Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 19, 2020

Sur le même sujet

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  21 mars 2023 | International, Autre défense

  NATO chief urges members to boost defence spending as only 7 hit target

  NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged member countries to speed up increases in defence spending as new figures showed fewer than a quarter of them meeting the alliance's target.

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  22 avril 2020 | International, C4ISR

  China, COVID-19 and 5G; Golden Opportunity For The West

  By DEAN CHENG on April 21, 2020 at 10:55 AM Wars and pandemics, great destroyers of the status quo, often generate enormous societal change. An outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease in the early 20th century, for example, gave the internal combustion engine a permanent lead over steam-powered automobiles. The First World War saw more improvements in aeronautical engineering and airplane manufacturing than the previous decade. The unprecedented global shut down that has seen perhaps half of humanity locked down has generated enormous demands for Internet access, especially broadband. The sudden confinement of so much of the world's work force has led to a massive increased demand for broadband, and not simply for entertainment. Telework, telemedicine and a major increase in videoconferencing are all major parts of the new work environment. Verizon, for example, has seen a 20 percent increase in Web traffic, a 12 percent increase in video services. Many experts have predicted demand for broadband will greatly increase in coming years, especially for 5G networks capable of handling massive data flows at speed. The need would rapidly grow, as smart cities and autonomous vehicles became a reality. But the shift to telecommuting has likely accelerated that demand, shifting it to an immediate need. That demand for increased connectivity is not likely to completely recede even after COVID-19 is overcome, any more than public horse troughs returned after the hoof-and-mouth outbreak ended. Instead, if living in dense urban conurbations is seen as posing a growing health risk, a subsequent population shift toward suburbs and rural areas will only further heighten demand for extensive nationwide 5G access. The ability to provide secure informational pipelines capable of handling massive data traffic has now become essential for the functioning of the broader economy, well beyond rapid downloading of movies and video-games. The benefits offered by 5G, whether in terms of faster upload and download times, or more stable connections, will provide immediate economic benefits in the post-COVID world. This will only sharpen the ongoing tensions between the United States and the People's Republic of China over the role of Huawei in building those 5G networks. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, Washington and Beijing were battling over the security risks posed by Huawei systems. The United States excluded Huawei from its backbone communications infrastructure and is restricting sales of Huawei cell phones and tablets, but it was actively lobbying other nations to do the same. China, in turn, has striven to reassure other nations that not only is Huawei secure, but that it is a bargain. For the Chinese leadership, building the global 5G network is a matter of government policy because it would ensure that China will enjoy sustained economic benefits servicing and upgrading those networks for decades to come. Given the Chinese leadership's focus on establishing “information dominance,” it would also generate enormous strategic benefits. As demand for bandwidth has surged the global pandemic has led to an explosion of hacking and other cyber crime activities, as criminal and state actors exploit the panic and demand for information. Reports estimate that thousands of phishing sites and scams are being created every day. This has included ransomware attacks on hospitals, as well as efforts to hack the World Health Organization and pharmaceutical companies engaged in COVID-19 vaccine research. Among the identified hackers are Chinese (Vicious Panda, Mustang Panda), as well as South Korean, Vietnamese and other groups. One of the newest threats to arise comes courtesy of the massive demand for telecommuting and teleconferencing software. One of the key apps to fill the gap has been Zoom, software for video conferencing, audio conferencing, web conferencing, and messaging. It works on mobile and desktop devices, and in conference rooms. Unfortunately, Zoom has also been found to have major security gaps, including apparently uniwitting transfers of some encryption keys to China-based servers. This created the potential for Chinese elements to access the conferences, as well as data on participants' cell phones, tablets or computers. COVID: Crisis or Opportunity? The Chinese leadership has sought to exploit the COVID crisis to burnish its reputation in key countries where it can play a role in building 5G networks. It is no accident that one of the earliest recipients of Chinese medical attention was Italy — Italy is the only G-7 country to have signed onto the Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). As important, Huawei is establishing 5G testbeds in a number of Italian cities. For the Chinese, the ability to project the image of a good partner, providing aid to Italy when its EU partners and the United States did not, would undoubtedly generate good will and greater openness to Chinese participation in the 5G build-out. This same approach marked such efforts as China's arrangement for the world's largest aircraft, a Russian AN-225, to carry tons of medical supplies to Poland, as well as Chinese provision of medical teams and aid to German towns hard hit by the virus. There would seem to be two implicit messages conveyed by the Chinese. The first is that China is a good partner, providing aid and assistance to when countries need it. The other is that China is a reliable partner, especially in terms of supply chains, whether for personal protective equipment (PPE) or high technology items. To support these benign messages, Beijing has