Cyber Lab Ceremony Honors Barbara Ives

(Photos courtesy of College of Southern Maryland)

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 Barbara Ives Cyber Lab at the College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown campus was recently dedicated, reports The Southern Maryland Chronicle. The lab is named in honor of Ives, a longtime Southern Maryland resident and retired US Navy Reserve captain, known for her service to the country, the region, and academia. Ives also worked at the college for many years.

The US Navy announced the creation of “women’s initiatives teams” that will try to “broaden awareness and influence policy changes to increase recruitment and retention of service women throughout the Navy.” The new teams will hear concerns from female sailors, advocate on their behalf, and focus on recruiting and retaining more women in the service, reports Military.com.

The US Army said it will cut the size of its force by about 24,000, or almost 5%, and restructuring to be better able to fight wars in the future, reports Army Times. The service continues to struggle with recruiting that is making it impossible to bring in enough soldiers to fill all of its the jobs. Details on how service plans to shrink its force were released last week.

Lawmakers struck a deal last Wednesday evening to avert a partial government shutdown, securing an agreement on half of the dozen must-pass spending bills and extending a pair of deadlines deeper into March, reports NBC News.

ADM Samuel Paparo has been confirmed by the US Senate as the next head of US Indo-Pacific Command, reports Navy Times. Aprille Joy Ericsson also was confirmed as assistant secretary of defense within the Department of Defense’s research office. Twenty-five other senior military promotions were approved as well.

Master Chief Christopher Rambert is the US Navy’s first robotics warfare specialist, reports Navy Times. Rambert’s pining came less than a week after the service unveiled the new rating.

The Defense Department released last week an unclassified summary of events and observations into a review of DefSec Lloyd Austin’s decision to keep secret his hospitalization earlier this year. Concerns about protecting Austin’s privacy and no actual written policy for emergency hospitalizations caused staff to balk when it came to informing the White House or Congress of the secretary’s absence, reports Military Times.

Austin testified Thursday before the House Armed Services Committee, reports UPI News on MSN. Austin acknowledged that his staff did not handle the situation correctly. “And I did not handle this right,” he said.

The US Navy’s USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier conducted successful deadload tests using the electromagnetic aircraft launch system, launching structures weighing up to 80,000 pounds to simulate aircraft weight, reports The National Interest. EMALS, replacing steam catapults on Nimitz-class carriers, shows improved efficiency in launching aircraft.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said regional leaders should consider using the profits from frozen Russian assets to boost Ukraine’s military in its defense efforts against Moscow, reports CNBC. “There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” she said. “Ultimately, this is about Europe taking responsibility for its own security.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out sending troops to Ukraine, reports Defense News. He said the issue of sending troops to Ukraine was among topics discussed during a meeting of 27 countries in Paris, including 21 heads of state.

Ukraine ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko traveled to Australia last week to ask for more help, reports Breaking Defense. Speaking to key Australian defense officials, the ambassador appealed for tanks, Taipan helicopters, money, and a change in how Australia considers Ukrainian aid.

The Royal Australian Navy want to more than double its naval surface fleet and grow its defense budget, reports Defense News. Its new plan advocates for a flotilla of 26 warships, more than double the 11 hulls the service currently has.

The US Office of Naval Research recently participated in the Autonomous Warrior 2023 (AW23) exercise in Jervis Bay, Australia, reports ONR. The US Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Division One, which was created in 2022 to expedite uncrewed vehicles into the fleet, helped demonstrate the capabilities and interoperability potential of uncrewed surface vessels.

Freedom Shield 2024, a US/South Korea 11-day military exercise on the Korean Peninsula begins this week, reports The Hill, as tensions continue to rise after North Korea abandoned reconciliation with Seoul and re-militarized the border. The drills will involve training across multiple domains, including land, sea, air, space, and cyber.

Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School in Leonardtown was among eight schools to receive the Maryland State Department of Education’s Purple Star School designation, reports The Southern Maryland Chronicle. The designation is a recognition of exceptional support and services for students belonging to military families.

The US Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget has published its plan on how agencies can best bring in and support military spouses working in government, reports Federal News Network. Military spouses provide untapped pools of talent the federal government should leverage, reads the plan.

Speaking at the National Security Space Association’s Defense and Intelligence Space Conference last week, US Space Force LT GEN Shawn Bratton said the service expects to begin early operations of its new Futures Command before the end of 2024, reports C4ISRNET. Bratton wants to have a task force of 10 to 15 personnel in place by summer. That team will lay the groundwork for the command.

LT GEN David Miller, commander of Space Operations Command, said he expects space domain awareness to be an area where private sector capabilities will be increasingly needed. He said the service needs more sophisticated space tracking data and analytics capabilities that can transform raw data into actionable intelligence on activities in orbit.

The Odysseus moon landing mission was nearing a shutdown late last week as scientists watched for final signals from the US spacecraft, reports Reuters on MSN. Since the craft landed on its side, the solar charges that had been thought could run for up to 10 days were cut short.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced last week that all veterans who have served in a combat zone since the Vietnam War, as well as those who participated in training or operations and came into contact with hazardous materials, will be able to enroll in VA health care, reports Military.com.

Contracts:

Strategic Alliance Solutions LLC, JV, Fairfax, Virginia, is being awarded a competitive cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort contract. The total value of this contract is $359,969,996. Under this new contract, the contractor will provide support that includes studies, analysis, and evaluations; and management and professional services. The work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dahlgren, Virginia; Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts; Kirkland AFB, New Mexico; and Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The performance period is from March 2024 to August 2029. This contract was competitively procured via publication on the SAM.gov website with six proposals received. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,751,045 are being obligated on this award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0858-24-C-0002).

