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  June 2, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contracts for June 1, 2021

  Today

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  February 27, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  New ‘Air Force Ventures’ Set To Transform Technology Strategy

  Steve Trimble The U.S. Air Force has adopted a three-phase strategy to select small, innovative companies outside the traditional defense industry to perform advanced development work and to tap Silicon Valley-style venture capital firms to help taxpayers finance the new technology. A new process could help rationalize the one-year-old Air Force effort to attract high-tech startups with dozens of Air Force Pitch Day events. These conferences have led to hundreds of small contract awards but no obvious path to guide the aspiring defense contractors further into the byzantine military acquisition process. U.S. Air Force plans to make 50 large “bets” on technology New acquisition training to be based on Fighter Weapons School For the private startups and venture capitalists involved, the Air Force Ventures initiative is designed to offer a new route to the commercial market for potentially game-changing technologies that could benefit from a risk-tolerant government customer providing funding and early support. “We don't really think of ourselves as a [stand-alone] market, but we purchase things in quantities that [are] meaningful enough that we can bridge companies until they reach a level for commercial success,” says Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics. “That's one reason that [venture capitalists] are interested in this.” The Air Force Ventures process starts with the Pitch Day events, during which the Air Force can place initial “bets” worth up to about $50,000 each in Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants on promising, potentially game-changing ideas, says Roper, speaking to about 1,000 Air Force acquisition officials during a Feb. 14 webinar. As the companies transition toward Phase II SBIR awards, the Air Force plans to grant about 300 contracts worth up to $1 million each—with a program office agreeing to fund about one-third of the costs. The funding match is meant to link the SBIR award to a program office, creating a path for the technology to potentially transition beyond the laboratory stage and into a program of record. The third and final step in the Air Force Ventures concept whittles the pool of awards to about 50 recipients. The amount of the award is potentially “unlimited,” Roper says, but is generally regarded as at least $10 million. The first of the “big bets” in Phase III are now under evaluation, Roper says. The contract awards could be announced at South by Southwest, a week-long technology conference and entertainment festival scheduled for March 13-22 in Austin, Texas. The initiative explicitly seeks to help the Air Force break from traditional defense contractors. As the Air Force attempts to field leap-ahead capabilities within the next decade for the Advanced Battle Management System and Next-Generation Air Dominance, leveraging the innovative ideas and technology flowing into the commercial market is seen as critical. “[R&D] in this country is 80% commercial,” Roper explains. “So in the 21st century, the [defense] industrial base should be dual-use. And so we've got to crack the code on how to have public and private funding work seamlessly inside an Air Force program.” But there are significant challenges as the Air Force tries to leverage commercial-sector technology investments: Small companies often need to find a market quickly to generate revenue and cash flow, whereas government program offices tend to make decisions slowly—and inconsistently. “In many cases, their commercialization [strategy] is devalued [by investors] if they have government funds,” Roper adds. The Air Force's program managers also face a learning curve. “If we're making 1,000 small bets a year, the reason we're making 1,000 is that we know most of them aren't going to pan out. So we can't manage the companies the way we would a traditional program,” Roper says. “But we can manage them as a portfolio—the same way that a private investor or a venture capitalist would.” To prepare, the Air Force is sending acquisition officials back to school. Next year, a cadre of program managers will be enrolled in a six-month course at Stanford University, which will teach the Air Force to manage technology investments like a venture capitalist, Roper says. The next step is to expand educational opportunities within the Air Force. A new acquisition curriculum, modeled on operational training centers such as the Fighter Weapons School, will be created, Roper says. https://aviationweek.com/shows-events/air-warfare-symposium/new-air-force-ventures-set-transform-technology-strategy

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  June 23, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - June 22, 2020

