11 septembre 2024 | International, Sécurité
26 juin 2018 | International, Aérospatial
B-21 Bomber Critical Design Review by End of Year
JOHN A. TIRPAK
The secret B-21 bomber will progress to a major milestone—critical design review—by the end of this year, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director Randall Walden said Monday. Walden also revealed that the B-21 is merely one of 28 programs being managed by the RCO, which he noted is funded at about $30 billion over the five-year future year defense plan.
Walden, speaking at an AFA Mitchell Institute event in Arlington, Va., said the B-21 has already passed its preliminary design review, and noted that the release of drawings for the bomber is progressing well. As for critical design review, "we haven't done it, but we're on our way," and he predicted it would happen by the end of December. Major design work on the bomber is taking place at Northrop Grumman's Melbourne, Fla., facility. He acknowledged that subscale models of the aircraft have been tested in wind tunnels, but said no full-size version has yet been fabricated. "Component testing" is moving along at an "appropriate" speed, he said.
"We're looking forward to ... an 'on-time' start of production," Walden said.
Walden has spoken publicly about the RCO in a number of venues, but was more forthcoming than usual about the organization and its products at the Mitchell event. Of the 28 projects in the RCO's portfolio, 13 are "ACAT 1," he noted, meaning they are major defense acquisition programs, which usually means a major platform, like an aircraft, missile, or command and control system. While Walden would only identify the B-21 and X-37 orbital vehicle among those that the RCO is working on, he said the majority of the rest could best be characterized as "family of systems" projects.
Interestingly, Walden said the RCO has not been called on to undertake any hypersonics programs. The Air Force is pursuing hypersonics projects with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the other services are conducting independent research in the field.
Walden said the RCO has about 220 people, who are headquartered at JB Anacostia-Bolling, in Washington, D.C. Among them are experts from the line Air Force who are "embedded" with programs to offer operator advice on design and development. Four bomber pilots are attached to the RCO to advise on the B-21's development, he noted. The B-21 program manager—who Walden did not name—has had experience with management of the F-22 and F-35 programs, he said.
The B-21 program has long been scheduled to produce a "usable asset" in the 2024 timeframe, according to comments offered by Air Force officials for the last three years.
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chair of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces panel, revealed in March that problems had arisen with airflow to the B-21's engines, and Walden said Monday that these had been resolved.
"Complex weapon systems, especially engine integrations, ... you've got to get throat sizes done right, prior to anything being built" he said, referring to the serpentine tunnels by which air reaches the B-21's engines, which are buried in the fuselage. The RCO obtained "insight from actual lab testing" and found the optimal solution, he said.
The RCO has been asked to help with the set-up of a dedicated "Space RCO" at the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., and Walden said he has recommended veterans of his own shop to run it, especially those who have worked on space systems, and they have been hired, he said. Walden resisted allowing his own people to be hired away for the new organization, he said.
Walden was asked whether the RCO is working on a successor platform to the X-37, and although he did not reply directly, he did say that it is "no different from any other system, ... it starts to get old," and there begin to emerge problems with vanishing vendors and parts obsolescence. However, he forecast no "big change" in that program in the near future. The X-37 tends to fly two-year missions, and various agencies that use the data collected from it are very happy with its activities, he said.
Walden told Air Force Magazine he is not experiencing trouble obtaining the workforce he requires, but he said he's aware that major vendors are experiencing difficulties hiring all the engineering and especially software talent needed to execute the Air Force's array of high-tech projects. He also reported that the RCO's experience with protests—wherein a contractor not selected for a program complains that the judging was not fair—is no worse, and probably somewhat better, than that experienced by the Air Force in its "white world," or non-secret programs.
Commenting on the "culture" of the RCO, Walden said it is largely based on the Lockheed "Skunk Works" model of small teams with tightly defined objectives and a vastly shortened reporting chain. Where the RCO saves time and money is usually in the area of "deciding to do" something and not going into endless coordination efforts. The RCO can save two to three years on a project simply by having the authority to make decisions, Walden said, avoiding "the tyranny of consensus." It reports to an executive committee comprised of the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the service's acquisition executive, and the Pentagon's acquisition chief. It's not possible to rush the development of, say, an aircraft, he said, noting that basic design must be gotten right or problems are inevitable later on. It takes about three years at a minimum to develop a design, he said.
