September 18, 2020 | Information, Aerospace, Naval, Land, Security, Other Defence

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense – September 17, 2020

NAVY

Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $316,733,831 modification (P00015) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00421-18-D-0004. This modification exercises an option for the procurement of 11,313 AN/ARC-210(v) radios for installation in over 400 strategic and tactical airborne, seaborne and land based (mobile and fixed) platforms for the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, other government agencies and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed by September 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Marathon Construction Corp., Lakeside, California (N62473-16-D-1802); Granite-Healy Tibbitts JV, Watsonville, California (N62473-16-D-1803); Reyes Construction Inc., Pomona, California (N62473-16-D-1804); Manson Construction, Seattle, Washington (N62473-16-D-1805); and R.E. Staite Engineering Inc.,* San Diego, California (N62473-16-D-1806), are awarded $75,000,000 to increase the aggregate capacity of the previously awarded suite of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts. The maximum dollar value including the base year and four option years for all five contracts combined is increased from $240,000,000 to $315,000,000. The contracts are for new construction, repair and renovation of various waterfront facilities at various locations predominantly within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility (AOR). Work will be performed predominantly within the NAVFAC Southwest AOR including, but not limited to, California (98%), and will be available to the NAVFAC Atlantic AOR (2%) as approved by the contracting officer. No funds are being obligated on this award and no funds will expire. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); O&M (Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. The original contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 13 proposals received. NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $70,847,707 modification (P00023) to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-19-C-0010. This modification provides requirements decomposition through system functional review for the F-35 Super Multi-Function Aircraft Data Link Band 5 receiver warning capability in support of the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (35%); San Diego, California (20%); Fort Worth, Texas (20%); Baltimore, Maryland (15%); and Hunt Valley, Maryland (10%), and is expected to be completed by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $821,960; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $821,960; non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $356,080 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Testek LLC, Wixom, Michigan, is awarded a $38,071,331 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract is for the production and delivery of up to 42 Aircraft Generator Test Stands (AGTS), 41 for the Navy and one for a Foreign Military Sales customer. The AGTS will be used to conduct full functional testing of the new F/A-18E/F and EA-18G G4 generator converter units, the V-22 Constant Frequency Generator and Variable Frequency Generator, the ALQ-99 Ram Air Turbine Generator and generators tested by the legacy Aircraft Engine Component Test Stand (AECTS) at those sites where the AECTS is being replaced by the AGTS. Work will be performed in Wixom, Michigan, and is expected to be completed by September 2026. 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, two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0048).

General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, is awarded a $19,631,873 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-20-F-0748) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0005. This order provides project management as well as recurring and non-recurring engineering support, materials and documentation to implement, manage and report on the B-Sump Additive Manufacturing, Temperature Distortion Sensitivity Test, second source bearing, second source external hose and fittings, Second Source Accessory Gear Box, and emergency oil system elimination cost reduction initiatives in support of the CH-53K T408 engine. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts (80%); Patuxent River, Maryland (15%); and Evendale, Ohio (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,997,273; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,634,600 will be obligated at time of award, $14,997,273 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, received a ceiling increase modification in the amount of $140,000,000 to an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the production of Non-Standard Commercial Vehicle 2 (H92222-16-D-0043). This modification raises the contract ceiling to $310,000,000 to account for additional emergent Special Operations Forces requirements. The work will be performed in Columbus, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by July 2023. This modification was awarded through a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302.1. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity.

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY

Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI),* Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a noncompetitive cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with a total value of $68,503,410. Under this new contract, the contractor will support the extension of Missile Defense System capabilities through evaluation, identification and maturation of new technologies and future concepts (e.g. hypersonics, cruise missiles, cyber offense and defense, artificial intelligence/machine learning, quantum science, left-through-right-of-launch integration, fully networked command and control and directed energy) to support the Concepts and Performance Lab (CAPL) under the Missile Defense Agency's Advanced Technology initiative. The CAPL program shall support these initiatives by maturing advanced interceptor and sensor concepts models and simulations, algorithm development/implementations, laboratory experiments and/or ground and flight-testing required for technical and operational assessment of capabilities. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama. The period of performance is Sept. 17, 2020, through Sept. 16, 2023, with two one-year options. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,800,000 are being obligated on this award. The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0860-20-C-0006).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

LOC Performance Products Inc.,* Plymouth, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $47,634,898 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for left and right final drives. 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 five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Michigan, with an Aug. 30, 2025, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0093).

