Funding Bill Passes, Avoids Shutdown, Includes More Aid to Ukraine
Included in the spending bill passed last week is $26.7 billion to procure 13 Navy ships including two guided missile destroyers. Pictured is an F-35 Lightning II carrier variant completing a flyover of the guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt. The bill also funds the Navy’s request for 85 F-35 aircraft. (US Navy photo by Andy Wolfe/Released)
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River 
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The US Senate passed a $1.5 trillion package late last week that funds the federal government through September and delivers $14 billion to help Ukraine as it fights off the Russian invasion, reports Politico. The bill also gives funding stability to the Defense Department for the rest of the fiscal year, reports Defense News. Since October, defense planners had been spending at fiscal 2021 levels. That meant new equipment, programs, and other priorities had been sidelined for months awaiting the full-year agreement.
For 2022, the bill provides $728.5 billion in discretionary defense spending, an increase of $32.5 billion above 2021, according to the House Appropriations Committee list.
The federal spending package gives the US Navy more funding for ships and aircraft, reports Defense News, this after many lawmakers complained the service didn’t request enough money last spring.
NavSec Carlos Del Toro said the service wants to decommission its cruiser fleet because it is no longer safe to operate the cruisers, reports Defense News. “[I]t would be irresponsible to continue to upgrade some of those platforms today at great risk to personnel safety,” he told attendees at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference.
DoD Comptroller Mike McCord, in an address at the same conference, said concern over inflation has impacted the Pentagon’s planning for the fiscal 2023 budget request, reports Air Force Times. The budget is “substantively” complete, he said, and space figures to be a foundational part of it.
The National Interest reports that six US Air Force F-35As have been repositioned to the Baltic region. The skies over Eastern Europe might be the best place to see modern combat aircraft in operation, as more than 100 fighters are currently deployed as part of the NATO mission. Besides, the US F-35A Lightning IIs, the coalition includes Polish F-16s, F-35As from the Netherlands, F-15Es also from the US, Rafales from France, and Typhoons from the Royal Air Force.
Canadian aerospace company MDA is doing its part to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion, reports Space.com. The company was given government approval to collect satellite imagery of restricted areas of Ukraine using synthetic aperture radar.
China is viewed as a key player because of its influence with Russia, which is expected to grow as Moscow finds itself further isolated by sanctions, reports The Hill. The US wants Chinese President Xi Jinping to join other nations in condemning Russia, while warning China of the consequences should it try to evade export controls on Moscow.
Recent North Korean missile launches were test firings of a powerful new long-range ICBM, and US officials warned last week that a full-range test could soon follow, reports Military.com. American forces in the Pacific region have been placed in a state of “enhanced readiness.”
US Army GEN Paul LaCamera, the US’ top commander in Korea, said there are encouraging signs for the US-South Korea alliance with the recent election of conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol as the nation’s president, calling it “very promising,” reports USNI News.
Fleet Master Chief James Honea will become the 16th master chief petty officer of the US Navy, reports Navy Times. Honea is currently the senior enlisted leader of US Indo-Pacific Command.
The US Air Force plan to move the US Space Command from Colorado to Alabama drew another congressional challenge from US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), reports AL.com. Shaheen questioned the potential environmental impact of moving the headquarters to Redstone Arsenal and the time a move could take away from the command’s mission of securing American satellites.
The US Air Force is eyeing a bomber drone to complement to the forthcoming B-21 Raider, reports The Drive. AFSec Frank Kendall said there was “more work to do” on the unmanned bomber concept, which he described as “more speculative.”
From Syria to Libya and from Yemen to Iraq, unmanned aerial vehicles are altering the dynamics on the battlefield, reports MEI@75. Several Middle East nations are rapidly developing UAV fleets.
President Joe Biden last week said US veterans were the “backbone, the spine, the sinew” of the nation, as he pushed for better help for members of the military who face health problems, including after exposure to burn pits, reports The Associated Press. The president traveled with Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to Texas, where they visited a clinic in Fort Worth.
VA officials will recommend closing three major medical centers and more than 170 other outpatient health facilities in coming years, reports Marine Corps Times, as part of a review of the department. But VA officials also said they will push for construction of 255 new health care and community living facilities as part of the plan.
A slate of 10 nominees to key Veterans Affairs leadership posts have been announced, reports Air Force Times, including a candidate to become the department’s first confirmed undersecretary for health in more than five years. Dr. Shereef Elnahal, president and CEO of University Hospital in New Jersey, was nominated to lead the Veterans Health Administration.
Josia Pagler has become the first woman to graduate as a warrant officer from Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, reports Navy Times. She is slated to operate MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based refueling drones.
As Americans moved their clocks forward one hour on Sunday, members of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee and a variety of experts agree it’s time for the country to stop switching times, reports UPI. Del. Brian Crosby of St. Mary’s County said phasing out the biannual clock change would have positive effects. His bill was scheduled to be heard in the Maryland General Assembly last week, reports Patch.com.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and lawmakers agreed to halt the state’s gas tax for 30 days in an effort to cushion the financial impact on residents as gas prices continue to rise, reports The Hill.
