Nouvelles

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) are the principal set-aside programs for small business participation in federal research and development funding, yet the requirements for administering and managing these programs have not changed significantly in decades. To keep pace with discovery in science and technology worldwide, DARPA now intends to release SBIR/STTR opportunities on an out-of-cycle basis, separate from the three pre-determined announcements traditionally issued directly through the Department of Defense (DoD). The change is expected to reduce the overall time from opportunity announcement to contract award. Prior to the change, the timeline for SBIR/STTR funding opportunities was managed independently of DARPA's primary technology programs, which resulted in small businesses being isolated from the benefits associated with integration into established program communities. Under the terms of the pilot program, however, DARPA will institute timesaving measures to speed program integration, such as Direct to Phase II authority, which allows the agency to bypass Phase I research requirements once performers provide satisfactory documentation of feasibility, and/or proof of scientific merit, technical merit, and commercialization potential. DARPA will also seek to identify SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees with a compelling go-to-market strategy for participation in a newly created commercialization accelerator. The DARPA accelerator will provide additional funding to employ one entrepreneur-in-residence or business development lead who will offer the awardee direct support for activities including, but not limited to, customer engagement planning, market analysis and mapping, competitive analysis, techno-economic analysis, IP securement strategy development, and financial plan creation. “It's essential to change our acquisition practices to mirror the commercial marketplace if we hope to attract revolutionary companies that normally avoid working with the federal government,” said Dr. Steven Walker, director of DARPA. “This move will provide DARPA the flexibility to operate at a much faster pace than traditional SBIR/STTR contracting cycles have historically allowed.” Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in 1982 to provide opportunities for small businesses to participate in federal government-sponsored research and development. Since that time, DARPA has leveraged SBIR awards to promote and sustain small business innovation as well as foster the development and transition of critical national security capabilities. Full details regarding DARPA's SBIR/STTR programs and associated Broad Agency Announcements are available at: https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-small-businesses. https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2019-03-01

Bell's [TXT] chief executive shares the view of parent company Textron leadership that internal investment in the V-280 Valor program should sundown at year-end without new funding streams from the U.S. Army. The Joint Multirole Technology Demonstration (JMR-TD)... https://www.defensedaily.com/bell-ceo-agrees-v-280-program-mercy-future-army-funding/army/

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Corporation Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a non-competitive hybrid contract line item numbers type (cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursement) contract under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) cases to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The total estimated value of this contract is $945,900,000. Under this undefinitized contract action, the contractor will provide Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) FMS KSA Phase I long lead items, obsolescence, tooling and test equipment, key personnel, line requalification activities, initial training development, System Integration Lab and testbeds, three-level maintenance concept, exportability, and early engineering development. The work will be performed in: Dallas, Texas; Lufkin, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Anniston, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; Troy, Alabama; and Sunnyvale, California. The performance period is from Feb. 28, 2019, through Oct. 31, 2026. KSA FMS funds in the amount of $945,900,000 will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-19-C-0007). NAVY Corvid Technologies LLC,* Mooresville, North Carolina, is awarded a $223,277,038 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the delivery of hardware, equipment and components for manufacturing and integration of short- and medium-range sub-orbital flight vehicles supporting Navy, other government agencies, and Foreign Military Sales testing over a five-year ordering period. The flight vehicles are exo-atmospheric rocket-based vehicles specifically configured to deliver payloads and test articles into a flight regime of interest for systems under test. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (76 percent); other government agencies (12 percent); and Foreign Military Sales to the government of Japan (12 percent). Work will be performed at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (70 percent); Mooresville, North Carolina (10 percent); Herndon, Virginia (5 percent); Glen Burnie, Maryland (5 percent); Las Cruces, New Mexico (5 percent); and Huntsville, Alabama (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Foreign Military Sales (Japan) funding in the amount of $8,021,855 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-5001). General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is being awarded a $76,210,586 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform planning and execution efforts and alterations during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $38,320,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut is awarded a $60,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-2104 to provide additional support and services during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $30,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $55,077,981 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort undefinitized contract action under previously-awarded contract N00024-16-C-2111 to perform the planning and execution efforts and installation of the Stern Area System during USS South Dakota's (SSN 790) post-delivery work period. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 (subject to availability of funds) research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount $27,680,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. Serco Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $41,304,910 modification under fixed-price contract (N39430-16-C-1811) to exercise Option Period Three for lifecycle sustainment of physical security/access control and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems in support of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Ashore Program at various Navy installations worldwide. The work to be performed provides for preventive maintenance of hardware, associated firmware, and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul, or replacement; information assurance vulnerability alert to include version control, patch management, and vulnerability scanning; asset management to track, maintain, upgrade, and dispose of systems; configuration management to establish and maintain consistency of the system attributes with operational requirements and evolving technical baseline; technical refreshments, upgrades and installation of new systems; and programmatic trend analysis to identify systemic sustainment issues such as technology obsolescence. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $160,741,210. Work will be performed at various installations worldwide, and work is expected to be completed March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,304,910 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity. Gilbane Federal, Concord, California, is awarded an $8,403,802 firm-fixed-price modification to decrease the value of the contract for the cleaning, inspection, and repair of fuel storage tanks 602, 604 and 605 at Defense Fuel Support Point (DFSP) Tsurumi, Japan, from the task order scope of work. After award of this modification, the total remaining task order value will be $4,733,405. Work will be performed in Tsurumi, Japan, and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2016 defense working capital (Defense Logistics Agency) contract funds in the amount of $8,403,802 will be de-obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-15-D-1634). ARMY REEL COH Inc., Mobile, Alabama (W9128F-19-D-0019); PaR Sytstems, Shoreview, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0020); Knight Construction & Supply Inc.,* Deer Park, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0021); Crane Technologies,* Rochester Hills, Minnesota (W9128F-19-D-0022); and Garco WEMCO JV, Spokane, Washington (W9128F-19-D-0023), will compete for each order of the $99,900,000 contract for crane rehabilitation and replacement. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with an estimated completion date of March 3, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Missiles Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded an $8,469,594 modification (P00026) to Foreign Military Sales (Japan, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Germany and Netherlands) contract W31P4Q-17-D-0026 for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target Advanced Capability-3 Missile Support Center Field Missile Activities. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Steris Corp., Mentor, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $48,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories. This was a competitive acquisition with 74 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Ohio, with a March 3, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0011). Aurora Industries LLC,* Camuy, Puerto Rico, has been awarded a maximum $18,672,261 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for coats for the Army Combat Uniform and Improved Hot Weather Combat Uniform. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Puerto Rico, with a Sept. 3, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1137). AIR FORCE The Boeing Co., Defense Space Security, St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $40,000,000 undefinitized fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8634-18-C-2697 for Infra-Red Search and Track Block II Ship Sets. This modification provides for the production of an additional six Block II IRST Ship Sets. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; and Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2022. Fiscal 2017 procurement funds in the amount of $19,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $249,784,825. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. JASR Systems LLC, La Jolla, California, has been awarded an $8,107,308 firm-fixed-price contract for research and development. This contract provides for the development of chip-scale Optical Phased Arrays and Light Detection and Ranging systems that leverages Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Modular Optical Aperture Building Blocks (MOABB) Phase 1, and maps to Phases 2 and 3 of the MOABB program respectively. Work will be performed in La Jolla, California, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 1, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2018 research, test, development and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7916). * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1774554/

