Nouvelles

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has signed a $14.9 billion contract with shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls for two Ford-class aircraft carriers, the Navy announced Thursday evening. By buying two carriers simultaneously, the Navy expects to save $4 billion, according to a Navy release. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer hailed the deal as a team effort and said the contract will create stability for the skilled workforce and create savings as a result. “Focusing on optimizing construction activities and material procurement, the team was able to achieve significant savings as compared to individual procurement contracts," Spencer said in the release. “One contract for construction of the two ships will enable the shipbuilder flexibility to best employ its skilled workforce to design once and build twice for unprecedented labor reductions while providing stability and opportunities for further efficiencies within the nuclear industrial base.” The carriers were previously reported to cost about $24 billion, and the the Navy projected it would save about $4 billion by contracting for two Ford-class carriers. A release from the office Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee Seapower subcommittee congratulated the Navy for closing the deal. “This dual buy means even larger savings than projected for taxpayers and the certainty that our industrial base needs to retain and hire the employees who create the highest quality products for our sailors," Wittman said. "For Virginia it means thousands of reliable jobs and community development for the next decade and beyond. As one of the largest Navy shipbuilding contracts ever, I am proud to have led this effort and look forward to its success.” https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/01/31/us-navy-has-inked-a-contract-for-two-carriers-congressman-says/

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy is looking to get a lot of underway time out of its new frigate and is eyeing a crewing model that swaps out teams of sailors to maximize the operational time for each hull. The so-called blue-gold crewing model effectively creates two crews for each ship of the class. The blue crew and gold crew switch out to keep the ships at sea for as long as possible without breaking the sailors and their families. It's the model the Navy has used for years on the ballistic missile submarines and is employing on the littoral combat ships, but now the model is likely to extend to the LCS successor, said Rear Adm. Ron Boxall, the Chief of Naval Operations' surface warfare director. “We're looking at the blue-gold construct on FFG(X). We're planning on it, which gives us a larger operational availability – it should double it,” Boxall told Defense News in an interview late last year. The use of blue-gold crewing hints at how the Navy is viewing its new frigate: as a ship that can carry out a a broad range of tasks that have consumed the operational time of larger combatants. That includes exercises with allies and freedom of navigation operations to counter-piracy and routine presence missions that don't require an Arleigh Burke destroyer to be successful but are time-intensive. The Navy has bemoaned the lack of a small surface combatant that can hold down low-end missions but still contribute in a high-end fight, which has been the impetus behind the whole FFG(X) program. Even though the crews will catch a break in the blue-gold construct, off-hull crews won't be kicking back during their shore rotation, Boxall said. The surface force has been investing in higher-end training facilities in fleet concentration areas in an effort to increase the proficiency of its watch teams. Crews on shore will be going through those trainers, he said. “So, these ships are going to be out there half the time while the [off-hull] crews are back training in higher-fidelity training environments,” Boxall explained. “And what [commanding officers] will tell you is that as we get to higher and higher fidelity training, time to train becomes equally as valuable. “So, in an increasingly complex environment, it's just intuitive that that you have to have time to train. We think Blue-Gold makes sense for those reasons on the frigate.” Lessons from LCS Getting more simulator time for surface sailors has been an initiative championed by the Navy's top surface warfare officer Vice Adm. Rich Brown. It's an off-shoot from lessons-learned from FFG(X)'s predecessor, the LCS, which has extremely high-fidelity simulator trainers for its crews before they take over their assigned hulls. One thing the surface force has been intrigued to see has been the high quality of the officers that come up through the LCS program, something the Navy in part attributes to the trainers, Boxall said, and the SWOs want to replicate that for the FFG(X). “One really interesting side-note with LCS has been the quality of the training,” Boxall said. “As we went back and looked at the lessons learned from McCain and Fitzgerald, we're trying to apply some of the good things about LCS to that. “Those officers, because they are smaller ships they get a lot more water under the keel. And they're faster ships so they are getting that water under the keel in a faster-moving environment. So we're creating a generation of officers who are getting tougher navigation environments thrown at them more quickly, and we're also getting the quality and fidelity of their trainers.” This has meant that LCS officers more-than stack up to their peers from larger, more advanced ships, he added. “What we're seeing is they are doing very, very well against their contemporaries coming off the bigger ships,” Boxall said. “Why is that happening? It's fairly logical: More stick time, better fidelity trainers and