Nouvelles

Mark Pomerleau The Army is awarding delivery orders to three vendors to support equipment for three Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced (ESB-E) units. Specifically, the awards will support fielding of satellite baseband equipment, said Paul Mehney, director of public communications at Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical. Expeditionary signal battalions support units that don't have organic communications capabilities. These groups could include military intelligence battalions, chemical battalions, engineering battalions or air defense artillery branches. The ESB-E aims to be more mobile and require less equipment in order to drop in, support units and move more quickly on the battlefield. Overall, the vendors will be responsible for providing 48 baseband sets of equipment for each ESB-E formation. “Due to aggressive initial fielding timelines, after the first six ESB-E formations are fielded, the program office intends to open baseband capability competition for future ESB-E needs,” Mehney said. PacStar was recently awarded a contract to support the ESB-E program to provide its 400-Series modular platform to enhance tactical expeditionary communications, the company said in a July 7 release. The 400-Series is lightweight allowing these smaller and expeditionary units to maneuver more quickly. It includes 128 GB RAM, virtual routing and the PacStar 463 Radio Gateway. “Network modernization to meet warfighter needs and defense priorities is a core focus for the Army and across the DoD, and we are proud to support these efforts with PacStar 400-Series for ESB-E,” Peggy J. Miller, chief executive of PacStar, said in a statement. “With these solutions, ESB-E [Scalable Network Node] will get the smallest, lightest, modular tactical communications platform in the industry, which is part of our larger initiative to enable increased reliability and innovation for warfighters.” The other vendors include Klas and DTECH, with all three supporting one ESB-E. An additional delivery order for each vendor to a second ESB-E will be issued, meaning in the near future, each vendor will support two units a piece. After that, the Army will open up the contracts to competition. This approach follows how the Army has been experimenting to date by providing similar, yet comparable equipment to several ESB-E's. These companies have provided separate equipment to three units allowing the Army to gain useful feedback from units to see what they liked and disliked about the gear. This has allowed the Army to execute rapid prototyping and experimentation on a tighter timeline for making fielding decisions while providing equipment to soldiers in the interim. The first two ESB-Es fielded include the 57th ESB-E at Fort Hood and the 50th ESB-E at Fort Bragg. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2020/07/08/army-to-award-new-contracts-to-support-mobile-comms-units/

NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $56,100,000 not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract modification (P00018) to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-19-C-0010. This modification provides systems integration engineering support and procures long lead material to ensure the ASQ-239 electronic warfare/countermeasures production capability remains on track to meet Lot 17 deliveries. This modification provides for the continuation of Block 4 electronic warfare development without creating a gap in engineering resources in support of the Navy, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (85%); and Fort Worth, Texas (15%), and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,986,000; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $6,986,000; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $3,026,680, 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. Liberty JV,* Yuma, Arizona, is awarded a $40,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for environmental restoration projects at various locations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest area of responsibility (AOR). No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various government installations within the NAVFAC AOR including, but not limited to, Washington (75%); Alaska (22%); Idaho (1%); Montana (1%); and Oregon (1%). The work to be performed provides for environmental restoration services under the Defense Department's Environmental Restoration Program, which includes the Installation Restoration Program and Munitions Response Program, complies with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, and supports the Navy and Marine Corps base realignment and closure effort and similarly complex local and state environmental investigations. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $1,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by environmental restoration (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and four proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-20-D-5006). Jacobs-EwingCole JV, Pasadena, California, is awarded a $29,944,543 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-4714) under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for post-award design services (PADS) and post-construction award services (PCAS) to support multiple construction projects related to the fiscal 2020 and 2021 military construction (MILCON) earthquake recovery and repair program at Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS), China Lake, California. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised, will increase cumulative task order value to $36,456,778. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California. The work to be performed provides for PADS and PCAS for various fiscal 2020 and 2021 MILCON and repair projects; 18 MILCON projects; and 25 repair projects will be constructed at NAWS China Lake as a part of the earthquake recovery program. The contractor will provide architect-engineer services to address any post-award design and construction related issues for the MILCON and repair projects. The contractor will also provide assistance to the government during the development of responses and requests for information from the contractors performing the construction effort for the projects. Work is expected to be completed by April 2024. Fiscal 2020 MILCON (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $29,944,543 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. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-D-5801). Salient CRGT Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $21,984,298 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award contract to provide support with program management, program planning and execution, Joint Staff actions process training, Actions Division customer service help desk services, strategic planning and analysis assistance, correspondence management and communications and editorial functions in support of the Joint Staff Actions Division. The contract will include a 60-month base ordering period, with no option period. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (85%); Fairfax, Virginia (10%); and Suffolk, Virginia (5%). The ordering period will be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (O&M) (Defense-wide) (DW) funds in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated to fund the contract's minimum amount and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subsequent task orders will be funded with the appropriate fiscal year O&M, DW funds. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted through Navy Electronic Commerce Online and beta.SAM.gov website and 15 offers were received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-20-D-Z023). Lockheed Martin, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $16,345,048 firm-fixed-price contract for the refurbishment of rocket motors and thrust vector control used on vertical launch assemblies for anti-submarine rocket assisted torpedoes. If the option is exercised, the work will be completed by July 2023, bringing the total value of the contract to $30,630,048. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (44%); Dulles, Virginia (29%); and Owego, New York (27%). The base period of this contract is expected to be completed by October 2022. Weapons procurement funds (Navy) in the full amount of $16,345,048 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole-source requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and one offer was received. The Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00104-20-C-K045). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY AM General LLC, South Bend, Indiana, has been awarded a maximum $44,095,015 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle diesel engines with containers. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Indiana, with a July 8, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-20-D-0118). Marlex Pharmaceuticals Inc., New Castle, Delaware, has been awarded a maximum $9,274,712 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various 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 Delaware, with a July 8, 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-0008). ARMY VS2 LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $36,672,648 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for logistics support services (maintenance, supply and transportation) at Fort Benning, Georgia. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work will be performed in Chattahoochee, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of July 8, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,077,440 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0305). Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded an $8,330,800 firm-fixed-price contract for dredge work in the Mississippi River. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Venice, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 civil operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,330,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the contracting activity (W912P8-20-C-0030). DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY IT Concepts Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a $26,308,755 labor-hour contract (HHM402-20-C-0038) to develop, update, sustain, operate and enhance a software tool capability to be used by members of the acquisition, requirements, operational and intelligence communities to support and aid in the identification of intelligence requirements, management of priorities, planning and production of intelligence products, enterprise data analytics, communication and other associated processes. Work will be conducted in Vienna and Charlottesville, Virginia, with an expected completion date of June 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and management funds in the amount of $1,023,586 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was awarded through an 8(a) set-aside and five offers were received. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Innovative Scientific Solutions Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $20,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification (P00005) to contract FA8650-13-D-2343 for advanced propulsion concepts and cycles research and development. Work will be performed in Dayton, Ohio, and is expected to be completed June 18, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,750,000 are being obligated at the time of award under task order FA8650-17-F-2009. Total cumulative face value of the contract is not-to-exceed $64,560,000. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Beavercreek, Ohio, has been awarded a $7,687,489 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Infrared Radiation Effects Laboratory (IRREL) operation and improvements program. The objective of this effort is to provide radiometric and radiation characterizations of focal plane arrays (FPAs) and associated devices. The effort includes developing innovative techniques to advance the state of the art in the characterization of infrared and visible FPAs and associated devices. These innovative techniques include the development of characterization and analytical techniques, test hardware and operational and test procedures that advance the experimental capabilities of the IRREL. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed Oct. 10, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $150,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-20-C-0015). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2269384/source/GovDelivery/

Plymouth, Minn. – July 9, 2020 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) received a contract award from the U.S. Army's Project Manager for Maneuver Ammunition Systems (PM-MAS) to develop the next generation airburst cartridge for the 30mm XM813 Bushmaster® Chain Gun®. The gun and ammunition function as a system and will provide greater capability for the Army's up-gunned Stryker Brigade Combat Team fleets. “Northrop Grumman is leading the way in developing new ammunition types that provide existing gun systems with increased capabilities to defeat difficult targets ranging from threat drones to targets in defilade positions,” said Dan Olson, vice president, armament systems, Northrop Grumman. “Our air bursting technology is proven and the addition of this new round will provide the Army with an even more capable gun system for our soldiers.” The 30mm x 173mm airburst cartridge will feature a contact set fuze design with three operational fuze modes: Programmable Airburst, Point Detonation and Point Detonation with Delay. The initial contract will fund the completion of the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase and final qualification by the Army. Northrop Grumman will also begin deliveries this year of the first airburst type cartridge to support the U.S. Army's Germany-based, 2nd Cavalry Regiment's Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) fleet that were recently ‘up-gunned' with the company's 30mm Bushmaster® Chain Gun®. The new airburst cartridge in development also will support additional U.S. Army platforms to include, but not limited to, the future Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. The newly fielded gun system nearly doubles the range of the platform's current .50-caliber machine gun. The addition of an airburst cartridge provides a complete family of ammunition that arms the crew to meet the challenges posed by peer and near-peer adversarial threat systems. Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services. Media Contact Jarrod Krull +1 (763) 744-5371 jarrod.krull@ngc.com View source version on Northrop Grumman: https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-delivering-next-generation-ammunition-capability-to-us-army

De : Défense nationale Communiqué de presse Le 6 juillet 2020 – Ottawa (Ontario) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes Conformément à l'engagement du gouvernement du Canada à fournir aux Forces armées canadiennes l'équipement et les outils dont elles ont besoin, le ministre de la Défense Harjit S. Sajjan a annoncé que l'entreprise Logistik Unicorp Inc. a obtenu un contrat pour la fourniture de vêtements et de chaussures non opérationnels aux Forces armées canadiennes (FAC). Le contrat de vêtements et de chaussures non opérationnels (CVCNO) fournira au MDN et aux FAC des vêtements, principalement pour des t'ches non opérationnelles et non liées au combat. Le tout sera géré par une seule entreprise. Par exemple, ces types de vêtements et de chaussures sont souvent portés lorsque les militaires participent à un défilé. Les avantages de ce type de solution vestimentaire comprennent la possibilité de commander en ligne les articles nécessaires, qui pourront ensuite être expédiés à domicile. Ce contrat permet également de réduire les délais d'exécution visant à apporter des améliorations aux produits et le risque de rupture de stock. L'entreprise Logistik Unicorp sera tenue de se conformer aux exigences obligatoires en matière de contenu canadien. Cela permettra de s'assurer que la majorité de la fabrication de vêtements et de chaussures est effectuée au pays et qu'elle est conforme aux valeurs canadiennes. Le contrat contribuera à soutenir 4 500 emplois dans l'industrie textile canadienne. Citations « Du moment où nos militaires le portent pour la première fois jusqu'à leur dernier jour de service, l'uniforme est un rappel visible de leur engagement à servir les Canadiens et les Canadiennes au pays et à l'étranger. Où qu'ils se trouvent, nos militaires en uniforme font connaître les valeurs canadiennes, défendent notre souveraineté et nous protègent. Ils méritent donc d'être bien équipés pour accomplir l'important travail que nous leur demandons : et cela commence par des vêtements et des chaussures appropriés, ce qui sera fourni gr'ce à ce contrat ». – L'honorable Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense nationale « Gr'ce à ce contrat, les membres des Forces armées canadiennes pourront obtenir et utiliser les objets courants dont ils ont besoin pour s'acquitter de leur travail important au service de la population canadienne. L'entente stimulera également l'emploi dans l'industrie canadienne du vêtement et du textile. » – L'honorable Anita Anand, ministre de Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada « Gr'ce à ce contrat, notre gouvernement encouragera des avantages économiques importants pour les Canadiens et les Canadiennes pendant de nombreuses années à venir. L'entreprise Logistik Unicorp investira dans la recherche et le développement à valeur élevée dans des domaines comme les matériaux de pointe, tout en investissant dans le développement des compétences et la formation afin de renforcer et de soutenir les emplois canadiens dans nos secteurs de l'habillement, du textile et de la chaussure. » – L'honorable Navdeep Bains, ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et de l'Industrie Faits en bref Le CVCNO fournira environ 1 500 articles de vêtements à plus de 160 000 personnes. Cela comprend des articles vestimentaires comme les uniformes de service de la Force régulière et de la Réserve, des shorts, des chemises, des chapeaux, des chaussures, ainsi que des articles vestimentaires spécifiques à une profession (comme ceux destinés aux pompiers civils et militaires, à la police militaire et aux conducteurs civils), et des vêtements pour les Rangers canadiens, les Rangers juniors et les cadets. Un contrat d'une valeur de 415 millions de dollars a été attribué à l'entreprise Logistik Unicorp Inc. de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (Québec), pour une période initiale de 6 ans. Il comprend des options évaluées à 2,7 milliards de dollars sur 20 ans. Le contrat contient une clause relative aux considérations éthiques qui oblige l'entrepreneur à s'assurer que le travail effectué au Canada ou à l'étranger répond à des normes éthiques telles que l'absence de travail des enfants ou de travail forcé, des heures de travail raisonnables, des salaires équitables et un milieu de travail sûr. La Politique sur les retombées industrielles et technologiques (RIT), y compris la proposition de valeur, a été appliquée aux exigences de la demande de proposition du CVCNO afin d'obtenir des avantages économiques pour le Canada équivalant à la valeur de la composante des services logistiques du contrat. Par conséquent, le contrat assurera un soutien durable et à long terme aux secteurs canadiens de l'habillement, du textile et de la chaussure, gr'ce à la recherche et le développement dans des capacités industrielles clés comme les matériaux de pointe, et à des investissements dans le développement des compétences et la formation pour soutenir les travailleurs canadiens. L'entrepreneur devra se conformer aux exigences obligatoires de la Politique sur le contenu canadien et s'assurer que la fabrication des vêtements et des chaussures continue d'être effectuée au Canada, conformément aux règles d'origine modifiées pour les textiles et les vêtements canadiens. Personnes-ressources Floriane Bonneville Attachée de presse Cabinet du ministre de la Défense nationale Tél. : 613-996-3100 Bureau de relations avec les médias Ministère de la Défense nationale Tél. : 613-904-3333 Courriel : mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca Recherche d'information connexe par mot-clés: MI Histoire et science militaire | Défense nationale | Canada | Sécurité nationale et défense | grand public | communiqués de presse https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2020/07/attribution-dun-contrat-pour-la-fourniture-de-vetements-et-de-chaussures-non-operationnels.html

By: JihFen Lei If you're reading this over the internet, you're using technology developed by the Department of Defense science and technology enterprise. For decades, the DoD has cultivated a wide-ranging ecosystem of technical professionals, research infrastructure and partnerships that has made vast contributions to U.S. national security and economic strength. From microchips to the GPS satellites that enabled a revolution in precision warfare, the department's S&T enterprise has been central to creating the security and prosperity our nation enjoys today. Although technology dominance has long been central to the American way of war, U.S. military superiority is increasingly under threat. American adversaries are making rapid technological advancements and incorporating them into newly modernized forces. In response, the department has been working to aggressively position its S&T enterprise to meet the security needs of the 21st century. Long-term success will require concentration in three fundamental areas: First, we must invest for the future while focusing on the present. This requires investing in foundational research that will create the next generation of military superiority. Second, we must cultivate a workforce of scientists and engineers ready to solve the DoD's hardest problems. Finally, we must create and maintain world-class defense laboratories and research facilities, enabling us to work with academic and industrial partners to quickly transition technology into capabilities. Each of these elements are critical to nurturing an innovation ecosystem optimized for the department's needs. The road to the next great scientific or technological advance starts with basic science and research. Basic research is central to the DoD's long-term competitive strategy to create and maintain military superiority for the nation. The DoD has a long history of conducting and sponsoring