The Chesapeake Accountability Project’s latest report finds that enforcement of water pollution laws in Maryland has declined over the last two decades, but especially in the last few years, reports Maryland Matters. The Maryland Department of the Environment took 422 water pollution enforcement actions between 2016 and 2021 under Gov. Larry Hogan, compared to the 1,280 enforcement actions between 2010 and 2015 during the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley, according to the 2022 Maryland CAP Enforcement Scorecard.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, reports NPR. This could pave the way for baseball’s return on April 7.
Contracts:
Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, is awarded a $52,507,515 firm-fixed-price modification (P00010) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N6134019D0004). This modification establishes an option to extend services and adds flight hours for intermediate and depot level maintenance, logistics and engineering support for approximately 210 in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines. Work will be performed in Meridian, Mississippi (47%); Kingsville, Texas (46%); Pensacola, Florida (6%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in June 2022. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $24,811,785 cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort modification (P00004) to an order (N0001921F0008) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001917G0002). This modification exercises an option to provide continued flight test support for the V-22 aircraft in support of the Navy, Air Force, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (70%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (15%); Fort Worth, Texas (10%); and Hurlburt Field, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,827,687; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,288,422; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,474,722; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $1,566,301 will be obligated at the 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.
Arrow DJB JV II LLC, Upper Marlboro, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0010); Ironshore Contracting LLC, Baltimore, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0012); EG Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0013); Roofing and Sustainability Systems Inc., Essex, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0014); and Island Contracting Inc., Beltsville, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0015), are awarded a combined $19,800,000 firm-fixed-price modification under a multiple award construction contract (MACC). This modification provides for the exercise of Option 4 for the roofing MACC within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of operations. Work will be performed in, but not limited to, Maryland (35%); Virginia (35%); and Washington, DC (30%). The option period is from April 2022 to April 2023. The total cumulative contract amount after exercise of this option will be $99,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task order as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by fiscal 2022 military construction; and operation and maintenance (Navy) funds. NAVFAC Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida, is awarded a $17,898,498 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00010) to an order (N0001920F0025) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001915G0026). This modification adds scope to provide for the production, delivery, and installation of Link 16 Crypto-Modernization/Hybrid Beyond Line of Sight capabilities on 15 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (36%); Norfolk, Virginia (17%); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (13%); San Diego, California (10%); Ronkonkoma, New York (6%); Bethpage, New York (3%); and various locations within the continental US (15%), and is expected to be completed in May 2023. Fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,898,498 will be obligated at the 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.
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded an $11,000,000 modification (P00056) to contract W58RGZ-20-C-0024 to support continued system operations and sustainment, test and training services. Work will be performed in Reston and Bridgewater, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of March 16, 2024. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $11,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Capps Shoe Co., Lynchburg, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $8,573,850 modification (P00009) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-20-D-1244) with two one-year option periods for women’s poromeric and brown leather dress shoes. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Virginia, with a March 11, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $42,149,432 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract. This contract provides for the development of a Combat Systems Integrated Product to assess operational performance against Navy standards in simulated and operational training environments, including predicting ability to perform assigned tasks, functions and missions. In addition, the system will recommend training and resource allocation to improve performance. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (51%); Jacksonville, Florida (37%); Long Island, New York (5%); Dallas, Texas (3%); Seattle, Washington (3%); and Boston, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2025. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $709,670; and fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $664,236 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-5. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (N6134022C0001).
L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Ayer, Massachusetts, is awarded a $19,161,016 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering services for CVN 78, DDG 1000, LSD 41/49, LPD 17, LHD 1, LHA 6, and LCS 1 and LCS 2 ship class steering control and navigation control systems and machinery control systems. This contract does not include options. Work will be performed in Ayer, Massachusetts (64%); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (3%); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3%); Norfolk, Virginia (3%); San Diego, California (3%); Bremerton, Washington (3%); Washington, DC (3%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (3%); Mayport, Florida (3%); Yokosuka, Japan (3%); Portland, Maine (3%); Sasebo, Japan (3%); and Bahrain (3%) and is expected to be completed by February 2027. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $281,799, which includes a $500 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract minimum guarantee, will be obligated at time of award via an individual task order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be made available at the task order level as contracting actions occur. This contract was not competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website. The contract is a sole-source award in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1) — only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N6449822D4005).
Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $15,788,396 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N61331-18-D-0007 to exercise options for the development, integration, testing, and evaluation of prototype systems into existing or emerging unmanned vehicles, unmanned weapons, and unmanned weapons control systems related to mine warfare, amphibious warfare, surface warfare, diving and life support, coastal and underwater intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and other missions in the littoral and riverine environments. Work will be performed at locations which will be determined with each delivery order and is expected to be completed by March 2023. No funding will be obligated at time of award. Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity.
Capps Shoe Co., Lynchburg Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $20,088,000 modification (P00008) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-20-D-1246) with two one-year option periods for men’s poromeric and brown leather dress shoes. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Virginia, with a March 16, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract option modification (P00008) in the amount of $7,895,976 to a previously awarded contract (H98210-18-F-0062) for administering critical functions of the National Language Services Corps (NLSC), a major activity of the National Security Education Program (NSEP). This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $39,939,186 from $32,043,210 and is the result of a competitive acquisition with one solicitation and two offers received. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia. The option period of performance is from March 15, 2022, to March 14, 2023. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds. Defense Human Resources Activity, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
