3 août 2023 | International, Terrestre

Pakistani defense conglomerate unveils new drone, missiles at IDEF

Global Industrial and Defence Solutions showed off its Faaz-RF and Faaz-IIR medium-range, air-to-air missiles, as well as the Shahpar III combat UAV.

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2023/08/03/pakistani-defense-conglomerate-unveils-new-drone-missiles-at-idef/

Sur le même sujet

  • Airbus Corporate Jets wins first A321LR order for two aircraft

    14 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    Airbus Corporate Jets wins first A321LR order for two aircraft

    August 14, 2020 - Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) has won the first A321LR order for two aircraft from Lufthansa Technik, highlighting the market appeal and versatility of the A320neo Family. The aircraft will be multi-role capable and can be equipped for various types of missions, such as troop transport, different MedEvac role setups (medical evacuation) and will be operated by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Lufthansa Technik has now placed a total order of five Airbus aircraft on behalf of the German Government: three ACJ350-900s and two A321LRs. The A321LRs will be able to fly up to 163 passengers, up to 6 intensive care patients and up to 12 medium care patients, depending on the installed configuration, with a maximum range of 4,200nm/7,800km or 9.5 flight hours. “We are thrilled Lufthansa Technik has become the launch customer for the ACJ long-range version of the world's best-selling A321neo,” said Benoit Defforge, ACJ President. “The ACJ320 Family features the widest cabin of any single-aisle aircraft in the sky, providing the greatest passenger comfort and intercontinental range. Lufthansa Technik and the German Government have a long-standing relationship with Airbus and we are proud of this new milestone order with us.” The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family with over 7,400 orders by more than 110 customers. It delivers 30 per cent fuel savings and nearly 50 per cent reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000nm (7,400km), with 206 passengers, the A321LR is the unrivalled long-range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single-aisle aircraft cabin. Featuring the most spacious cabins of any business jet, while being similar in size to competing large-cabin aircraft, the ACJ320neo Family also delivers similar operating costs. The ACJ320neo Family can do this because its lower maintenance and training overheads – part of its airliner heritage – deliver a similar total cost when combined with fuel and navigation and landing charges. Some 12,000 Airbus aircraft are in service worldwide, supported by a globe-spanning network of spares and training centres, giving corporate jet customers unmatched support in the field. Airbus corporate jet customers also benefit from services tailored to their particular needs, such as the “one call handles all” corporate jet customer care centre (C4you), and customised maintenance programmes. Combined with the inherent reliability that comes from aircraft designed to fly many times a day, the ACJ320neo Family is both dependable and available when customers need it. Airbus corporate jets are part of the world's most modern aircraft family, which delivers, as standard, features which either cost more, or are unavailable, in competitors. These features include the protection and simplicity of fly-by-wire controls, the benefits of Category 3B autoland, and time and cost-saving centralised maintenance on all systems. Around 200 Airbus corporate jets are in service on every continent, including Antarctica, highlighting their versatility in challenging environments. #ACJ #A321LR @LHTechnik Your Contact Heiko Stolzke External Communications - Airbus Commercial Aircraft +49 151 4615 0714 Send an email Stefan Schaffrath Head of External Communications - Airbus Commercial Aircraft +33 6 16 09 55 92 Send an email View source version on Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2020/08/airbus-corporate-jets-wins-first-a321lr-order-for-two-aircraft.html

