March 28, 2024

DoD: Inside or Out, All Must Wear Masks

Masks

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 Defense Department is now requiring that everyone on military installations wear masks, whether they are inside or outside, reports Military Times, and even if they are social distancing. DefSec Lloyd Austin issued a memorandum Feb. 4.

The US Air Force is investigating an incident of an individual gaining unauthorized access to Joint Base Andrews, reports Air Force Times. Officials could not say how far the breach extended or whether the individual reached aircraft on the flightline.

DoD believes the 20th service member has died from COVID, reports Navy Times. A sailor on the submarine Tennessee died last week from complications related to the coronavirus, bringing the number to 20.

A thousand active-duty service members will help the Federal Emergency Management Agency with its COVID vaccination efforts, reports The Hill. The Pentagon gave the OK on Friday.

James Geurts, the Navy’s acquisitions chief during the Trump administration who led the change to modernize the force and keep shipyards open during the pandemic, is serving as Navy undersecretary, reports Breaking Defense.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is the new chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, reports Defense News. Both the Senate and House saw several organizational changes to their Armed Services committees last week.

The Senate has confirmed six of 23 of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet members. Politico reports on who’s been confirmed and who voted against them.

The guided-missile destroyer John S. McCain steamed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, reports Navy Times, a first under the Biden administration. China accused the US of disrupting peace and stability in the region with the warship’s appearance, reports Reuters.

 

 

The Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve reports an increase in 2020 in airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, reports Air Force Magazine.

BRIG GEN Heather Pringle told the Mitchell Institute that her lab was excited about a demonstration in December because it was an opportunity to show the Skyborg drone as a force multiplier with a fifth-generation aircraft, reports Breaking Defense. The Skyborg program, developing low-cost, drones able to team with piloted aircraft, could reach initial operating capability by 2023, she said.

A poll conducted by the Federation of American Scientists and ReThink Media found the majority of Americans said they would be in favor of a Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, or GBSD, as a replacement to the Pentagon’s intercontinental ballistic missiles program, reports Defense News. Eight hundred registered voters were polled.

The White House has confirmed that the US Space Force will not be eliminated, reports Defense News. The new service has the “full support” of the Biden administration, a spokeswoman said.

The Space Force wants to nearly triple its numbers this year, reports Military Times. The new service wants a mix of civilian recruitment and transfers from existing service members, mostly from the Air Force, but also a handful from the Army and Navy’s space career fields.

The Marine Corps might create as many as three Marine littoral regiments, all based in the Pacific to keep a continued presence to deter China, reports Marine Corps Times.

All three Army National Guardsmen killed in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash last week in Idaho, reports Army Times. The crew was returning from a training exercise.

The family of an Air Force veteran who died after being bitten by fire ants at a Department of Veterans Affairs long-term care facility is suing the federal government and the Orkin pest control company, reports Military Times.

The US Labor Department says the jobless rate fell sharply in January from 6.7% to 6.3%, reports The Associated Press. The decrease in unemployment occurred because some people out of work found jobs, but others stopped looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

The unemployment rate for veterans worsened slightly in January — especially for younger veterans — even as the national rate continued to improve, reports Military Times.

Contracts:

DSC Inc., Dunn, North Carolina, is awarded a $10,214,389 firm-fixed-price contract for Naval Air Station Patuxent River facility support services. The work to be performed provides for the facility support services work consisting of scheduled custodial services to ensure the cleanliness of working environments (trash removal, recycling, cleaning kitchenettes, lunch and breakrooms, windows/window treatments, drinking fountains, clean/disinfect restrooms, sweeping /mopping /vacuuming floors, etc.). Pest control services includes the prevention and control of unwanted vegetation and invasive plants, nuisance, structure damaging, lawn, turf and ornamental and disease vector and health arthropod and invertebrate pests. Grounds maintenance and landscaping includes lawn maintenance (mowing and trimming, edging, irrigation systems maintenance), vegetation removal and debris removal within installation grounds parcels designated as improved, semi-improved and unimproved areas. Pavement clearance includes snow removal, sweeping to remove winter abrasives and other debris, improve the appearance of paved areas, improve the safety of paved areas, reduce maintenance costs by keeping the drainage systems clean and reduce pollutants entering the storm drain system. Transportation services consists of vehicles and equipment maintenance and repairs; vehicle and equipment operations to include dispatch services. Weight handling equipment/material handling equipment services to include provision of a crane, liquid movements, people movements, operator licensing, testing and training, vehicle/equipment inspection and certification and specified administrative program management. Work will be performed in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 Navy operation and maintenance (O&M,N) contract funds in the amount of $0 are obligated on this award and will be used for the base period. The base contract is incrementally funded with the first increment of $0 being allocated Feb. 4, 2021. The base year will commence April 1, 2021, and end March 31, 2022. The second increment will be funded in fiscal 2021 on or before March 31, 2021, at $852,199, and the remainder of the funds will be funded no less than monthly on the last day of each month until the continuous resolution is lifted and/or the contract is fully funded. The contract also contains five unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $66,099,485. Funds will expire at the end of fiscal 2021. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov electronic solicitation with four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, Washington, DC, is the contract activity (N40080-21-D-0006).

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $478,605,019 firm-fixed-price modification (P00102) to a previously awarded contract (N0001914C0050). This modification exercises options for the procurement of five Lot Three low rate initial production Presidential Helicopters Replacement Program (VH-92A) aircraft, and associated interim contractor support, two cabin interior reconfiguration kits, support equipment, initial spares, and system parts replenishment. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (50%); Coatesville, Pennsylvania (36%); Owego, New York (10%); Patuxent River, Maryland (2%); Phoenix, Arizona (1%); and Quantico, Virginia (1%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount $478,605,019 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Invicta Global LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $14,600,550 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification for the exercise of Option Three under a contract for base operating support services at various installations in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of operations (AO). After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $39,316,621. The work to be performed is all labor, material, equipment, management and administration for utilities, transportation and facility support services to include fire protection services, facilities management and investment, base support vehicles and equipment, urgent, emergency and routine services for facility support services. Work will be performed in NAVFAC Washington AO, including but not limited to Bethesda, Maryland (40%); Washington, DC (40%); Indian Head, Maryland (10%); and Dahlgren, Virginia (10%). This option period is from Feb. 1, 2021, to Jan. 31, 2022. No funds were obligated at time of award. Operation and maintenance, (Navy); and fiscal 2021 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $6,488,840 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. NAVFAC Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0311). (Awarded: Jan. 29, 2021)

Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies Inc., North Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $9,443,000 modification (P00004) to contract W911S0-19-D-0009 to provide training and certifications as required to verify and validate student proficiency in cybersecurity roles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 5, 2022. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Systems Planning and Analysis Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (HQ0034-21-F-0089), has been awarded a firm-fixed-price and time and materials contract in the amount of $34,891,509. This contract is to provide support to the Office of Industrial Policy in carrying out its mission to ensure robust, secure, resilient and innovative industrial capabilities within the Department of Defense. The contractor will provide program support for the Defense Production Act Titles I and III, Industrial Base Assessments, Industry Engagement/Outreach and Strategic Communications and Business Intelligence and Analytics. Work performance will take place at the Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia; and the Pentagon, Washington, DC. Appropriate fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be obligated at the award. The expected completion date is Feb. 6, 2026. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

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