Golden State Medical Supply Inc., Camarillo, California, has been awarded a maximum $10,306,354 fixed-price, requirements contract for Duloxetine HCL DR (hydrochloride, delayed release) capsules. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are California and Spain, with a Sept. 16, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D2-20-D-0098).

ARMY

Marinex Construction Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, was awarded a $33,998,700 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance and new work dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $31,639,750 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity (W912HP-20-C-0008).

Benaka Inc.,* New Brunswick, New Jersey, was awarded a $9,162,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design and build renovations and additions for an Army Reserve Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Orangeburg, New York, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 7, 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) Reserve funds in the amount of $9,162,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0038).

General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded an $8,204,786 modification (P00026) to contract W81XWH-17-F-0078 for administrative support services for the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Activity. Work will be performed at Fort Detrick, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $8,204,786 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Zodiac-Poettker HBZ JV LLC,* St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $7,516,000 firm-fixed-price contract to design and construct a dining facility for the Veterans Affairs (VA) Law Enforcement Training Center and Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in North Little Rock, Arkansas, with an estimated completion date of April 12, 2022. Fiscal 2019 VA minor construction funds in the amount of $7,516,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock, Arkansas, is the contracting activity (W9127S-20-C-6013).

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

Strategic Analysis Inc., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $10,040,273 modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract HR0011-19-F-0101 for engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning, social science, chemistry, physics, mathematics, materials and front office technical and administrative support services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $19,805,466 from $9,765,193. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of September 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,237,061 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES

Logistics Management Institute, Tysons, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,714,127 firm-fixed-price-level-of-effort and time-and-materials contract. The contract provides a broad range of Department of Defense logistics and program support operations to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, the Office of Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense for Logistics and the Office of Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense for Materiel Readiness. This includes analytic support, meeting facilitation, statistical and data analyses and subject matter expertise in various logistics disciplines and government/commercial supply chain practices; strategic communications; operational contract support; private security contractors; vendor threat mitigation; and strategic integration. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,714,127 are being awarded. The expected completion date is June 25, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-20-F-0505).

AIR FORCE

Riverside Research Institute, New York, New York, has been awarded a $7,051,887 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the research and development of algorithms and tools to produce high-quality radio frequency modeling data. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,140,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-20-C-1131).

*Small business

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2352082/source/GovDelivery/

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January 9, 2018 | Information, Naval

