Bill to Fund Key Bridge Founders

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.

Maryland lawmakers were able to insert the Baltimore BUILD Bridge Relief Act, calling for 100% federal funding to replace the Key Bridge, into the 1,500-page stopgap funding bill, reports Maryland Matters. The container ship Dali lost power March 26, 2024, and rammed the Key Bridge, killing six workers on the bridge and sending the span tumbling into the Patapsco River.

Congressional leaders struck the bipartisan deal to push the government funding deadline to March 14 and deliver more than $100 billion in emergency aid for disaster relief Tuesday morning, Politico says. But criticism from President-elect Donald Trump and other allies of House Speaker Mike Johnson threaten the resolution that passed Friday to avoid a government shutdown, reports CBS. Republicans object to spending added to the bill which includes disaster aid, health care policy extenders, and a pay raise for members of Congress. The disaster relief portion of the bill alone carries a price tag of $110 billion.

In a statement on Wednesday, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance criticized Johnson’s approach and said Republicans should pass “a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.” They also called for House Republicans to increase the debt ceiling, which limits how much the government can borrow to pay its bills

In a mission veiled in secrecy, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Dec. 16 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, reports Space News, sending a military Global Positioning System satellite to a medium orbit about 12,000 miles above Earth. The mission was a US national security space launch and also intended to demonstrate military capabilities to condense a typical two-year mission planning cycle to less than six months.

SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink is projected to reach $11.8 billion in revenue next year, driven by strong consumer demand and growing US military contracts, according to a new market analysis, reports SpaceNews.com. The forecast, released by the market research firm Quilty Space, represents a substantial increase from the estimated $7.7 billion in revenue for 2024, highlighting Starlink’s rapid growth trajectory in the satellite communications market.

More suspected drone sightings in the eastern US led to a temporary airspace shutdown at Wright-Patterson Air Force base in Ohio and arrests near Boston’s Logan International Airport, as elected officials increased their push for action to identify and stop the mysterious unmanned flights, reports Military Times.

While the East Coast struggles with how to deal with increasing drone traffic, as Morning Coffee reported Monday, other states are looking to collaborate and expand the use of drones, reports Route Fifty. The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced this week it would partner with North Dakota to build its own testing site and figure out potential uses for the technology.

The Pentagon says many alleged drone sightings across the country are largely due to misidentification, and the objects in the sky are often not nefarious, many either not unmanned aircraft at all or are simply commercial or hobbyist craft, reports Military.com.

Service members will get an average increase of 5.4% in their Basic Allowance for Housing for 2025, defense officials announced Friday. The new rates take effect Jan. 1. The average increase, which is the same percentage bump as the 2024 version, does not mean everyone will see the same amount of money hitting their accounts, reports Military Times. Troops can view the new 2025 BAH rates by plugging in their ZIP code and rank in the Defense Department BAH tool.

House lawmakers on Monday finalized a sweeping veterans bill to expand caregiver benefits for elderly and infirm veterans and update medical options for veterans outside the department’s health care system, sending the legislative package to the White House to become law, reports Military Times.

A military judge sentenced an Army LTCOL Benjamin West, 43, to an official reprimand and pay a nearly $100,000 fine after the officer was found guilty of harassing three subordinate female officers with a “step-by-step” escalation of sexual harassment of one female aide and two other female officers.

The Germany Navy has tested the BlueWhale underwater drone as a candidate platform for a future fleet of unmanned vessels for combating enemy submarines, reports Defense News. Officials staged the two-week experiment last month in the Baltic Sea, a microcosm of global tensions where NATO, Russian, and Chinese vessels routinely cross and vital communications cables and energy pipelines lie on the seabed.

 CIA officials praised Amazon Web Services during the cloud-computing firm’s December conference, for providing cloud service safely to all  its 18 agencies. NextGov reports the CIA’s controversial, $600 million deal was made more than a decade ago. At the conference the National Security Agency, for the first time publicly announced its $10 billion cloud contract with AWS.  Along with AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Oracle share the Pentagon’s $9 billion contract to deliver cloud computing capabilities across all domains. The four will compete for individual task orders within the contract.

More than half of the Army’s senior officers are turning down opportunities to command, choosing instead the stability of staff roles over the high-stakes demands of leadership, or retiring, according to internal service data, reports Military.com.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ encouragement of veterans to file claims for service-related sexual assault has led to an increase in those claims and higher approval ratings. Military.com reports VA  received 57,400 claims for military sexual trauma in fiscal 2024, up 18% from year before. The VA has approved more than 63% of the claims compared to 40% more than a decade ago.