also sought to quash any attempt to link COVID-19 to China, and in particular to reject any suggestion that the Chinese government bears any responsibility for its spread. Chinese officials have said that COVID-19 may have come from the United States (with Chinese social media discussing American participants in the World Military Games in China last October). The official Xinhua timeline for the coronavirus pandemic emphasizes its cooperation with the WHO, while making little mention of Dr. Li Wenliang, the doctor who tried to warn higher authorities of the outbreak of a new disease, caught it himself and died. This narrative is belied by the reality that China has neither been transparent about the coronavirus outbreak within its borders, nor been a good or reliable partner in dealing with the disease. China's suppression of information about the disease, including the muzzling of Dr. Li, have become much more widely known. China's delayed quarantine, admitted by the mayor of Wuhan, almost certainly contributed to the global spread of the pandemic. Even more damaging to the Chinese narrative, however, has been the dishonesty of its claims. In the case of Italy, for example, much of what Chinese media presented as aid was actually equipment that Italy purchased from China. Many other European countries, including Spain, the Netherlands and Turkey have found that a range of Chinese medical items, including everything from masks to testing kits, did not work or was defective. In other cases, exports of badly needed medical equipment from China have been delayed due to bureaucratic red tape. More worrisome, some reports indicate that Beijing has suddenly imposed export restrictions on COVID-19 related medical equipment. That is, even equipment that has been paid for may not be exported, raising fundamental questions about the reliability of the Chinese portion of supply chains. At the same time, Chinese efforts to deflect responsibility for the COVID-19 outbreak have also created growing negative images of the PRC. Chinese officials, for example, have not only accused the United States as being the source of the virus, but also Italy. It is clear that while Chinese doctrine on political warfare calls for coordinated, integrated messaging, that remains an aspirational goal. Implications for the Future It is very clear that the Chinese leadership hopes to exploit COVID-19 and its aftermath to help shape a world where China's reputation, soft power and technological access and capabilities are all enhanced. In particular, building on Huawei's ability to sell quality 5G equipment at a substantial discount, China hopes to take advantage of the burgeoning demand for broadband to ensure that Huawei will be integrated into the global informational ecosystem. But China's actual behavior should serve as a warning to economic and strategic decision-makers. It is not at all clear that China is either a good or reliable partner, especially in terms of supply chains. If Chinese PPE provided to foreign customers often fails to work, it may not be the result of a deliberate decision to export ineffective equipment; indeed, this is unlikely given China's political goal of improving its reputation and standing. It does mean that, even in the case of relatively low-technology systems such as masks and chemical tests, China's quality is abysmal. What might this suggest about Chinese-built telecommunications systems? In fact, the 2019 report from the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) Oversight Board about the security of Huawei's equipment already emplaced in the UK was scathing. Not only were there a variety of security vulnerabilities, but even previously identified problems had not been addressed by Huawei. There seems to be a pattern of both poor quality control and post-sales support in Chinese manufacturing, which could be catastrophic if allowed in strategic systems such as 5G communications networks. The potential Chinese willingness to impose export controls and restrictions in time of crisis only further raises questions about the resilience of Chinese-manufactured networks, should a political rather than a health crisis arise. COVID-19 further complicates this picture by retarding development and roll-out of alternative 5G networks. Apple has indicated its first 5G enabled iPhone may be delayed from a planned September unveiling. Dish Network has indicated that COVID-19 will delay the construction of its 5G network, but the nationwide lockdown has affected all telecom companies' construction efforts. Samsung, the company best situated to challenge Huawei's ability to construct an integrated 5G network, from mobile telephones and tablets to base stations to servers and routers, also fears that COVID-19 may retard its efforts. The impact of the global shutdown on financial institutions is also likely to affect funding for this massive infrastructure project. But this situation may provide Western nations with a golden opportunity. If COVID-19 is likely to affect everything from auctions for spectrum to infrastructure financing, Western nations should take the opportunity to reconsider their willingness to allow the PRC to construct such a vital part of their national information and strategic backbones. Given the competing demands all leaders are likely to face as the world emerges from COVID-19, deferring key decisions on 5G (and the attendant costs of construction) may make financial, as well as political sense. It would also give Huawei's competitors, including not only Samsung but Ericsson, Nokia and others, a chance to catch up. If nothing else, having more competition would provide national and corporate decision-makers more options, and therefore more leverage in any negotiation with Huawei. Indeed, Huawei's own executives seem to recognize that COVID-19 may have altered the landscape. In a letter to the British parliament, the head of Huawei UK warned: “Disrupting our involvement in the 5G rollout would do Britain a disservice.” Like its behavior regarding COVID-19, Chinese statements such as this may well reveal far more than was intended. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/04/china-covid-19-and-5g-golden-opportunity-for-the-west