basic research, focusing on understanding how and why things work at a fundamental scientific level. Although basic research is often performed without obvious or immediate benefit and requires long timelines to realize its impact, the importance of continued investment cannot be overlooked. Without the department's basic research investments — made years ago — in the new areas of autonomy, quantum science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, or biotechnology, the DoD would not possess the innovative and advanced capabilities it does today. Basic research enables the U.S. to create strategic surprise for its adversaries and insulates the nation from technological shocks driven by the advancements of others. Stable and healthy investment in basic research is not only good to have, it is a vital component of the nation's strategy to maintain a competitive advantage. The DoD must use all of the tools at its disposal to develop a skilled, diverse workforce of technical professionals who are knowledgeable about the DoD's missions and capable of advising DoD leaders on technology decisions. This includes the scientists and engineers who will conduct research in DoD laboratories and engineering centers, our industry partners, and the academic research community with whom the department closely collaborates. There is nothing more critical to the American military's ability to innovate than its people. For these reasons, the department relies on authorities provided by Congress to conduct flexible, direct hiring of technical professionals to work in DoD research institutions. The department looks for the best technical professionals to join its ranks as researchers, engineers and trusted advisers to the DOD's senior leaders. When the department attempts to incorporate new knowledge from academia or new technologies from industry, the DoD's S&T workforce must be capable of making smart buying decisions based on sound technical judgment and an understanding of the DoD's unique mission needs. At a time when other nations are prioritizing the recruitment of technology professionals to bolster their military strength, the department must view its S&T workforce as a strategic resource that is fundamental to long-term technological superiority. Many capabilities found at DoD labs are unique national treasures and cannot be found elsewhere. On average, these laboratories, which span 63 locations across 22 states and the District of Columbia, are over 45 years old. As part of its strategy to recruit and retain a world-class S&T workforce, the department must modernize its technical infrastructure, laboratories and engineering centers. The DoD should invest wisely to modernize these outdated facilities and their equipment to support the modern, cutting-edge research that our national defense demands. As the nation once again prepares to engage in long-term strategic competition, the DoD's S&T enterprise is the key to success. Sufficiently resourcing long-term research and technology development activities will ensure America avoids technology surprise while creating a disproportionate advantage for the war fighter. The department must make the investments necessary to educate, attract and retain the world's best talent. As the DoD's National Defense Strategy makes clear, advanced technologies will be central to America's ability to fight and win future wars. https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/07/08/dod-must-modernize-infrastructure-to-support-cutting-edge-technology-research/

ARMY BFBC LLC, Bozeman, Montana, was awarded a $138,335,455 modification (P00005) to contract W912PL-20-C-0002 to modify the existing electrical attributes (closed-circuit TV, linear ground detection system and shelters) on the Barry M. Goldwater Range, Yuma 10/27 design-build border infrastructure project. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $138,335,455 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity is the contracting activity. Venegas JV Inc.,* Ponce, Puerto Rico, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the advanced contract initiative for emergency temporary roof repairs for the eastern region of Puerto Rico. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0032). Power Instrumentation Services,* Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, was awarded a $45,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to support the advanced contract initiative for emergency temporary roof repairs for the western region of Puerto Rico. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0033). MDJ Contracting Inc.,* Dallas, Texas (W911S7-20-D-0006); Olgoonik Specialty Contractors LLC,* St. Robert, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0007); Reese Equipment Co. LLC,* Dixon, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0008); and Vazquez Commercial Contracting LLC,* Kansas City, Missouri (W911S7-19-D-0009), will compete for each order of the $42,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction requirements at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 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 July 7, 2023. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded a $10,066,599 modification (P00140) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for technical support services for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family of vehicles, the Multiple Launch Rocket System carrier and the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier family of vehicles. Work will be performed in San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $10,066,599 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded an $8,488,692 modification (P00138) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0099 for technical support services for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle family of vehicles, the Multiple Launch Rocket System carrier and the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier family of vehicles. Work will be performed in San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; Temple, Texas; and York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of July 2, 2021. Fiscal 2018 Army working capital funds; fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Army) funds; fiscal 2018 and 2020 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement (Army) funds; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $8,488,692 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. NAVY MNDPI Pacific JV, Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded a $99,000,000 maximum amount, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, architect-engineer contract for architect-engineer services for various structural, waterfront and other projects at locations under the cognizance of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and other government facilities within the NAVFAC Pacific area of responsibility including but not limited to, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (70%); Australia (10%); Japan (10%); and Hawaii (10%). The work of architect-engineer services include, but are not limited to, the execution and delivery of military construction (MILCON) project documentation (Department of Defense Form 1391); functional analysis and concept development workshops; design charrettes; design-build request for proposal; design-bid-build design contract documents; technical surveys and reports including concept and engineering studies, site engineering investigation, topographic survey, geotechnical investigation, hazardous material survey, munitions of explosive concern survey, hydrographic survey and others; construction cost estimates; collateral equipment buy packages; comprehensive interior design including structural interior design and furniture, fixtures and equipment; and post construction award services. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months and work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2018 MILCON (planning and design) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by MILCON (planning and design). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and two proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-20-D-0004). Appleton Marine Inc.,* Appleton, Wisconsin, is awarded a $23,375,696 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the replacement of up to 35 Navy slewing arm davits (SLADs), associated test reports and spare parts for each SLAD, and 11,300 hours of engineering support services for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division. Work will be performed in Appleton, Wisconsin (80%); and onboard Navy ships in the following locations: Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mayport, Florida; Everett, Washington; San Diego, California; Williamsburg, Virginia; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka, Japan; and Rota, Spain (20%), as determined on individual task orders. Work is expected to be completed by July 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the total amount of $2,256,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured as a small-business set-aside via the beta.SAM.gov website and two offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-20-D-4018). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Valley Apparel LLC, Knoxville, Tennessee, has been awarded a maximum $9,894,000 modification (P00002) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-1172) with two one-year option periods for working parkas. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Tennessee, with a July 14, 2021, ordering period end date. Using service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2268131/source/GovDelivery/

The biggest defense manufacturers in the world warned the Pentagon and OMB of "significant job losses in pivotal states" if Congress doesn't come up with stimulus money to cover unforeseen expenses. By PAUL MCLEARYon July 08, 2020 at 4:16 PM WASHINGTON: A group of CEOs leading the world's top defense firms sent letters to Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord and and Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought on Wednesday, citing “significant job losses in pivotal states” if the federal government doesn't step in to assist with COVID-related costs. Electoral maps have traditionally acted as a tried and tested tool defense contractors use when making pitches to both the Pentagon and Congress, as a way of showing where the jobs sit in different congressional districts. The letter to Lord was signed by the leaders of Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing, Raytheon, and BAE Systems, which represent five of the top seven defense companies in the world. Huntington Ingalls, Textron Inc., and L3Harris Technologies also signed onto the letter, which was obtained by Breaking Defense, requesting the Pentagon's help in pressing for stimulus money in the Senate's next rescue package. The Senate is slated to debate in the coming days. Lord has previously estimated the Pentagon would have to pay more than “lower double digit billions” to offset costs borne by defense manufacturers in lost work hours, buying PPE equipment and propping up smaller suppliers. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon last month, Lord said she's seeing a “three-month slowdown to all programs due to COVID-19,” after the virus shut down defense manufacturing facilities and production lines across the globe. The vast majority of defense firms have operated at reduced capacity over the past several months, and Lord said the Pentagon continues to see the biggest impacts in the aviation and shipbuilding supply chains. The CEOs write that US-based supply chains “are simply not able to absorb these significant costs. Without additional funding in the next stimulus package, the resolution of [reimbursement] claims will need to be funded from existing DoD budget topline resources for FY20-22.” That would cause “significant reductions” in research and procurement budgets, they said, before pivoting to warning about Defense Secretary Mark Esper's top priority: modernizing weapons systems to keep abreast of China and Russia. Placing the burden on the companies to use their own case to meet unplanned emergency costs risks “thwarting the Department's ability to meet the challenges and threats associated with great power competition” they add. In order to keep the smaller suppliers afloat, companies have pushed contracts forward to give the smaller supplier more work, and in turn, DoD has sped up planned payments to the defense industry, hitting the $2 billion mark in recent weeks. Speaking at a Brookings Institution event this morning, Lord didn't mention the letter, but talked about moving more production of defense equipment to the United States from overseas. Part of that effort stems from President Trump's “American First” push to build up the domestic manufacturing sector, but Chinese influence in electronic supply chains is also a big concern. During a visit to the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin late last month, Trump said “we'll always live by two simple rules: Buy American and hire American.” Lord phrased the idea differently, saying she prefers to have two sources for equipment, and “we would like one of those, if possible, to be domestic.” That issue has been highlighted in the global pandemic shutdown which wreaked havoc on global supply chains. “We just found that particularly with microelectronics, we have gotten ourselves into a potentially compromised position,” Lord said. “Where we have US intellectual property going offshore for fabrication and packaging leaves us with some vulnerability there. That is unacceptable moving forward.” During his Wisconsin visit, Trump suggested that one of the considerations for awarding a $795 million contract to the US home of the Italian shipbuilder was its location in a competitive state in the 2020 presidential election. “You notice that's not a supply chain going through China and going through other countries,” he said, adding, “I hear the maneuverability is one of the big factors that you were chosen for the contract. The other is your location in Wisconsin, if you want to know the truth.” https://breakingdefense.com/2020/07/top-defense-execs-ask-for-help-in-next-covid-stimulus-package

By Charlie Pinkerton. Published on Jul 8, 2020 10:32am Half of all late requests for military materials and equipment arrived in Canadian soldiers' hands more than two weeks behind schedule because of a problem-ridden supply chain that often forced the military to incur extra shipment costs, a new report from the Auditor General has found. “We concluded that National Defence often did not deliver on time the materiel the Canadian Armed Forces requested, and that it did not have the right controls in place to determine whether it avoided needless transportation costs,” said the report authored by Auditor General of Canada Karen Hogan, which was released on Wednesday. During the period of the audit, there were approximately 1 million requests for materiel — military materials and equipment — submitted and fulfilled by National Defence. The audit oversaw all materiel covered by the National Defence Act, with the exclusion of ammunition, bombs, missiles and large equipment like aircraft, vessels and vehicles. The Auditor General found that 50 per cent of all late materiel requests were delayed by at least 15 days and 25 per cent were at least 40 days late. Of the highest priority requests — of which there were about 86,000 observed — 60 per cent were late. Fifty per cent of all were at least six days late, and 25 per cent were at least 20 days late. The Auditor General found that 162,000 requests, about 16 per cent of all it tracked during its audit, were more than one year late, having been stalled at some point in the supply chain. The goal of National Defence's supply chain is to “fulfill materiel requirements in the most economical and timely manner possible,” the Auditor General's report says. It attempts to achieve this by keeping equipment nearby where it thinks it will eventually be used. However, most equipment bought by the military is initial delivered to Canadian Armed Forces supply depots in Edmonton and Montreal. They then supply regional warehouses, which supply smaller localized military units. Materiel is transferred at units' requests, which are made in a number of ways, but are defined as being of one of three levels of priority — high priority, essential and routine. “We found that National Defence's systems and processes often did not ensure the timely and efficient delivery of military supplies to the Canadians Armed Forces,” Hogan's report says. Stock shortages caused delays, National Defence poorly managed priorities and costs for transportation were bungled. Per it's report, the Auditor General made three recommendations. It suggested that National Defence review its materiel forecasting to ensure