  NAVY General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded an $869,043,785 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-2117. This modification includes continued design completion, engineering work, affordability studies and design support efforts for the Columbia Class fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (41%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (14%); and Newport News, Virginia (2%), with other efforts performed at various sites throughout the U.S. (43%). This modification also includes submarine industrial base development and expansion efforts as part of the integrated enterprise plan and multi program material procurement supporting Columbia SSBNs and the nuclear shipbuilding enterprise (Virginia class and Ford class). The contract modification also provides additional United Kingdom (U.K.) Strategic Weapon Support System kit manufacturing and effort to support expansion of the domestic missile tube industrial base. Specific effort includes design completion associated with the SSBN 827 technical variance documentation; non-recurring design effort for scope changes between the SSBN 826 and SSBN 827; design for affordability; lead ship component development lead yard support; follow ship lead yard support; and implementation of enhanced cyber security measures. Further, the action includes U.K. Strategic Weapon Support System kit manufacturing; expansion of the domestic missile tube industrial base; and submarine industrial base supplier development efforts. The submarine industrial base development and expansion efforts improve sub-tier vendor stability and gains economic efficiencies based on production economies for major components. The nuclear shipbuilding industrial base continues to ramp up production capability to support the increased demand associated with the Navy's Force Structure Assessment. Improved capacity at the sub-tier vendors reduces risk across nuclear shipbuilding programs. The contract modification includes a fully priced option for the construction of SSBN 826 and SSBN 827, associated design and engineering support. For SSBN 827, the modification covers advance procurement, advance construction and subsequent fiscal 2024 construction of SSBN 827. This option is required to support October 2020 construction start of the SSBN 826. If the option is exercised, the cumulative value of this contract will increase to $9,473,511,245. Work is expected to be complete by December 2031. The industrial base development work is for the furtherance of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2020 (Public Law 116-93), which authorized and appropriated additional funds for submarine industrial base development and expansion to ensure second and third-tier contractors are able to meet increased production requirements. This is a joint U.S. and U.K. program; U.S. fiscal 2020 national sea-based deterrence funds in the amount of $31,903,052 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, is awarded a $26,866,441 firm-fixed-price contract that procures two MQ-9A Reaper unmanned air systems (UAS); one dual control mobile ground control station; one modular data center; and one mobile ground control station for Group 5 UAS intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services/persistent strike efforts. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona (40%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (60%), and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds for $26,866,441 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(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0031). (Awarded June 19, 2020) Alabama Shipyard LLC, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $23,752,381, firm-fixed-price contract for a 96-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry docking of the USSN Ship Supply (T-AOE 6). Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama, and is expected to be complete by November 2020. This contract includes one base period and 10 options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $26,361,776. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $23,752,381 are obligated for fiscal 2020 and 2021, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Government Point of Entry website, and one offer was received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205). Pacific Maritime Industries,* San Diego, California (N00244-20-D-0005); Marine & Restaurant Fabricators,* San Diego, California (N00244-20-D-0006); and JPL Habitability,* National City, California (N00244-20-D-0007), are awarded an estimated $23,192,490 for multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to provide shipboard furniture supplies to renovate spaces onboard Navy ships. Work will be performed at all three contractor locations San Diego, California; and National City, California (collectively 70% as breakdown cannot be determined at this time); and Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, California (30%). Incidental services involve preparation of spaces and installation. Related tasks may include, but are not limited to, overheads, decks, bulkheads, furniture, rearrangements, new arrangements, fabrication of shipboard furniture and food service items, installation and removals, etc. The contract will include a one-year base period and two one-year option periods and the total value of this contract will have a ceiling price of $23,192,490, if exercised. The ordering period of the contract is expected to be complete by June 2021; if all options are exercised, the ordering period will be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $52,500 will be obligated ($17,500 on each of the three contracts to fund the contracts' minimum amounts) and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Delivery orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on beta.sam.gov as a total small business set-aside requirement with three offers received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center San Diego, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $12,522,521 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N61340-20-F-0096) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This order procures non-recurring engineering in support of establishing a functional configuration baseline in support of the production and delivery of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out) A-kits and B-kits for the T-45 Training System. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (97%); Mesa, Arizona (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (2%). This order provides for the procurement of B-kits, to include air data computers and A-kits, which consist of associated wiring, splitters and filters and spares. This order also provides kit integration, follow-on analysis and engineering in support of issues that may arise during kit production and installation. Work is expected to be complete by January 2023. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,109,441; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,516,503; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,387,476 will be obligated at time of award; $7,109,441 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 19, 2020) FGS LLC, LaPlata, Maryland, is awarded a $9,760,698 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures network video teleconference equipment for the integrated command control and intelligence divisions integration of specialized network video teleconference systems in support of the command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions of the Joint Staff and combatant commanders, Department of Defense agencies and services, and Department of Homeland Security operational and support components. Work will be performed in LaPlata, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by June 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award, but 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-0029). Innovative Defense Technologies LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $9,738,679 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0349) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-19-G-0036. This order provides for continued research and development efforts under Small Business Innovation Research topic N171-012, titled “Transition of Mission Planning Software to a Next Generation Component Based, Open Architecture using Advanced Refactoring Technology;” topic N07-137, titled “Artifact Assessment Tool Suite Infrastructure;” and topic N171-049, titled “Cyber Resiliency via Virtualization for Combat System.” Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (58%); Mt. Laurel, New Jersey (20%); Arlington, Virginia (20%); and Fall River, Massachusetts (2%). This order provides further research and development of the Next-Generation Open Architecture (NGOA) Mission Planning System. The NGOA Mission Planning System includes a combat management system architecture that enables rapid software changes and fleet fielding, and an artificial intelligence/machine learning based dynamic mission planning capability that spans fleet-level and individual platform-level planning. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds for $9,403,719 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $9,000,000 modification (P00004) to firm-fixed-price order N00019-19-F-2963 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This modification procures research and development support for airworthiness assessment activities associated with wing stores and configurations to be analyzed with the Wideband Satellite Communication radome for P-8A airworthiness certification and flight tests for the Navy and government of Australia. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington (85%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (15%), and is expected to be complete by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds for $500,000; and foreign cooperative project funds for $3,000,000 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. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, New York, is awarded an $8,902,824 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6311 for basic outfitting assembly (BOA) installation labor and BOA installation labor other direct costs to support the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules Program. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme, California (80%); and Bethpage, New York (20%). The LCS Mission Modules Program provides the fleet with sets of mission capabilities that are packaged as mission modules and combined into mission packages to maximize the affordability for the utility of LCS sea frames. Each mission module makes use of common support containers whose designs are based upon an International Organization for Standardization-compliant base shipping container. The “base” container is built to print with adjustable interior rails that can be reconfigured for a variety of applications. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $199,400 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY Lincoln Public School, Lincoln, Massachusetts, is being awarded an $85,722,108 firm-fixed-price contract for comprehensive educational program services for Pre-K-grade 12 and special education services. The place of performance will be at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. The period of performance is one 12-month base period and four 12-month option years. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $15,909,600 will be obligated on this award. This contract was awarded as full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 (contracting by negotiation). The Department of Defense Education Activity, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HE1254-20-C-0005). Caesar Rodney School District, Camden-Wyoming, Delaware, is being awarded a $54,322,239 firm-fixed-price contract for comprehensive educational program services for K-grade 12 and special education services. The place of performance will be at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The period of performance is one 12-month base period and four 12-month option years. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $9,844,731 will be obligated on this award. This contract was awarded as full and open competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 (contracting by negotiation). The Department of Defense Education Activity, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HE1254-20-C-0003). ARMY VisionCorps, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $24,381,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure Integrated Head Protection System Suspension systems. 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 June 18, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-D-0009). The University of Maine System, Orono, Maine, was awarded a $19,915,332 cost-no-fee contract for expeditionary maneuver support materials and structures. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Orono, Maine, with an estimated completion date of June 22, 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $3,215,332 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0053). Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.,* Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $16,570,397 firm-fixed-price contract for 900 CELLECTRA 2000 DNA vaccine injection devices. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 defense emergency response funds in the amount of $16,570,397 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0084). (Awarded June 19, 2020) Airborne Systems North America of California Inc., Santa Ana, California, was awarded a $13,231,241 firm-fixed-price contract for spare components for the RA-1 Parachute System. 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 June 22, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0076). Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $10,564,760 modification (P00097) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for field service representatives to provide maintenance to Joint Light Tactical Vehicles during an exercise being conducted by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (United Kingdom) funds in the amount of $10,564,760 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Winston-Salem Industries For The Blind Inc., Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was awarded an $8,127,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure Integrated Head Protection System Suspension Systems. 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 June 21, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-D-0010). CORRECTION: A $7,985,880 contract modification announced on June 18, 2020, to DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Missouri (W56HZV-16-C-0028), for seven Joint Assault Bridge Systems, incorrectly included an estimated completion date of May 11, 2024. The estimated completion date is actually Dec. 30, 2021. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2228273/source/GovDelivery/