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

  COVID-19: Help Fleets Of Innovators Make 3D Printed Face Masks

  By JOHN QUIGG Next month we'll celebrate the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo, better known as “the Miracle of Dunkirk.” In the course of three days, hundreds of British civilian boats crossed the Channel to save their Army from starvation and the advancing Germans. Why? The Royal Navy did not have enough ships to transport the troops nor the right type of boats to operate in the shallows of the French coast. The key to the operation's success was governmental agility, masterful logistics, and realizing that the only solution to saving the entire force was a never-seen-before public/private partnership and lightning fast decision making (along with favorable weather and air cover). Our first responders and medical heroes are trapped on a figurative beach as the crest of the COVID-19 epidemic looms with too few supplies, thus facing illness and possible death. Supply chains ravaged by years of creating just-in-time global networks are not up to this challenge. The “Little Ships” in our modern story to the rescue will be 3-D printers. The air cover will be shielding from tort lawyers, and the civilian volunteers the remarkable talents comprising the nation's maker community. I confess that this is personal — my youngest brother is an EMT in suburban Atlanta. He tells me that his coworkers and emergency room staff are already down to handmade masks and are begging for supplies. The need is clear – top priority must be placed on vetting and publishing designs, finding out where the nation's supply chain can't satisfy projected demand, and the command and control required to match makers with the needs of the nation's first responders. For example, the Seattle Children's hospital was running critically low on masks several weeks ago and was desperate for help. Enter Rory Larson, a talented CAD designer who spent two caffeine fueled days and nights designing and testing a printable version of an N-95 mask with replaceable filters which were enthusiastically embraced by the hospital staff. His father, Garr, connected him with Jonathan Roberts, a veteran of Microsoft and Innovation Partners. Roberts helped scale the availability of the design, enlisted production partners and reached out to people who could help them leap over the many administrative hurdles — and set up a website. Now anyone with a printer can download the design and print their own masks. The military is already headed down this path. US Forces Korea tasked their science advisors from the Office of Naval Research and Army Futures Command to start an internal effort given the shortages of masks and other supplies in Asia. They designed, produced and disseminated a face shield for gate guards and are exploring the techniques for other medical shortfalls however the design and approval process is still problematic. One of their largest challenges is procedural – sharing military-manufactured equipment falls foul of all sorts of regulations and they will need process changes at a pace no earthly acquisition official could normally achieve. This problem is replicated across the defense enterprise as installations around the world wrestle with the red tape surrounding helping their neighbors and host countries. To help, the Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institute for additive manufacturing (www.AmericaMakes.us) initiated a fast track certification process to breach the monolith of government approvals. ONR Global's Mark Buffum tells me that they are working with ONR/USFK legal to check that the validation coordination between the FDA and AmericaMakes will allow designs that have passed Clinical Review to be moved to production at DOD installations globally. The end state for now is a tested design placed on the NIH's 3D design exchange that is approved for manufacture. The government is working on the dispensations needed to take a mask printed on a Navy ship in Korea, an Army logistics train in Iraq, or an Air Force base in Colorado. Similarly, 3D makers near Active Duty/Reserve/National Guard installations should be integrated into their supply chain. If worst case scenarios come to pass and civilian logistics fail then we have an exercised plan to connect military supply and transport capabilities to the manufacturers and vice versa. Much as the Royal Navy executed the plan to flag and man the Little Ships during Dunkirk, we must figure out how the military can leverage local, regional, and national maker capabilities to get those printers humming. A case in point is the Belgian chemical company Solvay, partnering with Boeing, to leverage its extensive expertise in thermoplastic materials—and especially medical-grade plastics—to support various efforts aimed at fighting the pandemic. Their support centers located around the world are ready to support material selection, manufacturing support, relevant testing and regulatory certifications. They are offering to put makers in touch with their extensive network of distributors, molders and machine shops.Additionally, Boeing is working with Solvay to design/produce more durable face shields for healthcare workers. Boeing announced last week it would be shifting some of its manufacturing capacity, including its in-house 3D printing, to produce thousands of face shields per week for medical workers. At the local level, community leaders like Todd Spain are talking to their local hospital to determine shortfalls, and are working with a regional maker group, Colorado Makers Unite (MakerUnite.co) to produce their own masks and ventilator adapters to protect the staff and enable equipment sharing. They are prepared to make anything their first responders need. One of the biggest roadblocks is the administrative state: the only readily available plastic is not approved for medical use, the approved plastic is on a 3-week wait list and costs 10X more, shipping of vital feed-stock and machines is not on the prioritized list, and the usual hurdles of liability, etc.... One can only imagine the potential legal hurdles to using something that hasn't been tested in countless lawsuits unless a company gets regulatory relief. A partnership with the local National Guard unit or military installation could bring their concerns to light and allow the Defense Department to take on the job of connecting the capability to the population and while providing emergency protection from the trial bar. We must move heaven and earth to give the brave people trying to build an ad hoc network of 3-D mask makers our best and ensure that the “small ships” of the 3-D printing world and its makers are allowed to give it their best shot. I can only hope that history looks back at this time with wonder that we were able to pull it off. John Quigg, a retired Army officer, was one of America's first cyber warriors. He is a senior advisor to Spurrier Capital Partners, a New York investment bank, and a senior staffer at Johns Hopkins' Applied Physics Lab. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/04/covid-19-help-fleets-of-innovators-make-3d-printed-face-masks

