Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - November 12, 2020

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  1 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

  Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 25, 2019

  NAVY DZSP 21 LLC, Marlton, New Jersey, is awarded a $106,378,427 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for base operations support services at Joint Region Marianas, Guam. The work to be performed provides for facility and base operating support for the following services: management and administration, port operations, ordnance, material management, facility management, sustainment, restoration and modernization, electrical, wastewater, steam, hot water and demineralized water, potable water, transportation, and environmental. Work will be performed at various locations on the island of Guam and is expected to be completed by February 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 working capital funds (Navy and Defense); fiscal 2019 and 2020 transportation Air Force working capital funds; fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy, Air Force, Defense); fiscal 2019 family housing operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps, Army, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard); fiscal 2019 health program funds (Defense); and fiscal 2019 commissary agency (Defense) contract funds in the amount of $106,378,427, of which $96,495,650 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and $9,882,777 are subject to the availability of funds. This contract was issued as a sole-source procurement under the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Agency requirements. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-19-C-1175). Micro Systems Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Florida, is awarded a $22,986,171 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for production, repairs services and associated ancillary equipment for the systems for Naval Target Control Block II and III in support of Navy aerial targets. Work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,219,199 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919D0020). L-3 KEO, Northampton, Massachusetts, is awarded a $19,299,276 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-6252 to exercise options for the production of the Universal Modular Mast. The Universal Modular Mast serves as a lifting mechanism for Virginia class mast payloads. Work will be performed in Bologna, Italy (74 percent); and Northampton, Massachusetts (26 percent), and is expected to be complete by August 2021. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $19,299,276 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. Leidos Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded an $11,560,339 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to procure non-recurring engineering efforts to analyze, define and document system and subsystem requirements for capability enhancements to integrate the adaptive radar countermeasures program on the F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (50 percent); Clifton, New Jersey (25 percent); Goleta, California (10 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (10 percent); Raleigh, North Carolina (3 percent); and Huntsville, Alabama (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,560,339 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0051). Clark Nexsen-CH2m Hill JV Norfolk, Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a $9,500,000 modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architect-engineering services design projects located throughout the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) area of responsibility worldwide (AOR). The primary tasks anticipated under this contract include DD Form 1391 documentation, design-build request for proposals, plans, specifications, cost estimates, related studies, field investigations, surveying and mapping, tests, evaluations, consultations, program management, conceptual designs, soil borings, hazardous materials identification, energy computation, life safety code studies, interior space comprehensive planning/design, conceptual designs, value engineering, other associated engineering services, shop drawing review, as-built drawing preparation, operation and maintenance support information, commissioning, and construction inspection and engineering consultation services during construction. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $24,500,000. Critical projects are planned to be performed in the NAVFAC AOR worldwide, including but not limited to, Djibouti (53 percent); Italy (30 percent); Spain (12 percent); and Greece (5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of November 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy). Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-17-D-5004). DRS Laurel Technologies, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded $8,893,970 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0002419F5617 under previously-awarded contract N00024-15-D-5201 for 18 Technology Insertion 16 air-cooled Common Processing System cabinets and two remote access servers. The Common Processing System provides the computer processing and memory, data storage and extraction and input/output interfaces to support host software applications of Navy combat systems. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by March 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,893,970 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. Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Co., Chandler, Arizona, is awarded an $8,892,173 firm-fixed-price modification under previously-awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00174-17-D-0016 to exercise an option for development, product improvement and prototyping support of various aircrew escape systems managed under the Joint Program Office for Cartridge Actuated Device/Propellant Actuated Device Tri-Service Charter. This requirement is for engineering, technical, administrative and programmatic management support for total life cycle management of the various aircrew escape systems. Work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by January 2020. No additional funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $24,968,022 modification (P00031) to previously awarded contract HR0011-16-F-0005 for Enterprise Support Services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $95,553,943 from $70,585,921. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of May 2020. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $24,632,633 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a $19,459,236 firm-fixed-price delivery order (FA8504-19-F-0008-P00001) to previously awarded contract FA8504-17-D-0002 for C-130J Propulsion long-term sustainment. This delivery order provides for funding Option II flying hours. Work will be performed primarily at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and also at various locations that support C-130J Propulsion long-term sustainment. Work is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award, and this order brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $90,165,776. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Textron Defense Systems, Wilmington, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $15,956,064 firm-fixed-price modification (P00009) to previously awarded contract FA8204-14-D-0001 for the MK12A Mod 5 F Midsection remanufacturing program. This modification extends the ordering period of the original requirements contract by five years. Work is being performed at Wilmington, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 5, 2025. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. LoadPath, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been awarded a $14,899,737 ceiling cost-reimbursement contract for Advanced Spacecraft Systems with Integrated Structural Thermal Technologies (ASSISTT). This contract provides for the advancement of the technology and scientific knowledge in the areas of deployable structures, thermal systems, RF antenna structures, integrated structural sensing, and advanced manufacturing. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2024. This contract was the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $440,670 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-C-0002). Engineered Arresting Systems Corp., doing business as Zodiac Arresting Systems America, Aston, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $9,679,711 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for the Textile Aircraft Arresting Systems (TAAS) This contract provides for the production of the TAAS, a onetime emergency use overrun aircraft arresting system designed for use with tail hook equipped fighter aircraft, or non-hook equipped aircraft when couples with a net barrier engaging system. Work will be performed in Merpins, France, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 28, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition, and no funds were obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8533-17-D-0001). (Awarded Sept. 29, 2017) ARMY Next-CEI JV LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii (W912CN-19-D-0002); R&I Construction Inc.,* Aiea, Hawaii (W912CN-19-D-0003); D&D Construction Inc.,* Waipahu, Hawaii (W912CN-19-D-0004); and Amethyst Builders LLC,* Ewa Beach, Hawaii (W912CN-19-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $16,800,000 firm-fixed-price contract for sustainment, restoration and modernization. Thirty bids were solicited with 19 bids received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 29, 2024. U.S. Army 413th Combat Support Battalion, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Silver Oak Leaf, Inc.,** Alpharetta, Georgia, has been awarded a maximum $16,074,375 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for blouses and trousers for the Type III, Navy Working Uniform. This was a competitive acquisition with six responses received. This is an 18-month base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico and Georgia, with a Feb. 24, 2021, estimated performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1135). * Small Business **Service-disabled veteran-owned small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1766751/