Managing Intellectual Property in Defence and Marine Procurement
Industry and government collaborate on Principles for the Management of Intellectual Property in Defence and Marine Procurement In 2017 Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Department of National Defence, Innovation Science Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard worked with Canadian defence industry representatives such as Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) and Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), through the Defence Industry Advisory Group, to develop principles for the management of IP in defence and marine procurement. The Principles for the Management of IP in Defence and Marine Procurement (Principles) provide a broad policy foundation for IP management in defence and marine procurement by the Government of Canada that: reflect the Government's national interests and strategic defence and marine capability needs reflect the defence industry's interests in the protection of privately developed IP as valuable business and economic assets and as a factor in creating and sustaining an innovative Canadian defence and marine industry recognize that the development, protection and commercialization of IP are critical among several priorities to advance a broader Canadian socio-economic agenda, including economic growth and jobs recognize that IP management occurs between the Government and defence industry in strategic and dynamic sectors subject to rapid technological changes, and emerging defence capabilities and vulnerabilities serve as a framework for adaptable, flexible, principles-based and outcome-based approaches using IP management strategies that help government secure needed capabilities and ensure value for money while bolstering industry innovation and sustainability, and serve as a framework to help define IP requirements, draft contracts and design bid evaluations at earliest stages in procurements, while also helping guide the management of IP throughout the lifecycle of defence and marine assets The Principles align with the Canadian Government's Contracting Policy and Policy on Title to Intellectual Property Arising Under Crown Procurement Contracts, which prescribed a whole-of-government approach to IP management and addresses the ownership and licensing of intellectual property arising during a Crown procurement contract. Principles for the management of intellectual property in defence and marine procurement The Principles reflect key points of agreement between government and the Canadian defence industry on how government intends to approach the management of IP throughout the life cycle of defence and marine assets. The Principles serve as a framework for government and industry on the framing of requirements, the design of bid evaluations, and the drafting of contracts. They should also guide the management of IP during the life cycle of assets, seeking to balance the national interests of the government and the industry's interests to maximize benefits for Canada. The Principles recognize that the development, protection, and commercialization of IP are among several priorities to advance the broader Canadian socio-economic agenda, such as economic growth and jobs. The Principles also recognize that IP management discussions between governments and defence suppliers occur in strategic sectors subject to rapid technological changes, and emerging defence capabilities and vulnerabilities. As a result, governments are facing shorter and shorter procurement life cycles and having to return to market sooner to benefit from technological changes, while ensuring value for money. Defence firms, on the other hand, are in a position to offer technological evolution through the lifecycle of products and offer new products and services which may significantly alter the performance or the cost of the item procured. Being able to take advantage of this dynamic market will require that IP discussions take place very early on during the procurement phase and be considered as a function of the life cycle of the product or service. In this context, adapted, flexible, principles-based and outcome-based IP management strategies can help the Government secure needed capabilities, while ensuring value for money and working with industry to foster technological advantages and economic benefits. http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/app-acq/amd-dp/propriete-intellec-property-eng.html
August 30, 2018 | Information, Security

Irresistible Forces: Long-Term Tectonic Influences on Canada’s National Security
This Vimy Paper examines three long-term tectonic influences on Canada's national security: geography, demographics, and science. These macro-level factors tend not to be understood well or receive much serious consideration in the public discourse, but in many cases can have powerful and sustained impacts on events. They can also reveal previously unrecognized threats. The discussion is structured in four parts. Part 1 focuses on geography and its impact on regions of strategic interest to Canada. Part 2 looks at world mortality and demographic trends, and the closely related subject of economics, and considers the cases of selected nations. Part 3 considers science at the macro-level – that is, humanity's collective adaptation to it. Part 4 then draws conclusions about how these issues impact Canada's national security. Click here to read / Cliquez-ici pour lire
August 27, 2019 | Information, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