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  May 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 20, 2020

  NAVY General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Williston, Vermont, is awarded a $58,590,570 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-20-D-5109 to exercise Option Year One for the production and shipping of Mk 82 guided-missile directors and Mk 200 director control units. Work will be performed in Williston, Vermont (50%); and Saco, Maine (50%). The Mk 82 director serves to position the fire control system antenna to a commanded and stabilized position in space for the purpose of illuminating the target. The director has two axes of motion and has slip rings and a dual radio frequency rotary joint to allow unlimited rotation in train. The Mk 200 director control houses the elevation and train servo-amplifiers for its associated director. Within the director control, solid-state servo-amplifiers provide the servo drive signals that position the director to the desired target position. These components are part of the Mk 99 missile fire control system framework, which is a critical component of the Aegis Weapon System. Work is expected to be complete by December 2025. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $58,590,570 will be obligated at 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. A-VET/MGC JV LLC,* Warner Robins, Georgia (N69450-20-D-0028); CYE Enterprises Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (N69450-20-D-0029); and Pacific Tech Construction Inc., Kelso, Washington (N69450-20-D-0030), are awarded $30,000,000 for a design-build and design-bid-build, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award roofing construction contract for projects located primarily within the Florida Panhandle area of responsibility managed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida (34%); Whiting Field, Florida (33%); and Panama City, Florida (33%), and primarily consists of roof system replacements, repairs and maintenance of various types of existing low-slope and steep slope roofing. This includes but not be limited to: modified bitumen; built-up; metal roofing; waterproof roof coatings; asphalt shingles; roof systems flashings and drainage components; and abatement and handling of hazardous/regulated materials (including and not limited to asbestos, lead paint, mold remediation and polychlorinated biphenyl). Single ply roof systems, slate roofing systems and tile roof systems may be included. Projects can be based on design-build, modified design-build or full plans and specifications format. Work is expected to be complete by January 2021. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all three contracts combined is $30,000,000. A-VET/MGC JV LLC* is awarded the initial task order at $194,733 for Building 3748 roof replacement located at Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of April 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $196,733 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, and nine proposals were received. These three contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Detyens Shipyards Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, is awarded a $24,235,291 firm-fixed-price contract (N32205-20-C-4003) for a 120-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul dry-docking of the U.S. Navy Ship Patuxent (T-AO 201). The $24,235,291 consists of the amounts listed in the following areas: Category "A" work item cost, additional government requirement, other direct costs and the general and administrative costs. Work will be performed in North Charleston, South Carolina. Work will include main and emergency switchboard cleaning, lifeboat and rescue boat davit maintenance and testing, 6,000 hour overhaul of port and starboard main engine exhaust valves, port and starboard main engine fuel injection pumps, annual firefighting inspection and certification, inspection and overhaul of shaft brakes, ship's service diesel generator #3 overhaul, prep and paint saltwater ballast tanks 10 port and starboard, prep and paint fore peak tank, prep and paint diesel fuel marine cargo tank 7 port, prep and paint jet propellant 5 contaminated tank, prep and paint diesel fuel marine contaminated tank, tank deck non-skid renewal frames 40-50, miscellaneous steel repairs, shower panel and flooring renewals, control reversible pitch propeller system and propeller blade seal maintenance, stern tube seal maintenance, underwater hull cleaning and recoating, freeboard blast and preservation, tail shaft removal and survey, carpet, tile and terrazzo replacement, bi-annual gauge calibration, blast and paint 02 level lifeboats, pump room bilge preservation, starboard capstan overhaul, reefer plant groom, tank deck sprinkler system flush, inspection and painting of diesel fuel marine piping, sea valve and waster piece overhaul, davit modifications and installation of new lifeboats, various pump overhauls, underway replenishment station permanent repairs stations 3 and 4, various steel deck renewals, miscellaneous pipe repair, underway replenishment gear maintenance, stability test, kingpost repairs (partial) trans-alternation, trash chute removal trans-alternation, Gaylord booster heater replacement trans-alternation and fire detection and alarm system replacement trans-alternation. Work is expected to be complete by October 2020. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $27,416,444. Funds will be obligated on May 20, 2020. Contract completion will be Oct. 26, 2020. Contract funds in the amount of $24,235,291, excluding options, are obligated for fiscal 2020 using Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the beta.sam.gov website and two offers were received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4003). Vet Industrial Inc.,* Bremerton, Washington, is awarded $17,305,016 for a firm-fixed-price task order (N44255-20-F-4204) under a multiple award construction contract for seismic upgrades to Building 431 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Washington. The work to be performed provides all labor, materials and equipment to construct seismic upgrades to Building 431, and also includes the installation of a fire suppression system throughout Building 431. Work is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,305,016 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-17-D-4007). The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded a $13,211,471 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-4103, to exercise options in support of the AN/USQ-82(V) program for DDG-51 class new construction, DDG-51 class modernization, operations and maintenance, research and development and Foreign Military Sales (FMS). This contract combines purchases for the Navy (91%); the government of Japan (5%); the government of the Republic of Korea (3%); and the government of Australia (1%), under the FMS program. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California. AN/USQ-82(V) program is a control system network. Its purpose is to transfer mission critical data to and from users associated with combat, navigation, aviation, power, propulsion, steering, damage control systems and alarms and indicating. Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding; 2013-2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding; 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding; 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding; and FMS funding in the amount of $13,211,471 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds in the amount of $400,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Raytheon Co., Keyport, Washington, is awarded a $10,480,184 modification to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract N61331-17-D-0001 to exercise options for maintenance and support for the AN/AQS-20 Sonar Mine Detecting Set. The AN/AQS-20 is a towed, mine hunting and identification system for program executive office, unmanned and small combatants. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (65%); Keyport, Washington (30%); and Panama City, Florida (5%). This option exercise extends the period of performance and allows for continuing support including but not limited to: repair; overhauls and other scheduled maintenance; hardware and software maintenance; tracking and resolution of obsolescence issues; technology improvements; reliability and maintainability improvements; development and incorporation of change notices and engineering change proposals; test support; engineering services; spares and repair parts; design efforts and hardware upgrades to improve system performance, sustainability, reliability, and other activities in support of the program. Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded an $8,229,522 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-11-C-2301 for Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) industrial post-delivery support for LCS 26. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (80%); and Pittsfield, Massachusetts (20%). Austal USA will provide shipboard support to implement approved engineering change proposals, approved government-responsible deficiencies identified during test and trials, crew-related activities and preventative maintenance. Austal will also provide program management support and logistics support for technical documentation affected by the work performed. Work is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,970,000 will be obligated at 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. ARMY B.L. Harbert International LLC, Birmingham, Alabama, was awarded a $37,142,044 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a general purpose maintenance shop. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed in Clarksville, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of July 29, 2022. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $37,142,044 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-20-C-0022). Benaka,* New Brunswick, New Jersey, was awarded a $15,883,000 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a security forces and communications flight facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Westhampton Beach, New York, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) National Guard funds in the amount of $15,883,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Property and Fiscal Office, New York, is the contracting activity (W50S8E-20-C-0001). Raptor Training Services LLC,* Oviedo, Florida, was awarded a $13,500,000 modification (P00012) to contract W900KK-14-D-0001 to accommodate known and emerging critical Special Operations Forces requirements. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 11, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. Systems Products and Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $13,475,295 modification (000103) to blanket purchase agreement W31P4Q-18-A-0094 for logistical support services for U.S. Army Material Command. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 20, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Army working capital and operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $13,475,295 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. B&K Construction,* Mandeville, Louisiana, was awarded a $7,941,412 modification (P00001) to contract W912P8-19-C-0071 for drainage canal work. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 13, 2022. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,941,412 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. (Awarded May 18, 2020) U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Vane Line Bunkering Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded a firm fixed-price contract, HTC711-20-C-W003, in the estimated amount of $26,662,956. The contract provides transportation of bulk jet fuel and marine diesel by tug and barge for the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions. The location of performance is ports and points along the coast as well as inland and coastal waterways from Texas to Maine. It includes support to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Air Force and Navy use this fuel for cargo and passenger aircraft delivering supplies to the warfighters conducting overseas contingency operations as well as routine operations. Further, the fuel supports aircrew training, crisis action response for natural disasters and threats to the homeland, and ultimately readiness which directly correlates to the nation's warfighting capabilities. Additionally, fuel provided under this contract supports the Presidential Airlift Group at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The contract base period of performance is from Sept. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 defense working capital funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Fresh Pack Produce,* Denver, Colorado, has been awarded a maximum $12,600,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for produce. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a four-year, six-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Colorado and Wyoming, with a Nov. 19, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force and Air National Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-P354). Propper International Inc., Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $11,965,427 modification (P00007) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1168) with two one-year option periods for hydration system and corpsman assault packs. This is a firm-fixed price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a May 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1168). Rocky Brands Inc., Nelsonville, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $9,075,661 modification (P00003) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1150) with two one-year option periods for certified safety boots. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Ohio and Puerto Rico, with a May 20, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Creighton AB Inc.,* Reidsville, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $8,256,325 modification (P00007) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-20-D-1211) with four one-year option periods for dress trousers. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are New York and North Carolina, with a May 22, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is 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. AIR FORCE Dataminr Inc., New York, New York, has been awarded a $12,180,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide web-based, mobile and email alerting of events and breaking news based on global sources of publically available information (PAI) to all Department of Defense (DOD) authorized users for force protection and first response via a commercially-available subscription license with 24/7/365 access to alerting for DOD authorized users and maintain compliance with the terms of service and data use policies of all third party PAI data sources that are used to create news alerts. Work will be performed in New York, New York, and is expected to be completed Aug. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-20-C-0022). Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded an $11,916,073 firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursable modification (P00101) to exercise the contractor logistics support (CLS) and contractor logistics support performance based incentive options previously awarded on contract FA8678-10-C-0058 to support the sustainment of the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS) for upgrading the test and evaluation instrumentation at Air Force, Navy and Army test ranges. The objective of the CRIIS CLS is to provide repairs and sustainment management for the CRIIS equipment while verifying sustainment system performance specification requirements. CLS will ensure availability and maintainability of CRIIS equipment at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Edwards AFB, California; Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada; Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California; and Naval Air Station, Point Mugu, California. The contracting action is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Work will be performed at Rockwell Collins facilities; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Richardson, Texas, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 Department of Defense Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,279,875 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $340,594,567. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2193451/source/GovDelivery/

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  June 9, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval

  Curtiss-Wright to Upgrade Navy Helicopter Mission and Flight Management Computers to Meet New Threats - Seapower

  ASHBURN, Va. — Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division announced June 7 it was awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin to provide its Modular Open-Systems Approach (MOSA) computers and video processing modules to upgrade the Mission Computer and Flight Management Computer (MC/FMC) on the U.S. Navy’s fleet of...