AIR FORCE Millennium Engineering and Integration Co., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $340,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for research and development. This contract provides research, engineering, and technical management for performing space technology concept development, analysis, development, integration, experimentation, demonstration, and evaluation in support of the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $5,000,000 are being obligated on initial task orders at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-19-D-0002). Rowe Contracting Service Inc., Mandeville, Louisiana, has been awarded a $25,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for academic and athletic custodial services. This contract provides for custodial services for the academic and athletic facilities at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Work will be performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 27 offers received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,667,389 are being obligated at the time of award. The 10th Contracting Squadron, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA7000-19-D-A002). Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze Sp. z. o.o., Mielec, Poland, has been awarded an $18,982,157 firm-fixed-price contract for M28 Block 05 aircraft. This contract provides for two new, commercially produced, M28 Block 05 aircraft, associated initial aircraft and maintenance training, technical publications, and ferry flight service for the M28 Block 05 aircraft from Mielec, Poland, to Kathmandu, Nepal. Work will be performed in Mielec, Poland, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 20, 2019. This contract involves foreign military financing to Nepal. This award is the result of a country-directed sole-source acquisition. Foreign military financing funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-18-C-1201). Phoenix Management Inc., Austin, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $7,886,394 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract for base operating support services. This contract provides for base operating support services in support of supply management, vehicle operations and maintenance, traffic management operations, real property maintenance, fuels management, and airfield management functions. Work will be performed at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2019. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,943,197 are being obligated at the time of award. The 439th Contracting Flight, Westover ARB, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA6606-19-C-A003). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY City Light & Power (CLP), Greenwood Village, Colorado, has been awarded an estimated $126,616,791 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the electric distribution system at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. This was a competitive acquisition with four responses received. This is a 50-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Mississippi, with an Aug. 31, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. The type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2069 Air Force operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SP0600-19-C-8320). Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, has been awarded a maximum $26,490,520 firm-fixed-priced contract for receiver transmitters. 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, two-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Rhode Island, with a June 28, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-19-F-LY00). Travis Association for the Blind,** doing business as The Lighthouse for the Blind, Austin, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $19,958,826 modification (P00014) exercising the first one-year option period of a two-year base contract (SPE1C1-17-C-B003) with three, one-year option periods for warehousing, storage, logistics and distribution functions. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a Feb. 29, 2020, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Marine Corps, and Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND International Auto Logistics LLC, Brunswick, Georgia, has been awarded a task order modification (P00022) on contract HTC711-14-D-R025. This modification provides continued support of transportation and storage of Department of Defense-sponsored shipments of privately-owned vehicles belonging to military service members, and transportation of DoD-sponsored shipments of privately-owned vehicles belonging to DoD civilian employees. Work will be performed at multiple locations within the U.S. and outside the U.S. The option period of performance is March 1, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 Transportation Working Capital Funds in the amount of $89,700,672 (estimated) were obligated at award. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $927,409,026 from $837,708,354. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. NAVY HDT Expeditionary Systems Inc. (HDT), Solon, Ohio (N00178-19-D-4503); and Design West Technologies (DWT),* Tustin, California (N00178-19-D-4504), are each awarded multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with firm-fixed-pricing arrangements for the procurement of M98 gas particulate filter sets. The maximum ceiling dollar value for both contracts combined is a possible $78,565,403. The two contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in Solon, Ohio, for the filters manufactured by HDT and Tustin, California, for the filters manufactured by DWT, and is expected to be complete by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,605 for HDT and 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) $1300 for DWT will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304, these contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-18-R-5005). Rockwell Collins, ESA Vision Systems, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $22,137,097 firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of 132 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), Night Vision Cueing and Display Systems (NVCD); 56 in support of Navy, 55 in support of the government of Australia and 21 in support of the government of Switzerland. In addition, this contract provides technical data, non-recurring engineering and all other supplies and services necessary to perform installation and testing of the JHMCS/NVCD systems. Work will be performed in Merrimack, New Hampshire (79 percent); Wilsonville, Oregon (15 percent); Atlanta, Georgia (4 percent); and Fort Worth, Texas (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $22,137,097 will be obligated at time of award, $292,060 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($9,312,361; 42 percent), the government of Australia ($9,108,738; 41 percent); and the government of Switzerland ($3,715,998; 17 percent). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-C-0008). Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $13,586,012 fixed-priced-incentive undefinitized contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2217 for the incorporation of a structural bow section engineering change proposal to the 11th and 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships (formerly Joint High Speed Vessel – JHSV). The EPF provides high-speed, shallow-draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army. This modification is an undefinitized contract action for implementation of change to the bow structure on EPF 11 and EPF 12 on the DD&C Contract Line Item (CLIN) for each respective ship. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (56 percent); Pascagoula, Mississippi (35 percent); Franklin, Massachusetts (7 percent); and Wilmer, Alabama (2 percent), and is expected to completed by July 2019. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,151,608 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. General Atomics, San Diego, California, is awarded an $11,739,438 for ceiling-priced delivery order N00383-19-F-NA09 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00383-18-G-NA01) for the manufacture of 181 various line items for initial spares acquisition in support of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System used on aircraft carriers. Work will be performed in Tupelo, Mississippi, and work will be completed by January 2022. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $5,752,324 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One firm was solicited for this non-competitive, sole-source requirement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Chemring Ordnance Inc., Perry, Florida, is awarded a $10,406,730 single year firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract, in response to solicitation number N00174-18-R-0031, for the manufacture, assembly, test, and delivery of 57mm High Explosive – Point Detonating cartridges. The 57mm HE-PD Cartridge is a 57mm/70, electrically-primed cartridge designed to function in the 57mm MK 110 Gun Mount (GM). The MK 110 GM is employed on the Navy Littoral Combat Ship class and the Coast Guard Legend-class National Security Cutters. This requirement is to develop and produce 57mm HE-PD cartridges intended for combating surface and ground targets. The cartridge consists of a high explosive projectile with the ability to point detonate, a brass cartridge case loaded with propellant charge, and an electric primer. Government First Article Testing will be required. Work will be performed in Perry, Florida, and is expected to be complete by February 2021. Fiscal 2019, 2018, 10`7 Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps funds in the amount of $10,406,730 will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with three offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-19-C-0006). L-3 KEO, Northampton, Massachusetts, is awarded an $8,665,266 fixed-price-incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-6250 to exercise options for the production of Low Profile Photonics Mast. The low profile photonics mast provides visual and other capabilities for Navy submarines. Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by March 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $8,655,266 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Kollsman Inc., Merrimack, New Hampshire, was awarded a $7,251,573 modification (P00001) to delivery order M67854-19-F-1523 on previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract M67854-15-D-6001 for the purchase of Contractor Logistics Support, 10 Common Laser Range Finder – Integrated Capability (CLRF-IC) systems, 10 Objective Lens Covers, and Retrofit of 396 CLRF-IC systems. Work will be performed at Merrimack, New Hampshire, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,251,573 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively awarded via Federal Business Opportunities website with three offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-15-D-6001). (Awarded Feb. 28, 2019) ARMY Tetra Tech Inc., Pasadena, California (W912GB-19-D-0003); AMEC Foster Wheeler E & I GMBH, Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany (W912GB-19-D-0004); and AECOM International Inc., Neu-Isenburg, Hessen, Germany (W912GB-19-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $41,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental remediation services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. American Engineers Inc.,* Glasgow, Kentucky (W91237-19-D-0006); Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Lexington, Kentucky (W91237-19-D-0007); and Terracon Consultants Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio (W91237-19-D-0008) will compete for each order of the $20,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Dam Safety Modification Mandatory Center of Expertise National Inland Floating Plant and land drilling services. 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 Feb. 29, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia, is the contracting activity. Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $15,476,150 firm-fixed-price contract for Thimble Shoal Channel maintenance dredging project. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 28, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $15,476,150 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-19-C-0007). DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY Lintech Global Inc., Farmington Hills, Michigan, was awarded a $12,849,369 firm-fixed-price, non-personal services contract to provide data processing, data validation operations and maintenance of the TRICARE Encounter Data/Purchased Care Data Warehouse and Military Health System Data Repository programs, as well as the development, update, enhancement, repair, and testing of specific information technology applications that are managed by the Defense Health Agency, Health Information Technology (HIT) Directorate, Solutions Delivery Division Program Executive Office. The contractor's place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. This contract has a base period of nine months with one option, if exercised, for a total of 29 months. This contract is an acquisition under GSA's IT Schedule 70 with fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,849,369 obligated at time of award. The Defense Health Agency, Contract Operations - Health Information Technology (CO-HIT), San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (HT0015-19-F-0032). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY SES Government Solutions Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00007) to exercise Option Period Four on task order GS-35F-0328V / HC101315F0008 for commercial satellite communications service. The face value of this action is $8,356,608 funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The total cumulative face value of the task order is $45,264,960. Performance directly supports the U.S. Central Command Southwest Asia Area of Responsibility. Quotations were solicited via the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Schedule, Information Technology Schedule 70, and five quotations were received from 22 offerors solicited. The period of performance for Option Period Four is March 6, 2019, through March 5, 2020, and there no remaining unexercised option periods for this task order. The Defense Information Technology Organization, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity. * Small Business ** Mandatory source https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1772993/

By Robert Wall Arms makers are targeting the growing menace of drones at airports and on battlefields with a rush to develop new missile systems, radar jammers and laser cannons. U.S. forces, along with Middle East allies and Russian troops, have been forced to confront hostile drone operations. Commercial flights at some of the world's busiest hubs—in New York, London and Dubai—have been grounded in recent months amid concerns that nearby drones could endanger airliners. Complete article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weapons-makers-declare-war-on-drones-11551627000

(AOF) - La Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) vient de confier à un groupement industriel mené par Airbus et composé de Naval Group et Rohde & Schwarz, le contrat RIFAN 2.1. Ce contrat a été signé pour une durée maximale de 8 ans et un montant maximum de 150 millions d'euros. Le contrat consiste à maintenir et adapter l'actuel Réseau IP de la Force Aéronavale étape 2 (RIFAN 2) aux besoins de la Marine nationale dans les années à venir, à y intégrer de nouveaux b'timents et à traiter les obsolescences des matériels et logiciels. Il permettra ainsi d'intégrer dans le réseau RIFAN 2 les frégates de défense et d'intervention (FDI), futures frégates de premier rang de la Marine nationale, ainsi que les futurs pétroliers-ravitailleurs du programme BRF (b'timent ravitailleur de forces). Les adaptations du réseau porteront tant sur son architecture centrale que sur la mise à jour du système de surveillance et de détection des incidents de cyber-sécurité. 63 b'timents sont équipés du réseau RIFAN 2 : du porte-avions et frégates aux b'timents de soutien et patrouilleurs basés outre-mer, ainsi que des sous-marins. Le programme vise à doter la force navale française, d'un véritable réseau sécurisé à haut-débit. Il est conçu pour échanger entre les navires à la mer et les centres de commandement à terre, des données de différents niveaux de classification allant de " non protégé " jusqu'aux niveaux " secret ". Le réseau permet de transmettre aussi bien les données issues des applications spécifiques à la conduite des opérations aéronavales que celles dédiées à la gestion quotidienne et logistique de la vie à bord, comme celles des systèmes d'information des états-majors de thé'tre embarqués pour la durée d'une opération. RIFAN 2 comprend également une capacité de gestion globale du réseau et de surveillance des incidents de cyber-sécurité. Cette supervision s'exerce à la fois depuis un centre de gestion et de contrôle à terre, que localement à bord des navires, conférant ainsi une certaine autonomie aux équipages afin d'assurer le meilleur emploi du réseau en fonction de la situation opérationnelle. AOF - EN SAVOIR PLUS Les points forts de la valeur - Numéro un européen et numéro deux mondial de l'industrie aéronautique, spatiale et de défense, né de la fusion en 2000 du français Aerospatiale Matra, de l'espagnol Casa et de l'allemand Dasa ; - Activité de 67 Mds€ répartie entre l'aéronautique civile avec Airbus pour 75 %, défense & espace pour 16 % et Airbus Helicopters pour 9 % ; - Excellente visibilité pour un secteur en croissance annuelle de 3 %, bénéficiant de fortes barrières à l'entrée et d'un bon « pricing power » ; - Famille d'avions civils la plus complète du marché, de l'A380 et l'A350 (long-courrier) à l'A330 (15 heures de vol) et l'A320 (10 heures) et numéro un mondial des hélicoptères (47 % du marché civil en