14 mai 2020 | International, Terrestre
By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.on May 14, 2020 at 4:01 AM
WASHINGTON: The number of defense contractors reopening after COVID-19 quarantines now exceeds the number of new shutdowns, the Army's senior acquisition official said in an interview. That is happening, Bruce Jette told me, because industry is learning and adapting. New health precautions, from disinfecting tools between shifts to social distancing on the factory floor, should contain further outbreaks of COVID-19 and keep Army programs on track, he said – even if there's a new upsurge in infections nationwide.
According to daily updates from Defense Contract Management Agency, Jette said, “the openings are outweighing the number of closings, and total number of closings is down significantly, so things are improving quite a bit.”
Of 10,509 facilities large and small that DCMA is tracking, 248 had closed at some point — but only 40 are still closed. The number of reopenings has exceeded the number of new closings since April 20.
But, I asked, what if there's another spike, whether from states relaxing shutdown orders or a change in weather come the fall? Because of the new precautions now in place, Jette told me, “I would say that in the long run, if we had some degree of a resurgence, I don't think it would be as marked as the first one.”
Learning To Cope
There was an initial wave of shutdowns in the first days of the pandemic, Jette said, because a single case of COVID-19 might require putting the entire workforce at a facility into quarantine, particularly at smaller companies. That wasn't a panicked reaction, but a reasonable precaution. Workers had been mingling freely in close quarters, most coronavirus carriers were asymptomatic, and virtually no reliable tests were available. A company facing a single case had no way of knowing who else might already be infected.
But that's no longer true, Jette went on. Private companies and government agencies alike have now broken up large groups of workers into smaller ones, creating “bubbles” in which any contagion can be contained.
“For example, in the past, one shift came in and started using the tools from the other shift,” Jette said, as one example. “Now, between shifts, a cleaning team comes in and disinfects all the tools.”
Wiping down shared equipment, surfaces, and spaces is just one part of a multi-layered defense against contagion. Workers on the same shift who once all came in and out together, chatting in close quarters and shaking hands, may now arrive and leave on staggered schedules so they can stay six feet apart at all times. Workflows have been changed and workstations physically moved, where possible, to permit social distancing on the factory floor. Employees who must work side-by-side wear masks and gloves.
Those precautions reduce the chance of someone catching the coronavirus in the first place – and just as important, they make it harder for one infected employee to spread the disease, especially to colleagues outside their “bubble.” So when somebody does get sick, you only need to quarantine their particular team, not shut down the whole factory.
“If somebody in the bubble comes down [with COVID],” he said, “ only that bubble ends up isolated.”
Even Pentagon offices like Jette's own are getting cleaned more frequently and more thoroughly, he told me, even when no one working in them has actually gotten sick. “[Even when] nobody has become infected in a particular office,” he told me, “we are having a cleaning team go through and do one office here, one office there, and just do a thorough wipe-down to make sure that there's nothing that got into that office undetected.”
These precautions aren't excessively onerous, disruptive, or costly, Jette said. They're just things nobody had thought about doing before – but now they might be useful even after the pandemic is under control.
“I don't see it being a significant burden on the system; it was just something we didn't see was an issue before,” he said, “[but] I may well help us have fewer flus and colds if we just continue the same practice.”
Dealing With Disruption
Industry may be adapting well, but a global pandemic is still extraordinarily disruptive. Like the rest of the Defense Department, the Army is closely tracking not only its prime contractors but the smaller subcontractors and sub-sub-contractors, which are much more fragile. To date, the Army has pumped $167.5 million into small businesses to help them ride out COVID disruptions.
“There have been some cost implications to the government,” Jette said, “but mostly with respect to the CARES Act,” which ensures workers at facilities closed by COVID are paid instead of let go.
The main way the Army has helped out companies is by making payments they already had coming, just ahead of schedule. For example, Jette said, the service has started writing checks to contractors every 15 days instead of the normal 30. It's also increasing progress payments, normally limited to 80 percent of total contract value (85 percent for small business) to 90 percent (95 for small business).
“Cash flow was one of those things we concerned ourselves with,” Jette said. “Congress gave us flexibilities there. There were things passed down from OMB in the White House that gave us some flexibility as well.”
To help figure out which subcontractors might be in trouble, the Army's prime contractors have opened their books and shared information with the service, far beyond anything they were contractually obligated to do, Jette said. Since the early days of the pandemic, even before shutdowns began, he's been getting a daily report on the health of subcontractors, which now routinely runs over 60 pages.
“The primes ... were all very cooperative in trying to give us visibility down to the lowest level supplier,” Jette said. “It's really been helpful for us, because it helps us get a better gauge on what we have to do if something goes awry.
In some cases when a subcontractor shuts down, the primes can find an alternative supplier. But despite the huge size of the defense industrial base, Jette said, there are single points of failure where only one company that's been formally qualified to build a certain part or perform a certain industrial process. It takes time to get a back-up supplier up to speed – sometimes longer than the 16.8 days that, on average, it takes a quarantined facility to reopen.
That has resulted in delays, Jette acknowledges, but, so far, Army programs are finding ways to make up the time elsewhere in their schedules and still deliver new weapons to the troops on time – what's called First Unit Equipped, or FUE.