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 30, 2020

    31 juillet 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - July 30, 2020

    ARMY GlaxoSmithKline LLC, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, was awarded a $342,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure mass quantities of COVID-19 vaccines from multiple vendors to support military locations and personnel throughout the continental U.S. and outside the continental U.S. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $342,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-C-0048). Texas Workforce Commission, Austin, Texas, was awarded a $38,802,551 firm-fixed-price contract for full food services at Fort Bliss, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2026. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-D-0012). Nugate Group LLC,* San Jose, California, was awarded a $36,074,891 firm-fixed-price contract for custodial services at Fort Hood, including cleaning and trash removal. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $598,999 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91151-20-C-0013). Inland Dredging Co. LLC,* Dyersburg, Tennessee, was awarded a $24,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for rental of 24-inch cutterhead pipeline for dredging navigation projects in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W91278-20-D-0071). American Ordnance LLC, Middletown, Iowa, was awarded a $12,744,313 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to install package boilers at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Middletown, Iowa, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $12,744,313 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0005). Schroth Safety Products LLC,* Pompano Beach, Florida, was awarded a $9,847,500 firm-fixed-price contract for safety harnesses to secure Stryker vehicle occupants. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0086). JLC Trucking LLC,* Troy, Tennessee, was awarded an $8,353,878 firm-fixed-price contract to furnish all plant, labor and materials for levee gravel resurfacing and any incidental related work according to the specifications and plans along the St. Francis Levee. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Wynne, Arkansas, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance (Recovery Act) funds in the amount of $8,353,878 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912EQ-20-C-0010). TSAY/Ferguson-Williams LLC,* San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, was awarded a $7,294,065 cost-plus-award-fee contract for base operations and maintenance services at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Air Field. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,431,355 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Stewart, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W9124M-20-C-0003). NAVY Ultra Electronics Inc., Montreal, Canada, is awarded a $145,375,113 firm-fixed-price contract with options for the delivery of Amphibious Tactical Communications Systems (ATCS). This contract includes a base period of approximately three years and an option period of approximately seven years which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value to an estimated $145,375,113. Work will be performed in Montreal, Canada, at the contractor's facility. ATCS is a system that leverages the Ultra Orion X500 radio to provide line-of-sight shipboard systems in support of amphibious command, control, communications, computers and intelligence requirements. ATCS supports reliable, high-capacity terrestrial, ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore voice, data and video communications. Work is expected to be completed by July 2023. If all options are exercised, work may continue through July 2030. Spectrum relocation funds in the amount of $26,824,132 were allocated at time of award and will be placed on individual orders issued against this contract. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), with only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0056). L3 Technologies Inc., Camden, New Jersey, is awarded a $47,604,086 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only contract to design, develop, test, integrate and verify the Navy Wideband Anti-Jam Modem (WAM) and provide engineering support services (ESS). WAM is the Navy's next generation wideband satellite communications modem that will be integrated with the Navy multiband terminal on ships and submarines, as well as the modernization of enterprise terminal on shore for communications over the wideband global satellite communications constellation. This contract includes options for the production of WAM and additional ESS, which if exercised will bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $83,073,894. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (55%); Camden, New Jersey (23%); Tempe, Arizona (14%); Hanover, Maryland (4%); San Diego, California (2%); Bonita Springs, Florida (1%); and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania (1%). If all options are exercised, work may continue through August 2027. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,470,202 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) e-Commerce and Federal Business Opportunities websites and three offers were received. NAVWAR, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-20-D-0065). General Atomics, San Diego, California, is awarded a $32,320,871 cost-plus-incentive-fee, indefinite-delivery/definite-quantity contract for submarine demonstration hardware. This contract is for a five-year ordering period and does not include options. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. The contract will provide for the manufacturing design drawings, engineering, fabrication, inspection and assembly of prototype submarine components, as well as the equipment required to support proposed research and development, testing and evaluation. The first task order is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $252,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Contracting Opportunities website, and four offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, West Bethesda, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00167-20-D-0013). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $24,348,775 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6327 to exercise an option for support equipment and operational level and depot level spares for Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Increment One Block One Systems. This contract option combines purchases for the Navy (12%); and the government of Australia (88%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in San Diego, California. Work is expected to be complete by June 2022. FMS and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $3,202,597 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. Heffler Contracting Group,* El Cajon, California, is awarded $24,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for new electrical work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various locations within the Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Base San Diego, and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. The work to be performed provides for the minimal design, installation, supervision, equipment, material, labor and all means necessary for new work, additions, alterations, maintenance and repairs of electrical systems at various government installations. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); O&M, N; and O&M (Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov contract opportunities website and eight proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-1109). Q.E.D. Systems Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded an $18,105,774 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract action in support of engineering services and technical services. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the world as assigned by each task order. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) engineering, technical, production and subsequent logistic support services (including personnel and facilities) required establishment and maintenance of rotatable pools of steam propulsion plant main steam and auxiliary steam system components and steam boiler appurtenances and associated equipment and spares required by NSWCPD Code 412. Work is expected to be complete by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award on the initial task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the contracts opportunities website at beta.SAM.gov and one offer was received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4025). J&J Maintenance Inc., doing business as J&J Worldwide Services, Austin, Texas, is awarded a $17,152,516 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services (BOS) at Naval Station Rota, Spain. The maximum dollar value including the base period and nine option periods is $156,375,286. Work will be performed in Rota, Spain. BOS services to be performed include, general information; management and administration; aviation fuel support; housing (family housing and unaccompanied housing); facilities support (facility management, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management and grounds maintenance and landscaping); transportation; and environmental. Work is expected to be completed by June 2029. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,430,309 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website and seven proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-20-D-0012). Catalyst Engineering Inc.,* Foothill Ranch, California, is awarded a $15,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for fencing construction projects at various government installations within the metro San Diego, California area. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at the Naval Bases San Diego, Coronado and Point Loma; and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The work to be performed provides for the design, construction, supervision, equipment, material, labor and all means necessary for fencing construction, repairs, renovations and new construction projects. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $2,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); O&M, N; and O&M (Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov contract opportunities website and five proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-20-D-1118). Bilbro Construction Co. Inc.,* Escondido, California, is awarded a $10,580,888 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-5112) under a multiple award construction contract for the repair of a firefighting operations facility at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California. The task order also contains two planned modifications, which if issued, will increase the cumulative task order value to $10,624,688. Work will be performed in Barstow, California. The work to be performed provides for the renovation of the existing facility (Building 322) to accommodate firefighting operations. It will be renovated into a fire station to house a consolidated headquarters and satellite fire station with the emergency vehicle fleet and equipment for the Nebo Annex. The renovated facility will create administrative spaces, meeting spaces, equipment storage, vehicle maintenance bay spaces and bunkrooms for firefighting personnel. The work will include seismic retrofit upgrades in preparation for natural disaster operations. The planned modifications, if issued, provide for furniture, fixtures and audiovisual equipment. Work is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $10,580,888 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-17-D-4630). Schuyler Line Navigation Co. (SLNC), Annapolis, Maryland, is awarded $10,420,750 for a firm-fixed-price contract. The option is with reimbursable elements to support Military Sealift Command's sealift program for employment in worldwide trade for the transportation and/or prepositioning of cargo by the shallow draft tanker MT SLNC Pax. This is Option One of the current contract. The current contract includes a one-year firm period of the performance, three one-year options periods and one 11-month option period. The cumulative value of this contract, if all options are exercised, is $51,436,350. Work will be performed in the Western Pacific Ocean (intentions of Japan or Republic of Korea), and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by June 2024. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $10,420,750 for Option One are obligated for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 and are currently available for performance under this contract action. This contract was a small business set-aside with more than 50 companies solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and three offers were received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-19-C-3504). Advanced Acoustic Concepts LLC, Hauppauge, New York, is awarded a $9,599,727 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract procures updates to the common acoustic simulation environment fidelity implementation software and associated hardware for airborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training systems under Small Business Innovation Research Topic N03-074 titled, “Development of a Supportability Performance Assessment System for Training Systems.” Work will be performed in Hauppauge, New York (82%); and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (18%). These updates will correct known deficiencies, provide capability upgrades and resolve obsolescence issues for installation and integration into ASW training systems for the Navy's P-8A Poseidon weapons and tactics trainers, part task trainers and tactical operational flight trainers. These improvements will narrow the gap between the physics-based ocean environmental simulation and those seen during real world at-sea operations enabling a marked improvement in trainer fidelity and training effectiveness. Work is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,103,485; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,496,242 will be obligated at time of award, $8,103,485 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-20-C-0028). Public Works Contractor Inc., doing business as PWC Inc.,* Spring Valley, California, is awarded a $9,586,249 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-5110) under a multiple award construction contract for the repair of boiler buildings 1577E1, 1577E2 and 1577E3 at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. Work will be performed at Twentynine Palms, California. The work to be performed provides for essential repairs to three natural gas/diesel fuel-fired water tube boilers, which provide hot water to the heating and cooling, domestic hot water and steam utilization systems of approximately 170 facilities. This project will include hydro testing, boiler inspections, emissions testing and provisions for the cyber security of facility-related control systems. Work is expected to be completed by November 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) contract funds in the amount of $9,586,249 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-19-D-2418). Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, is awarded a $9,209,590 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N64267-20-C-0058 for operations, maintenance, engineering and management services in support of combined tactical training range systems and equipment. Work will be performed in Fallen, Nevada (30%); Havelock, North Carolina (15%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (14%); Yuma, Arizona (14%); Altoona, Florida (5%), Beaufort, South Carolina (4%); Key West, Florida (4%); Manns Harbor, North Carolina (3%); Jacksonville, Florida (3%); Whidbey Island, Washington (3%); El Centro, California (2%); Miramar, California (2%); and Lemoore, California (1%). Work is expected to be completed by August 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $5,818,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, Norco, California, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE AC Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a $27,403,200 firm-fixed-price contract for Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) shipping containers. This contract provides for manufacture and delivery of SOPGM containers to various locations for various munitions. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed July 30, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 procurement research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,265,600 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8656-20-D-0023). Becton, Dickinson and Co., Sparks, Maryland, has been awarded a $24,281,829 contract for Veritor point-of-care COVID-19 test kit production expansion initiative to establish additional domestic manufacturing capabilities. Work will be performed in Sparks, Maryland, and is expected to be completed Feb. 28, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8656-20-C-0025). Applied Research Associates, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been awarded a $17,600,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Lethality, Vulnerability and Survivability (LVS) 2020 effort. This contract provides for research and development for new LVS models and methodologies, thus allowing analysts to assess concept weapons against existing and developing targets. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed July 30, 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $100,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8651-20-D-0041). Lockheed Martin Corp., Sunnyvale, California, has been awarded an $8,093,513 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00095) to contract FA8808-12-C-0010 for the delivery of two Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) space vehicles. The contract modification is to modify the On-Orbit Test Process of Space Vehicle 6 under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 Space procurement funds in the amount of $8,093,513 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $2,074,959,632. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Fresenius Kabi USA LLC, Lake Zurich, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $39,209,282 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for numerous pharmaceutical products. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year base contract with nine one-year option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a July 29, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 Warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D0-20-D-0009). US Foods Inc., Livermore, California, has been awarded a maximum $33,298,080 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food distribution. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period and one two-year option period. Location of performance is California, with a July 23, 2022, ordering period end date. Using customers are Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-20-D-3276). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2294813/source/GovDelivery/

