DoD Alert Levels Unchanged After Trump COVID Diagnosis
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The Pentagon says there have been no changes to Department of Defense alert levels since President Donald Trump announced he tested positive for COVID-19, reports UPI. “The US military stands ready to defend our country and interests. There’s no change to the readiness or capability of our armed forces. Our national command and control structure is in no way affected by this announcement,” reads a statement from the Pentagon. With regard to reports about E-6B aircraft on alert status, US STRATCOM confirmed these aircraft were part of pre-planned missions. “Any timing to the president’s announcement was purely coincidental.”
DefSec Mark Esper, currently on a North African tour, had tested negative last week. DoD says he will not return to the US early, reports Fox News.
The first stop on DefSec Esper’s North African tour had him meeting with the president of Tunisia, reports Military Times. DefSec Esper also visited with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to discuss the threat poised by Islamist militant group in North Africa, reports Reuters. The US and Morocco on Friday signed an accord that aims to strengthen military cooperation and the North African kingdom’s military readiness over the next decade, reports ABC News.
US Navy aircraft and ships with the Reagan Carrier Strike Group conducted an air power demonstration over the Philippine Sea last week, reports Navy Times. That demo came less than a week after the Valiant Shield 2020 exercise which included 100 aircraft and 11,000 military personal. These operations add to the continuing messages to China that the US is determined to preserve the freedom of the seas.
In an effort to get Marine aviators to return to active duty, the USMC is sweetening the deal by making selectees immediately eligible for bonuses of up to $100,000, reports We Are the Mighty. “… We designed the aviation bonus and Return to Active Duty opportunities to offset the deficits we have at the junior officer grades,” said CAPT Joe Butterfield, a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon.
The US State Department cleared $83.5 billion in Foreign Military Sales cases in fiscal 2020, reports Defense News.
Switzerland has been given the go-ahead to purchase F-35As and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets by the US State Department, reports Defense News. The US approval came just days after a public vote narrowly OK’d the Swiss government to move forward with a planned procurement of aircraft.
The Royal Thai Air Force has purchased 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II trainer aircraft, as well as spare parts, training and support services, for $162 million from Textron Aviation Defense, reports Flight Global.
The US will continue to buy parts for the F-35 from Turkey through 2022, reports Military.com, despite that country’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system. Ellen Lord, DoD’s under secretary for acquisition and sustainment, said Turkish factories make more than 900 parts for the aircraft’s center fuselage, cockpit display systems, and other components. A cutoff in December as initially planned would result in about $1 billion in replacement costs that would slow down production of the aircraft, she said.
A pair of B-1B Lancer bombers from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska passed through the Arctic Circle last month on their way to a training mission with the Norwegian air force, reports Air Force Times. The B-1s crossed over the North Pole and were refueled in the Arctic during the 16-hour, 3,100-nautical-mile sortie
As competition in the Arctic region heats up, the US Navy is building a network of unmanned undersea vehicles and sensor buoys, reports The Drive.
The Marine Corps provided new information about the F-35B that crashed last week after a mid-air collision with a KC-130J tanker, reports USNI News. Audio transmission from LiveATC.net includes the KC-130J pilot informing air traffic control that the tanker lost two engines after colliding with another aircraft, which was the F-35B.
Team Orlando Tech Grove became official late last month establishing a partnership between the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division and the University of Central Florida Research Foundation, NAVAIR News reports. That collaboration will work much like the Southern Maryland Tech Bridge, which collaborates across the region with the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, and with industry and academic organizations including the University of Maryland, Georgia Tech Research Institute, St. Mary’s College, the College of Southern Maryland, and The Patuxent Partnership. Those interested in learning more can hear Rick Tarr, Southern Maryland Tech Bridge director, at a TPP-sponsored webinar Oct. 6.
The Veterans Affairs department has made a change to its Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Caregivers of veterans who served during the Vietnam War or earlier can now apply for support benefits for the first time, Military Times reports.
Homeowners and renters in Maryland struggling to pay bills during the pandemic might be eligible for tax credits through two programs — and the deadline to apply has just been extended until Oct. 31, reports WTOP News.
Swiss Skydiver won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course, reports UPI. She was the only filly in the race. Without the public allowed in due to pandemic restrictions, the Preakness was reduced to its essence: a horse race, reports The Baltimore Sun.
Contracts:
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $94,022,896 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for airborne capabilities integration, including but not limited to sensors, communications systems, weapons systems and control technologies for a variety of manned and unmanned airborne platforms in support of the Airborne Systems Integration Division. Work will be performed in Saint Inigoes, Maryland (39%); Lexington Park, Maryland (29%); Patuxent River, Maryland (17%); Hollywood, Maryland (8%); Yuma, Arizona (4%); and California, Maryland (3%), and is expected to be completed in October 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; four offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Command Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0001).