Contracts:

Taylor Tekla Test Partner Organization LLC, Great Mills, Maryland, is awarded a $194,035,905 cost-plus-fixed fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide engineering, technical, and project management services for development, test, and evaluation efforts in the areas of test planning, test conduct, data analysis, test reporting, technical documentation, test project management, and systems engineering in support of the Naval Test Wing Atlantic Mission Systems Test and Evaluation Department (MSTeD). The MSTeD mission is to collaborate across organizations to gather and analyze flight test data on installed avionics, sensors, navigation systems, communications, electronic warfare systems, cyber threats, and crew systems to provide timely, evidence driven recommendations on system capabilities in support of warfighter missions for the Navy and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (90%); and Point Mugu, California (10%), and is expected to be completed in January 2030. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competed as a small business set aside and one offer was received. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042125D0031). 

SimVentions, Fredericksburg, Virginia, was awarded a $13,999,975 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop advanced model management capabilities that allow users to rapidly identify and use existing modes to build kill-chains/webs in a complex mission-level, theater-scaled environment. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 13, 2027. Fiscal 2025 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funds in the amount of $300,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912CG-25-C-0002).

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $10,592,930 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for logistical support required to maintain the General Electronics Test Station. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 8, 2030. Fiscal 2025 missile procurement, Army funds in the amount of $10,592,930 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-25-C-0010).

Kearney & Co. PC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a $9,386,517 fixed-price and labor-hour contract option modification (P00009) for financial statement audit of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) civil works, and the financial statements for the agencies owning the funds sub allotted to USACE military programs for fiscal 2025. Work will be performed in Washington, DC; and other locations inside and outside of the US, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2025. The contract has a 12-month base period with four individual one-year option periods with a maximum value of $49,238,991. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition for which two quotes were received. Fiscal 2025 Army Corps of Engineer civil works revolving funds in the amount of $9,386,517 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-23-F-0016).

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $66,479,405 cost-plus-fixed fee and cost-only contract for systems engineering and integration on Navy submarines. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $223,367,786. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (68%); Waterford Connecticut (10%); Groton Connecticut (10%); Middletown, Rhode Island (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to be completed by November 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through December 2027. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,460,614 will be obligated at time of award, of which none will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), whereby this requirement can only be fulfilled by one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other supplies will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-25-C-6108).

Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $38,010,301 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-22-C-5500) for sustainment material and support for the AN/SPY-6(V) Family of Radars. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (56%); Chesapeake, Virginia (42%); and McKinney, Texas (1%), and is expected to be completed by May 2026. Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,966,353 (50%); fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,284,248 (17%); fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,643,982 (15%); fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,340,109 (14%); fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,394,511 (3%); and fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $381,098 (1%), will be obligated at time of award, of which $2,105,356 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Credence Dynamo Solutions, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a $12,560,174 firm-fixed price labor contract for capability area enablers advisory and assistance services. This contract provides support and services including program management, integration, information technology, sustainment, maintenance support, logistics, acquisition, requirements analysis, data analytics, data management, risk management, architecture design, operations research, technical documentation, financial management/comptroller, materiel management, information systems, and administrative support. Work will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; and Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio; and is expected to be completed Dec. 16, 2029. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Fiscal 2025 working capital funds in the amount of $2,408,496 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8100-24-F-0004).

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded an $11,328,179 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery requirements contract modification (P00015) to a previously awarded contract (FA8539-21-D-0001) for test, teardown and evaluation, repairs, and management of national stock numbers. Work will be performed at San Diego, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; El Segundo, California; Sterling, Virginia; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Valencia, California; Joplin, Missouri; Vandalia, Ohio; Troy, Ohio; Longueuil, Quebec, Canada; Woodland Park, New Jersey; Whippany, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Woburn, Massachusetts; Twinsburg, Ohio; Medford, New York; Cypress, California; Wichita, Kansas; Linthicum, Maryland; Dulles, Virginia; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Sunnyvale, California; and Macon, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2025. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2025 contract depot maintenance direct cite funds in the amount of $20,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.

Group W Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a maximum $9,999,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a campaign level modeling, simulation and analysis effort. This contract provides for the development of weapons technologies. Work will be performed in Vienna, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 15, 2029. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $400,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8651-25-D-B005).

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,900,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, ceiling increase modification (P00023) to a previously awarded contract (FA8730-17-D-0004) for the continuation of system engineering and integration work. The modification brings the total cumulative face value from $350,000,000 to $359,900,000. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts; Orlando, Florida; and San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 7, 2026. This contract includes Foreign Military Sales to Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics NASSCO, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $62,596,477 modification to exercise options on a previously awarded contract (N00024-25-C-4427) for USS Porter (DDG-78) Fiscal 2025 Extended Dry-dock Selected Restricted Availability. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 2026. Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $62,596,477 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.   

Automatic Coating Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is awarded a $13,160,633 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for TR-343 sonar transducer tube assemblies. Work will be performed in Suffolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2029. Fiscal 2025 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,459,375 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively solicited via the SAM.gov website, with one offer received. Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N0016425DGP83).