Supply challenges and unshared lessons learned of the F-35 could imperil the high-tech aircraft’s operational effectiveness, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. The Marine Corps has seen part shortages, delays at customs, poor reliability of certain parts, long repair times, and inaccurate delivery times, reports Marine Corps Times. Read the Warfighter Support report here.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency says it is reducing a surcharge on American defense goods sold abroad from 3.5 percent to 3.2 percent, dropping the price foreign nations have to pay when buying weapons through the Foreign Military Sales system, reports Defense News. The change will go into effect June 1.

DefSec Jim Mattis is arguing for waivers to let US allies and partners avoid sanctions for buying Russian arms. The move could include giving Turkey and India a pass on the purchase of advanced S-400 anti-air defense systems, reports DoD Buzz.

US adversaries in Syria are attempting to use aggressive electronic warfare capabilities to disable AC-130 gunships, Army Gen. Tony Thomas, head of US Special Operations Command, said last week, reports Air Force Times.

PACIFIC OCEAN (April 26, 2018) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Cheyenne Ferguson directs an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the “Mighty Shrikes” of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 94 to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt is underway for a regularly scheduled deployment in the western Pacific. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Andrew Langholf/Released)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to shut down his country’s nuclear test site in May and disclose the process to South Korea and the US, Seoul’s presidential office, reports Military Times. DefSec Mattis and the South Korean defense minister says their countries are committed to “a diplomatic resolution that achieves complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization” of the North, reports The Associated Press.

Contracts:

Progeny Systems Corp., Manassas, Virginia, was awarded $9,099,774 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N68335-18-F-0007 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N68335-17-G-0054) to procure Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III work that derives from, extends, or completes an effort performed under SBIR Topic N121-045 entitled “Maritime Airborne Service Oriented Architecture Integration.” Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (60 percent); and Manassas, Virginia (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2020. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,099,774 was obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 26, 2018)

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $61,315,248 cost-plus-fixed fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2110) for additional material and labor supporting planning and the preliminary accomplishment of the post-shakedown availability/selected restricted availability (PSA/SRA) on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The planning work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to complete by summer 2018. Preliminary accomplishment of PSA/SRA will be started at Naval Station Norfolk (20 percent); but will be completed at Newport News, Virginia (80 percent), by summer 2019. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion – post-delivery (Navy) in the amount of $8,590,876 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $14,956,442 cost-plus-award-fee, incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-4315) for USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) fiscal 2018 planned incremental availability (PIA) in San Diego, California. A PIA includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations, and modifications that will update and improve the ship’s military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, California and is expected to be completed by January 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,956,442 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California is the contracting activity.

The Informatics Applications Group, Reston, Virginia, is awarded an $8,199,179 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00014-18-F-7004) for the Office of Naval Research Information Technology Operations. The objective of this requirement is to assist the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in gaining efficiencies to establish a world-class network operation while fully supporting ONR’s business process. This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $47,090,484. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and work is expected to be completed April 29, 2019. If all options are exercised, work will continue through April 29, 2023. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement is a competitive 8(a) set-aside acquisition under a government wide acquisition contract with the National Institute of Health’s Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center contract vehicle, with eight proposals received in response to the solicitation. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Draeger Inc., Teleford, Pennsylvania, is being awarded a $7,030,944 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award delivery order contract for Anesthesia Recording and Monitoring Devices (ARMD) medical equipment hardware and ancillary software refresh services in support of military treatment facilities for the Navy, Army, Air Force, and the national capital region inside and outside of the continental US. Work may be performed at locations throughout the US to include Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Maryland (6 percent); Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia (6 percent); Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas (5.5 percent); Naval Medical Center San Diego, California (4 percent); Fort Bragg, North Carolina (3 percent); Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii (3 percent); Wright-Patterson Air Force Medical Center, Ohio (2.5 percent); Eglin Air Force Base Hospital, Florida (2 percent); Fort Gordon, Georgia (2 percent); Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Virginia (2 percent); Fort Benning, Georgia (2 percent); Fort Carson, Colorado (2 percent); Fort Stewart, Georgia (2 percent); Fort Bliss, Texas (2 percent); Fort Hood, Texas (2 percent); Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (2 percent); Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital, Alaska (2 percent); Keesler Air Force Base, Georgia (2 percent); Travis Air Force Base, California (2 percent); Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada (2 percent); Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida (2 percent); Naval Hospital Pensacola, Florida (2 percent); Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (2 percent); Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California (2 percent); Fort Campbell, Kentucky (2 percent); Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Maryland (1 percent); Andrews Air Force Base Hospital, Maryland (1 percent); U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital, California (1 percent); Langley Air Force Base Medical Center, Virginia (1 percent); Fort Wainwright, Alaska (1 percent); Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri (1 percent); Fort Riley, Kansas (1 percent); Fort Polk, Louisiana (1 percent); Naval Hospital Lemoore, California (1 percent); West Point Academy, New York (1 percent); Fort Irwin, California (1 percent); US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Texas (1 percent); Naval Hospital Beaufort, South Carolina (1 percent); Naval Hospital 29 Palms, California (1 percent); Naval Hospital Cherry Point, North Carolina (1 percent); and Air Force Medical Operations Agency Lab, Texas (0.5 percent). Work may also be performed at locations outside of the contiguous US to include Landsuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany (2 percent); Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan (2 percent); Naval Hospital Guam, Guam (2 percent); Hospital Ameridcano De La Base Naval, Spain (1 percent); Yokota Air Force Base Hospital, Japan (1 percent); US Naval Hospital Naples, Italy (1 percent); US Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan (1 percent); Kandahar, Afghanistan (1 percent); Misawa Air Force Base, Japan (1 percent); Osan Air Base Hospital, Korea (1 percent); Lakenheath Air Force Base Hospital, United Kingdom (1 percent); Aviano Air Base Hospital, Italy (1 percent); Waegwan, South Korea (1 percent); US Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy (1 percent); Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1 percent); and Iwakuni, Japan (0.5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 24 months and is expected to be completed by April 29, 2020. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds totaling $7,030,944 will be obligated on task orders immediately following the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force $1,739,812 (25 percent); Army $2,486,660 (35 percent); Navy $2,299,780 (33 percent); and the national capital region $504,692 (7 percent). This contract was a non-competitive, sole-source procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(c) via Federal Business Opportunities. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-18-D-5016).

Pavement Technical Solutions Inc., Ashburn, Virginia, was awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineer services. Bids were solicited via the Internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2023. US Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (W9128A-18-D-0004).

Construction Development Service Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (FA4800-18-D-0001); Olympic Enterprise Inc., Hubert, North Carolina (FA4800-18-D-0002); Southeast Cherokee Construction Inc., Montgomery, Alabama (FA4800-18-D-0003); Leebcor Services LLC, Williamsburg, Virginia (FA4800-18-D-0004); Meltech Corporation Inc., Landover, Maryland (FA4800-18-D-0005); Ocean Construction Services, Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA4800-18-D-0006); Asturian Group Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (FA4800-18-D-0007); and TDX Quality LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (FA4800-18-D-0008), have been awarded a not-to-exceed $300,000,000, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for construction. This contract provides for eight multiple award construction contracts for various construction projects. Work will be performed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, to include any other federal installation in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia; and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Work is expected to be complete by April 26, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 43 offers were received. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $16,000 for the minimum guarantee of $2,000 per each of the eight awardees are being obligated at the time of award. The 633d Contracting Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded April 27, 2018)