2 Very Different Films on Ukraine
Film director Sean Penn at the premiere of his documentary “Superpower” at the Berlin Film Festival 2023. (Photo by Harald Krichel, German photographer and Wikimedian. Licensed by Creative Commons)
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Russia has produced a feature film centered around a Belgian violinist performing in Kyiv in February 2022. The musician survives “inhuman crimes and bloody provocations by Ukrainian nationalists,” and wants to tell the world “what it was really like,” reports Military Times. “The Witness” premiered August 18 and depicts Ukrainian troops as violent neo-Nazis torturing and killing their own people and the main character’s young son asking, “Isn’t Ukraine Russia?”
Actor and director Sean Penn produced a film on Ukraine as well. He began in 2021 to tell the story of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and was in Kyiv in the February 2022 invasion. “The film we set out to make was not meant to encounter an existential threat to democracy, just the spirited story of a comedy superstar turned president,” Penn says. “Superpower” premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2023, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion. It is set to begin streaming on Paramount+ on September 18.
Even before it reached the state, Hurricane Idalia was making history in Florida. As the storm roared across northern Florida and into southern Georgia on Wednesday, it was still setting records for wind and flooding, reports CNN. President Joe Biden visited Florida and called the hurricane “another example of climate crisis.” The narrowness of the storm entering the Gulf of Mexico allowed the Navy to keep aircraft in place at Naval Air Station Key West and NAS Pensacola, while other stations required an array of preparedness maneuvers, reports USNI.
According to NextGov.com, the National Infrastructure Advisory Council reports that the US water infrastructure is “unsustainable” and the nation not prepared to cope with a “rapidly evolving water crisis.” The council’s report attributes inadequate conditions across the water and wastewater industries to “decades of chronic underfunding and underinvestment.” There are more than 150,000 public water systems in the US, about 80% operated by municipalities.
Washington Technology reports the IRS has awarded contracts to ACI Payments and Link2Gov Corp., part of a potential four-year, $2.1B effort to allow payment of federal taxes and other fees through credit or debit cards, the IRS said in award notices posted Saturday.
Texas Guardsmen spied on migrants via WhatsApp, mishandled secret docs, and senior leaders allegedly ignored oversight officials’ concerns. Military Times and The Texas Tribune discovered the Texas National Guard leaders disbanded Operation Lone Star’s intelligence wing in February 2022, after whistleblowers reported WhatsApp surveillance conducted in 2021. A Texas inspector general’s investigation concluded in September 2022 but not released its final report. At least four intelligence officers have faced interim administrative discipline.
Booz Allen Hamilton agreed to pay $377M to settle a whistleblower’s claim that the company overcharged the federal government to cover losses in its commercial business. In a new position with BAH, Sarah Feinberg had questioned overcharges and was told by a senior manager that federal auditors were “too stupid” to notice. She left the job and in 2016 filed a complaint under the federal False Claims Act. Although one of the largest procurement awards in history, Feinberg said, “The settlement has to be more than the damages or you’re giving them an interest-free loan, not a penalty.” Although use of the law is increasing, analysts believe penalties are too low to deter contractors. The law awards a percentage of the settlement to whistleblowers, earning Feinberg $70M for alerting authorities, reports The Washington Post.
Four defendants who have been challenging their jury convictions in the Navy’s so-called “Fat Leonard” bribery scandal are set to plead guilty to misdemeanors, ending months of post-trial wrangling and potentially ending their involvement in the sprawling case begun in 2013 involving scores of Navy personnel and activities back to 2006, detailed by Wikipedia. All that remains, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune, is for the US to negotiate the return of Leonard Francis to San Diego for sentencing in his own plea agreement of having overcharged the Navy at least $35M.
3M this week agreed to pay $6.01B to settle nearly 260,000 lawsuits by current and former US military service members who say they suffered hearing loss from using the company’s earplugs, reports Reuters. The deal comes after a failed attempt by 3M to move the lawsuits – the largest mass tort litigation in US history – into bankruptcy court in the hope of limiting its liability.
