Nouvelles

By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper intends to implement changes from his review of Defense Department organizations on a rolling basis, rather than waiting until the review process is completely finished, according to the department's top spokesman. Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, said Monday that there's “no interest” from Esper to wait until the review is fully done or the start of the next fiscal year to start implementing program changes, including potential cuts. “It's going to be an ongoing process. If he makes a decision, it's not going to be ‘I have to look through everything and then make some decisions.' If he sees a program that needs to end or be moved, he'll make that decision as quickly as he can,” Hoffman told reporters. “He's going to make changes as we move forward. If he identifies changes that would save money, there's no interest in waiting until next year to start saving money.” An Aug. 2 memo kicked off a departmentwide review of programs ahead of the development for the fiscal 2021 budget request. The goal is to find savings and drive a “longer-term focus on structural reform, ensuring all [defensewide] activities are aligned to the National Defense Strategy while evaluating the division of functions between defense-wide organizations and the military departments," per the document. The so-called fourth estate of the department includes 27 agencies, such as the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Missile Defense Agency. A September 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office estimated those agencies collectively have an annual budget of at least $106 billion. Esper has acknowledged the review sounds a lot like the “night court” process the Army used to find roughly $25 billion in savings that could then be reinvested into new capabilities. But he has so far declined to offer a target dollar figure for savings. "It's a long road. I'm spending two hours a week, 90 minutes to two hours a week on this in formal session, so we're just going to work our way through it week after week after week,” the secretary said Aug 27. “I'm looking for programs that don't have as much value relative to another critical war-fighting capability, absolutely.” Hoffman described the process as starting with internal reviews inside the various offices, looking at what projects are ongoing. Those are cross-checked with assessments from others in the department that are looking to find cost-sharing or cost-saving options. Those are collectively provided up to the deputy secretary of defense before being presented at regular meetings with Esper. Esper then “holds a review with all the parties that may have equities and go through it. I sat through one of these last week. He really digs into what are the appropriate roles, what are the appropriate missions, is there someone better or capable to hold this than the equity that has it now, is there better cost savings,” Hoffman said. Some have questioned whether Esper's plans will run into roadblocks in Congress. On Monday, Hoffman stressed that the department has been keeping Congress in the loop. “The secretary has been very adamant he wants to make sure Congress is fully informed,” he said. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2019/09/09/program-cuts-from-espers-pentagon-wide-review-could-come-sooner-than-expected/

AIR FORCE Solid State Scientific Corp., Hollis, New Hampshire, has been awarded a $59,000,000 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee hybrid contract for Air Force Weather Enterprise (AFW) Product-as-a-Service/Infrastructure-as-a-Service. This contract provides the migration to the cloud for the Air Force Weather Branch and is to design and build an Air Force Weather Virtual Private Cloud. It is required to expand to support the cloud migration and operations for all AFW applications. Work will be performed at and is expected to be completed by May 9, 2020, with two one-year options. This sole source award is a result of a Small Business Innovative Research Phase III follow-on. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $777,351 are being obligated at the time of award. The Aerospace Management Systems Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8730-19-C-0041). BlackHorse Solutions Inc.,* Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $48,843,831 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for CDI2E software/hardware prototypes. This contract will advance global vigilance, global reach, and global power in the information environment through the application, research, development, and transition of emerging technologies and next-gen solutions. This includes rapid tool development, development of electronic warfare/cyber network attack software and hardware systems, analytical processing, cyber threat avoidance and cyber threat defense, test and evaluation, and to manage the development to ensure projects move forward at a rapid pace, that technical and process innovations incorporated into successive rounds of development. Work will be performed at Herndon, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 9, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $300,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. (FA8750-19-C-1528). ECSC LLC, Columbus, Mississippi, has been awarded a $45,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Columbus Air Force Base paving and civil works. This contract provides for repair and construction of asphalt and concrete pavements including sub-base and base course, installation of associated utilities, drainage structures, sidewalks, curb and gutters, rubber removal and painting of runways, taxiways, and aprons, and turf. Work will be performed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi and Auxiliary Field, Shuqualak, Mississippi, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $621,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 14th Contracting Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (FA302219-D-A002). ajc architects, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A003); Architectural Nexus, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A005); CRSA, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A008); Design West Architects, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A010); GSBS, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A012); HDR, Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A011); Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Taylorsville, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A009); Michael Baker International Inc., Midvale, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A007); Stanley Consultants Inc., Murray, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A006); and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah (FA8201-19-D-A004) have been awarded a not-to-exceed $36,000,000 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for architectural and engineering services to support the 75th Civil Engineering Group mission. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, or other geographically separated areas under their jurisdiction to include Little Mountain Test Annex, Utah Test and Training Range, and Boulder Seismic Station, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 8, 2024. This award is the result of a competitive, multiple award acquisition and 15 offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. General Electric Aviation, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $19,429,512 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for F138 sustaining engineering, program management, and field service representative support. This contract provides the Air Force with the expertise required to support trending, diagnosis, analysis, and warranty administration for the F138 engine. Work will be performed at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; Travis Air Force Base, California; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; and Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 5, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,831,638 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. (FA8124-19-D-0005). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $14,958,516 task order against contract FA8533-18-D-0002 for the execution of a baseline change request/engineering change proposal which upgrades 99 common organizational level testers and accessory kits to the new baseline removing obsolescence issues. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 8, 2022. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $14,958,516 will be obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8533-19-F-0091). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY TEK Precision Co. Ltd.,* Deer Park, New York, has been awarded a maximum $17,638,194 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation servo coupling assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a five year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a June 24, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0124). York Precision Machining and Hydraulics LLC,* York, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $13,681,333 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for sliding and fixed cones for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile system. 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 five-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Pennsylvania, with a Sept. 5, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (SPRHA2-19-D-0001). ARMY Alberici Constructors Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $14,610,600 firm-fixed-price contract for Miter Gate installation at Marseilles and Starved Rock Locks on the Illinois River Basin. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Ottawa, Illinois, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2019 civil construction funds in the amount of $14,610,600 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W912EK-19-C-0035). Winkler-NNAC JV,* Newman Lake, Washington, was awarded an $8,555,103 firm-fixed-price contract to repair drainage failures. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 7, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,555,103 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Hood, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91151-19-C-0035). NAVY DONJON Marine Co. Inc., Hillside, New Jersey, is being awarded a $12,499,201 modification to previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00024-18-D-4307 deliver order N00024-19-F4D02 for continuation of emergency floodwater pumping operations in Puerto Rico under Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) mission assignment. Work will be performed in Puerto Rico and is expected to be complete by June 2020. Non-expiring ACOE funding in the amount of $11,440,916 will be obligated at the 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. BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded an $11,945,242 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-4403 for additional growth requirements, including actions taken during Hurricane Florence, identified during the execution of the USS Tortuga (LSD 46) Fiscal 2018 Modernization Period (MODPRD) Chief of Naval Operations availability. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. Upward obligation of expired fiscal 2018 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,945,242 was used to fund this action in accordance with fiscal law. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 5, 2019) The University of California, Berkeley, California, is being awarded a $9,477,951 cooperative research agreement to study learning mechanisms to create computational models and enhance artificial intelligence approaches to learning, such as deep learning and reinforcement learning. All work will be performed at the University of California, Berkeley, California. This four-year agreement has no option periods. The period of performance is from Sept. 9, 2019, through Sept. 8, 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) in the amount of $1,477,559 will be obligated at the time of award. This research agreement was competitively procured via broad agency announcement (HR001119S0005) and publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Forty-two offers were received and nine were selected for award. The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-2-4034). DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY CORRECTION: The Sept. 6, 2019, announcement of a contract award to Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia (HC1047-19-D-4002), in support of providing the full range of Mission Partner Environment (MPE)-compatible support services and associated equipment to design, implement and operate the MPE enterprise, included the incorrect ceiling value. The award's actual ceiling value is $998,000,000. All other information in the announcement is correct. CORRECTION: The contract announced on Sept. 6, 2019, to The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, LLC (JHU/APL), Laurel, Maryland (HC1047-19-D-0001), for essential engineering, research, and/or development capabilities, in line with the core competencies established by the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering, has not yet been awarded. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1955489/source/GovDelivery/

by Murray Brewster The U.S.-led North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) asked the Canadian military to do an inventory of its bases and the surrounding civilian infrastructure, looking for critical systems vulnerable to a cyberattack. The letter to Canada's chief of the defence staff, written by then-Norad commander U.S. Admiral William Gourtney just over three years ago, was obtained by CBC News under access to information legislation. Despite the passage of time, two leading cyber experts said the request highlights an enduring concern of both defence planners and people in high-tech industries. The notion that a cyberattack could shut down civilian infrastructure — such as power grids, water treatment plants or traffic systems — in the vicinity of a military base is nothing new. What is unusual is that Norad sought reassurance, at the highest levels of the military, that Canada was on top of the evolving threat. The Norad commander asked Gen. Jonathan Vance to "identify and mitigate" Infrastructure Control Systems (ICS) vulnerabilities on Canadian military bases, particularly at "installations that are critical for accomplishing Norad missions." The March 24, 2016 letter also urged Canada's top military commander to "advocate developing capabilities to respond to cyber incidents on CAF [infrastructure control systems] and defend CAF [infrastructure control systems] if required." Gourtney's concern was not limited to defence installations; he asked Vance to "work with Public Safety Canada to identify civilian infrastructure that is critical to CAF and Norad missions. This includes developing processes for reporting cyber incidents on the identified civilian infrastructure." Vance responded to Gourtney (who has since retired and was replaced by U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy) three months later and directed the military to hunt for vulnerabilities. "I share Norad's concerns for the cybersecurity" of critical defence infrastructure, Vance wrote on June 10, 2016, in a letter obtained by CBC News under access to information legislation. He noted that the Canadian government has identified "adversaries" that pose "a significant threat and efforts have been made to identify and develop protective strategies for Canadian critical infrastructure." The Liberal government — through its defence strategy and overhaul of security legislation — tackled some of the concerns raised by Norad. It gave the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) and the military new powers to conduct offensive cyber operations. Perhaps more importantly, it set up the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security for civilian infrastructure, which — according to CSE — aims to "be a place where private and public sectors work side-by-side to solve Canada's most complex cyber issues." David Masson, a cyber expert, said minimizing the vulnerability of civilian, privately operated infrastructure continues to be an extraordinarily complex task. The major vulnerability is in what's known as operational technology systems, the kind of computer-driven tasks in utilities and other infrastructure that open and close valves or perform remote functions. The task of securing them is made extraordinary difficult in part by the wide variety of operating systems out there. "There's lots of them," said Masson, the director of technology at Darktrace, a leading cybersecurity company. "Look at it as 50, 60, 70 different bespoke communications systems. There's no real standardization because they're so old. Many of them were never expected to be connected to the internet." He pointed to the 2015 and 2016 cyberattacks on Ukraine's power grid, which in one instance cut electricity to 225,000 people, as examples of what's possible when hackers go after operational technology systems. It is also the kind of event that Norad is concerned about. "The kinds of equipment and machinery that supports the transport of natural gas or the provision of air conditioned services, or our water supply — all of those are critical to Canadians and our militaries," Lt.