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  6 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Unmanned aircraft could provide low-cost boost for Air Force’s future aircraft inventory, new study says

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Air Force looks to increase the size and capability of its aircraft inventory, the service should assess the possibility of using drones as a low-cost and highly available alternative to manned airplanes, posits a new study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The CSIS report, which was obtained by Defense News and other news outlets ahead of its Oct. 29 release, compares three recent congressionally mandated studies on the Air Force's future force structure by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments think tank, the federally funded research organization MITRE Corp. and the service itself. All three studies were broadly supportive of retaining existing unmanned aircraft, or as the Air Force terms them, Remotely Piloted Aircraft or RPAs. However, the CSIS report makes the case that the low cost and high mission capable rate of RPAs like the MQ-9 Reaper or RQ-4 Global Hawk merits more attention when making future force planning. “I think we need a roadmap for RPAs in terms of what are the new missions that we can begin to transition over to RPAs and some new operational concepts for how we use them,” CSIS senior analyst Todd Harrison told reporters at a Oct. 28 briefing. “I say this more from a cost perspective and a readiness perspective because our RPA fleet stands out from the rest of the Air Force in that it costs a lot less to operate [them] and we utilize them much more,” he said. “We need to leverage that. That's a strength that we need to double down on.” Harrison pointed to two data points supporting a wider use case for RPAs. Despite clocking in the highest number of flight hours per airframe, drones boast some of the highest mission capable rates in the Air Force's inventory, averaging near 90 percent for the MQ-9 and its predecessor, the MQ-1, and around 75 percent for the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Those aircraft are also cheap to operate, with some of the lowest costs per flying hour or total ownership costs in the inventory, Harrison said. The Air Force, MITRE and CSBA studies provide solid support for keeping the Air Force's current RPA force. The Air Force's study, which proposes a growth to 386 total operational squadrons, would add two squadrons of unmanned strike aircraft, although it does not say what kind of aircraft should be acquired. It also recommends an increase of 22 squadrons of aircraft devoted to command and control or the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission sets, but does not provide a breakdown of what specific capability gaps need to be addressed or whether they could be filled by unmanned aircraft. The MITRE and CSBA study, by contrast, advocate retaining the current inventory of MQ-9 Reapers and RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones. CSBA also recommends the procurement of a new, stealthy MQ-X drone that could be used for strike, electronic attack and other missions in a contested environment. Despite the broad support, the three studies do not necessarily portend a wider acceptance or demand for unmanned aircraft in the next budget, Harrison said. “I wouldn't count on it happening that soon. I think this is a wider term change that's going to be needed. Part of it is a cultural change within the Air Force and part of it requires some real strategic thinking about what are the types of missions where unmanned is going to make sense and how do we best leverage those,” he said. “The RPAs that we have today, they didn't come about overnight. They evolved. A lot of the time they faced a lot of institutional resistance, but they proved themselves. They proved themselves valuable in the kind of fights that we've been in in the past 20 years.” One mission area that could be flown by unmanned aircraft in the future is aerial refueling, Harrison said. The Navy in 2018 awarded Boeing a contract to produce an unmanned carrier-based tanker drone known as the MQ-25. That aircraft, like all Navy planes, will use the simpler probe and drogue for refueling. Refueling via a rigid boom, as utilized by Air Force tankers, makes for a more challenging development, but the remote vision system on Boeing's KC-46 tanker — which allows the boom operator to steer the boom using a series of cameras as his or her only visual cue — is a step in the right direction, he said. Another potential area for expanded RPA use could be the development of low-cost drones that can be flown in swarms or as “loyal wingmen” to manned aircraft, the CSIS report stated. These “attritable” aircraft can be expended during a conflict without making an adverse impact on the mission or putting human pilots at risk. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/10/29/unmanned-aircraft-could-provide-low-cost-boost-for-air-forces-future-aircraft-inventory-new-study-says/