more time in the trainers.” Ownership The littoral combat ship adopted the Blue-Gold crewing model after a series of high-profile breakdowns, some caused by crew errors. The original model was to have three crews for two hulls, a rotational model that the Navy worried was taking away from the sense of ownership for a single, specific hull that permanently attached crews might have to a greater degree. The program was reorganized to a Blue-Gold model, which required hundreds of new billets for the LCS program, under then-head of Naval Surface Forces Pacific, Rear Adm. Thomas Rowden. Expanding Blue-Gold to the FFG(X) would further spread the model inside the surface warfare community. Both minesweepers and patrol craft, two other workhorse platforms in the surface community, operate under a Blue-Gold crewing model as well. However, it may not be a model that the Navy will pursue on the large surface combatant now in development. That ship may be better with a lower operational tempo, Boxall said. “We'll look and see if that makes sense on the large surface combatant or not,” he said. “Maybe those are better ships to keep as a surge force, maybe they're fine operating on a lower rotational model.” https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2019/01/30/the-us-navy-is-planning-for-its-new-frigate-to-be-a-workhorse/

By: Ben Werner General Dynamics Corp. plans to invest $1 billion in 2019 in upgrading and retooling its manufacturing operations company-wide, with a focus on its growing submarine construction business. A plurality of this year's capital expenditures – the reinvestment in manufacturing operations, commonly referred to as CapEx – will focus on making improvements to General Dynamics Electric Boat, the maker of the Virginia-class attack submarines and the new Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines. “We are poised to support our Navy customers and increase the size of the fleet,” Phebe Novakovic, the chief executive of General Dynamics, said during a conference call with analysts today to discuss the company's 2018 financial results and detail financial expectations for 2019. Submarine builder Electric Boat is on pace to build two Virginia-class Block IV submarines a year while preparing to start building the first Block V submarines. At the same time, Electric Boat is preparing for construction of the first Columbia-class submarine to begin in early 2020. “CapEx will be 3 percent of sales in 2019 mostly because of the Columbia-class construction,” Jason Aiken, the chief financial officer of General Dynamics, said during the call. In 2018, General Dynamics reported sales of $36.2 billion, and the company predicts sales to increase in 2019. General Dynamics capital investments will remain at a similar level for the next two to three years, Aiken said. After 2022, once Columbia-production is ramped up, the level of capital spending is expected to taper off, he added. Overall, the company's Marine Systems division, which includes the Electric Boat, Bath Iron Works and NASSCO shipyards, recorded robust sales growth during the year, and Novakovic said the sales growth is expected to continue in 2019. The Pentagon and Capitol Hill are sending signals that Novakovic said she takes to mean, “we'll see nice defense spending for our programs.” General Dynamics predicts the Marine Systems division will post 2019 sales of $9 billion, a 6-percent increase over sales in 2018. The Marine Systems group has a backlog of 11 Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers; started construction on the future USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205), a first-in-class oiler for the Navy; and continued building Expeditionary Sea Base ships. “They have done nicely with slow, steady growth, but the real growth driver is Electric Boat,” Novakovic said. https://news.usni.org/2019/01/30/40759

NAVY Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, California, is awarded $559,622,074 for cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification P00004 to a previously awarded contract (N00030-18-C-0100) for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed system support. Work will be performed in Magna, Utah (29.47 percent); Sunnyvale, California (16.75 percent); Cape Canaveral, Florida (14.07 percent); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (6.00 percent); Denver, Colorado (5.56 percent); Camden, Arizona (3.96 percent); Titusville, Florida (3.87 percent); Kingsport, Tennessee (3.87 percent); Kings Bay, Georgia (3.15 percent); El Segundo, California (2.87 percent); Lancaster, Pennsylvania (2.00 percent); Clearwater, Florida (1.11 percent); Inglewood, California (1.08 percent); and other various locations less than one percent (6.24 percent total), and work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $412,117,013; fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,717,587; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $137,787,474 will be obligated on this award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded $55,062,919 for modification P00011 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-16-C-0055). This modification provides for the procurement of five Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems and two lightweight fuel cells. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (33 percent); Ozark, Alabama (27 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (18 percent); Moss Point, Mississippi (16 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,062,919 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. DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $43,856,375 for modification P00017 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-15-D-0001). This modification exercises an option for organization, selected intermedia, limited depot level maintenance, and logistics services in support of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center's (NAWDC) F/A-18A/B/D/D/E/F, EA-18G, MH-60S, F-16A/B, and E-2C aircraft. Work will be performed at NAWDC, Fallon, Nevada, and is expected to be completed in January 2020. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. B.L. Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama, is awarded a $41,832,719 firm-fixed construction contract for a hangar located at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The project will construct an 80,000 square foot hangar and associated facility to support research, development, testing, and evaluation of unmanned carrier-launched aerial surveillance systems to be located at the air station. The contract also contains five unexercised option, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $44,374,719. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed 607 days after award. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,832,719 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-C-2015). RQ Construction Inc., Carlsbad, California, is awarded a $41,429,522 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of a maintenance hangar in support of the EA-18 Growler aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. The facility will provide high-bay space for aircraft maintenance, maintenance shops, and open bay warehouse space for aircraft equipment and administrative spaces. Work will be performed in Oak Harbor, Washington, and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2017 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $41,429,522 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with nine proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-19-C-0003). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $36,655,871 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract for Identity Dominance System (IDS) technology refresh for the Department of Defense. The IDS technology refresh effort is a refresh of the entire current configuration. The primary focus of this contract is the acquisition of a hand-held biometric hardware device for the IDS program to replace the current integrated base unit. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,522,548 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited on a full and open competition basis via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-4000). Raytheon Co. Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded $32,958,080 for modification P00002 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-18-C-0088). This modification provides for engineering and manufacturing development of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy – Navy. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in July 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,197,594 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. L3 Aviation Products Inc., Alpharetta, Georgia, is awarded a $16,138,920 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to procure a maximum quantity of 840 technically refreshed multi-function displays for retrofits and spares in support of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y aircraft. Work will be performed in Alpharetta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed in September 2022. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-D-0009). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded $15,991,141 for modification P00001 to delivery order N0001918F1652 previously placed against basic ordering agreement N00019-16-G-0001. This modification exercises an option for the procurement of 79 Harpoon Block II Plus Tactical Missile upgrade kits for the Navy. Work will be performed in St. Charles, Missouri (69.5 percent); Galena, Kansas (10.5 percent); Minneapolis, Minnesota (6.6 percent); St. Louis, Missouri (6.5 percent); Lititz, Pennsylvania (2.2 percent); O'Fallon, Missouri (1.1 percent); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (.6 percent), and various locations within the continental U.S. (3 percent). Work is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,991,141 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. Vertical Protective Apparel LLC,* Shrewsbury, New Jersey, is awarded $14,539,807 for firm-fixed-price delivery order M67854-19-F-1541 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-18-D-1309) for the production and integration of 56,710 Plate Carrier Generation III complete systems and 61,729 components and spares. Work will be performed in Guanica, Puerto Rico, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 29, 2021. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $14,539,807 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively procured as a Total Small Business Set Aside via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Central Lake Armor Express Inc.,* Central Lake, Michigan, is awarded $10,432,525 for firm-fixed-price delivery order M67854-19-F-1542 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-19-D-1509) for the production of 1,322,654 Plate Carrier Generation III soft armor inserts and data reports. Work will be performed in Central Lake, Michigan, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 24, 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $10,432,525 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively procured as a total small business set aside via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 13 offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Sealift Inc. of Delaware, Oyster Bay, New York, is awarded $9,106,750 under previously awarded contract N3220518C3352 to exercise an option for a vessel for transportation of dry cargo worldwide. The U.S. flagged vessel MV Black Eagle is employed in worldwide trade for the transportation and prepositioning of cargo (including, but not limited to, hazardous cargo, explosives, ammunition, vehicular, containerized, and general cargo), and for military readiness, in accordance with the terms of this charter. Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed January 2020. Working capital funds in the amount of $9,106,750 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Nordam Group Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma, is awarded a $7,902,620 firm-fixed-priced contract for first article testing in support of the Super Hornet F/A-18 E-G 11 flight control surfaces. This is a one-year contract with no option periods. Work will be performed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and work is expected to be completed by January 2020. Working capital (Navy) funds in the full amount of $7,902,620 will be obligated at time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(2), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. (N00383-19-C-C003) Barnhart-Reese Construction Inc.,* San Diego, California, is awarded $7,127,423 for firm-fixed-price task order N6247319F4263 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-17-D-4629), for the renovation of historic Building 158 and demolition of Building 58 at Naval Base Point Loma, California. The work to be performed provides for the renovation of Building 158 into a two-story space with a basement, suitable for administration and training. Project includes demolition to cut openings for completion of a seismic retrofit, and installation of an elevator and ramp to bring the building into American Disabilities Act compliance; constructing walls throughout all three floors to enclose offices, interview rooms, an evidence room, men and women locker rooms, storage areas, and classrooms. The project also installs a new generator, new heat ventilation air conditioning, and repairs the existing pavement around the facility. Building 58 located at the Harbor Drive Annex will be demolished. The task order also contains two unexercised options and two planned modifications, which if exercised would increase the cumulative contract value to $8,188,231. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by August 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,127,423 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current year. Four proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Sallyport Global Holdings, Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $375,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract action to provide base operations support, base life support, and security services in the support of the Iraq F-16 program. Work will be performed on Balad Air Base, Iraq, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 30, 2020. This contract was the result of a sole-source acquisition and involves foreign military sales to Iraq. Foreign military financing loan repayable funds in the amount of $183,750,000 are being obligated at the time of the award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8630-19-C-5004). JC Builders JV,* Alamogordo, New Mexico (FA4801-19-D-A003); Mirador Enterprises LLC,* El Paso, Texas (FA4801-19-D-A006); Native American Services Corp.,* Alamogordo, New Mexico (FA4801-19-D-A004); Mesa Verde Enterprises,* Alamogordo, New Mexico (FA4801-19-D-A007); LC Structural Inc.,* Las Cruces, New Mexico (FA4801-19-D-A001); Veliz Construction,* El Paso, Texas (FA4801-19-D-A005); E-Corp,* Layton, Utah (FA4801-19-D-A008); and R-CON Construction Inc.,* Las Cruces, New Mexico (FA4801-19-D-A009), have been awarded a five-year aggregate ceiling $90,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide a broad range of maintenance, repair and construction work at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Task orders will use a variety of trades such as road repair, roofing, excavation, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sheet metal, painting, demolition, concrete, masonry and welding. Work is scheduled to commence March 1, 2019, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. No funds will be obligated at time of award but will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent Small Business Set-Aside, with 20 offers received. The 49th Contracting Squadron, Holloman AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $39,957,226 contract modification (P00013) to contract FA8525‐16‐D‐0003 for C‐5 contractor logistics support services. The contract involves supply chain management, repair and technical support services. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia; and Greenville, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. This award is a result of a sole-source acquisition and only one off was received. Fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2021 Material Support Division, and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,993,394 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Goodrich Corp., Brea, California, has been awarded an estimated $27,095,145 requirements contract for the repair/overhaul of the internal rescue hoist on UH-1N and aircraft mounted winch on HH-60 helicopters. This contract provides for the contractor to repair and perform program depot-level maintenance and unscheduled program depot-level maintenance in support of the UH-1N and HH-60 helicopters. Work will be performed in Brea, California, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 29, 2024. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8524-19-D-0001). BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, Wayne, New Jersey, has been awarded a $12,157,767 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for dynamic networking adaptation for Mission Optimization Extensible Network Architecture software/hardware. This effort develops and implements candidate system designs to interconnect applications and information across multiple legacy and future networks throughout dynamic missions. Work will be performed in Wayne, New Jersey, is expected to be completed by July 30, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funds in the amount of $2,435,845; and fiscal 2019 RDT&E funds in the amount of $7,394,039 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-C-0012). ARMY Dell Marketing LP, Round Rock, Texas, was awarded a $78,141,800 firm-fixed-price contract for VMware software license maintenance. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Round Rock, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 27, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $63,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-19-F-0199). DRS Network and Imaging Systems LLC, Melbourne, Florida, was awarded a $67,300,000 fixed-price-redetermination contract to procure horizontal technology integration second generation forward looking infrared BKit components and engineering services. Two bids were solicited with two bids received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W909MY-19-D-0004). Med-Eng LLC, Ogdensburg, New York, was awarded a $47,203,546 firmed-fixed-price contract for Generation II advanced bomb suit systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-19-D-0007). Kforce Government Solutions Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $28,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to procure traumatic amputation task trainers. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-19-D-0005). Donald L. Mooney Enterprises LLC, San Antonio, Texas, was awarded an $11,954,435 firm-fixed-price contract for licensed vocational nurses and certified nurse assistants services. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2019. U.S. Army Health Contracting Activity, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-19-D-0010). Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, Tucker, Georgia, was awarded an $8,325,934 firm-fixed-price contract for food services. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Tucker, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,325,934 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Gordon, Georgia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-19-C-0003). Emergent LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a $7,616,333 firm-fixed-price contract for Oracle PeopleSoft software license renewals. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Crystal City, Virginia; and San Diego, California, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Navy; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $7,616,333 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-19-F-0274). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY American Water Operations and Maintenance LLC, Voorhees, New Jersey, has been awarded a $26,589,346 modification (P00143) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-08-C-8257), with no option periods for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the water and wastewater utility systems at Fort Polk, Louisiana. This is a fixed-price with prospective-price-redetermination contract. Locations of performance are Louisiana and New Jersey, with a Jan. 31, 2059, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2017 through 2059 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Polk, Louisiana. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY ARTEL LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a contract modification (P00013) to exercise Option Period Three on task order GS-35F-5151H / HC101316F0022, for commercial satellite communications service. The face value of this action is $23,328,000 funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The total cumulative face value of the task order is $93,159,500. Performance directly supports the Air Force's Central Command area of responsibility for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms. Quotations were solicited via the General Services Administration's Federal Supply Schedule, Information Technology Schedule 70, and one quotation was received from 29 offerors solicited. The period of performance for Option Period Three is Feb. 10, 2019, through Feb. 9, 2020, and there is one remaining unexercised option period for this task order. The Defense Information Technology Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. * Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1744377/source/GovDelivery/

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — In a move outside of its normal budgeting cycle directly aimed at the question of burden-sharing with allies, Denmark has agreed to increase its long-term defense spending. A coalition of parties in the Danish parliament have agreed to tack on 1.5 billion kroner (U.S. $229.7 million) to the agreed-upon defense budget for 2023, which would put defense spending at 1.5 percent of gross domestic product for that year. “It is on a good and well thought through basis that the parties to the defense agreement have now decided to further strengthen Danish defense, so that we will spend 1.5% of GDP in 2023,” Danish Defence Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen said in a statement. “Danish status and reputation in NATO is of common concern and I would like to thank all parties for shouldering the responsibility.” The amendment comes less than one year after a coalition of parties agreed to a five-year defense spending agreement that planned for a 20 percent growth in military spending, from $3.8 billion in 2018 to $4.6 billion in 2023. It also comes just months before elections are set for Denmark, essentially removing the question of increased defense spending from the campaign. Just where that