March 28, 2024

Climate Events Cost US Military Billions

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

The cost of climate events on the US military is rising. Pentagon officials say that increasing temperatures; changing precipitation patterns; and more frequent, intense, and unpredictable extreme weather conditions caused by climate change are exacerbating existing risks on security for the US, reports NPR. According to DoD’s Climate Risk Analysis, extreme events have cost the US billions of dollars in damage at military bases, for example, and climate change is altering the natural environment in the Arctic and creating a new frontier of geostrategic competition.

The Lockheed Martin acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne will not close by the end of the year, reports Breaking Defense, but more likely in the first quarter of 2022. Earlier this year, some members of Congress questioned whether the largest US defense contractor should be allowed to acquire the nation’s only remaining independent supplier of solid-fuel rocket motors.

Photos and videos show two new variants of China’s stealth fighters, reports Defense News, including China’s next carrier-based fighter that has been called the J-31.

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott believes China could “soon” invade Taiwan or otherwise escalate the situation, reports Defense News. He said the West should be planning its military and economic response. “I think we need to be prepared to think the unthinkable,” Abbott said.

Benefits have been cut for Texas National Guard soldiers, while more funds are being allotted to the Operation Lone Star mission at the US-Mexico border, reports Army Times.

L3Harris Technologies will upgrade a ground-based communications jammer for the US Space Force used to block adversaries’ satellite transmissions, reports Space News. A $120.7 million contract was awarded last week for upgrades at bases in the US and some classified locations overseas.

Stormy weather over the weekend scrubbed the latest SpaceX launch. The Crew-3 launch to the International Space Station is now scheduled for 1:10 am Wednesday (EDT) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, reports UPI.

Several Capitol Hill lawmakers are disappointed with what they call DoD’s “vague approach and lax timeline” in the department’s plan to overhaul the way it treats sexual assault in the military, reports Federal News Network.

A recent Goucher College poll finds the top issues on voters’ minds in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial race are the economy and jobs, health care, racial and social justice issues, and taxes, reports Maryland Matters.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough on Friday vowed to improve support services for caregivers of injured and elderly veterans, reports Navy Times. He was speaking before the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. The foundation runs a respite relief program that provides free caregiving support, according to a VA blog.

 

 

A Veterans Affairs inspector general reports finds that the VA isn’t doing enough to protect its patients, reports Military.com. Though several recent high-profile incidents center on errors or malfeasance by individuals, they also demonstrate a failure of leadership and indicate a need to accelerate the VA’s efforts to overhaul its health care culture, according to the report.

The VA implemented a new artificial intelligence strategy late last month for the delivery of health care and benefits, reports Military Times, and is set to serve as an ethical guideline for the use of AI technology throughout the department.

Walmart and Sam’s Club will be leaving the Tricare Pharmacy Program as of December 15, reports Military Times. CVS is being added to the list of participating pharmacies.

The Air Force and Space Force have discharged 40 would-be airmen or Guardians from recruit training after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, reports Military.com.

The Congressional Naming Committee has received more than 90,000 suggestions for a new name for Fort Bragg in North Carolina, reports WRAL.com. The base is named after GEN Braxton Bragg, a North Carolina slave owner who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Some street names near the installation will be changed, too.

A Howard County plastic surgeon and member of the Maryland House of Delegates has been reprimanded and fined for attending two virtual hearings while performing surgery, reports Maryland Matters. Del. Terri Hill (D) appeared on camera during two online hearings of the House Environment and Transportation Committee during the 2021 General Assembly session.

A former Maryland man who admitted joining al-Qaida and has been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center was sentenced to 26 years, reports The Associated Press. As part of a plea deal, Majid Khan could be released sooner because of his cooperation with US authorities.

A Dutch woman charged with raising money for the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab has been extradited to the US to face trial, reports AP.