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  13 mars 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  US Air Force orders freeze on public outreach

  By: Valerie Insinna , David B. Larter , and Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The Air Force is slashing access to media embeds, base visits and interviews as it seeks to put the entire public affairs apparatus through retraining — a move it says is necessary for operational security, but one which could lead to a broader freeze in how the service interacts with the public. According to March 1 guidance obtained by Defense News, public affairs officials and commanders down to the wing level must go through new training on how to avoid divulging sensitive information before being allowed to interact with the press. The effort, which represents the third major Defense Department entity to push out guidance restricting public communication over the past 18 months, creates a massive information bureaucracy in which even the most benign human-interest stories must be cleared at the four-star command level. Before settling on retraining its public affairs corps and commanders, the service considered an even more drastic step: shutting down all engagement with the press for a 120-day period, a source with knowledge of the discussions said. Instead, the service settled on the retraining plan, a temporary move which Brig. Gen. Ed Thomas, director of public affairs, said could be completed “in the coming weeks.” “In today's challenging information environment marked by great power competition, we will continue to be as transparent with the American public as possible while protecting sensitive information on our operations and capabilities,” Thomas told Defense News. “We owe both to the public, and it is vitally important for the public to understand what we are doing on their behalf and with their tax dollars.” But two former Air Force secretaries and an influential congressman all raise the same concern: that intentionally or not, this will send a message that engaging with the public simply isn't worth the risk. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., told Defense News the memo fits into a trend of recent moves inside the Defense Department towards less transparency, which could ultimately undermine DoD's efforts to address long-standing problems. Gallagher serves on the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, which oversees several key Air Force programs like the B-21 bomber. “I fully support the National Defense Strategy's focus on great power competition,” Gallagher told Defense News, “but I think the department has it backwards; It is precisely because of the scale of the challenges before us that transparency is more important than ever. I worry that by failing to discuss problems, we will only ensure there is no public pressure to fix them.” Shrinking Air Force access The renewed focus on operational security stems from the Trump administration's recently released national defense strategy, according to the Air Force guidance. That document, which was marked as “for official use only,” was distributed to public affairs officials following a February 2018 memo on operational security signed by Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein. “As we engage the public, we must avoid giving insights to our adversaries which could erode military advantage,” the March 2018 guidance read. “We must now adapt to the reemergence of great power competition and the reality that our adversaries are learning from what we say in public.” Until wing-level spokesmen have been certified by their corresponding major command, responses to reporter queries that potentially could include details about “operations, training or exercises, readiness or other issues which may reveal operational information to potential adversaries” are subject to approval by the Air Force's public affairs headquarters at the Pentagon, known as Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs or SAF/PA. Exceptions can be made for human interest stories, community engagement pieces or other lighter, fluffier news, which can be approved by major command public officials. What this means is that if public affairs officials at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas haven't received their training, a local story about military working dogs would need the approval of Air Education and Training Command before being allowed to proceed with an interview or any engagement. Beyond limiting the Air Force's interactions with journalists, the new guidelines pose new restrictions on public appearances such as air show demonstrations, trade shows, industry conferences and think tank events, which can move forward if authorized by SAF/PA's engagement division. And although Air Force band performances will be permitted to continue, all band members who interact with the media must receive training from public affairs. Exactly what constitutes sensitive information is unclear. The Air Force's guidance lays out “potential engagement areas” alongside topics that could possibly pose “operational security risks.” Classified information and vulnerabilities are included in the latter area, but so are details about flag exercises, the number and location of operational assets, or information related to current readiness — some of which are routinely shared with the public. The guidance notes that “neither list is all inclusive,” and