance and sustainment of systems, sub-systems, equipment and components. The Platform and Launch Systems Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, in support of the strategic systems program, requires the establishment of multiple award contracts for the purpose of competing machining and fabrication requirements to manufacture new parts, and major overhaul of existing parts for systems in the operation and sustainment phase of their lifecycle. This acquisition provides support for Trident missile launcher subsystems, fire control and guidance subsystems and navigational subsystems. Work locations will be determined by individual task orders and is expected to be complete by September 2025, and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be complete by September 2030. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,250 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These multiple award contracts were set-aside for small business concerns in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(b)(2). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity. MEB General Contractors Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $43,681,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of dry dock flood protection improvements located at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia. The work includes subsurface cutoff wall for construction of cast-in-place concrete flood wall with manual flood gates, utility valve vaults, Dry Dock 1 and 3 caisson gunwale and seal extension and incidental related work in the small dock area of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction contract funds in the amount of $43,681,000 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 six proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0063). Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi (N00024-20-C-6319); Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland (N00024-20-C-6320); Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, Lockport, Louisiana (N00024-20-C-6316); Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wisconsin (N00024-20-C-6317); Gibbs & Cox Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N0002420C6318); and Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama (N00024-20-C-6315), are each being awarded a firm-fixed price contract for studies of a Large Unmanned Surface Vessel with a combined value across all awards of $41,985,112. Each contract includes an option for engineering support, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value for all awards to $59,476,146. The contract awarded to Huntington Ingalls Inc. is $7,000,000; the contract awarded to Lockheed Martin Corp. is $6,999,978; the contract awarded to Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, is $6,996,832; the contract awarded to Marinette Marine Corp. is $6,999,783; the contract awarded to Gibbs & Cox Inc. is $6,989,499; and the contract awarded to Austal USA LLC is $6,999,020. Work will be performed in various locations in the contiguous U.S. in accordance with each contract and is expected to be complete by August 2021, and if option(s) are exercised, work is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount $41,985,112 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities (now beta.SAM.gov) with eight offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California, is awarded a $35,553,202 fixed-price-incentive modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-19-C-2235 to incorporate Engineering Change Proposal H-004, Forward House Habitability Modification in support of Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) 6 and ESB 7. This Engineering Change Proposal is applicable to ESB 6 and ESB 7 to modify the existing ESB class berthing requirement to support an additional 100 military crewmembers and is deemed essential to Fleet operational requirements planned for this class of ships. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,511,945 (52%); and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,041,257 (48%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath, Detachment San Diego, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $12,529,557 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N64267-18-C-0132 to exercise options for Aegis design agent field engineering services. The services include test and evaluation, engineering change development, ordnance and ship alterations, modernization engineering, logistics and technical support, ordnance alterations kit development, integration and test support, AN/SPY-1 series radar antenna refurbishment and Coast Guard deep-water program design agent field engineering support. These services are in support of Aegis-equipped guided missile cruisers and destroyers, allied Aegis-equipped ships and Coast Guard Aegis-configured ships. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (30%); San Diego, California (30%); Yokosuka, Japan (17%); Wallops Island, Virginia (6%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (5%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (4%); Port Hueneme, California (4%); and Rota, Spain (4%), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,566,205 (75%); and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $272,303 (25%), will be obligated at time of award and $272,303 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Invicta Defense LLC,* Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $8,064,483 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for transportation management and logistic support services at Naval Support Activities Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The work to be performed provides for all labor, supervision, management, tools, material, equipment, facilities, transportation and other items necessary to accomplish all work to perform transportation management and logistics support services at Naval Support Activities, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The maximum dollar value including the base period and one option period is $22,300,325. Work will be performed at Naval Support Activities, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); and O&M (Air Force) in the amount of $8,064,483 are obligated on this award. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov with five proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity (N40192-20-D-7040). ARMY Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $70,000,000 cost-no-fee contract to research and develop a new translational research methodology that leverages autonomy and artificial intelligence to minimize time spent on low-impact, high-time activities. Bids were solicited via the internet with 999 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 3, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QX-20-D-0008). (Awarded Sept. 3, 2020) Goldbelt Frontier LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $36,828,500 hybrid (firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials) contract for equipment maintenance and repair and administrative, advisory, inventory and training services at U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command/Defense Health Agency. 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. 4, 2025. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W81XWH-20-D-0062). SLSCO Ltd, Galveston, Texas, was awarded a $29,177,910 modification (P00007) to contract W912PP-19-C-0018 to provide all labor, material and equipment necessary to design and construct approximately 48.4 miles of three-phase power distribution, lighting and all necessary supports, closed circuit, linear ground detection system and electronic equipment shelters. Work will be performed in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 2, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $29,177,910 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Missile Fire Controls, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $23,067,054 modification (P00017) to contract W31P4Q-19-C-0101 for the purchase of production parts for the production of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers. Work will be performed in Camden, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2019 missile procurement (Army) funds; 2020 United States Marine Corp funds; and 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Romania, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Finland) funds in the amount of $23,067,054 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. WHH Nisqually-Garco JV 2,* Olympia, Washington, was awarded a $20,217,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 29,000 square-foot modified tactical equipment maintenance facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Yakima, Washington, with an estimated completion date of May 17, 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Army Reserve) funds in the amount of $20,217,000.00 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0035). Kokosing Construction Co.; and O'Brien & Gere JV, Fredericktown, Ohio, was awarded a $10,281,100 firm-fixed-price contract to provide 24/7 construction management services that include extensive water treatment management services and dredging material disposal and related services at the Indiana Harbor & Canal Confined Disposal Facility. 