An agreement with the tiny Pacific island nation Palau has authorized US ships to enforce maritime regulations in Palau’s exclusive economic zone, in the South China Sea, reports Military.com. Palau’s president petitioned for Washington’s help to deter Beijing’s “unwanted activities” in its coastal waters. Both the US and China seek to expand their influence in the Pacific.
Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday and put President Ali Bongo under house arrest minutes after his third-term win was announced. The Bongo family has been in power more than half a century. If successful, the Gabon coup would be the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020; Niger the latest following Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Chad. Reuters reports rising concerns among foreign powers with strategic interests in the region.
Temporary leaders for the Naval Academy, Naval Air, and Naval Sea Systems Command are set to step into acting roles between now and September 7, as Sen. Tom Tuberville’s (R-AL) hold on confirming senior military nominations continues. For those trying to follow the shuffling and reshuffling, USNI News breaks out who is retiring, who will be filling in, who is actually nominated for the positions, and where those actual nominees are filling in.
Army doctor MAJ Michael D. Stockin, 37, has been under investigation for more than a year in a sexual assault case involving at least 23 alleged victims, including his patients, and could be charged within days, reports The Washington Post, citing military documents and sources. The Army would not address whether charges are imminent but said Stockin was “suspended from seeing patients” in February 2022. He’d been an anesthesiologist at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state.
Multiple junior sailors have died from fentanyl in the Navy’s boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL. Navy Times reports investigations into drug smuggling onto the installation date to at least 2020. Great Lakes also contains schools for newly minted sailors. Records indicate two sailors who died and facing charges had already graduated boot camp.
Suicide among post-9/11 veterans rose more than tenfold from 2006 to 2020 as the rate in the general US adult population remained flat, according to a new review of 2.5 million service member records. Military.com reports that veterans diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury had suicide rates 56% higher than those without a head injury and three times higher than the general population.
The former Navy SEAL who claims to have killed Osama bin Laden was arrested in Texas on charges of assault and public intoxication. NewsNation credits The Dallas Morning News with the report that Robert J. O’Neill, 47, was booked Wednesday in Frisco and charged with a Class A misdemeanor of assault causing bodily injury and a Class C misdemeanor charge of public intoxication, although jail records listed only the assault charge.
GovConWire reports out of Aviation Week that Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are pursuing the Navy’s airframe development contract for the next-generation fighter jet program, dubbed F/A-XX. Pratt & Whitney and GE Aerospace are competing to build the engine, which according to the Navy has moved beyond the concept into the design phase.
Contracts:
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $16,200,976 cost modification (P00048) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N6134017C0007). This modification provides Synthetic Inject To Live (SITL) stage one, in continuation of SITL stage zero, for the design, testing and implementation of software features associated with the SITL capability into the Tactical Combat Training System (TCTS) II software configuration. These efforts are in support of developing upgraded software to enhance interface capabilities between the TCTS II and the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G platforms for the Navy. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (55%); China Lake, California (15%); Fallon, Nevada (15%); Patuxent River, Maryland (10%); and Ft. Walton Beach, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in February 2025. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,547,955 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.
Webco Distribution Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $40,000,000 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract that includes provisions for economic price adjustment to acquire commercially available items for authorized resale to include candy, beverages, crackers, canned foods, nuts and personal care items at various locations in support of the Navy Exchange Service Command’s Ships Store Program. The contract will include a five-year base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 – option to extend services which, if exercised, will bring the total estimated value to $44,000,000. The base ordering period is anticipated to begin September 2023, and is expected to be completed by August 2028; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by March 2029. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (46%); Diego Garcia (26%); San Diego, California (19%); Mayport, Florida (6%); and Everett, and Bremerton, Washington (3%). No money will be obligated at time of award. Operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will fund individual orders with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on SAM.gov with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Norfolk Office, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00189-23-D-0028).
Avantus Federal LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $224,000,689 firm-fixed-price contract to provide systems engineering and technical assistance to the Space Development Agency. This contract provides for management and professional services, acquisition support, and engineering and technical analysis needed to deliver the proliferated warfighter space architecture. Work will be performed in various locations throughout the continental US and is expected to be completed by Sept. 29, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,500,000; and fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,500,000, are being obligated at the time of award. The Space Development Agency, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. (FA2401-23-F-0002).