-Gen.Christopher Coates, the Canadian deputy commander, said in a recent interview with CBC News. He said Norad is focused on the capabilities that are essential to doing its job of defending North America against attack, and they try to "minimize those vulnerabilities where we can." There is, Coates said, an interesting discussion taking place at many levels of the military about what constitutes critical infrastructure. "You asked if we're satisfied. I get paid to be concerned about the defences and security of our nations. I don't think I should ever be satisfied," he added. 'Inauthentic activity' in Alberta election a possible preview of tactics in the federal campaign, report warns Privacy commissioner launches investigation into licence plate breach With ransomware on the rise, RCMP urging victims to 'be patient with police' Christian Leuprecht, a defence expert at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., said defining critical infrastructure is a complex and evolving task. He pointed to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election; prior to that event, he said, the definition of critical infrastructure was limited to power plants, electricity grids and even the financial system. "A lot of things people are wrestling with the question of what institutions — take, for example, democratic institutions — become critical infrastructure," said Leuprecht. The Ukrainian attacks, in the view of many defence experts, are a blueprint of what the opening shots of a future war would look like. "There's a considerable and growing awareness that our defence and critical infrastructure systems are closely tied together because countries, such as China, preserve cyberattack as a first-strike option," Leuprecht said. Masson said there are ways to limit the vulnerability of operational technology systems. Not connecting them to the internet would be a start, but many companies are choosing not to do that for efficiency reasons. He said they also can be protected with "robust" security systems. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/norad-cyber-civilian-1.5273917

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Science Applications International Corp., doing business as SAIC, Fairfield, New Jersey, has been awarded a maximum $950,000,000 fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a variety of Federal Supply Group 80 items. This was a competitive acquisition with three offers received. This is a three-year base contract with two, two-year option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania, California, Georgia, Texas, New Jersey and Arizona, with a Sept. 5, 2022, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EG-19-D-0103). BOH Environmental LLC, Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $70,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for specialized shipping and storage containers. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two year base contract with three one year option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a Sept. 5, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8ED-19-D-0001). General Electric Co., Lynn, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $14,874,824 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-QH06) against a five year basic ordering agreement (FA8122-19-G-0001) for engine exhaust frames. This was a sole source acquisition using justification 10 USC 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 43 month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with an April 30, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111-5098. Pomp's Tire Service Inc., New Berlin, Wisconsin, has been awarded a maximum $11,465,836 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for wheel end assemblies. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a three year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Wisconsin, with a Sept. 6, 2022, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0159). NAVY DLT Solutions LLC, Herndon, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0045); EC America Inc., McLean, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0119); Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0120); RightStar Systems Inc.,Vienna, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0022); Belarc Inc., Maynard, Massachusetts (N66001-19-A-0118); and Immix Technologies, McLean, Virginia (N66001-19-A-0121), are being awarded a multiple-award, firm-fixed-price Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI) blanket purchase agreement (BPA) in accordance with the firms' General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule contracts. This BPA provides for purchase of this category's software products and services by the DoD, U.S. intelligence community, and Coast Guard. The overall estimated value of this BPA is $820,450,000. The individual agreements are awarded for multi-reseller and multi-publisher providers of commercial-off-the-shelf information technology asset management software; software maintenance support; information technology professional services; and related services in support of DoD ESI in the enterprise software category. The resellers/software publishers are: DLT Solutions (Netscout and Tripwire); EC America (Riverbed, Netscout, Commvault and Microfocus Solutions); Carahsoft Technology (Safenet, Zscaler, Datalocker, Hytrust, Nlyte Microfocus Solutions, Beyond Trust, and Oblong); RightStar (Nlyte); Belarc Inc.; and Immix Technologies (BeyondTrust and Microfocus Solutions). The ordering period will be for a maximum of 10 years from Sept. 6, 2019, through July 11, 2029. The BPA is issued under DoD ESI in accordance with the policy and guidelines in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Section 208.74. This BPA will not obligate funds at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders using operations and maintenance (DoD) funds. Requirements will be competed among the awardees in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.403-3(c)(2), and the successful contractor will receive firm fixed-price orders. This BPA was competitively procured via the GSA E-Buy web site among 679 vendors. Eight offers were received and eight were selected for award. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $266,203,768 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract special tooling and special test equipment in support of F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (50.30 percent); San Diego, California (13.18 percent); Orlando, Florida (7.30 percent); El Segundo, California (5.45 percent); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (5.23 percent); Papendrecht, Netherlands (3.90 percent); Cheltenham, United Kingdom, (2.49 percent); Rochester, United Kingdom (2.29 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (1.95 percent); Phoenix, Arizona (1.66 percent); Williston, Vermont (1.47 percent); Marietta, Georgia (1 percent); Palmdale, California (0.73 percent); East Aurora, New York (0.59 percent); Endicott, New York (0.55 percent); Kongsberg, Norway (0.43 percent); Marion, Virginia (0.34 percent); Hauppauge, New York (0.30 percent); Boulder, Colorado (0.24 percent); Owego, New York (0.23 percent); Sylmar, California (0.22 percent); Mississauga, Canada (0.06 percent); Avon, Massachusetts (0.04 percent); Montmorency, Australia (0.02 percent); Garden Grove, California (0.02 percent); and Ontario, California (0.01 percent). Work is expected to be completed by July 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); and non-U.S. DoD participant funds in the amount of $266,203,768 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($117,424,737; 44 percent); Navy ($80,246,876; 30 percent); Marine Corps ($36,674,989; 14 percent); and non-U.S. DoD participants ($31,857,166; 12 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001919C0074). Harris Corp., Roanoke, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $249,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems; spare and repair parts; contractor logistics support; and test article refurbishment. Work will be performed in Roanoke, Virginia, and is expected to be complete by September 2024.Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $328,203 will be obligated at time of award and funds will expire the end of fiscal 2021.This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with six offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-D-1501). Orbis Sibro Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (N39040-18-D-0003); Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0004), Delphinus Engineering, Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N39040-18-D-0005); and Oceaneering Intl., Chesapeake, Virginia (N39040-18-D-0006), are being awarded a combined cumulative $37,884,834 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award modification to exercise Option Period One to provide non-nuclear production support for U.S. naval submarine projects/repairs. The services under these contracts cover marine electrician, industrial fire watch/laborer, marine pipefitter, outside marine machinist, marine painter, weight handler, marine ship fitter, shipwright, welder, sheet metal, marine insulator, abrasive blaster, deck time setter and sound tile setter for upcoming submarine availabilities. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, is the contracting activity. QED Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4006); and McKean Defense Group LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (N64498-19-D-4032), are being awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity type contracts with cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price line items for engineering and technical services in support of Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems Modernization Program. The contract being awarded to QED Systems Inc. (QED) will be awarded for $19,847,942, and the contract being awarded to McKean Defense Group LLC (McKean) will be awarded for $21,458,714. Work under the QED contract will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (20 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (20 percent); and various Navy port locations worldwide (60 percent). The work under the McKean contract will be performed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (40 percent); and various Navy port locations worldwide (60 percent). Work at all locations is expected to be completed by September 2024. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funding in the amount of $100,000 ($50,000 per contract) will be obligated at time of award via individual task orders and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(a), these contracts are the result of a full and open competitive procurement via the Federal Business Opportunities portal, in which three offers were received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. American Scaffold, San Diego, California (N55236-16-D-0001); and W.V. Construction Co.,* Jamul, California (N55236-16-D-0002), are each being awarded firm-fixed-price contract modifications to exercise Option Year Four of their respective previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contracts to provide scaffolding services to the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center's Commercial Industrial Services code in support of Navy ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, California, which may include Oceanside, California. American Scaffold is being awarded $10,869,649, and W.V. Construction Co. is being awarded $18,892,889. Each contractor shall provide management, administrative and production services, materials, tools, equipment and required support to accomplish scaffolding on board U.S. naval ships and other government vessels within a 50-mile radius of San Diego, which may include Oceanside, California. Scaffolding shall include rolling scaffolds, suspended scaffolds and tube-and-clamp-type scaffolds. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. No funding is being obligated at time of award. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. AS and D Inc., Beltsville, Maryland, is being awarded a $16,118,830 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00173-14-D-2016 for engineering and operational support for the command, control, data collection and mission management operations at Blossom Point Tracking Facility (BPTF). Work will be performed in Welcome, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 26, 2020. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $194,791; fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance funds (Navy) in the amount of $322,000; and fiscal 2019 research and development funds (Air Force) in the amount of $486,000, will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $516,791 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Contract funds in the amount of $486,000 will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The Sept. 5, 2019, announcement of a $9,500,000 delivery order (N68335-19-F-0393) against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N68335-16-G-0028) for Oceanit Laboratories Inc.*, Honolulu, Hawaii, included the incorrect contracting activity. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. CORRECTION: The Sept. 5, 2019, announcement of a $107,067,910 contract for Hexagon U.S. Federal Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (N00024-19-D-4114) included an incorrect completion date. The contract's expected completion date is actually September 2024. ARMY BAE Systems Inc., York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $268,990,416 modification (P00015) to contract W56HZV-18-C-0133 for Bradley production. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2018 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles funds in the amount of $268,990,416 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Heritage-M2C1 Joint Venture,* Delta Junction, Alaska, was awarded a $40,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to execute sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 12, 2024. U.S. Army 413th Contracting Support Battalion, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is the contracting activity (W912D0-19-D-0005). Professional Contract Services Inc., Austin, Texas, was awarded a $26,688,913 modification (P00023) to contract W9124L-17-C-0005 for non-personal services to provide labor and supplies necessary to manage and operate the Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Directorate of Public Works. Work will be performed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance Army funds in the amount of $26,688,913 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. PAE Government Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $26,022,182 modification (P00014) to Foreign Military Sales (Afghanistan) W56HZV-17-C-0117 for the National Maintenance Strategy Ground Vehicle Support effort. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2020. Fiscal 2019 Afghanistan Security Forces, Army funds in the combined amount of $26,022,182 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Lynxnet LLC,* Suffolk, Virginia, was awarded an $18,207,432 firm-fixed-price contract to operate and maintain the command and control and infrastructure operations for headquarters, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work will be performed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,490,400 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911W4-19-C-0010). General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $14,986,238 modification (P00071) to contract W56HZV-13-C-0319 to provide labor and vendor costs to furnish and install two new horizontal boring mill machines. Work will be performed in Lima, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of March 7, 2022. Fiscal 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $14,986,238 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Northbank Civil and Marine Inc.,* Vancouver, Washington, was awarded a $13,075,000 modification (P00001) to contract W9127N-18-C-0081 for rehabilitation, structural, mechanical, and electrical upgrades to tainter gate. Work will be performed in Detroit, Oregon, with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $13,075,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland, Oregon, is the contracting activity. Motorola Solutions Inc., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded a $10,173,475 modification (P00002) to contract W52P1J-18-D-0036 to upgrade and expand the Pacific Japan and Korea land mobile radio system, connect sites to the current joint Japan land mobile radio system and to upgrade the Army backup core infrastructure in Japan. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 24, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC (JHU/APL), Laurel, Maryland, was awarded a non-competitive, single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for essential engineering, research, and/or development capabilities, in line with the core competencies established by the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering, which designated JHU/APL as a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). The place of performance will be at JHU/APL, Laurel, Maryland; and at the Defense Information Systems Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland. The contract ceiling value is $245,000,000, funded by multiple appropriation types. The minimum guarantee of $5,793,933 is satisfied through the issuance of the first task order in conjunction with the contract, which is funded by fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds. This is a sole source award, and as such, only one proposal was received. The ordering period is Sept. 30, 2019, through Sept. 29, 2024. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity (HC1047-19-D-0001). Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of providing the full range of Mission Partner Environment (MPE)-compatible support services and associated equipment to design, implement and operate the MPE enterprise. The contract ceiling value is $98,000,000. At the time of award, the minimum guarantee of $500 will be obligated using fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funding. All other funding will be obligated at the task order level. The places of performance will be at contiguous U.S. and outside continental U.S. designated MPE Services (MPE-S) support sites including Washington, District of Columbia; Fort Meade, Maryland; Air Force facilities in Fairfax, Virginia; U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany; U.S. Central Command, Tampa, Florida; Kuwait; Bahrain; Afghanistan; U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida; U.S. Northern Command, Colorado Spring, Colorado; U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida; Joint Communication Support Element, Tampa, Florida; and U.S. Forces Korea, Youngsan Air Base, Osan Air Base, Kunsan Air Base, and Camp Humphries. Additional places of performance are to be determined based on customer requirements and real world events. The specific place(s) of performance will be specified in individual task orders. A competitive solicitation utilizing full and open competition was the basis for the single-award contract. Proposals were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and four proposals were received. The ordering period is five years from the date of contract award. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity (HC1047-19-D-4002). AIR FORCE Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC - ATK Tactical Propulsion and Control, Rocket Center, West Virginia, has been awarded a $109,929,339 firm-fixed-price contract for Hard Target Void Sensing Fuzes (HTVSF). This contract provides for the full rate production of Lot 2 and Lot 3 HTVSFs, as well as spares, trainers, and support. Work will be performed in Rocket Center, West Virginia, and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2023. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2017, 2018, and 2019 ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $109,929,339 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8213-19-C-0038). Bowhead Cybersecurity Solutions & Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,689,460 firm-fixed-price contract for the Air Force National Tactical Integration Program. This contract provides for real-time, two-way interactive information exchange among the combined/joint force air component commander, other joint and Air Force customers, and the national intelligence community. Work will be performed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Fort Meade, Maryland; Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; Fort Gordon, Georgia; Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; Langley Air Force Base, Virginia; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; Hurlburt Field, Florida; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; and Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The performance period includes four option periods with expected completion by Jan. 30, 2024. This award is the result of a sole source set-aside acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $1,446,615 are being obligated at time of the award. The Acquisition Management & Integration Center-Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7037-19-C-A009). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1954307/source/GovDelivery/

By: Jill Aitoro The Pentagon's needs one central hub to manage all of the data supporting artificial intelligence across the services — and the newly stood-up Joint Artificial Intelligence Center should be the entity to take that on, said Steve Walker, director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA has funded foundational AI work for 56 years, now concentrating on what Walker calls third wave AI that focuses on human and machine interaction as well as building “trust and explainability” of the data, Walker said during a panel discussion at the Defense News Conference on Sept. 4. “Everybody should own it, but I think there's a real need in [the Department of Defense] to understand how to do what we call AI engineering,” he said. “We can do the foundational part, the research, but who's going to manage the data? Who's going to update the data as it changes? Who's going to update the algorithms as the data changes? "I know that the Joint AI Center has stood up in the department. I've encouraged them to take that on for all of DoD and all the services. I think that would be an excellent role for them.” Established in June 2018, the Joint AI Center is an effort to accelerate the Pentagon's adoption and integration of AI at scale. As a center of excellence, Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, JAIC's director, said the organization was intended to expand beyond product delivery to include “strategic engagement and policy, plans and analysis, and intelligence and more.” It's been billed as a clearing house for organizing the DoD's thinking and projects related to AI. That said, it's too soon to know whether JAIC will take Walker's advice and serve as a central manager of sorts for AI data; he did say leadership seemed “amenable” to the idea. A centralized hub for data could also ease efforts underway by agencies. The Air Force has people plugged in with the JAIC effort, as well as DARPA and academic institutions. The service is starting an AI accelerator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where members of the Air Force are embedding with the university's computer science and AI lab. “We're trying to make it real, to take some of what Dr. Walker and his team had been working on and turn it into something that our airmen out in the field can use across the spectrum,” said Gen. Stephen “Seve” Wilson, Air Force vice chief of staff. “Whether you're logistics, whether you're an operator, whether you're space. I would make it real.” At the end of the day, successful AI efforts are based on big data sets. Without that underlying data, the Pentagon is “building a house on sand,” said Juliana Vida, the chief technical adviser for the public sector at Splunk, Inc. “If you don't get the foundation right, the input into the machine-learning algorithm is not going to be complete. It's not going to be correct. Even though it's not cool and it doesn't go bang and it's not sexy, the data is the underlying piece to all of these other technologies,” Vida said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2019/09/06/who-should-control-the-pentagons-ai-data-darpas-director-has-a-suggestion/

