Congress Again Talks About a Draft

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Congress is debating, again, including women in a national military draft more than a decade after the end of rules that kept them from combat roles, reports Task & Purpose. This year’s attempt is in the FY25 defense policy bill passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee last week. The bill would require women to register for Selective Service as do men. The House version of the bill, which also passed last week, would not add women to the draft but does include a measure to make registration for the Selective Service automatic for men ages 18 to 25 automatic.

A Center for a New American Security report says that social media is among the many barriers to bringing back a draft, reports Navy Times. The Washington, DC-based think tank report illustrates how a return to mandatory military service would require DoD to navigate unprecedented social and cultural challenges.

The Senate’s fiscal 2025 defense spending bill supports a 2% pay raise for civilians working for the Pentagon next year, reports Federal Times. While the bill only pertains to Defense Department workers, it backs up what President Biden’s budget prescribes for the rest of the civilian workforce

House lawmakers want the Pentagon’s commercial technology hub to expand its partnerships with Israel and Taiwan to bolster the countries’ defense-industrial bases, reports C4ISRNET. The separate provisions call for the Defense Innovation Unit to study the feasibility of partnerships with the nations’ defense ministries, coordinate defense industrial priorities, develop dual-use technologies, and further support startups research and development efforts. The Israel amendment further calls for efforts to counter Iran’s development of dual-use defense technologies.

There’s an “unprecedented” scramble underway to find defense industry workers, reports Axios on a new Financial Times report and survey of nearly two dozen US and European companies in the sector. Global military spending is at a new high. In 2023, countries spent $2.4 trillion on defense in total — the most ever recorded by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The US military expenditures represented 37% of the world’s share, trailed by China at 12%, Russia at 4.5%, and India at 3.4%.

Two Lockheed Martin subsidiaries have agreed to pay the federal government $70 million for overcharging the Navy for aircraft parts, reports Yahoo. The Department of Justice says Sikorsky Support Services, based in Stratford, CT, and Derco Aerospace, headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, knowingly entered into an improper subcontract for spare parts and materials for aircrafts used to train Navy pilots.

China has imposed sanctions against some Lockheed Martin subsidiaries and senior executives over US arms sales to Taiwan, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement. Reuters reports China will freeze movable, immovable, and other kinds of property of Lockheed Martin’s senior executives including its chairman, James Donald Taiclet, and will bar them from entering the country.

A new F-35 training site being built at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas expects fighter pilots from around the world beginning in September with Poland, followed by Finland, Germany, Switzerland, and Singapore in the years ahead, reports Military Times. F-35 pilots from Italy, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands already train at Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base and Belgium is slated to begin lessons there as well. There are more than 3,500 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in 18 countries.

The Navy is weighing what to do about the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which has been battling Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea for nearly nine months. The question is how to replicate the carrier’s combat power if the ship returns home. The service has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Military.com provides a look at where the Navy’s carriers are now.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to send weapons to North Korea if South Korea delivers arms to Ukraine, reports The Hill. This comes as international tensions spike following a new treaty between Moscow and Pyongyang. Putin said South Korea has nothing to worry about so long as it didn’t invade Pyongyang.

Eurosatory 2024 wrapped up Saturday after bringing together hundreds of companies from countries around the world — with the controversial exception of Israel — who showed off everything from body armor to missiles to full-sized tanks. Breaking Defense has photos of some of the products on display.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky denied Friday that it is a security threat after the Commerce Department banned the use of its software in the United States, reports NPR. The Biden administration is banning antivirus software made by Kaspersky Lab, the first time the Commerce Department has used new powers to regulate tech transactions between the US and foreign adversaries.

Congress is worried that robot dogs with machine guns will be bounding onto the battlefield in the near future, says Military Times. House lawmakers inserted language in the massive military policy measure to require a new assessment from the Defense Department on “the threat of rifle-toting robot dogs used by China” in potential future conflicts.

Home prices hit a record high in May, reports The Hill. The National Association of Realtors said the median price of an existing home that sold was $419,300, a record high and up 5.8% from last year.

Contracts:

Vadum Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, is awarded an $8,897,445 cost-plus-fixed fee, level-of-effort contract for supplies and services in support of research and development and platform integration services for airborne electronic warfare projects. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $8,897,445. Work will be performed in Raleigh, North Carolina (85%); Syracuse, New York (5%); Baltimore, Maryland (2%); Lexington Park, Maryland (2%); Camarillo, California (2%); Bethpage, New York (2%); and Crane, Indiana (2%). Work is expected to be completed by June 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2029. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $530,066 will be obligated at time of award. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 US Code 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N0016424CWS69).

Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, is awarded a $25,583,979 modification (P00004) to a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N0042124D0013) to provide for continued organizational, selected intermediate, and limited depot level maintenance and logistics support services in support of the F-5 aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona (28%); Key West, Florida (28%); New Orleans, Louisiana (22%); Beaufort, South Carolina (15%); and Fallon, Nevada (7%), and is expected to be completed in September 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a contract with a ceiling value of $189,000,000 for Combat Air Forces Distributed Mission Operations services. This contract provides for distributed training to capable Air Force trainers worldwide by establishing a virtual environment to conduct distributed training events, from daily team training to large-scale exercises that provides a safe training environment at a lower cost than live fly. The location of performance is Orlando, Florida. Work is expected to be completed by June 21, 2026. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2024 and 2025 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $35,413,294 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Simulators, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8621-24-D-B001).

Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc., Little Rock, Arkansas (W912GB-24-D-0022); EXP Federal Inc. TENG & Associates Inc., Chicago, Illinois (W912GB-24-D-0023); Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (W912GB-24-D-0024); and Smith Seckman Reid Inc., Nashville, Tennessee (W912GB-24-D-0025), will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for multi-disciplined architect-engineer commissioning services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 19, 2029. US Army Corps of Engineers, European District, is the contracting activity.

Fiber Tek Inc., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded an $8,100,869 modification (P00019) to contract W911QX-22-F-0072 for scientific, engineering, and analysis support. Work will be performed in Adelphi, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2025. Fiscal 2024 research and development funds were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Progeny Systems LLC, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $24,472,588 cost-plus-fixed fee and cost only contract for engineering and technical support including software development, and hardware and software integration to Navy Submarines. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $120,710,357. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Middletown, Rhode Island (25%); and San Diego, California (10%), and is expected to be completed by June 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2029. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,477,834 (100%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 US Code 3204(a)(5). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-24-C-6230).

A-1 Sheffield Team LLC, Miami, Florida (FA3020-24-D-0002); ACTS Group, Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA3020-24-D-0003); CCI General Contractors LLC, Altus, Oklahoma (FA3020-24-D-0004); COHO Construction Management LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (FA3020- 24-D-0005); Colt Builders and Weil Construction JV LLC, Des Moines, New Mexico (FA3020-24-D-0006); Mia General Contracting LLC, Pace, Florida (FA3020-24-D-0007); and PAM WCI JV LLC, Midwest City, Oklahoma (FA3020-24-D-0008), have been awarded a $150,000,000 cumulative indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contract. This contract provides for a contracting vehicle for two base locations, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; and Altus AFB, Oklahoma, to expedite construction contract awards. The locations of performance are at Sheppard AFB, Texas; Altus AFB, Oklahoma; Sheppard Annex, Lake Texoma, Texas; Clinton-Sherman Airfield, Oklahoma; Frederick Airfield, Oklahoma: and Ebbing Field, Arkansas. Work is expected to be completed by June 19, 2029. This award is the result of a competitive 8(a) set aside acquisition. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,500 are being obligated at the time of award. The 82nd Contracting Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting authority. (Awarded June 20, 2024)

Alutiiq Logistics & Maintenance Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a $34,971,201 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for Marine Helicopter Squadron One and Defense Information Systems Agency base operations support with a five-year ordering period and two-month phase-in period. The location of performance is Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Washington DC, and multiple off base and sites within the National Capital Region. Work is expected to be completed Feb. 28, 2030. This award was the result of a competitive performance price tradeoff source selection. Funds will be obligated through execution of orders. The 11th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (FA7060-24-D-0001). (Contract awarded June 18, 2024)

AECOM International Inc., Neu-Isenburg, Germany (W912GB-24-D-0026); Black and Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912GB-24-D-0027); CDM Federal Services Europe JV, Bickenbach, Germany (W923GB-24-D-0028); Stantec Jacobs Buchart Horn JV, Charlottesville, Virginia (W912GB-24-D-0029); Tetra Tech Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts (W912GB-24-D-0030); and WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, DC (W912GB-24-D-0031), will compete for each order of the $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for multidisciplined architect-engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 20, 2026. US Army Corps of Engineers, European District, is the contracting activity.

AECOM International Inc., Neu-Isenburg, Germany (W912GB-24-D-0032); Black and Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912GB-24-D-0033); CDM Federal Services Europe JV, Bickenbach, Germany (W923GB-24-D-0034); Coplan-Merrick JV LLP, Greenwood Village, Colorado (W912GB-24-D-0035); Stantec Jacobs Buchart Horn JV, Charlottesville, Virginia (W912GB-24-D-0036); and WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, District of Columbia (W912GB-24-D-0037), will compete for each order of the $95,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for multidisciplined architect-engineer services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 11 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 20, 2026. US Army Corps of Engineers, European District, is the contracting activity.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Spring, Texas, was awarded a $26,489,184 firm-fixed-price contract for the High-Performance Computing Modernization Program. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Aberdeen, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2032. Fiscal 2024 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,489,184 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity (W912HZ-24-F-0199).