DoD Contractors Hardest Hit by COVID-19
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.
DoD contractors have been hit the hardest throughout the pandemic, says Military Times, reporting another department contractor death over the weekend. Defense contractors have had a 1.5% death rate and 9% hospitalization rate in 530 total COVID-19 cases so far. They represent 6% of DoD’s 8,636 diagnosis among troops, dependents, civilians, and contractors. Within the total are 341 hospitalizations and a 0.3% mortality rate. Nationwide, the mortality rate is 6% of known cases.
Lockheed Martin has paid an additional $300 million to its suppliers one week after accelerating $450 million in supply chain payments meant to reduce the cororonavirus-related impact on the defense industry, reports GovCon Wire. The company held a webinar last week with almost 400 representatives from small businesses supporting the Navy.
Federal agencies can now hire HackerOne to create vulnerability disclosure programs for their websites, reports Fifth Domain. The DHS requires government agencies to run disclosure programs on their public-facing websites.
Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia are suing the EPA demanding it enforce Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction plans, reports Maryland Matters. The legal action follows EPA’s top Chesapeake Bay official calling the goals of the decades-old Chesapeake Bay Program merely “aspirational.”
Annie Glenn, wife of astronaut John Glenn, has died at 100 from coronavirus, reports New York Post. She became a hero in her own right, overcoming a speech impediment and emerging as an advocate for people with disabilities.
DoD workers are still weeks away from returning to office spaces closed due to COVID-19, reports USNI. The decision hinges on a variety of factors to be weighed by local commanders.
“Operation Warp Speed,” an effort to create and distribute COVID-19 vaccine by January 2021, will be co-led by the general in charge of the Army Materiel Command, one of the largest logistics and supply-chain operations in the world, and the developer of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and one to prevent infantile gastroenteritis, reports Army Times.
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker posts once a week, showing the approximate positions of the US Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world. Here’s as of May 18, 2020, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting dis-aggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.
The Hurricane Hunters got another early start to the 2020 Atlantic season, flying into Tropical Storm Arthur as it formed in the Atlantic on May 16, reports Air Force Magazine. The Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s WC-130J flew into the storm as it approached the Bahamas, providing weather data to the National Hurricane Center. This was the sixth consecutive year with a named storm in May. Hurricane season officially starts June 1.
UPI reports the National Academy of Sciences has found the maximum sustained winds of hurricanes are increasing around the world, by about 8% per decade, based upon an analysis of 40 years of satellite imagery.
The VA began offering non-emergency services at 20 medical centers this week as part of a “phased approach” to resuming normal operations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, reports Military Times.
Researchers at the VA and University of California-Los Angeles are studying a chemotherapy drug for prostate cancer to help reduce the severity of COVID-19 in men, reports Military.com. The VA will test the drug in nearly 200 veterans hospitalized with the novel coronavirus at VA medical centers in Los Angeles, New York City, and the Puget Sound area of Washington.
More than 300 phishing email campaigns have been tracked over the past two months, reports FCW. Some mimic the websites of agencies like the Center for Disease Control, Federal Emergency Management Agency, IRS, and the White House in order to steal user banking credentials. Proofpoint identified numerous phishing email campaigns including multi-page phishing templates of the agencies listed above.
The US State Department inspector general President Donald Trump fired was investigating the Trump administration’s sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia last year by using an emergency declaration to skirt objections from Congress. SecState Mike Pompeo said the inspector general had mishandled leaks to the media and failed to promote Pompeo’s mission statement to employees, reports The Washington Post.
Contracts:
ntercontinental Construction Contracting Inc.,* Passaic, New Jersey (N40080-20-D-0011); FBGC JV LLC,* Hampton, Virginia (N40080-20-D-0012); Pontiac Drywall Systems Inc.,* Pontiac, Michigan (N40080-20-D-0013); Maclean-Ocean JV LLC,* Bethesda, Maryland (N40080-20-D-0014); RAND Enterprises Inc.,* Newport News, Virginia (N40080-20-D-0015); and Aimcon Design Build LLC,* Harvey, Louisiana (N40080-20-D-0016), are awarded $99,000,000 for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award design-build/design-bid build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of responsibility (AOR). All work on this contract will be performed primarily within the NAVFAC Washington AOR to include District of Columbia (40%); Virginia (40%); and Maryland (20%). Intercontinental Construction Contracting Inc. is awarded initial task order at $169,821 for the construction of seven above-ground storage tanks and two pump houses at Chesapeake Beach Detachment, Maryland. The work to be performed provides repairs, new construction and alterations to shore facilities and utilities. Additionally, work may also include but are not limited to, engaging in installing and serving mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, building’s equipment and other specialized trades. Work for this task order is expected to be complete by June 2021. The term of the contract is not to exceed 24 months, with an expected completion date of May 2022. Fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds (NWCF); and fiscal 2020 supervision, inspection and overhead contract funds in the amount of $194,821 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The maximum dollar value including the base period and one option year for all six contracts combined is $99,000,000. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (Navy); and NWCF. This contract was competitively procured via the Beta Sam website, and 23 proposals were received. These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
W. F. Magann Corp., Portsmouth, Virginia, is awarded a $10,234,262 firm-fixed-price modification for replacement of the Dry Dock 4 north side duct bank at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and includes, but is not limited to, demolition of the existing terracotta duct banks and installation of structural, concrete encased duct banks for the electrical systems, shore power, industrial power, capstan power and telecommunications systems. Work is expected to be complete by July 2022. After award of this modification, the cumulative contract value will be $174,551,064. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $10,234,262 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-19-C-9014).
Ventech Inc., Largo, Maryland, has been awarded a $99,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for performance of the Base Level Software Support V contract. This contract provides for purchasing of commercial software, software maintenance and bundled maintenance, filing purchases and license information database operations and maintenance, report generation and general support to address software, documentation and licensing issues. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed May 30, 2030. The period of performance for this services contract is for a five year base period with one five year option. This award is the result of competitive acquisition and 18 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $106,723 will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Testing Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2486-20-D-0009).
Survice Engineering Co. LLC, Belcamp, Maryland, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $89,489,901 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). This contract provides for the acquisition, storage, retrieval, synthesis, analysis and dissemination of 22 technical focus areas and scientific technical information for the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center mission. Work will be performed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2026. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,600 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (FA8075-20-D-0001).
ManTech SRS Technologies Inc., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $20,916,894 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price modification (P00056) to contract FA8811-10-C-0002 for systems engineering and integration services. Work will be performed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California; Vandenberg AFB, California; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Work is expected to be completed Sept. 22, 2020. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $17,673,379; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,503,797; and fiscal 2020 research development test and evaluation funds in the amount of $729,723 are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract modification and option is $20,916,894. Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.