ARMY Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co., Simsbury, Connecticut (W52P1J-19-D-0065); and Chemring Ordnance Inc., Perry, Florida (W52P1J-19-D-0066), will compete for each order of the $320,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Honeywell International Inc., Clearwater, Florida, was awarded a $37,851,458 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of the commercial Tactical Advanced Land Inertial Navigator 5000 Inertial Navigation Unit. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 8, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-19-D-0082). MW Builders, Pflugerville, Texas, was awarded a $30,477,000 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a completed fully functional Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Fort Hood, Texas, with an estimated completion date of June 4, 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $30,477,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-19-C-0119). General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, was awarded a $29,316,074 modification (P00016) to contract W58RGZ-19-C-0027 for performance based logistics support services for the MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system. Work will be performed in Poway, California, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $6,469,479 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Ace Precision Machining Corp., Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) contract for hot section parts for the Advanced Gas Turbine-1500 tank engine. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2024. U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer, Kansas, is the contracting activity (W912JC-19-D-5712). Nakasato Contracting LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded a $14,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of an Operational Readiness Training Complex (Barracks) at Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 1, 2021. Fiscal 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $14,200,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W9128A-19-C-0006). GP Strategies Corp., Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $12,693,583 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Life Cycle Logistics Support and Chemical Demilitarization Training Facility operations and maintenance in support of the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity, Recovered Chemical Materiel Directorate. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2020. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-15-D-0087). General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $7,237,568 modification (P00017) to contract W81XWH-17-F-0078 for support services for the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity. Work will be performed in Fort Detrick, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,237,568 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity. NAVY Hexagon U.S. Federal Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a $107,067,910 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-only indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for surface ship Situational Awareness, Boundary Enforcement and Response (SABER) qualification testing and non-recurring engineering, computing hardware production, land-based site equipment, spare parts and engineering services. This IDIQ will support multiple program executive offices and ship programs. Work under this IDIQ contract will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by September 2023. No funding will be obligated with this IDIQ award; funds will be obligated with each order. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website using full-and-open competition procedures, with two offers received. This competition was conducted under the authority 10 U.S. Code 2304, which states that contracting officers shall promote and provide for full and open competition. Support under this IDIQ is for SABER systems to be installed on various surface ships. This procurement includes shipsets and test site sets, technical data, associated engineering services and spares. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-D-4114). DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an $88,730,512 modification (P00052) to a previously awarded, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-15-D-0003). This modification provides organizational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance and logistics support for 16 T-34, 54 T-44, and 287 T-6 aircraft. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas (47%); Whiting Field, Florida (42%); NAS Pensacola, Florida (9%); and various locations through the continental U.S. (2%), and is expected to be completed in March 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. General Electric Aviation Systems, Vandalia, Ohio, is being awarded a $56,594,358 modification (P00006) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-0004). This modification procures 320 Generator Conversion Unit (GCU) G3 to G4 conversion retrofit kits; 547 GCU G4 units; wiring harnesses; and associated technical, financial and administrative data in support of F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G aircraft. Work will be performed Vandalia, Ohio, and is expected to be completed in January 2022. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $56,594,358 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. PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Arlington, Virginia, is being awarded a $52,268,318 modification to previously awarded contract N66604-05-C-1277 to reinstate 6 month periods of performance and increase target cost for Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center. Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) is the Navy's large-area, deep-water, undersea test and evaluation range. Underwater research, testing, and evaluation of anti-submarine weapons, sonar tracking and communications are the predominant activities conducted at AUTEC. The contractor performs services required to perform AUTEC range operations and maintenance of facilities and range systems. In addition, the contractor is responsible for operating a self-sufficient one square mile Navy outpost. This modification increases the value of the basic contract by $52,268,318. The new total value is $853,017,162. Work will be performed in Andros Island, Commonwealth of the Bahamas (80%); and West Palm Beach, Florida (20%), and is expected to be complete by March 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of this modification award. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport Division, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity. Pacific Shipyards International, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $32,110,694 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) fiscal 2020 selected restricted availability. This is a Chief of Naval Operations scheduled selected restricted availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of USS Michael Murphy. The purpose is to maintain, modernize, and repair the USS Michael Murphy. This is a “short-term,” non-docking availability restricted to the vessel's homeport. Pacific Shipyards International will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair, and modernization for USS Michael Murphy. Work will be performed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and is expected to be complete by April 2020. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $36,916,612, and be complete by April 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $32,110,694 will be obligated at time of award and expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received in response to solicitation number N00024-19-R-4404. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4404). Utah State University Research Foundation - Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah, is being awarded a $24,999,998 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for electro-optical research and development. The contract provides research and development efforts in the areas of exploitation software and advanced sensor and processing technologies including digital cameras, processing, compression, command and control, analog systems, power, communications, telemetry, radio frequency/optical sensor payloads and electromechanical systems/support. The maximum total value for this 24 month contract, with no options, is $24,999,998. Work will be performed in North Logan, Utah, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 5, 2021. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $5,793,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3)(B), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-3, this contract was not competitively procured. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00173-19-C-2013). PrimeTech International Inc.,* North Kansas City, Missouri, is being awarded a $12,457,597 firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials six-month bridge contract for logistics services to manage, support, and operate the Marine Corps Consolidated Storage Program warehouse network. Work will be performed in Barstow, California (23%); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (18%); Camp Pendleton, California (13%); Okinawa, Japan (10%); Miramar, California (9%); Camp Geiger, North Carolina (7%); Twenty-nine Palms, California (4%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (4%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (3%); Yuma, Arizona (2%); Beaufort, South Carolina (2%); Iwakuni, Japan (2%); New River, North Carolina (2%); and Bridgeport, California (1%). Work is expected to be completed March 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance funds (Marine Corps) in the amount of $12,457,597 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c) (1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany, Georgia, is the contracting activity (M67004-19-P-2010). Oceanit Laboratories Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $9,500,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N68335-19-F-0393) against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N68335-16-G-0028) in support of the deputy assistant secretary of defense for emerging capability and prototype technology. This order is for a Small Business Innovation Research Phase III effort for the continued development of a Prototype Test Unit (PTU) sensor for integration, test and demonstration with a non-kinetic system. The PTU sensor will incorporate the necessary hardware and software subsystems to demonstrate the viability of a novel defensive capability in an at-sea-demonstration aboard a Navy ship. Work will be performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed in September 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,500,000 will be obligated at time of award, $7,500,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY UPDATE: Maryland Industrial Trucks, Linthicum Heights, Maryland (SPE8EC-19-D-0043), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for commercial trucks and trailers, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0008, announced April 20, 2017. DEFENSE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AGENCY Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price, single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract, HC1047-19-D-5001, in support of the Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) Defense Collaboration Services (DCS) program. The primary place of performance will be at DISA, Fort Meade, Maryland. The ID/IQ ceiling value is $49,500,000, with the minimum guarantee of $5,000 funded by fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds. Proposals were solicited via FedBizOpps (FBO.gov), and one proposal was received. The ordering period is Sept. 8, 2019, through Sept. 7, 2024. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, National Capital Region, is the contracting activity (HC1047-19-D-5001). *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1953308/source/GovDelivery/

By: David B. Larter WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army faces problems on multiple fronts when it comes to sending business to small companies, the head of Army Futures Command said Wednesday. Gen. John Murray said small businesses struggle under a procurement system that can take years, and then struggle to scale their businesses to meet the Army's needs. “There is a lack of trust [on the part of small businesses] that the government can sustain [a] small-business model,” Murray told the audience at the third annual Defense News Conference. “The way we do budgeting, [program objectives memorandum] POM cycles and all that — a small business can't survive. We're going to have to prove to small businesses that we can adjust our POM cycles to meet their needs. “And from the small business perspective, there are only a few ways that they can scale to the size we are talking about in terms of production. One of those ways is partnering with a traditional [defense contractor], so that's going to be a challenge going forward.” Murray's comments come as the Army tries to engage with a range of partners — from universities and small businesses to the traditional prime contractors such as Raytheon and General Dynamics — to find ways to integrate new technologies into the force. The outreach to small businesses at Army Futures Command is about finding new ways to get after the challenges the service faces, Murray said, but that in and of itself comes with challenges. “This outreach to small business is not because there is anything wrong with traditional defense primes, it's really an outreach to find new ways to solve our problems,” he said. “I've been in the Army 37 years, and I think about solving our problems a certain way. I guarantee a lot of these small businesses think about how to solve problems a different way. “Part of the challenge I have with small business is comfortably describing our problem to them. I can't talk in acronyms, I can't talk with 37 years of experience, I need to talk very clearly and very plainly.” Murray said his teams have staged events aimed at the private sector, such as a recent one where startups gathered to figure out how to move artillery shells 250 meters using autonomous unmanned systems. Such events have been instructive, he noted. Ultimately, however, the Army will choose the business that best meets the service's requirements, he said. “What it really comes down to is what are our problems and where is the best place — whether that's small business or a university or a traditional prime — where is the best place to solve that problem,” Murray said. https://www.defensenews.com/smr/defense-news-conference/2019/09/04/the-us-army-faces-struggles-working-with-small-businesses/

