March 18, 2021 | International, Land
Under a five-year, $15 million contract, the Port of Virginia will provide dockworkers and facilities to move cargo including tanks, helicopters and food supplies.
May 5, 2022 | International, Aerospace
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on May 4 issued a solicitation for proposals for the next phase of a demonstration of a nuclear powered spacecraft.
April 2, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The amount of funding for defense research awarded through other transaction authorities have increased nearly tenfold in five years, according to a new analysis seen exclusively by Defense News. The report, by data and analytics firm Govini, shows the use of OTAs and small business innovation research contracts has expanded to the point that, in 2019, the two methods accounted for $9.6 billion, or 10 percent of the Defense Department's research, development, test and evaluation spending. OTAs are small contracts awarded to companies of any size, in theory targeted at nontraditional defense contractors, with the purpose of conducting research or prototype efforts on a specific project; they are not subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation rules. SBIR contracts are targeted at small businesses in order to act as seed money for them to conduct research and development efforts; they are subject to the FAR rules. Overall, $34.5 billion have been handed out in the last five years through the two contracting methods, to 6,503 unique vendors. However, more than half the OTA dollars are going to only three consortia. The two contracting methods may be about to jump in importance for the department, in light of the new coronavirus outbreak. Navy acquisition head Hondo Geurts, in a March 24 memo, ordered his workforce to do what they can to keep small companies assigned to naval research programs on track, including specifically calling out the need to protect SBIR efforts. Govini tracked the use of OTA and SBIR contracts over a five-year period, from fiscal 2015 through fiscal 2019. “The Defense Department's surging use of OTAs reflects its strong desire to break free from the stringent acquisition process, better access innovative technologies, and lure new companies to the defense ecosystem who otherwise may not see the federal government as a viable or lucrative potential market,” said Tara Murphy Dougherty, Govini CEO. “Fundamentally, the Department is driven by the imperative to outpace China's military modernization in order to retain a military advantage, and they understand that leveraging emerging technologies and the very best technology available in American industry — not just the Defense Industrial Base — are critical to achieving that goal,” she added. OTA dominance The numbers tell a particularly stark story of how the department is increasing its use of OTA contracts. From 2015-2017, the government awarded $12.5 billion in SBIR contracts, versus $4.9 billion in OTA contracts. But from 2018-2019, the government awarded $5.7 billion in SBIR contracts, while it handed out $11.4 billion in OTA deals — an increase large enough to nearly draw even over the five-year period. That increase in OTA funding also ties into the mission laid out by the National Defense Strategy, which encourages a focus on great power competition with China and Russia. According to Govini, the two biggest OTA investments of RDT&E dollars during this time period were $5 billion for munitions and long-range fires, and $3 billion for space systems. While the dollar totals are becoming closer, overall SBIR recipients continue to dwarf OTAs — 6,213 to 290 during the five-year period. In the number of OTA awards per service, the Army leads the way. (Govini) The Army leads the way with use of the two contract methods ($14.1 billion) during this period, followed by the Air Force ($10.4 billion), defensewide agencies ($6 billion) and the Navy ($4 billion). The two contract types also split their dollars in divergent ways. The top SBIR vendor, Colsa Corporation, received 4 percent of total SBIR awards, and the top ten (which includes Colsa) received less than 20 percent of the overall total. In comparison, the top three OTA vendors are consortia managers that make up more than half of total OTA contracts. Those three are Analytic Services Inc. ($5.429 billion), Advanced Technology International ($1.616 billion) and Consortium Management Group Inc. ($1.238 billion). Traditional defense corporations are taking advantage of OTAs as well. The fourth highest recipient of OTA money is United Launch Alliance, co-owned by Lockheed Martin and Boeing; the sixth highest recipient is Lockheed; the eight highest is Northrop Grumman; and the 10th highest is Boeing. Given that OTAs were designed to reach out to nontraditional defense firms, “it's surprising how many traditional defense contractors benefit from OTA arrangements,” Murphy Dougherty said. “Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing were all top OTA vendors over the past five years. This is a good example of how accessing the data can help the Department measure its success in terms of achieving intended outcomes through actions like increased OTA use.” Earlier this month, Ellen Lord, the Defense Department's top acquisition official, was asked at a McAleese & Associates conference about data that shows prime contractors taking advantage of OTA contracts. Lord indicated her office needed to gather more data on the issue before taking a look. “The whole premise of OTAs was to get the nontraditional [vendors] and the smalls there,” Lord responded. “I find it hard to imagine a situation where large primes would predominately use OTAs, but I don't know what I don't know. That wasn't the objective. “Oversight is one of our responsibilities in A&S [the office of acquisition and sustainment] that I take very seriously, so we need to make sure that we don't have unintended results from some of the polices that we implement. We're always trying to improve that.” https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2020/04/01/pentagon-turns-to-new-buying-tools-10-times-more-often/
May 3, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
