Civilian Hiring Freeze Lifted, But Budgets Stay Small

Thawing at Fichtelsee Lake by A_Peach, some rights reserved.

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.

The blanket hiring freeze on civilian federal agencies is lifted, but agencies are cautioned to respect President Donald Trump’s “skinny budget,” reports FCW.

A CBS News investigation exposes drug use among the Navy SEALs and reveals exclusive video in which a SEAL commander addresses the drug problem within their ranks. After five SEALs were kicked off the teams for drugs this past fall, the East Coast SEAL commander Capt. Jamie Sands halted all training and ordered a “safety stand down” to address the problem.

A study based on five years’ data on security incidents from Federal Information Security Management Act finds agencies experience a 5 percent decrease in the number of security breaches for every 1 percent in funding moved from operations and management to development modernization and enhancement.

Feds make arrest in decade-long botnet probe, issuing an indictment against Peter Yuryevich Levashov, an accused computer scammer, reports FCW.

A new Navy destroyer radar system, key to  ballistic missile defense, anti-air warfare, and anti-surface warfare missions passed its first flight test, reports Defense Systems.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) says his caucus worries the administration’s actions in Syria could lead to another open-ended, major military fight for US troops, reports Military Times. “Any further action should come to Congress,” for approval, he said.

Reporting from Seoul, South Korea, Yon Hap News says the US saber-rattling in the face of North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats has raised tensions around the Korean peninsula, but experts in South Korea agree chances are low for a US pre-emptive attack, which would lead to a catastrophic war.

Lt. Col. Ann Bernard and fellow female Marine field grade officers form Actionable Change on Facebook to combat the culture of misogyny in the Marine Corps, reports Military Times. “We’re established in our careers; we’ve proven ourselves within our careers in the Marine Corps; and we are leadership positions,”  she said of growing efforts to address gender harassment in the military. “So our peers are the ones that we need to bring on board. We need them to join with us and for them to really understand what this is about.”

The LGBT rights record of White House nominee for secretary of the Army is drawing sharp opposition, reports Army Times. Tennessee state Sen. Mark Green is on record saying he believes being transgender is a disease.

President Vladimir Putin parrots President Trump’s doubts about US spy agencies. Putin suggests US intelligence about Syria is no more reliable than Trump has called its reports of weapons of mass destruction leading to the US attack of Iraq, reports Military Times.

SecState Rex W. Tillerson finally did get a face-to-face with Putin, reports The New York Times, although the Russian president predicated that meeting on how earlier meetings went during Tillerson’s trip to Russia. Prior to meeting with Putin, Tillerson warned that Russia risked irrelevance in the Middle East by supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s reign in Syria.

Contracts:

Verizon Business Network Services Inc., Ashburn, Virginia, is being awarded a $24,579,469 single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include provisions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders for service that provide analog and integrated services digital network telephone service for located at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia Beach. This is a five-year performance base period contract. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (78 percent); and Virginia Beach, Virginia (22 percent). The ordering period of the contract is expected to be completed by April 2022.  Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at the time of award to fund the contract’s minimum amount and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received.  Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Norfolk Office, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-17-D-0010).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,477,586 labor-hour and cost contract for the cyber mission platform. Contractor will provide for continued development, integration, fielding and sustainment for the cyber mission platform. Work will be performed at San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be complete by April 11, 2018. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with five offers received. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test, and evaluation funds; and fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,469,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contacting activity (FA8307-17-F-0003).

 Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded a $7,501,433 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed fee and cost reimbursable contract for contractor logistic support. Contractor will provide contractor logistics support services in support of the AN/ASQ-236 aircraft pod. Work will be performed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England; Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina; Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Tucson International Airport, Arizona; and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be complete by March 11, 2018. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,498,179 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-17-F-1037).