18 mars 2020 | International, Naval

With coronavirus on the loose, US shipyards make adjustments but keep building

By: David B. Larter and Courtney Mabeus

WASHINGTON — U.S. shipyards are adjusting to meet the new coronavirus threat, but work continues across the country.

In the wake of news that Fincantieri's shipyards in Italy has suspended operations for two weeks to help stem the spread of the illness, US shipyards have responded with more modest changes: suspending international travel, limiting domestic travel and suspending participation in conferences and trade shows for shipyard employees.

Yards are also changing leave policies to allow workers time to adjust to restrictions that have closed schools and businesses across the country.

While to date the changes have been minor, several company officials told Defense News that the situation was evolving and more could be coming down the pike as the government responds to the unfolding crisis that has rocked the country over the past week.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' president and CEO Mike Petters addressed employees in a video message posted to the company's website Monday. Peters said he is meeting regularly with division leadership and the company has posted links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he urged employees to check for the most accurate information.

Employees who are experiencing symptoms or believe they may have been exposed should let the company know, he said.

“Now more than ever we need to work as a team and look out for each other,” Petters said.

Also on Monday, HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division president Jennifer Boykin extended "liberal leave" policies through second shift on March 20. In a post on the company's website, Boykin added that work would be "minimized" during the weekend and that with some exceptions, parking lots at the yard – the nation's only aircraft carrier manufacturer – would be open through Friday with no reserved spaces.

Newport News Shipbuilding spokesperson Duane Bourne said the health and safety of workers remained the primary focus, calling it "premature to speculate on the impact of COVID-19 on our contracts."

"We are having ongoing discussions with our customers and will continue that dialogue in preparing contingencies and future plans," Bourne wrote in an email.

Fincantieri's Marinette shipyard in Wisconsin has suspended all international travel, all noncritical domestic travel and has suspended intracompany travel to prevent any potential spread between shipyards, said Eric Dent, the company's spokesperson.

However, to date the company has seen no delays in operations.

“So far, we have experienced no production delays,” Dent said. “Obviously like other businesses and shipyards, we have to balance force health protection and production as we work through this.”

At General Dynamics' shipyards, both Bath Iron Works and submarine builder Electric Boat are continuing work, though they – like all the other yards – are allowing anyone who can work from home to do so, said Jeff Davis, a GD spokesperson.

GD has likewise curtailed travel and ceased company participation in trade shows, Davis said.

Electric Boat spokesperson, Liz Power, said the submarine builder is following all government recommendations.

“Electric Boat remains open for business,” Power said. "Our ongoing mission is to provide our Navy with the high-quality submarines they require to complete their missions.

“We have initiated all government-recommended measures to mitigate spread of the disease and continue to work closely with our employees, customers, suppliers, stakeholders and our community to keep them informed.”

The ship repair industry is also taking precautions.

Colonna's Shipyard Vice President Bob Boyd said the company is also asking its estimated 700 employees to follow the CDC's guidelines and advising anyone who feels sick to stay home. The company is doing additional screening with non-employees at its entrance, asking about recent travel and contacts, and talking with subcontractors about policies, Boyd said. With schools closed throughout Virginia, Colonna's "just taking it day-by-day."

Dock landing ship Gunston Hall left Colonna's Shipyard in Norfolk last week and the company is currently working on Coast Guard vessel as well as Military Sealift Command's expeditionary fast transport ship Burlington, Boyd said. He said he couldn't speculate on what an order to stop work to counter the spread of the virus could mean for federal contracts.

“Obviously, if they're shut down or we're ordered not to perform work, then you know, we'll follow those orders and resume work once we're cleared, but you know, it hasn't happened,” Boyd said. "We can't speculate that it will. So, we don't really know what will happen if and when those types of decisions are made, but so far they have not. "

https://www.defensenews.com/coronavirus/2020/03/16/with-coronavirus-on-the-loose-us-shipyards-make-adjustments-but-keep-building/

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  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 14, 2019

    15 septembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - September 14, 2019

    DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY JL Kaya,* Miami, Florida (SPE1C1-20-D-1317, $323,030,400); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1346, $209,200,000); Coulmed Products Group,*** Springfield Township, New Jersey (SPE1C1-20-D-1320, $152,671,212); Maddox Defense,** San Diego, California (SPE1C1-20-D-1318, $88,595,200); Health Supply US,*** North Hollywood, California (SPE1C1-20-D-1332, $68,205,564); Health Supply US,*** North Hollywood, California (SPE1C1-20-D-1336, $65,411,316); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1340, $39,580,013); The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan (SPE1C1-20-D-1333, $31,359,600); Health Supply US,*** North Hollywood, California (SPE1C1-20-D-1323, $28,132,080); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1345, $28,048,235); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1344, $25,416,963); The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan (SPE1C1-20-D-1337, $23,294,900); Marena Group,** Lawrenceville, Georgia (SPE1C1-20-D-1321, $22,529,664); Wise Manufacturing,*** Old Hickory, Tennessee (SPE1C1-20-D-1339, $20,216,250); The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan (SPE1C1-20-D-1338, $11,730,000); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1342, $11,726,208); Unifire,** Spokane, Washington (SPE1C1-20-D-1341, $10,348,416); and Health Supply US,*** North Hollywood, California (SPE1C1-20-D-1326, $8,411,508), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE1C1-20-R-0138 for disposable isolation gowns. These were competitive acquisitions with 129 offers received. These are one-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Florida, California, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Massachusetts and Texas, with a Sept. 30, 2021, ordering period end date. Using customer is Health and Human Services. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 Defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ARMY Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $103,577,044 firm-fixed-price contract to acquire avionics support services and incidental materials for the UH-60M Black Hawk multifunction display avionics suite for UH-60M mission design series and variant helicopters. 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 Sept. 15, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-F-0535). Science and Engineering Services LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $22,177,444 hybrid (cost-no-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract for the procurement of Afghanistan contractor logistics support services for the Afghanistan National Security Forces. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Khandahar, Kabul, Shorab and Mezar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan; and Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) funds in the amount of $22,177,444 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-20-C-0032). World Wide Technology, St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded an $11,710,362 firm-fixed-price contract for laptops, desktops, Cisco Voice over Internet Protocol phones, switches, software licenses and similar items. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 18, 2021. U.S. Army 408th Contracting Support Brigade, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-16-D-0016). (Awarded Sept. 11, 2020) The American Council on Teaching, White Plains, New York, was awarded a $10,825,025 modification (P00005) to contract W9124N-16-D-0001 for oral proficiency interviews for the Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 16, 2021. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. IQVIA Government Solutions Inc., Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $7,759,363 fixed-price-incentive contract to provide commercial off-the-shelf software components and related support services for a bi-directional, secure mobile health communication system in support of the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2025. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W81XWH-20-D-0063). NAVY Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded an $82,164,896 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides research and development support services for the Operational Readiness Directorate at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California. Work will be performed primarily in San Diego, California (80%), but may include additional work locations in Bridgeport, California (1%); Camp Pendleton, California (1%); La Posta, California (1%); Twenty-nine Palms, California (1%); Groton, Connecticut (1%); Washington, D.C. (1%); Orlando, Florida (1%); St. Petersburg, Florida (1%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (1%); Baltimore, Maryland (1%); Bethesda, Maryland (1%); Boston, Massachusetts (1%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1%); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (1%); Fort Bragg, North Carolina (1%); Arlington, Virginia (1%); Norfolk, Virginia (1%); Quantico, Virginia (1%); Fort Lewis, Washington (1%); and Keyport, Washington (1%). No funds will be obligated at the time of award and work is expected to be completed by September 2026. The initial task order for $4,968,119 for the base period of performance will be awarded with fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program (DHP) funding of $444,310, which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year; fiscal 2020 Navy research, development, testing and evaluation of $851,955 which will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year; and fiscal 2020 one-year DHP operations and maintenance funding of $2,137,975 which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The balance of the task orders will be incrementally funded and the total aggregate value of the initial task order for the base period and one option year, if exercised, is $10,002,412. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, with four proposals received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-20-D-5020). (Awarded Sept. 10, 2020) Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, is awarded a $43,414,416 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operations support services at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years is $196,130,562. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services to include family housing, facility management, facility investment, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, other (swimming pools), grounds maintenance and landscaping, utilities management, electrical, wastewater, water and base support vehicles and equipment. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); fiscal 2021 Defense Health Program; fiscal 2021 O&M (Army); and fiscal 2021 O&M (Defense agencies) contract funds in the amount of $35,022,444 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with two proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N69450-20-D-0071). Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $20,480,000 undefinitized contract modification (P00062) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-16-C-000) for additional labor in support of depot maintenance activities associated with the completion of the government of Australia's first Joint Strike Fighter aircraft induction. Work will be performed in Williamtown, Australia (95%); and Fort Worth, Texas (5%), and is expected to be completed in July 2021. Non-Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $10,240,000 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. Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded an $18,412,543 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order through One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS). This contract provides research and development support services for the Behavioral Epidemiology Assessment Research at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by September 2025. The task order is initially being awarded with fiscal 2019 Defense Health Program (DHP) Navy research, development, testing and evaluation funding in the amount of $213,632 with fiscal 2019 enhanced DHP funding of $70,066; and fiscal 2020 DHP operations and maintenance funding of $5,000, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The balance of the task order will be incrementally funded through the base period and four option years and have a total value of $18,412,543, if all option periods are exercised. This contract was competitively procured via General Services Administration OASIS Pool 4 and only one proposal was received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-20-F-0286). (Awarded Sept. 11, 2020) Aptim Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded an $18,163,824 firm-fixed-price task order (N62478-20-F-4295) under a multiple award construction contract for repair to military petroleum storage tank Red Hill Tank 14. The work to be performed provides for the additional repairs on Red Hill Tank 14 as identified by the contractor's comprehensive out-of-service internal integrity inspection and suitability for service evaluation inspection report. Work will be performed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by June 2023. Fiscal 2016 working capital (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $18,163,824 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Hawaii Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N39430-20-D-2225). Bell Boeing Joint Program Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $16,401,341 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification (P00008) against previously issued order N00019-18-F-1645 under basic ordering agreement N00019-17-G-0002. This modification procures 24 additional MV-22 integrated aircraft survivability equipment A-Kits. Additionally, this modification provides additional non-recurring engineering support to integrate the control indicator unit replacement into the existing Department of Navy large aircraft infrared countermeasures system for integrated aircraft survivability equipment and the MV-22 Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system processor replacement retrofit installation package. Work will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (85%); and Mesa, Arizona (15%), and is expected to be completed by April 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,401,341 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. Vigor Marine LLC, Portland, Oregon, is awarded a $12,243,575 firm-fixed-price contract for a 45-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul and dry-docking of USNS Richard Byrd (T-AKE 4). Work will be performed in Portland, Oregon, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 9, 2020. The maximum dollar value, including base period and four option years is $12,243,575. Fiscal 2021 working capital funds in the amount of $11,863,708 are being obligated at the time of the award, none of which will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with one company soliciting via the Federal Business Opportunities website and two offers received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-4086). Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, is awarded a $10,621,061 modification (P00044) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N68335-17-C-0253 to provide retrofit kits for the production and delivery of 137 low rate initial production electronic Consolidated Automated Support Systems (eCASS) to the upgraded full rate production eCASS station baseline; 137 J18/J19 general purpose interface upgrade kits; and six fire wire/fiber channel ancillary kits. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,583,663; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,185,267; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,852,131 will be obligated at time of award, $2,583,663 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Gomez Research Associates Inc.,** Huntsville, Alabama, is awarded a $10,000,000 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00174-19-C-0021 to exercise Option Year One for continued support for counter improvised explosive devices and unmanned aerial system technology. This option exercise will enable the government to use and build upon the Small Business Innovation Research Phase I and Phase II efforts awarded to Gomez Research Associates under Topic A13-058 by expanding on Gomez Research Associates' current research into buried improvised explosive devices/unmanned aerial system detection to determine how it can be made practical for use with present counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) systems. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (60%); Kiev, Ukraine (5%); Belgrade, Serbia (15%); and Sofia, Bulgaria (20%), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) in the amount of $10,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis in September 2019 in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-5: Authorized or Required by Statute – 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c) (5). 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Fiscal 2018 (37%), 2019 (1%), and 2020 (3%) shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) (37%); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) (22%) funding in the amount of $7,226,209 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. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $7,180,134 firm-fixed-price modification to exercise options under contract N00024-20-C-5400 for fiscal 2020 German Navy procurements of Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2/2A components. The RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produced under an International Cooperative Program between the government of the U.S. and the government of the Federal Republic of Germany. 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The LUMOS program will enable efficient on-chip optical gain to highly capable integrated photonics platforms and enable complete photonics functionality on a single substrate for disruptive optical microsystems. Work will be performed in Albany, New York (48%); Santa Barbara, California (21%); Boston, Massachusetts (26%); and Greensboro, North Carolina (5%), with an expected complete date of September 2024. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $3,756,278 is being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement and 29 offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0142). 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  • BAE Systems to Develop Attritable Air Vehicle Systems Under USAF Skyborg Program

    27 octobre 2020 | International, C4ISR

    BAE Systems to Develop Attritable Air Vehicle Systems Under USAF Skyborg Program

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  • Pentagon struggles to add cybersecurity to weapon contracts, watchdog finds

    5 mars 2021 | International, C4ISR, Sécurité

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