Contracts:

Dyncorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $60,464,756 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable modification (P00063) to a previously awarded contract (N6893617C0052). This modification exercises options to provide organizational level aircraft maintenance and logistics support for aircrew systems and subsystems, search and rescue equipment, and support equipment for the P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, E/A-18 Growler, AV-8B Harrier II, H-60 Seahawk, and E-2D Hawkeye aircraft in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Naval Test Wing Pacific. Work will be performed in China Lake, California (50%); Point Mugu, California (40 %); Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii (2%); Lemoore, California (2%); Patrick Air Force Base, Florida (1%); Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico (1%); Patuxent River, Maryland, (1); Yuma, Arizona (1%); Miramar, California (1%); and North Island, California (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $49,346,889 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The NAWCWD, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity.

KBR Services, Houston, Texas, is awarded a $34,570,948 modification to increase the maximum dollar value of task order N6247021F9101 for the exercise of Option One for the global contingency services multiple award contract for providing expeditionary staging area services at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The work to be performed provides services in support of Operation Allies Welcome and includes the mobilization, operation and maintenance, and demobilization for Expeditionary Staging Area Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2022 Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid contract funds in the amount of $34,570,948 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N62742-16-D-3551).

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $298,186,561 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable no-fee, indefinite-delivery requirements contract modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8539‐21‐D‐0001 for the RQ-4B Global Hawk. The contract provides for repair services for “common items” for both the RQ-4B and MQ-4C Triton. It will support reparable National Stock Numbers (NSNs) which encompass the Air Vehicle, multiple sensor packages, Mission Control Element, and Launch and Recovery Element. In addition, this effort includes support engineering services covered under the engineering delegation authority for NSNs transferred to and under the management of the 407 Supply Chain Management Squadron. Work will be performed in 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; Woodland Park, New Jersey; Whippany, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Woburn, Massachusetts; Twinsburg, Ohio; Medford, New York; Cypress, California; Wichita, Kansas; San Jose, California; and Linthicum, Maryland. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.

Bay West-Sovereign JV LLC, St. Paul, Minnesota (W912DQ-22-D-3000); Cape Environmental Management Inc., Norcross, Georgia (W912DQ-22-D-3001); Environmental Restoration Group LLC, St. Louis, Missouri (W912DQ-22-D-3002); HydroGeoLogic Inc., Reston, Virginia (W912DQ-22-D-3003); Sevenson Environmental Services Inc., Niagara Falls, New York (W912DQ-22-D-3004); Cabrera Services Inc., East Hartford, Connecticut (W912DQ-22-D-3005); Conti Federal Services Inc., Edison, New Jersey (W912DQ-22-D-3006); ECC Environmental LLC, Burlingame, California (W912DQ-22-D-3008); Kemron – Arrowhead JV LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (W912DQ-22-D-3009); CTI – LATA JV LLC., Novi, Michigan (W912DQ-22-D-3010); EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc. PBC, Hunt Valley, Maryland (W912DQ-22-D-3007); and LRS Bhate JV LLC, Severna Park, Maryland (W912DQ-22-D-3011), will compete for each order of the $176,250,000 order-dependent contract for hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste remediation projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with 16 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 27, 2026. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity.

Chavis, Maxton, North Carolina (W91247-21-D-9001); AAA Valley Gravel, Palmer, Alaska (W91247-21-D-9002); All Phase Solutions, Delray Beach, Florida (W91247-21-D-9003); Civil Works Contracting, Wilmington, North Carolina (W91247-21-D-9004); and New Dominion, Dumfries, Virginia (W91247-21-D-9005), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to execute a broad range of maintenance, repair and minor construction projects at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. 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 Oct. 14, 2026. US Army 419th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is the contracting activity.