“Delivery schedules on some products have slipped a little bit right...but at this point, none of them has assuredly slipped the FUE,” Jette told me. “As of right now, the vast majority of challenges that we've had with COVID, we've been able to accommodate within the current contracts with minor changes.”
But the factories aren't the only part of the system that has to function. “The most significant thing isn't production,” Jette said. “It's trying to get all the testing done to make sure that all the systems work.”
While some testing takes place in labs, what's most complex is operational testing, which puts a new technology in the hands of soldiers in the field to see how it works in for a real unit, interacting with all the rest of that unit's gear, conducting a realistic mission in realistic conditions. That requires bringing together not only the soldiers but technical specialists from the manufacturers, Army program offices, and Army testing organizations across the country.
“Those are not simple to just change or move around, [and] that's part of what we've struggled with,” Jette said. “In some cases, we have suppliers who provide a capability and it's ready to be tested and we just don't have the facilities or the units available yet for full testing.”
Officials need adequate test data before they can approve a program to start production – what's known as a Milestone C decision. But, Jette said, if you have to delay that formal approval, you can compensate by getting ready to jump-start manufacturing as soon as you have the go-ahead. The contractor can even start production ahead of Milestone C at its own risk, if it's confident that testing will not find any significant problems.
At some point, it comes down to what kind of risk you're willing to take. If you rev up your manufacturing base before testing is complete, but then testing discovers a problem you have to fix, you may have to make expensive, time-consuming changes to your design, to your production process, or even to items already built. But if you wait for all the testing to get done, no matter how long it takes, you may not get the kit to troops on schedule.
Unprecedented Stresses
It's a difficult and stressful time; Jette can't recall anything like it in his 30 years in the defense sector.
“At least based on my experience which goes back to the early '90s,” he told me, “you may have had strains on a particular vendor, [but] this is fundamentally a nationwide challenge that covers all of our programs.”
“I can't think of any time where we had such a longstanding challenge to keeping programs fully operational,” he said.
“Probably the closest thing,” he said, is when Congress can't pass defense funding bills on time and passes a stopgap Continuing Resolution. A CR essentially puts spending on autopilot at last year's levels with no ability to start new programs, ramp up existing ones, or cancel failing ones. Like the pandemic, a CR can impact every function of the Defense Department, or even the entire federal government, for weeks or months on end.
But funding problems don't threaten the health and safety of every worker the way the pandemic does. “In this case, we have to consider the financial underpinnings, but we also have to consider the impact to the people themselves.”
“Our most valuable resources are people,” Jette said. “If I don't have good people, I'm not getting good work done. I want to make sure those people want to work here, and a big piece of that is giving them a safe and healthy environment.”
https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/contractors-recovering-from-covid-shutdowns-bruce-jette/
9 août 2023 | International, Terrestre
Dozens of second-hand Leopard 1 tanks that once belonged to Belgium have been bought by another European country for Ukrainian forces fighting Russia's invasion, the arms trader who did the deal said Tuesday.
6 octobre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense
ARMY Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (W9128Z-21-D-0001); General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (W9128Z-21-D-0020); and NCI Information Systems Inc., Reston, Virginia (W9128Z-21-D-0003), will compete for each order of the $800,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for engineering related activities in support U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 4, 2023. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded an $11,949,962 modification (P00118) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement (Army) funds; and 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Morocco) funds in the amount of $11,949,962 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY L3Harris Technologies Inc., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $193,599,342 firm-fixed-price contract for the Space Development Agency Tracking Layer Tranche 0, Wide Field of View program. The proposal was received and evaluated under request for proposal HQ0850-20-R-0003. The work to be performed under this contract will include on-time delivery of space vehicles and optical wide field of view payloads. Work will be performed in various locations in the continental U.S. (99.2%); and Canada (0.8%). Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds (defense-wide) will be obligated at the time of award. The Space Development Agency, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (HQ0850-21-C-0002). Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, is awarded a $149,175,246 firm-fixed-price contract for the Space Development Agency Tracking Layer Tranche 0, Wide Field of View program. The proposal was received and evaluated under request for proposal HQ0850-20-R-0003. The work to be performed under this contract will include on-time delivery of space vehicles and optical wide field of view payloads. Work will be performed in various locations in the continental U.S. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds (defense-wide) will be obligated at the time of award. The Space Development Agency, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (HQ0850-21-C-0001). NAVY Upcavage, Bauer and Crane Inc.,* Tampa, Florida, was awarded a $48,292,758 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the production, test and delivery of up to a maximum of 500 Steerable Antenna Systems (SAS) for electronic warfare/electronic attack pods AN/ALQ-167, AN/AST-9, AN/DLQ-9, and sub-scale targets BQM-34, BQM-74, BQM-167 and BQM-177 in support of U.S. weapon system testing supported by the Airborne Threat Simulation Organization. Additionally, this contract provides sustainment engineering to include teardown, evaluation and repair and modification services. Work will be performed in Tampa, Florida, and is expected to be completed in September 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-21-D-0001). Systems Application and Technologies Inc.,* Oxnard, California, was awarded a $26,540,541 modification (P00035) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract N68936-18-C-0046. This modification exercises options to provide operational and intermediate level maintenance for both aerial and seaborne assets. This includes air and sea vehicles and vessels used for manned and unmanned training and test events. Aerial assets include subsonic and supersonic aerial