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. 30, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912P6-16-D-0004). Technical and Project Engineering LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $9,221,888 firm-fixed-price contract to provide computer programming support services to Headquarters, Department of the Army; U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command; U.S. Army Special Operations Command; the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve; Army National Guard; and TRADOC Centers of Excellence. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 6, 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,221,888 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-F-0446). K&K Industries Inc.,* Junction City, Kansas, was awarded an $8,431,214 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a maintenance storage facility at Whiteman Air Force Base. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $8,431,214 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-20-C-4009). Huckstep Holdings Corp., doing business as Techwise,* Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $7,891,131 firm-fixed-price contract to provide air traffic control service for Fort Bliss, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2025. The 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas, is the contracting activity (W911SG-20-D-0002). Triumph Engine Control Systems LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded a $7,697,480 firm-fixed-price contract for the overhaul and repair of fuel engine controls for the CH-47 Chinook. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital funds in the amount of $7,697,480 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0556). Definitive Logic Corp., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $7,090,619 modification (P00004) to contract W912HZ-18-F-0339 to provide all personnel, supervision and services necessary to maintain and integrate the Comprehensive Planning Platform. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 3, 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $7,090,619 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Warner Robins, Georgia, has been awarded an estimated $66,851,248 requirements contract for the supply chain management of the AN/ALQ-155, AN/ALQ-161, AN/ALQ-184 and AN/APN-241 systems. This contract provides for repairs, spares and engineering services for the mentioned systems. Work will be performed at Warner Robins, Georgia, and is expected to be completed Sept. 9, 2028. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds are being used and no funds are being obligated at the time of the award. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8524-20-D-0012). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $33,394,848 cost-plus, award-fee task order under the Ground Subsystems Sustainment contract to definitize an undefinitized contract action issued for Minuteman III general sustainment. Work will be performed in Ogden, Utah, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,177,579 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8214-20-F-0082-PZ0001). Hamilton Sundstrand Corp., Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has been awarded an estimated $24,296,844 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for the repair and overhaul of augmentor fuel control and augmentor fuel pump located on the F100-PW-229 engine. Work will be performed in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed Sept. 3, 2025. This contract includes Foreign Military Sales contract line items and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8121-20-D-0010). Benham Design, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (FA4419-20-D-0002); and SLA+Cyntergy JV, Wichita Falls, Texas (FA4419-20-D-0003), have collectively been awarded a multiple year $20,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect and engineer contract. This contract provides for architect and engineering Services at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma; and Sheppard AFB, Texas. Work is expected to be completed Sept. 3, 2025, and is the result of a competitive acquisition with seven offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the total amount of $57,990 will be obligated at the time of award. The 97th Contracting Flight Altus AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Campbell Oil Co.,* Elizabethtown, North Carolina (SPE605-20-D-8505, $53,178,404); Petroleum Traders Corp.,* Fort Wayne, Indiana (SPE605-20-D-8526, $31,184,840); Brad Hall and Associates Inc.,* Idaho Falls, Idaho (SPE605-20-D-8512, $14,957,834); and Lykins Energy Solutions,* Milford, Ohio (SPE605-20-D-8514, $12,104,624), have each been awarded a minimum fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract under solicitation SPE605-20-R-0028 for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 45 responses received. They are five-year contracts with one one-month option period. Locations of performance are Idaho, Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and South Carolina, with a Sept. 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Awarded August 31, 2020) Akorn Inc., Lake Forest, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $42,080,784 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for numerous pharmaceutical products. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with nine one-year option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Sept. 3, 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 defense warstopper funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D0-20-D-0011). Airgas Nitrogen Services LLC, Abita Springs, Louisiana, has been awarded a maximum $17,649,805 firm-fixed-price, requirements type contract for gaseous nitrogen. This was a restricted acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(2), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2. This is a five-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Louisiana and California, with a Jan. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Space Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy-Aerospace Energy, San Antonio, Texas (SPE601-20-D-1502). Stonewin LLC,* Miami, Florida, has been awarded a minimum $14,397,083 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract under solicitation SPE605-20-R-0028 for various types of fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with 45 responses received. This is a five-year contract with one six-month option period. Locations of performance are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and South Carolina, with a Sept. 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE605-20-D-8525). (Awarded Sept. 2, 2020) CORRECTION: The contracts announced on Aug. 28, 2020, for Petro Star, Inc.,* Anchorage, Alaska (SPE605-20-D-4008, $62,088,432); Delta Western LLC, Seattle, Washington (SPE605-20-D-4002, $32,629,727); Crowley Government Services, Jacksonville, Florida (SPE605-20-D-4005, $26,468,885); and Petro 49 Inc.,* doing business as Petro Marine Services, Seward, Alaska (SPE605-20-D-4009, $15,852,473), under solicitation SPE0600-20-R-0222, were announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is Aug. 30, 2020. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2337845/source/GovDelivery/