Fincantieri Marine Systems North America, Chesapeake, Virginia (N40027-22-D-0001); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc. Portsmouth, Virginia (N40027-22-D-0002); and St. Johns Boat Co., Jacksonville, Florida (N40027-22-D-0003), are awarded a not-to-exceed $114,903,382 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for ship repair, maintenance, and modernization of the surface combatant (DDG and CG) class ships and amphibious (LSD, LPD and LHD) class ships homeported in Mayport, Florida under Lot 2. Work will be performed in Mayport, Florida, and the ordering period will end December 2022. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at time of award for each awardee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with three offers received. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Mayport, Florida, is the contracting activity.

IntelliDyne LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded Option Period One of contract number HT0011-20-F-0004. This $14,505, 457 contract provides the full integration of all areas of local information technology (IT) support into the new Defense Health Agency Integrated Enterprise Support Model. These services will include, but are not limited to, desk side support, remote or onsite troubleshooting, onsite IT touch labor, and local IT support activity program/project management support. The contractor will also provide network security and infrastructure assurance activities support to include Risk Management Framework/Authorization To Operate support, in room/on-site video teleconferencing support, asset management activities for the Defense Health Headquarters site, and limited network/systems engineering support, where required. This modification which will be executed as a Subject to Availability of Funds in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.232-18. Projected fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,505,457 will be used, with a period of performance from Nov. 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022. This task order was awarded on April 30, 2021, as a bridge to task order to HT0011-20-F-0004. The Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $31,030,082 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable-no-fee, indefinite-delivery requirements modification (FA8539-21-F-0007-P00007) to contract FA8539-21-D-0001 for the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-4C Triton. The contract provides for repair services for “common items” for both the RQ-4 and MQ-4C. It will support reparable National Stock Numbers (NSNs) which encompass the Air Vehicle, multiple sensor packages, Mission Control Element, and Launch and Recovery Element. In addition, this effort includes support engineering services covered under the engineering delegation authority for NSNs transferred to and under the management of the 407th Supply Chain Management Squadron. Work will be performed in 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; Woodland Park, New Jersey; Whippany, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Woburn, Massachusetts; Twinsburg, Ohio; Medford, New York; Cypress, California; Wichita, Kansas; San Jose, California; and Linthicum, Maryland. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition and direct cite funds in the amount of $27,114,702 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.

QED Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $49,339,553 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-21-C-4200 to exercise options for the Specification Development and Availability Execution Support (SDAES) for CG, DDG, LHA, LHD, LPD, and LSD class vessels. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (45%); San Diego, California (45%); and Bremerton, Washington (10%), and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,865,100 (90.2%); fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $412,800 (9.6%); and fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,200 (0.2%) funding will be obligated at time of award, of which funds in the amount of $3,865,100 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

VersAbility Resources Inc., Hampton, Virginia, is awarded a $10,503,339 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract for the onload of shipboard provisions and offload/backload of shipboard Integrated Logistics Overhaul (ILO) maintenance parts to afloat vessels in various ports throughout the continental US, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Guam along with providing warehouse support, inventory support, supply item packaging, and supply item transportation in support of Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. This contract includes a five-month base period, with four one-year options and a six-month extension option, pursuant of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 — option to extend services, which if all options are exercised, brings the total estimated value to $126,143,566. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (33%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (23%); San Diego, California (22%); Puget Sound-area, Washington (8%); Mayport, Florida (7%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3%); Guam (2%); and Groton, Connecticut (2%). Work will begin November 2021 and is expected to be completed by March 2022; if all options are exercised, work will be completed September 2026. Fiscal 2022 military personnel (Navy) funds in the full amount of $10,503,339 will be obligated at time of award to fund provisions for loading, and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year operations and maintenance (Navy) funds for ILO support at the time of their issuance. This contract was solicited as a direct procurement under the AbilityOne Program. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N68836-22-D-0002).

KPMG LLP, McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a labor-hour contract option with a maximum value of $42,326,303 for audit services of the Army general fund and working capital fund financial statements. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, with an expected completion date of Nov. 30, 2022. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition for which three quotes were received. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $77,922,625 from $35,596,322. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $42,326,303 are being obligated at the time of the award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-21-F-0005).

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