  • Defense industry fighting DoD proposal to change performance payments

    25 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Defense industry fighting DoD proposal to change performance payments

    By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON — The Pentagon's proposed plan to lower the rate of progress and performance payments some companies receive on defense contracts is sending shockwaves through the industry and invited a backlash from three large trade associations. To incentivize defense firms to work more quickly and more efficiently for the taxpayer, Pentagon leaders want to create a tiered system that recognizes high performing companies with higher performance-based payments. Contractors, however, are balking at the Pentagon's efforts to make them more accountable. While obscure to the general public, the proposed rule changes have rattled government contractors, which argue they would choke off funding for innovation, shackle them with more bureaucracy, increase the cost of military equipment— and hurt profits. The baseline performance- and progress-based payment rate for larger companies would be reset from 80 percent to 50 percent, with incremental increases or decreases based on new criteria proposed by DoD. If a contractor, for instance, delivers end items on time, hits milestone schedules, or avoids serious corrective action requests, it would win 10 percent bumps for each. (Small businesses would have their own schedule of incentives.) The National Defense Industrial Association is calling on DoD to rescind the regulation and collaborate with industry to create a different rule. One objection it has is the proposed rule would determine payment rates based on companies' overall performance, as opposed to contract by contract. “The marching orders from Congress is we have to be faster, more innovative, to do better for the warfighter,” said NDIA Senior Vice President for Policy Wesley Hallman. But, under the proposed rule, a company that wants to take on a high-risk project that fails, “will later be judged on that thing the following December. They're incentivized to take a low-risk approach.” Though Section 831 of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act encourages DoD to use performance payments, NDIA argues the rule violate's the law's intent and that lessening companies' cash flow would slow payments to subcontractors and sap funding for independent research and development. “We're doing our best to let them know how this will hurt industry,” said NDIA Director of Regulatory Policy Corbin Evans. The trade group's comments were submitted at a public meeting Sept. 14 to consider changes the Pentagon proposed in August to federal acquisitions rules, the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement. The Defense Department is holding another public meeting, Oct. 10, before the public comment period ends on Oct. 23. Both the Professional Services Council and the Aerospace Industries Association, which more than 300 companies in the aerospace and defense industry, also offered presentations in opposition. The move toward better stewardship of taxpayer dollars comes amid record Pentagon budget growth and amid a reorganization of the Pentagon's acquisition, technology and logistics office, now due to finish in a few months. The move falls in line with Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord's efforts to halve the timeline of major defense acquisition programs, which are notoriously slow. “I believe the lifeblood of most industry is cash flow, so what we will do is regulate the percentage of payments or the amount of profit that can be achieved through what type of performance they demonstrate by the numbers,” Lord said in a Defense News interview last week. Hence, “we're going to begin to reward companies through profit or through progress or performance payments, as a function of how they manage all of that, as well as quality and delivery and a variety of other things,” Lord said. Though it's unclear whether DoD will formally move ahead with the rule by a Dec. 1 deadline, investors have already responded negatively to a reports on the changes, according to aerospace and defense sector analysts at Cowen and Company. “It will be a scramble for companies and DoD to compile the necessary data to evaluate the rate request. Under the current draft rule, DoD would need to evaluate the rate request in just one month for all its suppliers,” Roman Schweizer, of Cowen and Company, said in a note to investors Friday. “We suspect that will be very hard the first time and suggests this year may be too hard.” Still, Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr downplayed the near-term effects, especially beyond the major primes. He speculated the proposed rule change will have negligible impact on contractor results in 2019 since it doesn't apply to any current contracts; it's very unlikely to go into effect before 2020, if ever; it will not apply to time and materials and fixed-price commercial terms contracts, and because it will only apply to some cost-plus contracts. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2018/09/24/defense-industry-fighting-dod-proposal-to-change-performance-payments

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