  • ‘Fix-it’ man Shanahan working to streamline defense spending

    December 26, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

    ‘Fix-it’ man Shanahan working to streamline defense spending

    By: Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The sooner-than-expected departure of Defense Secretary Jim Mattisshifts the focus to President Donald Trump's appointment of an acting Pentagon chief and plans for a permanent replacement. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1, Trump announced in a tweet Sunday. He had worked for more than three decades at Boeing Co. and was a senior vice president when he became Pentagon deputy in July 2017. In the new year Trump wants to focus on streamlining purchases at the Pentagon, an issue on which Shanahan has already been working, a White House official said. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. U.S. officials said they didn't know if Shanahan would be Trump's nominee to replace Mattis. During a lunch with conservative lawmakers Saturday at the White House, Trump discussed his options. They were "not all military," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was among those attending. Shanahan's biography on the Pentagon's website does not list military experience for the longtime Boeing executive. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, then a master's degree in mechanical engineering as well as an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to work in Boeing's commercial airplanes programs, Shanahan was vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems and of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. In a March 2016 report, the Puget Sound Business Journal called Shanahan a Boeing "fix-it" man who was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the program's early years. An acting defense secretary is highly unusual. Historically when a secretary has resigned, he has stayed on until a successor is confirmed. For example, when Chuck Hagel was told to resign in November 2014, he stayed in office until Ash Carter was confirmed the following February. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, had been expected to retain his position as Pentagon chief through February. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, not the president, notified Mattis of Trump's decision to put in place Shanahan, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel issues. The sudden change stripped Mattis of any chance to further frame national security policy or smooth rattled relations with allies over the next two months. But U.S. officials said the reaction to Mattis' decision to leave — it sparked shock and dismay on Capitol Hill — annoyed Trump and likely led to pushing Mattis out. "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should," Trump tweeted Saturday, foreshadowing his displeasure and the Sunday announcement. He also fumed over the media coverage of his Syria withdrawal order, suggesting he should be popular for bringing troops home. "With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!" Trump tweeted. A White House official said Trump decided Mattis should leave the administration earlier than planned to avoid a drawn-out transition when someone on hand whom they consider a qualified deputy capable of running the Pentagon in an acting capacity. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. While Mattis' resignation followed Trump's announcement that he would soon pull all of the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, officials said that the decision was the result of an accumulation of disagreements. In a stunning resignation letter, Mattis made clear he did not see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO and doubts about keeping troops in Asia. Mattis was also unhappy with Trump's order to develop plans to pull out up to half of the 14,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Earlier Sunday, Trump's acting chief of staff said that Trump had known for "quite some time now" that he and Mattis "did not share some of the same philosophies ... have the same world view." Mick Mulvaney told ABC's "This Week" that the president and his defense chief "just could never get on the same page" on Syria, adding that Trump had said since his presidential campaign that "he wanted to get out of Syria." Mulvaney said the president "is entitled to have a secretary of defense who is committed to that same end." Asked whether Trump wanted a Pentagon leader willing to challenge him or someone in lock step with his views, Mulvaney said "a little bit of both." "I've encouraged him to find people who have some overlap with him but don't see the world in lockstep with him," Mulvaney said. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined leading Republicans on foreign affairs in urging Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw American forces from Syria and called it "a premature and costly mistake." They asked Trump to withhold a final decision for 90 days to allow time to study the impact of the decision, but Mulvaney told ABC that Trump wouldn't change his mind. Just after tweeting the announcement about Shanahan, Trump said he had had "a long and productive call" with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump said they discussed IS, "our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home." Associated Press writers Robert Burns, Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2018/12/24/fix-it-man-shanahan-working-to-streamline-defense-spending

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