Biden to the World: ‘America Is Back’

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.

President Joe Biden, speaking to the Munich Security Conference on Friday, reassured world leaders of America’s commitment to its European allies, reports NPR. “America is back, the transatlantic alliance is back, and we are not looking backward. We are looking forward together,” Biden said. The president also reversed several foreign policy moves by the Trump administration, reports Fox News.

The Mars rover, Perseverance, successfully landed on the red planet at approximately 3:55 pm Thursday, reports The Washington Post.

Russia says its Su-57 Felon fighter jet has been testing a new hypersonic air-to-ground missile, reports The Drive. The missile, which is said to be carried internally in the jet, is described as “a compact, air-to-surface weapon intended to destroy adversary air and missile defense systems, and cruise and ballistic missile launchers.”

The DynCorp International team at Joint Base Andrews has earned an excellence award from the Federal Aviation Administration, reports executivegov.com. DI provides services for the Executive Airlift and Rotary Maintenance Wing including aircraft maintenance in support of aircraft assigned to the 316th Wing and 89th Airlift Wing.

Tim Miedzinski, lead engineer with the NAWCAD Patuxent River Prototyping, Instrumentation and Experimentation Department, earned the DoD STEM Education and Outreach Advocate of the Quarter award, reports The Tester. The award is the most prestigious STEM award presented at the DoD level.

Spencer Boyer is expected to fill the position of deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO policy, reports Defense News. Boyer is a former intelligence officer.

The first of 17 B-1B Lancer bombers to be retired made its flight to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ, last week, reports Air Force Magazine. The B-1B retirements will make way for new B-21 stealth bombers.

One issue facing the Biden administration is how to focus on China and Russia and still keep attention on longstanding threats in the Middle East, reports Military.com.

Biden has ordered a Pentagon review of how the US is postured to deter China in the Pacific region, reports Defense News.

 

 

The guided-missile destroyer Russell completed a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea last week, reports Navy Times. The Theodore Roosevelt and Nimitz carrier strike groups completed dual-carrier operations there earlier this month.

The dismantling of the Bonhomme Richard will begin in April, reports Navy Times. The amphibious assault ship was extensively damaged in a fire last year in San Diego. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

The US State Department has OK’d the $91.2 million sale of multiple launch rocket systems to Finland, UPI.com reports.

Sweden’s defense leaders are pushing Saab’s Gripen bid for the multibillion-dollar HX fighter competition in Finland, reports Defense News. Finland has requested offers by the end of April from Airbus for the Eurofighter; Dassault for the Rafale; Boeing for the Super Hornet; Lockheed Martin for the F-35; and Saab for the Gripen E/F.

Veterans and researchers have tried to find a cause of the myriad symptoms known as Gulf War illness seen since the operations in the Middle East in the 1990s, reports Military Times. It was always suspected that the depleted uranium used in armor-piercing rounds created a toxic exposure with long-term health consequences. A UT Southwestern study released last week finds that inhaled fumes and dust from rounds and tank armor are not the culprit.

Shortly after the presidential election in November, Jill Biden said she wanted to continue her work to support military families. She held a listening session last week with educators and advocates to hear their concerns, reports Military Times. “I really get the feeling she’s trying to get a sense of what the issues are,” said Becky Porter, CEO of the Military Child Education Coalition. “She said the Biden administration wants to partner with the service organizations, those of us in this space trying to help military kids.” Even before Joe Biden had taken the oath of office, Jill Biden had named Rory Brosius as director of the Joining Forces military families program, reports The Associated Press.

DoD says it will need to spend an additional $120 million per year to staff new programs to inspect and oversee military privatized housing projects, reports Federal News Network.

The U.S. Justice Department charged three employees of a Navy contractor Kanto Kosan with dumping contaminated water from US Navy ships into the ocean near Japan, reports The Hill.

A coalition of trade organizations, which includes Amazon, eBay, Google, and Facebook, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Maryland state government over passage of a bill that imposes a tax on digital ad revenue, reports The Hill.

The number of Americans applying for unemployment went up last week to 861,000, reports AP, evidence that layoffs remain high despite a steady decrease in new coronavirus cases.

Contracts:

Mission1st Group Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $19,565,839 modification (P00044) to contract W52P1J-15-F-0039 for network and communications, engineering and installation support. Work will be performed in Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of July 23, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,038,986 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a task order at $38,143,547 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $600,000,000 for the life-cycle sustainment of Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) systems and assets, worldwide. Initial task order is being awarded for the sustainment of existing ATFP systems and assets worldwide. The task order contains 23 options, which if exercised, would bring the total value to $153,544,286. The work to be performed is for life-cycle sustainment of physical security/access control and command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems in support of Commander Naval Installation Command’s ATFP program, worldwide. A “system” includes all of the hardware, associated firmware, software and cabling or other signal/data transmission subsystems necessary for the system to function as intended. The scope of the procurement includes preventive maintenance of hardware, associated firmware and software; response and resolution of service calls for corrective maintenance to include equipment repair, overhaul or replacement; Information Assurance Vulnerability Alert to include version control, patch management and vulnerability scanning; asset management to track, maintain, upgrade and dispose of systems; configuration management to establish and maintain consistency of the system attributes with operational requirements and evolving technical baseline; technical refreshments, upgrades and installation of new systems; and programmatic trend analysis to identify systemic sustainment issues such as technology obsolescence. Work under this task order is expected to be completed by February 2022. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an option for an additional 36 months, with an expected completion date of February 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $38,143,547 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with five proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N39430-21-D-2230).

BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a $9,571,279 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for amphibious combat vehicles (ACV). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,313,454,961. This modification provides for integration of ACV engineering change proposal for air cooling provisions in 72 full-rate production Lots 1A and 1B ACV personnel variants, ACV command and control variant engineering support in production, non-recurring engineering changes, production costs and fielding and support costs. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%). Work is expected to be completed in January 2023. Fiscal 2021 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,834,159; fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $651,756; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $85,364, will be obligated at the time of award. Total funding in the amount of $737,120 ($651,756 fiscal 2019 procurement; and $85,364 fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation) will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-16-C-0006).

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding Division, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $2,994,237,224 cost-plus-incentive fee contract for the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Refueling Complex Overhaul. This effort refuels, overhauls and modernizes USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) to support the second half of its 50-year service life. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division is the original building yard contractor for all ships of the CVN 68 class. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (94%); and Norfolk, Virginia (6%), and is expected to be completed by August 2025. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,048,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured. Only one responsible source, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding Division, has the knowledge, experience and facilities required to accomplish this effort in support of the refueling and overhaul of CVN 74 without an unacceptable disruption of Navy-wide overhaul and repair schedule. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-21-C-2106).

Millennium Engineering and Integration Co., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $13,238,371 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00007) to task order FA8811-18-F-4001 for systems engineering and integration services for new launch service provider entrant certification. Work will be performed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; Vandenberg AFB, California; and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed Feb. 21, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Space Force procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $55,807,945. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.

ASM Research LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $49,833,025 modification (P00001) to contract W52P1J-21-C-4002 for operation and maintenance support for the Army Training Requirements and Resource System. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 12, 2023. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $49,833,025 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Verato Inc., McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $10,200,000 firm-fixed-price task order (HS0021-21-F-0002) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). The contract provides for single employment credit records as part of the background investigation mission. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia. This contract will be fully funded with fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds. The anticipated period of performance is from March 1, 2021, through Feb. 28, 2022. This requirement was synopsized on the government-wide point of entry website as a small business set-aside on May 1, 2019. As a result, 13 small businesses were solicited and one offer was received, which was then justified in a single-source determination. The resultant blanket purchase agreement was awarded from the Department of Defense General Service Administration contract number 47QRAA-18-D-00C2. DCSA Acquisition and Contracting, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $7,698,394 firm-fixed-price, level of effort contract (HQ0034-18-D-0017) to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract HQ0034-21-F-0077. The contractor will provide cybersecurity support services to the Department of Defense Chief Information Office. The specific services include cybersecurity strategy, cybersecurity policy development, defense-wide information assurance, identity assurance, communications security, defense industrial base cyber security, trusted mission systems and networks analysis, architectures, standards and day-to-day security and administration. Work performance will take place in Washington, DC, and is expected to be completed on Feb. 28, 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance contract funds were obligated on this award in the amount of $7,698,394. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

RAND Corp., Santa Monica, California (HQ0034-21-D-0006) was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $417,029,578. The RAND Corp.’s National Defense Research Institute will conduct research, studies and provide analytical services to support international security and defense policy; acquisition and technology policy; forces and resources policy; cyber and intelligence policy; and Navy and Marine forces. The deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment requires this support to assist senior leaders within the sponsor community of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, The Joint Staff, Unified Combatant Commands, Navy, Marine Corps, and other defense and non-defense agencies to make informed policy decisions on national security issues. This support also enables sponsors to maintain a continuous integrated research program focused on high-priority, mid-to-long term policy issues, which directly align to the National Defense Strategy. Work performance will take place in Washington, DC; and other Department of Defense and US government facilities within the Northern Capital Region; Santa Monica, California; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. No funds were obligated at the award of the contract. The expected completion date is Dec. 31, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 23, 2020)

RAND Corp., Santa Monica, California, was awarded a $12,623,000 modification (P00001) (task order HQ0034-21-F-0060) to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract HQ0034-21-D-0006. The RAND Corp.’s National Defense Research Institute will provide studies and analyses for the following offices under this task order: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Personnel & Readiness; Office of Personnel Management; The Joint Staff J7; US European Command; Defense Security Cooperation Agency; Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; Naval Air Systems Command; Office of Net Assessment; Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. The studies and analyses will assist these offices in making informed decisions on a variety of national security and policy issues. Work performance will take place in Washington, DC: and other Department of Defense and US government facilities within the Northern Capital Region; Santa Monica, California; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed on Dec. 31, 2025. The following contract funds were obligated on this award in the amount of $12,623,000: fiscal 2020 research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) defense wide funds for $1,478,000; fiscal 2021 RDT&E defense wide funds for $2,915,000; fiscal 2021 RDT&E Air Force funds for $190,000; fiscal 2021 RDT&E Navy funds for $375,000; fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (O&M) defense wide funds for $4,665,000; and fiscal 2021 O&M Army contract funds for $3,000,000. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 12, 2021)