September 26, 2018 | International, Aerospace
By: Valerie Insinna
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is making changes to the way it sustains the B-1B Lancer bomber and C-5 Super Galaxy cargo plane, moving to a maintenance approach that will allow it to use data analytics to predict problems, the acting head of Air Force Materiel Command said.
Both the B-1 and C-5 fleets transitioned to a conditions-based maintenance model last month, Lt. Gen. Robert McMurry, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, told Defense News in a Sept. 18 interview.
“Given the aging fleet situation that we have, we probably need to be using data better to take care of it — which is a drive toward what most everyone right now is saying is the right way to manage fleet sustainment, which is through condition-based maintenance and data analytics,” he said. “So we're trying to bring that on.”
The approach — which involves using algorithms to predict the need for repairs rather than waiting for a part to break — is a standard practice in the commercial airline industry to help reduce maintenance-related delays or cancellations, but has been less common in the Air Force.
AFMC determined it needed to make a greater push toward conditions-based maintenance as a result of servicewide reviews triggered by rising concerns about the number of aviation-related mishaps.
The first review, directed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein, involved a one-day standdown that would give flying and maintenance units a chance to communicate potential safety concerns up the chain of command. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, then the head of AFMC, also directed the organizations under her command, like the Air Force Sustaiment Center, to evaluate its own data.
The reviews have since concluded, with the Air Force finding “two systems ... where high risk was accepted,” said McMurry, noting that “operational security does not allow us to identify them.”
“Our process is dealing with those responsibly,” he added.
The B-1 and C-5 were chosen as pilot programs for the conditions-based maintenance approach because they are sustained by airmen and have older, relatively small inventories, making for a more manageable data set.
But the planes have something else in common — a recent history of well-publicized mishaps. The C-5 has sustained a number of nose landing gear malfunctions that led to a standdown and maintenance assessment in 2017. But despite a fix being put in place, there have still been problems with the gear, such as a March 2018 event where one C-5 landed on its nose at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
Meanwhile, the B-1 fleet was temporarily grounded in June after a safety investigation board found problems with ejection seat components while investigating a May 1 emergency landingwhere the ejection seats did not deploy.
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NAVY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded an estimated $7,729,639,286 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to include all options, if exercised, for the procurement of Department of Navy (DoN) service management, integration and transport used on the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, the outside continental U.S. Naval Enterprise Network and the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. This acquisition will provide the DoN with base network services that are currently provided under the Next Generation Enterprise Networks contract such as electronic software delivery, end user core build, endpoint detection, logistics management, network operations, security operations, service desk, transport and virtualization services. Work will be performed across the DoN and is expected to be completed in February 2025. If all options are exercised, work could continue until August 2028. The first task order will be awarded with the basic contract and fulfills the minimum guarantee of $10 million with fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. Contract funds for the initial task order will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited using full and open competition via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website and the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0054) and awarded the contract on behalf of the Navy's Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems. Advanced Acoustic Concepts LLC, Hauppauge, New York (N00024-20-D-6321); Aerostar Technical Solutions Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6322); Arete Associates,* Tucson, Arizona (N00024-20-D-6324); Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama (N00024-20-D-6325); Azimuth Inc.,* Morgantown, West Virginia (N00024-20-D-6326); BAE Systems Electronic Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire (N00024-20-D-6327); BMT Designers & Planners Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6328); Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc.,* Reading, Pennsylvania (N00024-20-D-6329); The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6330); General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6331); Gibbs & Cox, Inc.,* Arlington, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6332); Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, doing business as Metal Shark,* Jeanerette, Louisiana (N00024-20-D-6333); HII Fleet Support Group LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6334); Hydroid Inc., Pocasset, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6335); ICI Services Corp.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6361); L-3 Unidyne Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6336); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6337); Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey (N00024-20-D-6338); Maritime Applied Physics Corp.,* Baltimore, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6339); Micro Systems Inc., subsidiary Kratos-MSI, Fort Walton Beach, Florida (N00024-20-D-6340); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, New York (N00024-20-D-6341); Oasis Systems LLC,* Rockville, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6342); Oceaneering International Inc., Hanover, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6343); Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6344); Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6345); Raytheon Co., Portsmouth, Rhode Island (N00024-20-D-6346); Reliable Systems Services Corp.,* Melbourne, Florida (N00024-20-D-6347); Rolls-Royce Marine North America Inc., Walpole, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6348); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6349); System Engineering Associates Corp.,* Middletown, Rhode Island (N00024-20-D-6350); Sedna Digital Solutions LLC,* Manassas, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6351); Serco Inc., New London, Connecticut (N00024-20-D-6323); Spatial Integrated Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6352); Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (N00024-20-D-6353); AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland (N00024-20-D-6354); The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (N00024-20-D-6355); The Columbia Group Inc.,* Washington, District of Columbia (N00024-20-D-6356); Tridentis LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6357); Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems (UEOS), Braintree, Massachusetts (N00024-20-D-6358); and W R Systems Ltd.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-20-D-6360), are awarded a firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost only indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract (IDIQ-MAC) to support the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems. The IDIQ-MACs have a five-year base period and one five-year ordering period option, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $982,100,000. These businesses will have the opportunity to compete in the awarded functional area for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in various locations in the contiguous U.S. in accordance with each delivery order and work is expected to be completed by February 2025, and if the one option is exercised, completed by February 2030. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $1,000 ($40,000 total) is being obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities with 42 offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. GE Aviation Systems LLC, doing business as GE Aviation, Vandalia, Ohio, is awarded $26,583,200 for a firm-fixed-priced delivery order N00383-20-F-AK01 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-17-G-AK01 for the procurement of 101 generator converter units used on the F/A-18 aircraft. All work will be performed in Vandalia, Ohio, and will be completed by January 2025. Fiscal 2020 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $26,583,200 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One source was solicited for this non-competitive requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. The Oak Group Inc.,* Camden, New Jersey, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order N40085-20-F-4527 for $15,974,500, under a firm-fixed-price multiple award construction contract for the design and construction of a Marine Corps Reserve Center in Syracuse, New York. This project is to design and construct a new Marine Corps Reserve Center, as well as a new high-bay pre-engineered metal building storage warehouse, and a new pre-engineered canopy/shelter addition for tactical vehicle parking. The facility will contain a drill hall space, classrooms, open and private office spaces, an armory, a supply warehouse, a gym with adjacent locker and shower spaces, various training areas and a medical suite. This project consists of demolition of existing structures and site features, new building construction, paving/parking areas, access roads, utilities infrastructure work, comprehensive site improvements including storm water management and security improvements including fencing. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by August 2021. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $15,974,500 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-17-D-5038). DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $7,813,986 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-5200 to exercise options to perform services for evaluation, implementation, proofing of equipment changes, related engineering services and repairs, modifications/alternations and government furnished equipment repair and maintenance in support of Cooperative Engagement Capability “Bravo” equipment. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $641,028 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $641,028 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY Aptim Federal Services LLC,* Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded an $80,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation services and response actions in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 4, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0022). Social Services Missouri Department, Jefferson City, Missouri, was awarded a $16,399,172 firm-fixed-price contract for food service at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Fort Leonard Wood, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 5, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $16,399,172 were obligated at the time of the award. Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W911S7-20-C-0002). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2075679/source/GovDelivery/