targets. Seaborne assets include a combination of target and training support vessels. Work will be performed in Port Hueneme, California (57%); Point Mugu, California (35%); Ridgecrest, California (2%); Las Cruces, New Mexico (2%); Kauai, Hawaii (1%); Salt Lake City, Utah (1%); Lompoc, California (1%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Working capital funds (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,155,000 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, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $12,078,333 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-11-C-2300 to exercise an option for post-delivery support for the Littoral Combat Ship USS Cooperstown (LCS 23). Work will be performed in Marinette, Wisconsin (57%); Hampton, Virginia (14%); Moorestown, New Jersey (11%); San Diego, California (11%); and Washington, D.C. (7%), and is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,200,000 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, D.C., is the contracting activity. Offshore Service Vessels LLC, Cut Off, Louisiana (N32205-19-C-3514), is awarded a $10,756,185 option under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to fund the first one-year option period. The option will continue to provide for the U.S. flag Jones Act, West Coast based service support vessel Motor Vessel Alyssa Chouest which will be utilized to launch and recover Navy submersibles, divers and small craft. The previously awarded contract includes a 12-month firm period of performance, three 12-month option periods, and one 11-month option period, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $54,238,356. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and at sea, and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by Sept. 6, 2024. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $10,756,185 will be obligated for fiscal 2021 and will expire at the end of fiscal 2021. The contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and six offers were received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-19-C-3514). TestVonics Inc.,* Peterborough, New Hampshire, is awarded a $10,139,475 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for air data calibrator systems to support the Naval Air Systems Command, Metrology and Calibration Program. The air data calibrator systems are used at intermediate level calibration laboratories afloat and ashore, as well as the depot level calibration laboratories to control and measure altitude and airspeed pressure in automated test applications. Work will be performed in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and is expected to be completed by October 2025. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $307,455 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1); only one source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Corona, California, is the contracting activity (N64267-21-D-0048). Huntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $9,485,744 not-to-exceed, fixed-price incentive modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-13-C-2307 for Engineering Change Proposal 51-2006, replacement of the distributed integrated power node centers with Mark C. Pope ADV 180 on Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyer DDG 121. This effort encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, peripheral impacts and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish Engineer Change Proposal 51-2006. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed April 2022. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding is being in the amount of $3,962,729 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10.U.S. Code 2304 (c) (3). The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. CH2M Hill Constructors Inc., Englewood, Colorado, was awarded an $8,247,534 firm-fixed-price task order modification (N69450-20-F-0078) under previously-awarded multiple-award construction contract N62470-19-D-8024 for Hurricane Sally recovery at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. This modification brings the total cumulative task order value to $14,247,534. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $7,998,716 (97%); and fiscal 2020 Defense Health Program funding in the amount of $248,818 (3%), was obligated at time of award and expired at the end of the fiscal 2020. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 30, 2020) Huntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded an $8,202,768 not-to-exceed, fixed-price incentive modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-13-C-2307 for Engineering Change Proposal 51-2006, replacement of the distributed integrated power node centers with Mark C. Pope ADV 180 on Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyer DDG 123. This effort encompasses all of the manpower, support services, material, peripheral impacts and associated technical data and documentation required to prepare for and accomplish Engineer Change Proposal 51-2006. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed April 2022. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,172,302 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10.U.S. Code 2304 (c) (3). The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND Amerijet International Inc., Miami, Florida, has been awarded task order HTC711-21-F-W003 under contract HTC711-19-D-W005 in the estimated amount of $13,419,759. The contract provides international, commercial, door-to-door, cargo transportation services. Multiple or single modes (e.g. airlift, sealift, linehaul) of transportation may be used in any combination to move cargo globally. The task order period of performance is from Oct. 7, 2020, to Nov. 1, 2020. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds were obligated at award. The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Air Transport International Inc., Wilmington, Ohio, has been awarded task order HTC711-21-F-W002 under contract HTC711-19-D-W002 in the estimated amount of $10,805,358. The contract provides international, commercial, door to door, cargo transportation services. Multiple or single modes (e.g. airlift, sealift, linehaul) of transportation may be used in any combination to move cargo globally. The task order period of performance is from Oct. 9, 2020, to Dec. 2, 2020. Fiscal 2021 transportation working capital funds were obligated at award. The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Cherokee Insights LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $10,012,035 firm-fixed-price contract for analytics evaluation supporting insight to readiness for the base and two options. The purpose of this contract is to provide analytic studies to assist senior leaders at the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency with strategic and operational decision making to ensure a medically-ready force. Work will be performed in Falls Church, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Oct. 4, 2023. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount $3,257,017 are being obligated at the time of award. The 773rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8052-21-C-0001). * Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2372482/source/GovDelivery/
18 mars 2024 | International, Aérospatial