DoD F-35 Report: Hundreds of Deficiencies, 13 ‘Must-Fix’ Problems

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.

A Defense Department’s annual report says that the F-35 has hundreds of unresolved deficiencies and new problems are being discovered regularly, reports Flight Global. The latest DoD report was issued Thursday. Perhaps the most worrying problem with the jet is a continued lack of aircraft readiness, reports Popular Mechanics. There’s a long list of issues that should be resolved, Bloomberg reports, including 13 described as Category 1 “must-fix” items that affect safety or combat capability.

DoD acquisition undersecretary Ellen Lord rolled out a new cybersecurity scheme for defense contractors late last week emphasizing the department will work closely with industry to ensure that achieving Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification won’t be too burdensome for small business, reports Breaking Defense.

The US military is warning its personnel in Japan to watch out for symptoms of the coronavirus after a man in that country, home to thousands of sailors and soldiers, contracted the disease in China last month, reports Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon has released an advisory about how service members can reduce the risk of catching the coronavirus, after the State Department issued a travel advisory to not travel to China where the virus originated, reports Military Times.

On Friday, stocks fell sharply on Wall Street, The Associated Press reports, as fears spread through the markets that the virus outbreak emanating from China will dent global growth.

Several Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year celebrations around Maryland were canceled after widespread concern about the coronavirus from local Chinese communities, reports Maryland Matters.

The US is ending a restriction on the use of anti-personnel landmines outside of the Korean Peninsula, reports Military Times. The White House says the new policy will afford combatant commanders the ability in some circumstances to use “advanced, non-persistent landmines specifically designed to reduce unintended harm to civilians and partner forces.”

 

 

Kaman Air Vehicles, a division of Kaman Corp., announced the advancement of its military and commercial K-MAX Unmanned Aerial Systems programs to support the US Marine Corps‘ future operating concepts, reports Military Embedded Systems.

The US Army increased its aviation incentive pay rates for the first time in more than 20 years to compete with the civilian market, reports Army Times.

DefSec Mark Esper says the US military would not conduct a full troop withdrawal from Africa, reports Military Times, though an ongoing review could result in troop reductions.

A DoD report finds that reports of unwanted sexual contact at the military service academies have jumped more than 30% in the past year, reports Military Times. Read the report here.

Personnel aboard NAS Patuxent River might be eligible for the Transportation Incentive Program, a monthly federal government subsidy for civilian and military employees who use vanpooling to and from their permanent duty station each day, reports DCMilitary.com. Learn about eligibility requirements.

McCormick & Co.’s expanded past its original recipe Old Bay and into the hot sauce market, reports WTOP News. Old Bay — the Maryland-favorite seasoning mix — has been around for more than 75 years. The new hot sauce, which was released last Wednesday, has already sold out, reports the Chicago Tribune. Sales were so brisk that first day that the company’s website crashed.

Contracts:

Lockheed Martin Space, Titusville, Florida, is awarded a $473,832,955 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-20-C-0101) for TRIDENT II (D5) Life Extension 2 Strategic Systems Programs Alteration Advanced Development Program efforts. Work will be performed in Denver, Colorado (78.7%); Sunnyvale, California (5.6%); Beltsville, Maryland (1.9%); Titusville, Florida (1.5%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1.3%); Palo Alto, California (1.3%); Folsom, California (1.1%); and other various locations (less than 1% each, 8.6% total). Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds for $2,800,000 are being obligated on this award, none of 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 Federal Business Opportunities website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Phoenix International Holdings Inc., Largo, Maryland, is awarded a $97,000,000 (maximum value) cost-plus-award-fee and fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for diving and diving related services. The primary purpose of this contract is to provide the necessary engineering and technical support to provide operational and non-operational support to the Navy’s air, mixed gas and saturation diving services program to support the office of the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, Director of Ocean Engineering. Work will be performed worldwide based on each individual task order, and is expected to be completed by January 2027, with no new orders being placed after January 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding for $45,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

APTIM-Harper Construction JV, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (N62478-20-D-4001); B.L. Harbert International LLC, Birmingham, Alabama (N62478-20-D-4002); Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-20-D-4003); Kiewit Infrastructure West Co., Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-20-D-4004); Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N62478-20-D-4005); RQ-ABSHER JV, Carlsbad, California (N62478-20-D-4006); Stronghold Engineering Inc., Riverside, California (N62478-20-D-4007) are each being awarded 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) Hawaii area of operations (AO). The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all seven contracts combined is $990,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, labor, supervision, tools, materials and equipment necessary to perform new construction, repair, alteration and related demolition of existing infrastructure based on design-build, or design-bid-build (full plans and specifications) for infrastructure within the state of Hawaii. Work will be performed within the NAVFAC Hawaii AO. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of January 2025. Operations and maintenance, Navy (O&M, N) funds for $175,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N and Navy working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 12 proposals received. These seven contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc., Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a maximum amount $36,791,892 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for long-term monitoring, operations and maintenance environmental remediation services for facilities in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Northwest (NW) area of operation. The work to be performed includes a full-range of environmental services for Navy installations throughout the Navy Region NW area of operations and includes pre-priced line items in accordance with the statement of work, as well as, non-pre-priced work to be negotiated on a task order basis. Work on this contract will be performed at various installations including but not limited to Washington (78 %), Alaska (18%), Idaho (1%), Montana (1%), Oregon (1%), and Wyoming (1%). The term of the base contract is not to exceed 66 months with an expected completion date of July 31, 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds for $10,000 (the minimum guarantee) are obligated for task order number one and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with five proposals received. NAVFAC NW, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity (N44255-20-D-6006).

Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0002).

AECOM Technical Services Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0001).

Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0005).

GF-D Design Partners JV, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0003).

HDR Engineering Inc., Washington, District of Columbia, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0004).

Whitman, Requardt and Associates LLP, Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded a $40,000,000 contract for military projects for the Baltimore District and within the North Atlantic Division area of responsibility. Bids were solicited via the internet with 26 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 30, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-D-0006).

Valdez International Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract in the amount of $38,102,027 for support services to operate, sustain and assure the availability of Air Force Information Network (AFIN) to enable war-fighter mission execution. Work will be performed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; and Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, with 11 proposals received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $38,102,027 are being obligated at the time of the award. The 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8773-17-C-0002).

General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a $15,191,692 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00003) to previously awarded task order FA4890-19-F-A022 issued under GSA Alliant 2 Unrestricted Government-Wide. The contract modification provides for the exercise of option year one – period of performance Feb. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021, for services being provided under the basic task order. Work will be performed at Langley Air Force Base and Beale Air Force Base, but could expand to Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Republic of Korea; McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas; Birmingham, Alabama; Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.; Reno, Nevada; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Terra Haute, Indiana; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and Ogden, Utah. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,191,692 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $217,425,053. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management & Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Akima Logistics Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $6,923,402 firm-fixed-price option indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for full contractor logistics support of 58 US Air Force Academy (USAFA) aircraft. Work will be performed at the US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and USAFA auxiliary airfield and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8106-19-F-8002).

PAE Professional Services, LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide temporary construction security infrastructure, equipment, services and security surveillance services to support secure construction projects to support the Yongsan Relocation Program in the Far East District, South Korea. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received.  Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2025. US Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District, South Korea, is the contracting activity (W912UM-20-D-0002).

Hensel Phelps Construction Co, Tysons Corner, Virginia, was awarded a $34,227,105 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of a new warehouse facility of approximately 44,000 gross square foot with associated office space. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received.  Work will be performed at Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of July 8, 2022. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $34,227,105 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-C-0004).

Marton Technologies Inc., Newport News, Virginia, was awarded a $9,090,390 modification (000191) to contract W52P1J-14-G-0021 for continued performance of logistics support services at Fort Riley, Kansas. Work will be performed in Fort Riley with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2121. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,090,390 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,999,836 modification to previously awarded contract FA8750-18-C-0116 for Operational Resilient Cyber Advancements.  The contract modification allows the performer to design and develop Microservice Architectures for defensive cyber operations technology in addition to utilizing a cloud-based orchestration engine to automate processes and develop Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology thrusts. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 5, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,528,884 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $67,435,795. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded an $81,645,285 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-17-C-6259) to exercise and fund options for naval production, engineering services and required materials for the government of Canada under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by June 2026. FMS (Canada) funding for $79,584,238 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Linthicum, Maryland, is awarded a $45,479,156 modification for the firm-fixed-price portion of a previously awarded contract (M67854-19-C-0043). This modification is for the purchase of two Gallium Nitride full rate production systems and spares in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by April 4, 2023. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $45,479,156 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract modification was not competitively procured. The base contract was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 US Code § 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Pinnacle Petroleum Inc., Huntington Beach, California, (SPE605-20-D-4516, $63,570,797); Falcon Fuels Inc., Paramount, California, (SPE605-20-D-4509, $57,497,366); Brad Hall and Associates Inc., Idaho Falls, Idaho, (SPE605-20-D-4505, $55,451,197); Petroleum Traders Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana, (SPE605-20-D-4515, $18,411,287); Merrimac Petroleum Inc., Long Beach, California, (SPE605-20-D-4514, $16,596,199); Mansfield Oil Company of Gainesville Inc., Gainesville, Georgia, (SPE605-20-D-4513, $9,251,400) and Foster Fuels Inc., Brookneal, Virginia, (SPE605-20-D-4510, $7,238,675) have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract under solicitation SPE605-20-R-0200 for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 39 offers received. These are 54-month contracts with a six-month option period.  Locations of performance are Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada, Utah, and Virginia, with a Sept. 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Federal Resources Supply Co., Stevensville, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $30,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 102 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods.  Location of performance is Maryland, with a Jan. 29, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0028).

Minburn Technology Group LLC, Great Falls, Virginia, has been awarded an $18,191,117 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SP4701-20-F-0029) against a 10-year Department of Defense Enterprise Services Initiative blanket purchase agreement (N66001-19-A-0006) and General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule (GS-35F-309AA) for a Microsoft enterprise licensing agreement. This was a competitive acquisition with five responses received. This is a one-year delivery order with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Jan. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ASRC Federal Professional Services LLC, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded an estimated $54,757,914 firm-fixed-price contract (HS0021-20-C-0002) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). The contract provides for case processing and overall operation center support services in support of the background investigation process. Work will be performed at Boyers, Pennsylvania, and St. Louis, Missouri. This contract is funded with fiscal 2020 DCSA working capital funds with $13,577,188 obligated at time of award. The anticipated period of performance includes one 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods. The estimated lifecycle award value is $276,794,547. This requirement was synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website as a single-award, small business set-aside on Nov. 20, 2018. As a result, all small businesses were solicited and six offers were received. The Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.