money will go is undecided at the moment. Denmark was already focused on standing up a light infantry battalion for national and international use; increasing anti-aircraft capabilities; buying the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; and the creation of a special cyberwarfare unit. It is possible those capabilities could receive a funding boost. One thing is clear: The move is directly the result of a desire to support NATO amid calls from the Trump administration over fairer burden-sharing. In a statement, the political coalition notes “the Alliance has in the recent year taken important steps to further strengthen NATO's readiness and deterrence posture. The situation increases requirements to the Alliance and has reinforced the debate on fair burden sharing and Allies ability and will to defend themselves and each other. In light of this development Allies have taken new decisions to allocate additional resources to the armed forces towards 2024.” In addition to the spending increase, Denmark is changing how it reports its spending to NATO in order to “make sure the Danish defence efforts are duly reflected in the reporting to NATO.” Those changes will up Denmark's reported NATO support to 3 billion kroner annually from 2023 onward. Whether the increase will be enough to placate U.S. President Donald Trump remains to be seen. Trump has consistently called for European allies to spend more on defense, with a focus on hitting the target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense, set at the 2014 Wales Summit. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/01/30/denmark-ups-defense-budget/

AIR FORCE Honeywell International Aerospace, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been awarded an $85,676,969 contract for C‐5 Honeywell software and engineering support services. This contract provides hardware and software support for the C-5 aircraft. Work will be performed at the following locations: Warner Robins, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Redmond, Washington; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed Jan. 30, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. A combination of fiscal 2019 Transportation Working Capital funds; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount $9,359,960 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8525‐19‐D‐0002). Diligent Consulting Inc., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a $17,490,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursable modification (P00003) to contract FA8770-18-F-1009 for undefinitized contract action against the maintenance, repair and overhaul initiative task order. The modification will better align capabilities with user needs by realigning the fielding strategy to match the needs of individual units through the use of agile methods, and incorporate two financial processes necessary to be compliant with Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness and the Federal Information System Controls Audit Manual. Work will be performed in at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed Jan. 28, 2023. This contract is being funded with fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds, and total cumulative face value of the contract is $49,257,000. Air Force Life Cycle Management center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY SeKON Enterprise Inc., Arlington, Virginia, is being awarded a $32,696,823 modification to previously awarded cost-reimbursable task order HT0011-14-F-0030 to exercise an option for engineering, cybersecurity, and configuration management support services. The cumulative maximum value of the task order is $144,344,198. HT0011-14-F-0030 provides services in support of the Program Executive Office (PEO) - Defense Healthcare Management Systems (DHMS) in its efforts to provide systems engineering processes, cybersecurity processes, data management and governance, synthetic test data, process and software tool support, and enterprise solutions architecture for PEO DHMS programs. The period of performance for the option is 12 months with an estimated completion date of Jan. 28, 2020. Work location is at the contractor's facility in Arlington, Virginia. The modification is funded with fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds; and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. The original task order was issued on a competitive basis, with fair opportunity being provided to contract holders under the National Institutes of Health Chief Information Officer – Solutions And Partners 3 (CIO-SP3) Small Business Government-Wide Acquisition Contract. The Defense Health Agency - Contracting Office - Defense Healthcare Management Systems, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems Division, Moorestown, New Jersey, has been awarded a $13,113,482 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00314) under contract HQ0276-10-C-0001. This modification increases the total cumulative contract value from $2,917,816,118 to $2,930,929,600. Under this modification, the contractor will provide installation; test and training; logistics and material planning; and additional program planning, technical coordination and scheduling for Aegis BMD 4.x aboard AEGIS destroyers for the AEGIS BMD program office. The work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, with an expected completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 defense wide procurement funds in the amount of $7,127,611 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract modification is the result of a sole-source acquisition. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity. NAVY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded $13,067,576 for contract modification P00006 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract (N00030-18-C-0005) for sustainment of the U.S. and United Kingdom SSBN Fire Control System; and the U.S. SSGN Attack Weapon Control System, including training and support equipment and research and development. The work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (97.50 percent); and other various locations less than one percent each (2.50 percent), with an expected completion date of December 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,004,025; United Kingdom funds in the amount of $2,240,000; and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $823,551 are obligated on this award. Funds in the amount of $823,551 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. ARMY MedTrust LLC, San Antonio, Texas, was awarded a $12,939,322 firm-fixed-price contract for registered nursing services. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2019. U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W81K04-19-D-0009). https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1743253/source/GovDelivery/

ARMY Syracuse Research Corp., Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $108,209,591 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Vehicle Integrated Defeat System. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation; operations and maintenance, Army; and other procurement, Army funds in the combined amount of $53,022,699 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0005). NAVY The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $56,755,269 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that provides program management support as well as engineering and integrated logistics support by the original equipment manufacturer for the post-production support phase of the T-45 aircraft lifecycle. This contract includes special tooling and test equipment, data accessibility and obsolescence identification, and resolution in addition to field services support that will provide subject matter expertise in the areas of environmental control systems, cockpit pressurization and On-Board Oxygen Generation Systems integration. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (96.1 percent); Meridian, Mississippi (1.3 percent); Kingsville, Texas (1.3 percent); and Pensacola, Florida (1.3 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N61340-19-D-0003). Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $31,335,203 for modification P00044 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0004) for sustainment services for F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production Lot X aircraft for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Williamtown, Australia, and is expected to be completed in January 2021. Non-U.S. Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $31,335,203 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. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Archbald, Pennsylvania, is awarded $16,089,088 for modification P00005 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-17-C-0022). This modification provides for the procurement of 4,320 Laser Guided Training Rounds BDU-59B/B. Work will be performed in Archbald, Pennsylvania (45 percent); Marlton, New Jersey (10 percent); Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada (6.5 percent); Rochester, New York (5.5 percent); Westford, Massachusetts (3 percent); Plainville, Connecticut (2.75 percent); Joplin, Missouri (2.75 percent); Hauppage, New York (1.5 percent); Quakertown, Pennsylvania (1.5 percent); San Jose, California (1.5 percent); Laconia, New Hampshire (1.5 percent); Dunedin, Florida (1 percent); Clifton, New Jersey (1 percent); Londonderry, New Hampshire (1 percent); Canton, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Honesdale, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Mount Laurel, New Jersey (1 percent); Medford, New Jersey (1 percent); Irvine, California (.5 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (11 percent). Work is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $16,089,088 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $10,930,390 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-5106 to exercise options for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 4.0.2 equipment for Shipset 23 and BMD spares. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (54 percent); and Clearwater, Florida (46 percent), and is expected to be complete by November 2020. Fiscal 2019 Defense Wide Procurement funding in the amount of $10,339,481; and fiscal 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $590,909 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 Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $9,998,560 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-14-C-2104 for digital voltage regulator system material. The contractor will be providing five ship sets of material and one ship set ready for ship installation. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,998,560 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Multibeam Corp., Santa Clara, California, has been awarded a $22,900,000 firm-fixed-price modification to contract FA9453-17-C-0015 for the Electron-Beam Direct Write subsystems. This contract is to continue demonstration of the advanced lithography tool for government integrated circuits developed under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, California, and is expected to be completed May 19, 2021. Fiscal 2017 Defense Production Act Title III funds in the amount of $22,900,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $32,300,000. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND SeaCube Container Leasing International, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey (HTC71119DR008); Textainer Equipment Management, San Francisco, California (HTC71119DR009); and Triton Container International, Hamilton, Bermuda (HTC71119DR010), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contracts for leasing and transportation of intermodal container equipment, in the amount of $16,227,246 (estimated) for the base year. Performance is from March 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020. Work will be performed at multiple continental U.S. and outside continental U.S. locations. The contracts utilize fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funding. The U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, has been awarded a fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract (HTC71119DW001) in the amount of $7,101,934. The contract provides ocean liner service between Jacksonville/Blount Island, Florida, and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. The contract base period of performance is from March 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Transportation Working Capital Funds were obligated at award. U.S. Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1742153/source/GovDelivery/

By PAUL MCLEARY WASHINGTON: A top Pentagon official on Tuesday said major upgrades being made to dozens of Navy destroyers to give them new missile defense capabilities will continue, even as Navy leadership bristles at having so many ships tied up hunting for missile launches. The comments by James Anderson, assistant Defense secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities, came on the same day that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified before Congress that US intelligence agencies assess North Korea is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in any potential deal with Washington. “The Navy does have this mission of ballistic missile defense,” Anderson said during a talk at the Brookings Institution. “It is one of their core missions and it will remain so.” The Navy currently has 38 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers in the fleet with missile defense capabilities, he noted, and has plans to convert “all Aegis destroyers to fully missile defense capable” status, meaning 60 ships will be able to perform the missile defense mission by 2023. Just the day before Anderson's remarks, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson complained again that he has ships sailing in “small boxes” protecting assets on land, when they should be out performing other missions. “We've got exquisite capability, but we've had ships protecting some pretty static assets on land for a decade,” Richardson said. “If that [stationary] asset is going to be a long-term protected asset, then let's build something on land and protect that and liberate these ships from this mission.” Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2019/01/more-missile-defense-ships-new-ground-deployments

By: Todd South The Marine Corps is looking to plus up the firepower aboard its new amphibious combat vehicle with a 30mm cannon. Officials with Marine Corps Systems Command posted a request for information on the government website FedBizOpps on Monday. The ACV will replace the aging assault amphibious vehicle, which entered service in the early 1970s. The Marines want three variants of the ACV ― a command and control configuration, a recovery and maintenance setup and ACVs with 30mm medium-caliber cannons. The older AAV had space for a 40mm grenade launcher, but in direct vehicle-on-vehicle fighting the 30mm cannon offers fast, high-volume direct fire. BAE Systems was selected in 2018 to produce the ACV, which is expected to reach initial operational capability by fiscal year 2020. The company has built amphib vehicles for the military since 1941. The ACV is a chief “connector” from ship to shore for Marine amphibious operations. it will include mine resistant ambush protected-level armor, and able to “negotiate two-foot significant wave height and four-foot plunging surf,” according to Program Executive Office-Land Systems. The 30mm-cannon arming follows suit with making existing and future ground combat vehicles more lethal. The Army began upgunning its Stryker vehicles with a 30mm cannon, replacing its twin .50-caliber machine guns. In 2018, the Army also put in place the common remotely operated weapon station for the Javelin missile on the Stryker, keeping soldiers inside the vehicle when firing the missile. Those upgrades began first in Germany as a counter to increased capabilities in the Russian ground formations. The Marines have also started upgrading their light armored vehicle, also a decades-old platform, to include a better powerpack, drive train and digitized instrument panels. Late last year the Corps was still only looking at two ACV variants, according to official postings: the turreted assault vehicle and the command and control version. At the annual Modern Day Marine Military Expo at Quantico, Virginia, John Swift, program director for BAE's amphibious vehicles, told Marine Corps Times that they expect to have 30 vehicles built by the end of summer 2019 to go through testing and modifications as the Corps decides the composition of the ACV fleet. Those will be basic testing platforms. This most recent posting gives some indications of what the Corps needs. Most recently the Corps was asking for 704 ACVs when full production begins in 2022. Those are expected to be done within six years. And a previously ongoing contract with another company to perform survivability upgrades on an estimated 392 AAVs was cancelled last year in a move of funding from that program to more rapid modernization priorities. The legacy AAV is a tracked vehicle, while its replacement will be an eight-wheel vehicle. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/01/29/the-marine-corps-want-three-types-of-amphib-vehicles-including-one-with-a-30mm-cannon