Whitman, Requardt & Associates LLP, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a maximum-value $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for services in support of large projects primarily in Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois. An initial task order is being awarded for $5,000 in order to satisfy the minimum guarantee. Work will be performed in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic area of responsibility and is expected to be completed by February 2029. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the SAM.gov website, with nine offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-24-D-0009).

Huntington-Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded an $80,038,980 cost-plus-award-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-4313) to exercise options for the accomplishment of the planning yard services for the Littoral Combat Ship in-service ships. Work will be performed in Hampton, Virginia (30%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (68%); San Diego, California (1%); and Jacksonville, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by April 2025. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4313).

TRU Simulation Plus Training Inc., Lutz, Florida, is awarded a $54,809,606 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract produces and delivers one T-54A Operational Flight Trainer, three unit training devices, 21 Desktop Avionics Trainers, four brief/debrief systems and one software support station including associated logistical support, and instructor, operator, and maintenance training in support of the Multi-Engine Training System Ground Based Training Systems for the Navy. Work will be performed in Lutz, Florida (70%); Orlando, Florida (10%); Herndon, Virginia (10%); and Wichita, Kansas (10%), and is expected to be completed in May 2026. Fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $54,809,606 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N6134024C0009).

CACI, Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $19,551,186 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded task order (N3904020F3000) for engineering, technical, administrative, and managerial (support) services in support of the Ships Availability Planning and Engineering Center, non-nuclear waterfront, and Deep Submergence Systems programs at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS). Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by March 2025. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,785,268 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. PNS, Kittery, Maine, is the contracting activity.

Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $9,698,632 cost-plus-award-fee contract for the Specification Development and Availability Execution Support requirements for the DDG, CG, LPD, LSD, LHA, LHD, and LCS Navy Ship classes. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $383,093,984. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia (50%); San Diego, California (30%); Marysville, Washington (10%); and Atlantic Beach, Florida (10%), and is expected to be completed by February 2025. If all options are exercised, work will continue through February 2029. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,217,961 will be obligated at time of award, of which $5,217,961 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment, with one offer received. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-24-C-4201).

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $20,549,342 modification (P00005) to contract W519TC-23-F-0017 to finalize design, construct, commission/startup and transition a new chemical grind facility. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2022 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $10,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Textron Systems, Hunt Valley, Maryland, was awarded an $11,808,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for design of one Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle Medium Caliber Autocannon prototype vehicle. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 24, 2024. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation, Marine Corps funds in the amount of $5,892,192 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-24-C-0029).

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $9,876,526 modification (P00002) to contract W52P1J-22-F-0124 for procurement of major equipment at the Nitric Acid Concentrator/Sulfuric Acid Concentrator site. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 16, 2026. Fiscal 2023 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $7,407,395 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Alutiiq Commercial Enterprises LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $19,122,528 firm-fixed-price contract for providing base operations support services in support of the 733rd Civil Engineer Squadron, Fort Eustis, Virginia. This contract provides for all management, labor, transportation, tools, supplies, and equipment to perform preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, and sustainment to 428 facilities at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Work will be performed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2025. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,016,545 are being obligated at time of award. 633rd Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4800-24-C-0006). (Awarded Feb. 28, 2024)

Capps Shoe Co. LLC, Gretna, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $9,851,474 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for women’s poromeric dress shoes. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Feb. 27, 2026. Using military services are Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-24-D-0034).

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a modification (P00011) for an Option Year valued at $8,600,454 on a firm-fixed-price contract (HQ003421F0077) to provide technical support services to the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,600,454 are being obligated at the time of award. The cumulative total of the contract is $31,153,084. The total if all options are exercised is $41,088,244. The contractor will provide services including cybersecurity reporting and scorecards; cybersecurity research and analysis; cybersecurity policies, guidance, strategies, and procedures; risk assessment and operational integration; supply chain; public key infrastructure; mobility and wireless networking; defense cyber workforce framework; cyber phishing analyses; network penetration and vulnerability analyses; acquisition systems support; and specialized network vulnerability support. The work will be performed at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. The estimated contract completion date is Nov. 30, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

CACI Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price Task Order (HQ003424F0106) valued at $8,430,856 against a previously issued indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (GSA47QTCK18D0009). This Task Order provides technical support services to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Data Services Office. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,258,013 are being obligated at the time of award. The cumulative total of the contract is $8,430,856. The total if all options are exercised is $43,400,923. The contractor will provide services in support of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Data Services Office. These services are in support of mission application development, application hosting, Department of Defense cloud-based infrastructure management, web services, SharePoint development, cybersecurity, database management and analytics, defense business systems, information technology governance and portfolio management, and information technology management, including liaison to broader Office of the Secretary of Defense core information technology services. The work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia. The estimated contract completion date is Feb. 28, 2025. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

CORRECTION: The Feb. 26, 2024, announcement of a $7,567,018 contract modification (P00004) to Axiom Resource Management Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (HT001123F0015), for program management support services included an incorrect period of performance. The modification’s actual period of performance is from Feb. 28, 2024, to Feb. 27, 2025. The announcement also included an incorrect amount of obligated funds. This was a competitive acquisition on GSA Alliant 2, and fiscal 2024 Defense Health Agency operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $29,042,273 are being obligated at time of award.