10 septembre 2018 | International, C4ISR
By: Mark Pomerleau
U.S. Cyber Command is still in the beginning stages of building out an acquisition capability.
Eight years after its launch and about two years after being granted limited acquisition authority from Congress, the command is still working to demonstrate that its wares and abilities make good use of funds and that it is capable of managing contracts, its acquisition executive said.
“I will say we are in our infancy from an acquisition perspective. We are putting the foundation of the personnel and the skills,” Stephen Schanberger said Sept. 6 at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit. “We're in the beginning stages right now.”
In the fiscal 2016 defense authorization bill, Congress gave Cyber Command limited acquisition authority capped at $75 million with a sunsetting in 2021. Congressional aides have equated this authority to that of Special Operations Command, noting that they wanted to employ a crawl, walk, run mentality to make sure Cyber Command can execute it.
Schanberger said the command is asking for more on both fronts, with a ceiling of $250 million and a sunset of 2025 — the timeline being the most important element as it makes it easier to work with vendors who know contracts might not be in doubt three years from now.
For Congress's part, Schanberger said they want the command to show it can use the authority in the way it's supposed to and start to stand up the backbone of a contracting organization. This includes being able to put together solicitation packages, plan contracting strategy for years ahead and be able to effectively implement and put out proposals and award them without making a mess, he said.
Schanberger said the command currently has one contracting officer and one specialist and a couple of contractors aside from himself in the contracting shop, though he expects those numbers to double in the next three months.
Cyber Command issued its first contract under this limited authority in October 2017.
Schanberger said the command awarded only one contract in fiscal 2017, due in part to the fact they lacked a contract writing system, which is now in place. In fiscal 2018, the command is on track to award roughly $40 million in contracts and in fiscal 2019 is on a path to get close to its cap, Schanberger said.
Congress has also asked what the delineation lines are between the acquisition efforts of Cyber Command and those of the services, Schanberger said.
“Right now what we really look at are what are the gaps between us and our service partners and how do we help fill those gaps,” he said.
“Typically, there are a couple of programs where we did the prototyping efforts and we transitioned that to the services. That's where we see our most value ... things that can benefit all our service cyber components.”
Some within Congress have expressed that Cyber Command has approached acquisition cautiously and are concerned the services aren't budgeting and providing the tools and capabilities that the cyber mission force needs.
Schanberger said he thinks that command has demonstrated that it can issue contracts effectively, efficiently and quickly. However, he noted, he still does not think the command has the wherewithal internally to run something as big as the Unified Platform, one of DoD's most critical cyber programs, from a resource perspective.
26 février 2024 | International, Terrestre
Rheinmetall has found its first customer for a new version of the company's Skyranger 30 air-defense system, a sale that executives hope will spur others.
9 décembre 2023 | International, Terrestre
The company has delivered more than 15,000 SBNVG systems to the USMC since 2019.
11 février 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité
ARMY Covalus LLC,* Dallas, Texas (W912DY-21-D-0006); Holitna Construction LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (W912DY-21-D-0007); Martek Global Solutions LLC,* Bethesda, Maryland (W912DY-21-D-0008); and Workplace Solutions Inc.,* Jacksonville, Florida (W912DY-21-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $495,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support military healthcare construction/renewal projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with 19 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 3, 2026. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded an $18,337,000 modification (P00021) to contract W52P1J-18-C-0025 to provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items and non-personal services necessary for food services at the Area Support Group-Kuwait dining facility. Work will be performed in Kuwait City, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 10, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $18,337,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Garland, Texas, was awarded a $12,722,355 modification (P00004) to contract W52P1J-18-C-0052 for MK82-1, MK82-6, MK82-8, MK83-4, MK84-6 and BDU-56/B bomb bodies. Work will be performed in Garland, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $12,722,355 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Chromalloy Component Services, San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a $74,632,104 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the remanufacture of the F108 Module 14 low pressure turbine assembly. This contract provides for the remanufacturing of the F108-200 (CFM56-2A) low pressure turbine assembly (Module 14) to like-new condition. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed Feb. 8, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Defense agencies working capital funds will be used, but no funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8122-21-D-0002). CORRECTION: The $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract awarded on Feb. 4, 2021, to Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia (FA7037-21-D-0001), is for Full Spectrum Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operational numbered Air Forces Support; not Full Spectrum Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operational non-appropriated funds Support. NAVY Gichner Systems Group Inc., Dallastown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $57,319,314 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures up to a maximum quantity of 732 mobile facility shelters used for human habitation as well as permanent equipment storage or operation to support the testing, repairing, and operation of various avionics and non-avionics gear for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army. Work will be performed in Dallastown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed in February 2026. 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 and two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-21-D-0214). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $26,825,606 modification (P00010) to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-20-C-0037. This modification exercises an option to provide continued support for training system product development, integration and test for current, fielded and planned hardware baselines in support of the F-35 training systems labs for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (98%); and Fort Worth, Texas (2%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,000,000; fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,000,000; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $881,107, 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. General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, is awarded a $21,095,294 firm-fixed-price modification (P00016) to previously awarded contract N00019-18-C-1007. This modification procures 4 T408-GE-400 turboshaft spare engines and various spare engine parts in support of CH-53K Lot 5 low rate initial production aircraft. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in December 2024. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $20,390,291; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $705,003 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. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY KBR Services LLC, Houston, Texas, has been awarded an estimated $38,110,000 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for automated fuel handling equipment maintenance. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. The estimated dollar amount is for the life of the contract and the maximum dollar amount is $49,500,000. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Greenland, Japan and Spain, with a March 12, 2022, base ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Contracting Services Office, Columbus, Ohio (SP4702-21-D-0001). Abbott Rapid DX North America LLC, Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $48,750,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for laboratory supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 32 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Feb. 8, 2026, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-21-D-0017). Metro Medical Equipment and Supply, Saint Ann, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $42,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 140 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Feb. 8, 2026, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-21-D-0058). Base Utilities Inc.,* Grand Forks and Cavalier, North Dakota, has been awarded a maximum $16,285,037 modification (P00012) to a 50-year utilities privatization contract (SP0600-18-C-8322) with no option periods for additional utility services for two water and two wastewater systems at Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Air Force Station. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is North Dakota, with a Jan. 31, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2069 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Perspecta Enterprise Solutions LLC, Chantilly, Virginia (HC1084-21-D-0002), has been awarded a competitive single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for Global Content Delivery Services II for the Defense Information Systems Agency Operations Center. The contract ceiling is approximately $201,543,314, and the minimum guarantee is $10,000. The place of performance will be at government data centers or future government centers within the continental U.S.; data centers outside the continental U.S.; and other government-approved locations worldwide, in which the government may acquire an operational responsibility. Solicitation HC1084-20-R-0005 was posted on the beta.SAM.gov website as a competitive acquisition and four proposals were received. The period of performance consists of a three-year base period and three one-year option periods, for a total contract life cycle of six years. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2498742/source/GovDelivery/