that public affairs professionals “use sound discretion and exercise discretion when evaluating all engagement opportunities.” Pausing a turnaround The guidance comes as the Air Force was finally repairing a damaged public affairs reputation. The service infamously clamped down on talking after the 2008 firing of both its chief of staff and service secretary, which had a chilling effect across the service. The situation culminated in a 2016 informal poll by Foreign Policy magazine, which found reporters ranking the Air Force as the worst service to deal with. That result resonated heavily within Air Force leadership, triggering promises of more open lines of communication. Deborah Lee James, Wilson's predecessor as Air Force secretary, told Defense News it was her belief the service needs to be more open, not less. “I have not seen the memo. However, I am sorry to hear about this development. If true, it certainly runs against the grain for what I tried to do as secretary of the Air Force,” James said. “Sometimes there's positive news to talk about, and our airmen can be the best communicators. Sometimes there's negative news to talk about. But much better that we be the ones to describe that news and frame it for the American people.” Whit Peters, who from 1997-2001 served as both Air Force secretary and undersecretary, acknowledged there are times when the military needs to keep information back for security reasons. He said the memo restrictions remind him of the way the service handled information during the conflict in Bosnia. But he also warned the memo may have a chilling effect far beyond its printed text. “The penumbra of this memo is worse than the memo itself. If you're already an Air Force officer, who is disinclined to talk to the press, this just gives you one more reason to think it is not career enhancing to talk to the press,” Peters said. “And that is unfortunate because the Air Force at all levels needs to be talking to the American public about what a valuable service it provides.” “I still think the Air Force does not do enough publicly to explain its mission and to explain why it needs to rejuvenate its whole fleet, both in air and space,” Peters continued. “So I would hope this doesn't get in the way of the Air Force telling its story on why it's important, and why it needs to be funded by the taxpayers.” The Navy: A Case Study A test case for the potential impact of the memo can be seen in the recent status of the Navy. In March 2017, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson issued a memo that directed admirals to continue to engage with the media. But it also implored Navy officials not to give “too much” information — even unclassified information — in a public setting. “When it comes to specific operational capabilities however, very often less is more,” he said in the memo. “Sharing information about future operations and capabilities, even at the unclassified level, makes it easier for potential adversaries to gain an advantage.” The memo, which was broad and lacked specific guidance, created a persistent atmosphere of uncertainty throughout the Navy where leaders and program managers have been unsure about what they can talk about and what they can't. And last October, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis released a memo calling for employees to be “vigilant” in preventing leaks. “It is a violation of our oath to divulge, in any fashion, non-public DoD information, classified or unclassified, to anyone without the required security clearance as well as a specific need to know in the performance of their duties,” he said. The information chill both inside the Navy and DoDwide has been noticed by lawmakers, who have called on the military to err on the side of transparency. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., discusses the budget and transparency at the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium on Jan. 10, 2018. At a Navy conference in January, Gallagher dismissed Richardson's concerns about giving away secrets in the press, arguing that if the Navy doesn't talk about what it's doing, members of Congress can't convince their fellow members not on defense committees, let alone their constituents, that more resources are necessary. “Despite the old adage that ‘loose lips sink ships,' non-existent strategic communications can sink entire navies,” he continued. “If the bias is towards silence to prevent adversaries from finding out about unique capabilities or potential weaknesses: guess what, there will never be a public constituency for acquiring or mitigating them. “And, oh by the way, our adversaries probably have a decent idea of what we're up to anyways.” The powerful chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), spoke out in January as well, saying that while secrecy is important, so is transparency, saying it makes a difference in DoD's bottom line. “As we've talked before, some of the folks in DoD are reluctant to talk too openly about our shortfalls because you're broadcasting that to your potential adversaries,” Thornberry said. “And I admit, it's a fine balance. But if we're going to convince my colleagues who are not on this committee, as well as the American people, to fix these things, I think we do have to at least talk somewhat openly about what our problems are.” https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2018/03/13/air-force-orders-freeze-on-public-outreach/