termes de livraisons) ; - Carnet de commandes record de 997 Mds€, donnant une visibilité de près de 15 ans de chiffre d'affaires, provenant de l'Asie-Pacifique (29 %), d'Europe (22 %), d'Amérique du nord (20 %), du Proche-Orient (12 %) et d'Amérique latine (7 %) ; - Acquisition sans sortie de cash de 50,01% de C-Series, programme de l'avionneur canadien Bombardier, qui renforce la position d'Airbus Group face à Boeing ; - Trésorerie importante alimentée par les avances sur commandes et retour à un flux de trésorerie élevé, gr'ce à une bonne maîtrise des besoins en fonds de roulement ; - Vers une hausse du taux de distribution aux actionnaires. Les points faibles de la valeur - Retards de livraisons pesant sur l'autofinancement ; - Incertitudes judiciaires avec risques de pénalités entre 1 et 6 MdsE ; - Ralentissement des cadences des programmes A380 et A400M ; - Forte concurrence à venir dans le spatial de la part de Space X. Comment suivre la valeur - Performances étroitement liées à la santé des compagnies aériennes ; - Sensibilité aux parités de change, 60 % des ventes étant facturées en dollars américains pour une base de coûts majoritairement en euros ; - Poursuite du plan « Vision 2020 », initié en 2009 et visant à un équilibre entre l'aviation commerciale et les autres activités, à un doublement à 25 % de la part des services dans le chiffre d'affaires, à un renforcement à l'international avec 40 % des approvisionnements hors Europe ; - Capacité à redresser le programme C-Series et, dans les usines européennes, à diminuer le nombre d'avions retenus au sol pour problèmes techniques ; - Confirmation de l'accélération du rythme de livraison des A320neo ; - Après l'autorisation des autorités européennes pour l'A330-900, attente de celle des autorités américaines ; - Capital réparti depuis juin 2013 entre l'Etat français (11, % via la Sogepa), l'état allemand (11,1 % via GZbv) et l'état espagnol (4, % via SEPI), réunis par un pacte d'actionnaires. Aéronautique - Défense Le secteur aéronautique est soumis à une profonde mutation. A la recherche de relais de croissance et d'une amélioration de leur rentabilité, les acteurs ne se concentrent plus seulement sur leur cœur de métier (design et assemblage des avions) mais se tournent également vers les services. Ces derniers recouvrent aussi bien le service après-vente (maintenance et réparation des appareils) que la transformation d'avions de ligne en avions-cargos, ou la formation des équipages et des mécaniciens, l'aménagement des cabines et l'optimisation des appareils. Cette évolution amène les avionneurs à revoir complètement la conception de leur métier : ils ne livrent plus un produit mais un usage. Selon Boeing, le chiffre d'affaires des services à l'aviation commerciale pourrait ainsi dépasser celui des avions neufs pour atteindre 8.800 milliards de dollars d'ici à 2037. https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/un-groupement-industriel-mene-par-airbus-decroche-un-contrat-de-150-millions-aupres-de-la-dga-1330006

PAL Aerospace is pleased to be awarded a contract to provide aerial surveillance for Canada's inland, coastal and offshore waters on behalf of the Government of Canada. The expanded contract, delivered on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, covers an initial five-year period and includes opportunities for PAL Aerospace to earn contract extensions that increase the life of the agreement to 10 years. PAL Aerospace has been providing this critical service under contract to the government since 1990. “This contract award confirms the Government of Canada's confidence in our company's ability to execute the most advanced maritime surveillance program of its type in the world,” said PAL CEO Brian Chafe. “The program is an excellent example of the successful public-private partnership that continues to drive innovation and support employment in Canada.” Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for the monitoring, control, and surveillance of Canada's fisheries waters, as well as certain international areas, such as the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Regulatory Area, and the North Pacific. “PAL Aerospace's work on behalf of the Government of Canada will ensure highly skilled employment and important economic benefits from coast to coast,” said Jake Trainor, chief operating officer of PAL Aerospace. “From St. John's to Campbell River, our operations and employees look forward to delivering this important work for Canadians.” PAL Aerospace's critical role in the delivery of Canada's aerial surveillance program provides the Government of Canada with the capability to monitor domestic and foreign vessel activities and detect potential violations. The program also contributes significantly to pollution surveillance, environmental monitoring, and marine security for a number of other federal departments and agencies. “This contract is a significant investment in the Newfoundland and Labrador economy that will support our bright future in the community,” said Derek Scott, vice-president of Program Development for PAL Aerospace. “Ensuring we meet Fisheries and Oceans Canada's service expectations for this contract will push us to improve and expand our already significant core capabilities. In doing so, PAL Aerospace will be better positioned to continue developing and delivering value added Canadian technology and innovative practices to domestic and export markets.” Under the new contract, PAL Aerospace will provide Fisheries and Oceans Canada with service through a combination of Beechcraft King Air B200 medium-range aircraft and Dash 8-100 series long-range aircraft, all associated ground support and other related services. The aircraft will operate from bases in St. John's, N.L.; Halifax, N.S.; and Campbell River, B.C. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/pal-aerospace-wins-government-aerial-surveillance-contract