EA Engineering, Science and Technology Inc. PBC, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded a $20,149,410 fixed-price-award-fee contract for removal of munitions and explosives of concern at former Camp Howze. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in Gainesville, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2028. Fiscal 2023 Formerly Used Defense Sites funds in the amount of $20,149,410 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (W912BV-23-F-0127).
Fairbanks Morse LLC, Norfolk, Virginia, is being awarded $13,530,010 for a firm-fixed-price spares contract for the purchase of the turbocharger in support of the landing, platform dock main propulsion diesel engine. All work will be performed in Beloit, Wisconsin, and work is expected to be completed by March 2024. Working capital funds (Navy) in the full amount of $13,530,010 will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole-source requirement pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 US Code 3204 (a)(1), with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00104-23-F-YA04).
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, is awarded a hybrid cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price $10,648,459 contract (HT942523C0075) to provide diagnostics and countermeasures branch support services to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland. Support services specifically include: specimen acquisition, processing, and handling; implementation and maintenance of all pre-test, test, and post-test quality indicators for report of clinical screening, confirmatory testing, infection classification, diagnosis, clinical monitoring (viral load), or therapeutic monitoring (resistance genotype); execute serological, immunological, protein, and/or molecular testing in support of clinical service delivery and translational research, vaccine, therapeutic, and cure initiatives/studies; input/process data files, analyze data, assist in the preparation of reports, manuscripts, military briefings, and scientific presentations. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funding will be obligated at the time of award. Period of performance is Sept. 1, 2023, to Aug. 31, 2028. Place of performance is Silver Spring, Maryland. The contracting activity is US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $9,005,116 firm-fixed-price contract for hazardous toxic radioactive waste verification and laboratory services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Hazelwood, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 29, 2024. Fiscal 2023 US Army Corps of Engineers funds in the amount of $9,005,116 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912P9-23-C-0012).
Management Services Group Inc., doing business as Global Technical Systems, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $24,386,045 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the production, testing, and delivery of one lot Hydra Technique Control Modulator, and associated components to include hardware modifications to modify the parts based on needs after delivery. This effort significantly improves and maintains electronic attack and active emitter systems for the simulation of threats in a dynamic electronic warfare environment for the Navy, Air Force, and the government of France. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in August 2028. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside; one offer was received. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N6893623D0021).
Kihomac Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $12,478,482 firm‐fixed‐price, indefinite‐delivery/indefinite‐quantity contract for A‐10 aircraft nacelle doors. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a five‐year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is Aug. 31, 2028. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2028 Air Force working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (SPRHA4‐23‐D‐0002).
Direct Viz Solutions, Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $9,978,359 modification (P00034) to contract W91RUS-19-C-0014 for enterprise-level command, control, communications, computers and information management services. Work will be performed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2010 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,978,359 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Health Facility Solutions Co., San Antonio, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0020); LRS Federal LLC, Severna Park, Maryland (W9126G-23-D-0021); MSMM Huitt-Zollars JV LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana (W9126G-23-D-0022); Accura Engineering and Consulting Services Inc., Atlanta, Georgia (W9126G-23-D-0023); Slicom, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (W9126G-23-D-0024); Parsons Government Services Inc., Centreville, Virginia (W9126G-23-D-0025); Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W9126G-23-D-0026); Huitt-Zollars Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0027); and HDR Engineering Inc., San Antonio, Texas (W9126G-23-D-0028), will compete for each order of the $200,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering construction services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 30 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 27, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity.
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $574,527,416 cost-plus-incentive-fee ground based radar maintenance and sustainment services support task order. This contract provides for continued sustainment and modification of the ground-based radar sensor systems. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and other locations, and is expected to be completed by March 24, 2030. This contract was a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $43,836,709 are being obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command Acquisitions, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (TO FA8723-23-F-9010).
M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, has been awarded a $32,722,843 modification to previously awarded contract FA4890-16-C-0012 to exercise Option Year 7 for the T‐38 Aircraft Maintenance Program. Work will be performed at Beale Air Force Base, California; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; Langley AFB, Virginia; and Whiteman AFB, Missouri, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2024. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