Avoiding past mistakes: Are the Army’s modernization plans on the right course?
By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — To avoid past mistakes that have all but crippled the Army's ability to procure new equipment, the service should ensure its top modernization priorities are aligned with its emerging warfighting doctrine, which could mean rearranging some of its top efforts, conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation is arguing in a new report. The assessment comes at a time when the Army is preparing to release a new modernization strategy in short order. “From 2002 to 2014, for a variety of reasons, nearly every major modernization program was terminated,” the report's author Thomas Spoehr writes. Spoehr is the director of the Center of National Defense at Heritage. His former Army career was partly spent helping to develop the service's future year financial plans. Spoehr acknowledges that with the advent of a new four-star command — Army Futures Command — the programs envisioned to modernize the Army “are well-conceived,” but urges the services to look through a lens of how its priorities measure up in Multi-Domain Operations — a concept under development that will grow into its key warfighting doctrine. Spoehr also warns the Army's leaders that there needs to be a balance “of the lure of technology with the necessity" to buy new equipment. The service is steadfastly marching down a path to modernize and develop its capability in Long-Range Precision Fires, Next-Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, the network, air-and-missile defense and soldier lethality, in order of importance. But Spoehr is proposing to drop NGCV and FVL to the bottom of the list because they would serve less effective roles when carrying out operations in an environment where territory is well defended against enemies like Russia and China. “The need for long-range precision fires and a precision-strike missile with a range of 310 km, for example, is grounded in the need to strip away Russian surface-to-air missile batteries and gain access,” Spoehr writes. “The linkages of other programs and initiatives are not as obvious and would benefit from an Army effort to make the connections either more explicit or reconsider requirements.” Spoehr points out that it's not clear, for example, how a Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft and a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft “might survive against near-peer sophisticated integrated air defense capabilities like the Russian's capable Pantsir-S1 SA-22 system. “Even if the aircraft's speed is doubled or tripled, it will not outrun the Pantsir's 9M335 missile,” he writes. “Nowhere in the MDO concept is a compelling case made for the use of Army aviation, combined with a relative youth of Army aviation fleets,” he adds. Instead, Spoehr said, the priorities “should be based on an evaluation of current versus required capabilities, assessed against the capability's overall criticality to success, and all tied to a future aim point-2030, by a force employing MDO doctrine.” This means, he argues, that the Army's network should be prioritized just below LRPF, followed by AMD and soldier lethality. Ranked at number five and six would be NGCV and FVL, respectively. According to Spoehr, “nothing has come forward to suggest that there is a technological advancement that will make a next generation of combat vehicles significantly better.” Additionally, the Army should not try to force the key requirement of making its Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle replacement — the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle — robotically operated or autonomous until the network matures to support the capability, the report notes. The Army needs a network “that is simple, reliable and less fragile than its current systems,” Spoehr says. “These capabilities may need to come at the expense of capacity,” which the Army appears to be doing, he notes. Spoehr also suggests that the Army invest less in hypersonic offensive capability and more in defensive capability. But ensuring effective modernization of the force and avoiding past failures is just as much a management challenge as it is overcoming technological and cost hurdles. One of the phenomena Spoehr observed during his time serving in the military, particularly at the Pentagon, is what he calls “groupthink,” where those who spend time together begin to think alike and make decisions without those around them questioning actions. Additionally, subordinates tend to avoid disagreeing with those in charge. Groupthink has been the culprit when it comes to major failure in development and acquisition programs in the past, so the Army should “zealously promote critical thinking and avoid groupthink,” Spoehr writes. The service should “promote a free and open dialogue in journals and forums” and “exercise caution when senior leaders endorse specific system attributes or requirements to avoid closing down discussion.” The report acknowledges that the Army “is making a concerted effort to change to meet the future,” such as standing up AFC and aligning its future doctrine with materiel solutions more closely. It's important the Army keep sight of what it's actually trying to do with its future capability, the report warns. “Rather than seeking to match and exceed each of our adversary's investments, the Army must focus on enabling its own operational concepts and seeking answers to tough operational and tactical problems,” it states. Elsewhere in the overarching analysis, Spoehr recommends growing the force, as well ensuring its effective modernization to include roughly 50 Brigade Combat Teams and an end-strength of at least 540,000 active soldiers. He suggests reducing investment in infantry brigade combat teams in favor of armored BCTs, but also to keep capability to fight in a counter-insurgency environment as well, such as keeping the Security Force Assistance Brigades. The third such formation is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. The Army also needs to grow faster and must find ways to resolve recent problems with recruiting, Spoehr said, recommending that the service grow at a rate faster than 2,000 regular Army soldiers per year. And force allocation should also be reconsidered, Spoehr argues, recommending that the Army should create a new field headquarters in Europe and, when appropriate, do so in the Indo-Pacific. Overall, “the task for the Army is no less than to develop a force capable of deterring and defeating aggression by China and Russia, while also remaining prepared to deal with other regional adversaries (Iraq and North Korea), violent extremist organizations, and other unforeseen challenges,” Spoehr said. What's hard for the Army is that it lacks “the certainty of a single principal competitor” — the Soviet Union in 1980s, during the last buildup, for example, he noted. Because of the complicated global environment, Spoehr advocates for the Army to shift from thinking about a 20-year lead time for new, transformative capabilities and instead take a constant iterative and evolutionary approach to building the force. Under AFC, the Army is attempting to do just that. The Army can't wait “until the future is clear before acting,” he adds. “When dealing with a 1-million-person organization, equipping, training, and leader development typically takes at least a decade to make any substantive change,” Spoehr said. “The Army must therefore make bets now to remain a preeminent land power.” https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/08/22/avoiding-past-mistakes-are-the-armys-modernization-plans-on-the-right-course/

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