AIR FORCE Black River Systems Co.,* Utica, New York, has been awarded an $88,733,141 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for operational counter-small unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS) open systems architecture software/hardware systems. This contract provides for system analysis, simulation and modeling, technique development, hardware and software rapid prototyping, integration, test, demonstration, data analysis, transition, operational assessment, and hardware and software enhancement relative to the objective. Work will be performed in Utica, New York, and is expected to be complete by May 1, 2022. This award is the result of a Small Business Innovation Research III contract. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,031,500; and fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement funds in the amount of $9,716,140, are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0040). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Mission Systems, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded an $82,320,000 cost contract for Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization (EPS-R) Control and Planning Segment (CAPS). This contract provides for the development of software to address international host accommodations for new out of band link functions, cyber architecture, orbit planning, and the capability for controlling four EPS Payloads simultaneously on a single software baseline. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $14,700,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Military Satellite Communications Directorate, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8808-19-C-0001). Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $58,486,192 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development. This contract provides for the enhancement of airman combat survivability by enabling forces to counter optical hazards and threats while exploiting optical systems. The goal of the research is to further scientific knowledge of optical radiation to protect against and exploit physical, physiological, psychological, and other effects of optical radiation. Work will be performed primarily at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,997,330 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Research Site, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-6024). MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Orbital Sciences Corp. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems), Chandler, Arizona, is being awarded a $46,809,398 cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-award-fee modification (P00237) to a previously awarded contract (HQ0147-11-C-0006). The value of this contract is being increased from $1,209,315,046 by $46,809,398 to $1,256,124,444. Under this modification, the contractor will provide Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) target capability upgrade kits and associated nonrecurring engineering. The work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona. The performance period is from April 2019 through December 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $12,730,000 are being obligated on this award. One offer was solicited and one offer was received. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. NAVY Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California, is awarded $41,578,195 for firm-fixed-price task order N6247319F4561 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-18-D-5853) for construction of a maintenance and warehouse facility at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The work to be performed provides for a design-build project, consisting of demolition of existing structures, utilities, and pavement, to make room for a new amphibious vehicle maintenance complex. The complex will include a maintenance facility, general purpose warehouse, armory, overhead cover structure, and a general storage area. New utilities and pavement will be added to the maintenance complex. Work will be performed in Oceanside, California, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,578,195 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Seven proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Magnum Medical Overseas JV LLC, Angleton, Texas, is awarded a $20,800,000 firm-fixed-price contract for educational and developmental intervention services at naval military treatment facilities and any associated branch clinics outside the contiguous U.S. Pacific and Atlantic regions to include: Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan (20 percent); Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan (20 percent); Naval Hospital Guam, Guam (20 percent); Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy (20 percent); Naval Hospital Rota, Spain (10 percent); and Naval Hospital Naples, Italy (10 percent). This is a five-year single award contract and all work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $2,198,241 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-19-C-0003). AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $20,452,716 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6322 for engineering and technical services for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) Unmanned Surface Vehicle program. The UISS is the system which will allow the Littoral Combat Ship to perform its mine warfare sweep mission. UISS will target acoustic, magnetic, and magnetic/acoustic combination mine types. The UISS program will satisfy the Navy's need for a rapid, wide-area coverage mine clearance capability, required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines. UISS seeks to provide a high area coverage rate in a small, lightweight package with minimal impact on the host platform. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland (70 percent); and Slidell, Louisiana (30 percent), and is expected to be complete by September 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,670,225 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Luhr Brothers Inc., Columbia, Illinois, was awarded a $22,936,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Mississippi River and tributaries flood control. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $22,936,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-19-D-0010). Pond & Co., Metairie, Louisiana (W912BV-19-D-0007); Jacobs Government Services Co., Fort Worth, Texas (W912BV-19-D-0008); and Michael Baker International Inc., Moon Township, Pennsylvania (W912BV-19-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer master planning services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY National Industries For The Blind,** has been awarded a maximum $15,036,000 modification (P00007) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-17-D-B022) with two one-year option periods for Army Physical Fitness Uniform (APFU) jackets. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Locations of performance are North Carolina and Maryland, with a May 10, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $9,362,924 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-LG07) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-14-G-001X) with no option periods for aircraft spare parts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.301-1. Location of performance is Texas, with a Feb. 28, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Japan. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 Navy working capital funds and foreign military sales. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CORRECTION: The contracts announced on April 26, 2019, for Sea Box,* Cinnaminson, New Jersey (SPRD11-19-D-0100; $471,828,000); W&K Containers,* Mill Valley, California (SPRDL1-19-D-0101; $19,513,750); and NexGen Composites,* Franklin, Ohio (SPRDL1-19-D-0097, $253,608,919), were announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is May 2, 2019. They were also announced without the solicitation number. The solicitation number is SPRDL1-18-R-0353. *Small business **Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1834495/source/GovDelivery/