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Sep. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) will develop and qualify a high-frequency radio under a $36 million Project Agreement through an Other Transaction Agreement with Consortium Management Group. The OTA is on behalf of Consortium for Command, Control and Communications in Cyberspace, in support of requirements from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The new radio will provide beyond line-of-sight, long distance communications for aircrews. "High-frequency radios provide the military with secure communications in an increasingly complex and congested threat environment," said Barbara Borgonovi, vice president of Integrated Communication Systems. "Raytheon's partnership with FlexRadio combines commercial innovation with advanced military hardening techniques to rapidly deliver a next-generation operational capability that supports strategic and tactical missions." The Raytheon-FlexRadio team is one of two recipients for this development program. After the 31-month period of performance, one team will be named to move on to production. "Worldwide high-frequency communications is what our commercial customers do every day using virtually every mode of operation and type of propagation," said Gerald Youngblood, CEO of FlexRadio. "Our partnership brings together the vast resources and experience of Raytheon in airborne tactical communications systems with FlexRadio's commercial off-the-shelf high-frequency Software Defined Radios to deliver a modular, extensible, and flexible communications platform for the warfighter." About CMG The mission of Consortium Management Group, Inc. on behalf of Consortium for Command, Control, and Communications in Cyberspace (C5) is to speed development of technologies to improve U.S. Government capabilities required to sustain U.S. military supremacy in weapon systems information technologies. For more information on CMG and its uniquely rapid, cost-effective and collaborative acquisition vehicle for companies, nonprofits and academic organizations seeking to do business with the Federal Government, contact Mary Reinecke at mary@cmgcorp.org, 202-466-4211 About FlexRadio FlexRadio Systems is a leader in technologically advanced software defined radio systems for the consumer, commercial and government markets. Founded in 2003, FlexRadio has customers in more than 30 countries with a wide range of products spanning consumer HF radio systems, government geolocation sensors and signals intelligence platforms. FlexRadio Systems is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit www.flexradio.com. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contact B.J. Boling +1.972.952.4761 saspr@raytheon.com http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2019-09-04-Raytheon-FlexRadio-team-to-develop-airborne-high-frequency-radio

NAVY General Electric Aviation, Lynn, Massachusetts, was awarded $143,680,709 for modification P00005 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-18-C-1007). This modification is for 24 low rate initial production Lot 3 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines and three Lot 2 T408-GE-400 engines for the CH-53K helicopter. In addition, this modification provides for associated engine and programmatic support, logistics support, peculiar support equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in December 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $143,680,709 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. (Awarded Aug. 29, 2019) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina (N00189-19-D-Z033); and University of Virginia Darden School Foundation Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (N00189-19-D-Z034), are being awarded multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts worth $24,535,554 that will include terms and conditions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders to provide academic programs to educate the Department of the Navy acquisition personnel in support of the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period and an option for a six-month ordering period; if exercised, the total value of this contract will be $27,496,527. The base ordering period of the contract is expected to be completed by September 2024; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by March 2025. All work will be performed at various contractor locations throughout the U.S., and the percentage of work at each of the contractor facilities cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal 2019 acquisition workforce development funds (Department of Defense) in the amount of $2,000 will be obligated ($1,000 on each of the two contracts to fund the contracts' minimum amounts), and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504. The requirement was solicited through the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet, Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. ARMY Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $97,530,579 modification (P00064) to contract W912DY-16-F-0093 for management and technical support necessary to advance high performance computing services, capabilities, infrastructure and technologies. Work will be performed in Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Lorton, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 18, 2020. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,012,268 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. RLB Contracting Inc.,* Port Lavaca, Texas, was awarded a $9,571,200 firm-fixed-price contract for maintenance dredging of Houston ship channel. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Brady Island, Texas, with an estimated completion date of March 5, 2020. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 operations and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $9,571,200 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W912HY-19-C-0015). Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $8,126,438 modification (P00015) to contract W31P4Q-18-C-0070 for the acquisition of Joint-Air-To-Ground missile engineering services. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 2, 2021. Fiscal 2019 procurement, Air Force; and operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,126,438 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY The Boeing Co.,* St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a maximum $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering and supply chain analysis sustainment support and for various spare parts. 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 one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Location of performance is Missouri, with a Sept. 6, 2020, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 warstopper funds and defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4AX-18-D-9450). CORRECTION: The modification announced on Sept. 3, 2019, for General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan (SPE7MX-16-D-0100), for $38,040,445 was announced with an incorrect award date. The correct award date is Sept. 4, 2019. AIR FORCE Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $8,422,148 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00032) to previously awarded contract FA8675-16-C-0067 for field team support services for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) development test mission support including, test planning, test operations, test reporting and telemetry analysis. This contract modification provides for exercise of the third option for an additional 12 months of services to support ground tests, captive flight tests and live fire tests conducted for developmental purposes up to and including operational test readiness reviews. The effort also encompasses management and maintenance of AMRAAM separation test vehicles and other assets used for the test programs. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $46,807,656. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 5, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition and only one source was solicited and received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,000,000; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $99,600 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., Defense, Space & Security – Network, Newark, Ohio, has been awarded a $7,494,440 firm-fixed-price delivery order, FA8119-19-F-0094, to basic contract FA8119-14-D-0003 for Air Launched Cruise Missile warhead arming devices remanufacture. This delivery order provides for the remanufacture of 110 Air Launched Cruise Missile warhead arming devices for the fifth option period. Work will be performed at Newark, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by May 9, 2020. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $7,494,440.00 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1952112/source/GovDelivery/