Asked whether the RCO can provide a model to the overall acquisition system, Walden said it can be applied to a degree, but there is the risk that the organization could get too big. "There is a knee in the curve. I can't tell you" what it is, he said, but at a certain size, an RCO-like acquisition agency would no longer be able to do things rapidly.
The value of something of constrained size, like the RCO, is to "make a decision, get on contract," Walden said. The mainstream acquisition system takes "an inordinate amount of time" on those two steps. An analysis of alternatives can take up to three years and "sometimes no one makes a decision," Walden said.
Walden insisted the RCO is fully observant of the 5000-series of acquisition regulations, but makes a careful review of them on all its efforts and works to "avoid" the ones that don't really affect its programs. He also said the organization turns away many people who want to be involved in overseeing or getting briefed on RCO activities unless they are required under regulations. Even so, he said the RCO has a good relationship with Congress because it tries to be transparent with members, and even when it runs into problems, people on Capitol Hill "want to help."
He added that the Pentagon's "risk-averse" acquisition process took many years to get that way and reversing that mindset to one of risk-taking and experimentation will not happen quickly.
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25 février 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 22, 2019
AIR FORCE Aleut Field Services LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A001); MedVolt LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A002); Olgoonik Enterprises LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A003); Site Work Solutions, Denver, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A004); Sky Blue RME JV LLC (a Joint Venture comprised of Sky Blue Builders, LLC and Rocky Mountain Excavating Inc.), Aurora, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A005); and T1-Avery JV (a Joint Venture comprised of Tribal One Broadband Technologies LLC and Avery Asphalt Inc.), Centennial, Colorado (FA2550-19-D-A006), have each been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity firm-fixed-price contracts. The aggregate maximum amount for all six contracts is $200,000,000 with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. These contracts provide for construction and maintenance of roadways, bridges, sidewalks, parking areas, airfields and runways to include subsequent services which are typical activities that promote safe and efficient transportation. Work will be performed at various locations in Colorado to include Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Fort Carson Army Post (to include Piñon Canyon and the Pueblo Chemical Depot), Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy (to include the Farish Memorial Recreation Area, and the Bulls Eye Auxiliary Airfield). Work is expected to be complete by March 2026. No funds are being obligated at time of award. These contracts were the result of a competitive acquisition and fourteen offers were received. The 50th Contracting Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. Cyber Systems & Services Solutions, Bellevue, Nebraska, has been awarded a $17,436,173 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P0007) to contract FA8773-18-D-0002 to exercise Option I for Defensive Cyber Realization, Integration, and Operational Support services. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2020. This modification is the result of a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,244,750 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity. ARMY Radiance Technologies Inc.,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $77,376,456 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system engineering technical and assistance services, space and cyberspace science and technology development support. Twenty-three bids were solicited with two bids received. Work will be performed in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 27, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $10,349,818 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W9113M-19-F-0016). CK Power, St. Louis, Missouri,* was awarded a $23,426,448 firm-fixed-price contract for auxiliary power unit kits for the assembly of M8E1 Chemical and Biological Protective Shelters at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 21, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-D-3011). ACC Construction Co. Inc., Augusta, Georgia, was awarded a $10,718,591 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 12-story flight control tower. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Fort Benning, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2015 and 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $10,718,591 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W912HN-19-C-3003). Weeks Marine Inc., Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $9,900,000 modification (P00001) to contract W912P8-19-C-0010 for Mississippi River Southwest Pass maintenance cutterhead dredging. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of May 26, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,900,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity. NAVY Archer Western Federal JV, Chicago, Illinois (N69450-19-D-0907); B.L. Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama (N69450-19-D-0908); The Haskell Co., Jacksonville, Florida (N69450-19-D-0909); The Korte Co., St. Louis, Missouri (N69450-19-D-0910); and Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N69450-19-D-0911), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) area of responsibility (AOR). The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, general building type projects (new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, and repair work) including industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, and community support facilities. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. Archer Western Federal JV is awarded the $24,774,660 initial task order for P427 Littoral Combat Ship Operational Trainer Facility at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. The remaining four contractors will be awarded $1,000 each to satisfy the guaranteed minimum. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by January 2021. All work on this contract will be within the NAVFAC SE AOR, which includes Florida (15 percent); Georgia (15 percent); Louisiana (14 percent); Mississippi (14 percent); South Carolina (14 percent); Tennessee (14 percent); and Texas (14 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of February 2024. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $24,778,660 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); and Navy working capital funds. The maximum dollar value for the five-year ordering period for all five contracts combined is $240,000,000. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 19 proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. Oracle America Inc., Redwood City, California, is awarded $18,850,000 for fixed-price-level-of-effort task order M67854-19-F-7603 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-17-D-7609) for continued post-deployment system support including, service management, service operations; production and pre-production system sustainment; solution development environment; enterprise training and training devices; product lifecycle support; and service transition for change requests and engineering change proposals. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia (50 percent); and Quantico, Virginia (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $18,850,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base was awarded on a sole source in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1- only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. CIRCOR Naval Solutions LLC, Warren, Massachusetts, is awarded an estimated $13,294,404 requirements contract for a broad range of pump parts in support of refurbishment and maintenance of existing pumps installed on various Military Sealift Command vessels. Delivery of parts will occur at various locations on the East and West coast of the U.S., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 24, 2024. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was sole-sourced, with a proposal solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519D9006). Coastal Enterprises, Jacksonville Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,260,289 modification under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40085-18-D-6113) to exercise Option One for grounds maintenance services at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and other outlying locations. The work to be performed provides for grounds maintenance services that will maintain mowing and trimming grass on road shoulders, ditches, bunkers, firing ranges, wet-lands and tank training sites. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $16,506.249. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, North Carolina. This option period is from March 2019 to February 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $1,882,643 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1765547/
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11 juin 2018 | International, C4ISR
Pentagon’s Second Multibillion Cloud Contract to Be Bid in Coming Months
Officials say the Defense Department's multibillion Defense Enterprise Office Solutions contract is expected to be bid out in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year. Much of the oxygen in the federal contracting community has gone to the Pentagon's Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract in recent months, but the Pentagon is very close to bidding out a second major cloud contract that may rival it in size. Defense officials said last month that the Defense Enterprise Office Solution acquisition, valued at approximately $8 billion, could be bid out later this month, with an expected award issued by the second quarter of 2019. The contract will have a five-year base period with five one-year options. DEOS is the Pentagon's attempt to “unify and modernize” some of its legacy systems, including enterprise email, collaboration services, voice and video services, messaging, content management and other productivity capabilities for more than 3.5 million users. Brian Herman, the Defense Information Systems Agency's unified capabilities portfolio manager, said the Pentagon isn't interested in developing new capabilities but rather wants to take advantage of existing commercial capabilities in use across industry today. “Our goal is to take the capabilities that are available now, change the way we work to take advantage of these commercial services, and receive all of the upgrades and improvements that industry brings to their commercial customers,” said Herman, speaking at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association's Defensive Cyber Operations Symposium in Baltimore May 16. In the commercial world, many companies have opted for cloud-based delivery of collaborative and email services. Delivered at scale across the Defense Department's massive enterprise, Herman said the approach could significantly reduce costs and improve security and efficiency. DEOS could eventually replace the Defense Enterprise Email, Defense Collaboration Services, and Defense Enterprise Portal Service, and potentially other legacy systems currently maintained by the Pentagon's IT wing. “We've had feedback from the DOD management, financial, and technical leaders. They've looked at the services used by [DOD agencies] and said, ‘You need to change the way you use these services. It's no longer necessary for every application to be on your desktop. Perhaps you can have web-based access to some of these capabilities and both improve the security and reduce the cost of these capabilities,” Herman said. DEOS will offer services through the Pentagon's unclassified and classified networks, meaning potential bidders must have provisional authorization to operate at Impact Level 5 to bid on it. Currently, only a few cloud service providers, including Microsoft, IBM, Amazon Web Services and General Dynamics, have achieved this status. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has not yet released a final solicitation for JEDI, which some industry estimates have pegged at $10 billion. The contract has drawn scrutiny from industry and Congress because of the Defense Department's decision to award it to a single cloud service provider. Initially expected to be released in mid-May for industry consideration, it has been delayed indefinitely. https://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2018/06/pentagons-second-multibillion-cloud-contract-be-bid-coming-months/148733/