CarteNav and Sentient Vision are pleased to announce their valuable contribution to PAL Aerospace's winning bid to provide the Government of Canada with aerial surveillance capability for Canada's inland, coastal and offshore waters. The contract, delivered on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, covers an initial five-year period and includes opportunities for PAL Aerospace to earn contract extensions that increase the total life of the agreement to 10 years. As part of the winning bid, PAL aircraft will operate a specially configured Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) array within the CarteNav AIMS mission system. The seamless incorporation of this world-leading ViDAR technology into the AIMS system is a meaningful complement to the capability of the PAL aircraft that will serve this contract. ViDAR is a wide area optical search system capable of operation unaffected by environmental marine obstacles, such as whitecaps, which detrimentally affect traditional technologies. The system is unique in its ability to detect objects as small as fishing buoys and people in the water over significant areas, allowing aircraft operators to map vast swaths of the ocean in real time. ViDAR autonomously locates objects on the surface of the water, transmits a thumbnail and location coordinate back to the AIMS mission system and prompts the operator to investigate further. “Sentient was excited to work with CarteNav on the integration of ViDAR into the AIMS mission system to support this important contract,” said Simon Olsen, Sentient's director of Business Development, Strategy and Partnerships. “Blending these leading edge technologies into a combined offering marks a significant step forward and will now provide a game-changing ocean surface search solution to the Government of Canada.” Both ViDAR and AIMS have extensive records of accomplishment and are in operation on multiple continents across multiple environments in both military and civilian applications. “CarteNav has worked successfully with Sentient for many years, originally on the implementation of the Kestrel Moving Target Indicator (MTI) feature into AIMS, and most recently on integrating ViDAR,” said CarteNav COO Carl Daniels. “AIMS provides an intuitive interface from which operators can take advantage of the capabilities of the ViDAR persistent wide-area maritime search. The addition of ViDAR reaffirms our focus on operator workflow and mission delivery which has established CarteNav as a leader in mission system solutions.” CarteNav's collaboration with Sentient and valued contribution to the winning PAL bid demonstrates a significant combined operating capacity to deliver leading edge services to customers for a variety of maritime surveillance applications. The successful execution of this contract on behalf of the Government of Canada fortifies CarteNav and Sentient's shared credentials in this area and should open the door to capture additional, mutually beneficial opportunities in the future. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/cartenav-and-sentient-vision-collaborate-on-pal-aerospace-winning-aerial-surveillance-bid

L3 Wescam announced on March 4 the launch of its In-Flight training course as the latest solution in its family of aviation training platforms for MX-Series airborne electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) imaging and targeting systems. L3's In-Flight training program includes theoretical in-class training combined with pre- and post-flight simulation training and in-flight, mission-centric training. With the ability to tailor the training curriculum to match a customer's specific turret configuration and the advantage of both daylight and low-light flight opportunities, the course has been developed to support students of varying levels of skill and experience with conventional flight scenarios and operator experiences. Designed to facilitate student-centric learning, the four-day program includes in-depth training of all sensors, maintenance and organizational-level maintenance tasking, and crew resource management. “L3 is proud to support the development of MX operational and maintenance teams with a comprehensive suite of progressive training solutions that ensures crews are always mission-ready and able to operate their MX product to its full ability,” said JD Richard, vice-president of Customer Service for L3 Wescam. “The curriculum has been built to help students identify first-hand knowledge and operational gaps, and participate in closed-loop, adaptive training to support their personal growth and development, which ultimately helps produce higher-quality and better prepared operators.” “What's so unique about this course is that it is developed and delivered by us, the OEM,” said Brendan McCormick, lead trainer for L3 Wescam. “Train from the source. Learn from the best. We know the MX products, technologies and capabilities better than anyone else – no one is better qualified to teach and train the user community than our team of highly qualified trainers here at L3.” L3's In-Flight training can be purchased as a complete buy-out, where customers book all six seats and have the curriculum fully customized to support their exact turret and configuration. Training can be facilitated using the customer's aircraft and sensor system, or customers can take advantage of L3's extensive inventory of training assets complete with Wescam's latest sensor offerings. Alternatively, L3 offers open enrollment for the purchase of individual seats. The curriculum is delivered using a generic turret configuration. L3 Wescam's Cessna Caravan 208B is one asset used for this practical training – it allows for the installation of a variety of combination turrets as two turrets can be mounted at one time. Courses are hosted from L3's training facilities in the USA. Visit Wescam.com/flighttraining for training dates and availability. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/l3-wescam-launches-in-flight-training-course-for-mx-series-eoir-turrets