it sufficiently stocks items at the correct locations, that it improve its oversight of high-priority requests so that the categorization is only used when necessary, and that it provide clear guidance on how to select the proper mode of transportation for items to ensure that decisions about shipments are based on fully understanding how much it'll cost. In a statement released shortly after the Auditor General's report, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said he “welcome(s)” its findings and accepts all recommendations. Similar concerns were raised a few years ago by the Auditor General's office about National Defence's equipment supply. In the fall of 2016, it raised issues with the military's ability to properly account for its inventory. The same fiscal year, National Defence announced a 10-year inventory management plan to address the Auditor General's concerns. The Trudeau government also released its multi-decade defence policy in the spring of 2017. One of the focal points of Strong, Secure, Engaged was to ensure the military was properly equipped. “Providing (the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces) the training, equipment and care they deserve is the most important objective of this policy,” reads a line from the opening paragraph of Sajjan's opening message in more than 100-page policy. Upon being re-elected, Sajjan was again reminded of his responsibility to “ensure the Canadian Armed Forces have the capabilities and equipment required to uphold their responsibilities,” in the mandate letter assigned to him by Trudeau. In an emailed statement to iPolitics, Conservative Defence Critic James Bezan said “effective and efficient supply chains are crucial to the operating capability of the Canadian Armed Forces.” “Our military heroes rely on these supply chains to defend Canadians at home and abroad. It is clear that more work needs to be done in order to make these supply chains better for our men and women and uniform,” Bezan said. “The delivery of supplies must be timely so that materiel reaches military members when they need it,” Hogan's recently released report said. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement Wednesday that the Canadian Armed Forces will enhance its data analytics capabilities and “rely on real data to ensure” the military has the right supply chain approach for its ever-evolving requirements and to help better anticipate future needs. “These steps will make sure that we have the right equipment, in the right quantities, at the right places to meet the challenges we ask our members to face now and in the future,” he said. https://ipolitics.ca/2020/07/08/canadian-armed-forces-equipment-delivered-late-half-the-time-auditor-general-finds/

Mark Pomerleau The Army is awarding delivery orders to three vendors to support equipment for three Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced (ESB-E) units. Specifically, the awards will support fielding of satellite baseband equipment, said Paul Mehney, director of public communications at Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical. Expeditionary signal battalions support units that don't have organic communications capabilities. These groups could include military intelligence battalions, chemical battalions, engineering battalions or air defense artillery branches. The ESB-E aims to be more mobile and require less equipment in order to drop in, support units and move more quickly on the battlefield. Overall, the vendors will be responsible for providing 48 baseband sets of equipment for each ESB-E formation. “Due to aggressive initial fielding timelines, after the first six ESB-E formations are fielded, the program office intends to open baseband capability competition for future ESB-E needs,” Mehney said. PacStar was recently awarded a contract to support the ESB-E program to provide its 400-Series modular platform to enhance tactical expeditionary communications, the company said in a July 7 release. The 400-Series is lightweight allowing these smaller and expeditionary units to maneuver more quickly. It includes 128 GB RAM, virtual routing and the PacStar 463 Radio Gateway. “Network modernization to meet warfighter needs and defense priorities is a core focus for the Army and across the DoD, and we are proud to support these efforts with PacStar 400-Series for ESB-E,” Peggy J. Miller, chief executive of PacStar, said in a statement. “With these solutions, ESB-E [Scalable Network Node] will get the smallest, lightest, modular tactical communications platform in the industry, which is part of our larger initiative to enable increased reliability and innovation for warfighters.” The other vendors include Klas and DTECH, with all three supporting one ESB-E. An additional delivery order for each vendor to a second ESB-E will be issued, meaning in the near future, each vendor will support two units a piece. After that, the Army will open up the contracts to competition. This approach follows how the Army has been experimenting to date by providing similar, yet comparable equipment to several ESB-E's. These companies have provided separate equipment to three units allowing the Army to gain useful feedback from units to see what they liked and disliked about the gear. This has allowed the Army to execute rapid prototyping and experimentation on a tighter timeline for making fielding decisions while providing equipment to soldiers in the interim. The first two ESB-Es fielded include the 57th ESB-E at Fort Hood and the 50th ESB-E at Fort Bragg. https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2020/07/08/army-to-award-new-contracts-to-support-mobile-comms-units