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  14 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 10, 2018

  DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $118,172,545 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for commercial portable power equipment. Other contracts are expected to be awarded under this solicitation (SPE8EC-17-R-0010), and awardees will compete for a portion of the maximum dollar value. This was a competitive acquisition with seven offers received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Indiana, Texas and the United Kingdom, with a Dec. 9, 2023, performance completion date. Using customers are Army Navy Air Force Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EC-19-D-0034). Honeywell International Inc., Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded a maximum $11,137,310 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for modulating valves. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code. 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year contract with no options periods. Location of performance is Arizona, with a Nov. 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0035). (Awarded Dec. 6, 2018) The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $7,957,022 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-0003), against a three-year, six-month contract (SPRPA1-14-D-002U), with no option periods for F-15 parts and engineering. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code. 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Location of performance is Missouri, with a May 18, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Awarded Dec. 6, 2018) NAVY CH2M Hill Constructors Inc., Englewood, Colorado (N62470-13-D-6019); Environmental Chemical Corp., Burlingame, California (N62470-13-D-6020); Kellogg, Brown & Root Services Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N62470-13-D-6021); URS Group Inc., Morrisville, North Carolina (N62470-13-D-6022), are awarded an $86,000,000 modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for global contingency construction projects worldwide. The construction and related engineering services would respond to natural disasters humanitarian assistance conflict, or projects with similar characteristics. Work will be predominately construction. The contractor, in support of the construction effort, may be required to provide initial base operating support services, which will be incidental to construction efforts. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $886,000,000. Work will be performed worldwide and the term of the contract is not to exceed 68 months with an expected completion date of February 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $72,000,552 for modification P00074 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-14-C-0038), to exercise an option for range engineering, operations and maintenance services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Atlantic Test Range, and the Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations Division. Services to be provided include system operations; laboratory and field testing; marine operations and target support; engineering; range sustainability; maintenance, data reduction, and analysis. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in December 2019. Fiscal 2019 working capital fund (Defense and Navy); and Major Range and Test Facility Base funds in the amount of $35,209,082 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Hawaii Shipyards Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded a $50,605,368 cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-14-C-4412), for scheduled Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA) on USS Hopper (DDG-70). The ship is homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii. The scheduled EDSRA is the opportunity in the ship's life cycle primarily to conduct repair and alteration to systems that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. This repair modification will include repair and alteration requirements. A focal point of the work is to support alteration installation team modernization packages. Work will be performed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by July 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $25,302,684 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $25,138,776 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 3, 2018) Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded $49,885,708 for firm-fixed-price modification P00004 to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-18-C-1037), for long-lead parts and associated support for the full rate production of two Lot 7 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York (29 percent); El Segundo, California (29 percent); Melbourne, Florida (14 percent); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (7 percent); Menlo Park, California (6 percent); Greenlawn, New York (4 percent); Owego, New York (2 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (2 percent); Edgewood, New York (2 percent); Woodland Hills, California (2 percent); Marlborough, Massachusetts (1 percent); Independence, Ohio (1 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $49,885,708 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. Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $44,665,555 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-16-C-2106) for Naval nuclear propulsion components. This contract modification includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $139,923,083. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (94 percent); and Schenectady, New York (6 percent). No completion date or additional information is provided on Naval nuclear propulsion program contracts. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $44,665,555 will be obligated at time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman, Sykesville, Maryland, is awarded a $35,143,328 five-year, firm-fixed requirements, long-term contract for the repair of nine items of the aircraft launch and recovery equipment systems under the Advanced Recovery Control system. Work will be performed in Sykesville, Maryland, and work is expected to be completed by December 2023. Working capital funds (Navy) will be obligated as individual task orders are issued and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code. 2304(C)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-19-D-PY01). Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, San Diego, California, is awarded a $21,327,364 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification for contract (N00024-14-C-5128) for continued platform systems engineering agent support of the ship elf defense system MK 2. Work will be performed in San Diego, California and is expected to be completed by June 2019. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $21,327,364 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Aretè Associates Inc.,* Northridge, California, is awarded a $17,083,516 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N61331-18-D-0012) to exercise an option for coastal battlefield reconnaissance and analysis (COBRA) systems. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (35 percent); Destin, Florida (35 percent); and Santa Rosa, California (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by July 2021. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as delivery orders are issued. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity. Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia, is awarded $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification under a previously awarded indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract (N40080-17-D-0018), to exercise Option Two for engineering and design services for industrial and research facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be $75,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various administrative facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington area of responsibility, including but not limited to, Maryland (45 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (30 percent); Virginia (20 percent), and may also be performed in the remainder of the U.S. (5 percent). Work for this options is expected to be completed December 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps); and fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Florida Turbine Technologies Inc., Jupiter, Florida, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $50,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission (ATTAM)- capability Phase I. The mission of the ATTAM Phase I program is to develop, demonstrate, and transition advanced turbine propulsion, power and thermal technologies that provides improvement in affordable mission capability. Work will be performed in Jupiter, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 54 offers were received. No specific funds are obligated on the basic IDIQ, although in conjunction with the basic IDIQ award, the first task order, a cost-share task order, is fully funded with fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,000, and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $99,714 at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity (contract FA8650-19-D-2056 and initial task order FA8650-19-F-2086). ARMY Harris Corp., Palm Bay, Florida, was awarded a $34,606,257 cost, firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of FliteScene digital map software licenses maintenance agreements software support upgrades and releases engineering services materials, and travel. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-19-D-0011). Pavement Technical Solutions Inc.,* Ashburn, Virginia (W9128F-19-D-0024); and RDM International Inc.,* Chantilly, Virginia (W9128F-19-D-0025); Applied Pavement Technology Inc.,* Urbana, Illinois (W9128F-19-D-0026), and All About Pavements Inc.,* Purcellville, Virginia (W9128F-19-D-0027), will share in a $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for management system implementation on roads, parking areas and airfields and updating, testing, and maintenance. Nine bids were solicited with four bids received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2023. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1709400/