Systems Planning and Analysis Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded an $85,377,546 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the acquisition of technical services, program support, assessments, special studies and systems engineering for the Trident II Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Strategic Weapons system. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia (86%); and Strategic Systems Programs Headquarters, Washington, Navy Yard, Washington, DC (14%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2025. Subject to availability of funding, fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $5,168,031 will be obligated on base award. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1). Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00030-21-C-6019).
The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded a $59,097,371 cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost plus fixed-fee level of effort contract (N00030-21-C-6002) to provide the US and United Kingdom Trident II (D5) maintenance, rebuilding and technical services in support of the Navigation subsystem. Work will be performed at Huntington Beach, California (63%); and Heath, Ohio (13%), along with field engineering conducted at Puget Sound, Washington (4%); Heath, Ohio (4%); Mitchell Field, New York (4%); Norfolk, Virginia (4%); Kings Bay, Georgia (4%); Port Canaveral, Florida (2%), and Faslane, Scotland (2%). Work is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2022 (inclusive of all option periods). United Kingdom funds in the amount of $893,383 are being obligated on this award. Subject to the availability of funds, fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $27,877,125 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 10 US Code 2304(c)(1). Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $22,614,979 combination cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, and firm-fixed-price type contract. The contract is for the First Article testing and production of the All Up Round MK 28 MOD 2 Exercise and MK 29 MOD 0 Warshot fuel tank assemblies for the MK 48 heavyweight torpedo, engineering services with associated other direct costs and contract data requirements list in support of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Undersea Warfare Systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $142,265,948. Work will be performed in Bedford, Indiana (90%); and Middleton, Rhode Island (10%), and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales/Armament Cooperative Program funds in the amount of $19,639,611 (87%); fiscal 2017 Navy Replace in Kind funds in the amount of $2,354,790 (10%); and fiscal 2020 Navy Replace in Kind funds in the amount of $620,578 (3%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport, Keyport, Washington, is the contracting activity (N00253-20-C-0010). (Awarded Sept. 30, 2020).
Gryphon Technologies L.C., Washington, DC, has been awarded a $49,149,327 hybrid firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee with a cost reimbursable line item, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the processing, analysis and quantitative evaluation of environmental samples and other associated services in support of the Air Force Technical Applications Center’s (AFTAC) mission. This contract also analyzes calibration samples and conducts studies on analytical techniques, instrumentation and data handling advancements. Work will be performed in Sunol, California, and is expected to be completed Sept. 30, 2028. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,119,773 are being obligated at the time of award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA7022-21-D-0001).
Dark Wolf Solutions LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,087,314 firm-fixed-price task order for cyber innovation services. This contract provides for software penetration testing and adversarial assessment. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be completed April 11, 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $539,203 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews – Naval Air Facility, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA7014-21-F-0012).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Mission Systems Sector, Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded a $100,798,804 fixed-price-incentive-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for follow-on production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block 3 electronic attack systems and hardware design modifications required for aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship installation. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $1,164,529,315. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (55%); Tampa, Florida (6%); Andover, Massachusetts (5%); Chelmsford, Massachusetts (4%); Rochester, New York (3%); San Diego, California (3%); Los Angeles, California (2%); Winona, Minnesota (2%); Stafford Springs, Connecticut (2%); Glendale, Arizona (1%); Nashua, New Hampshire (1%); Elk Grove Village, Illinois (1%); White Marsh, Maryland (1%); Tucson, Arizona (1%); Chandler, Arizona (1%); Washington, North Carolina (1%); Woodridge, Illinois (1%); Richardson, Texas (1%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (1%); El Cajon, California (1%); Hiawatha, Iowa (1%); Littleton, Colorado (1%); Glendale, California (1%); and miscellaneous locations – each less than 1% (4%), and is expected to be completed by May 2023. If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2026. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) (67%); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) (33%) funding in the amount of $100,798,804 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-5519). (Awarded Sept. 30, 2020)
Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $13,891,979 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort contract (N00030-21-C-0016) for program support services for the Navy’s strategic weapons systems reentry subsystem. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado (75%); Washington, DC (15%); Albuquerque, New Mexico (8%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1%); and Omaha, Nebraska (1%). Work is expected to be completed by March 30, 2026. Contract will be awarded subject to the availability of funds. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Once funding becomes available, contract will be funded as follows: fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,214,639; and fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,677,340, which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 US Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Beta.sam.gov (formally Federal Business Opportunities) website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, Maryland, was awarded a $60,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to manufacture AZD7442, a combination antibody product intended to prevent or treat clinical effects of SARS-CoV-2, for a minimum of 100,000 treatment courses. Work will be performed in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2021. Fiscal 2020 Army general funds in the amount of $30,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0119). (Awarded Sept. 30, 2020)
