Happy 248th Birthday, America
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On July 4, 2024, America will celebrate its 248th birthday. Although the US Congress declared its separation from England on July 2, 1776, the founding fathers didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence until July 4, 1776. Farmer’s Almanac provides some other trivia to help celebrate the day. Some tidbits include that the first Fourth of July fireworks displays were held the next year, in 1777, and that the most recent version of the US flag was designed by Robert Heft, a 17-year-old student, as a part of a school project in 1958. He originally got a B- on the project, but when his pattern won the national competition to become the next flag, his teacher raised his grade to an A.
US military bases in Europe have been on a heightened state of alert since Sunday. US European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, issued a threat level elevation to “Charlie” on Sunday and similar directives were sent to other bases in Germany including outlying installations in Romania and Bulgaria, reports Stars and Stripes. The “Charlie” threat level, according to the Army’s website, “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely.”
A Department of Defense announcement quotes Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh saying the raised the threat level in Europe is in response to “a combination of factors and not related to a single threat,” reports Defense.gov.
Nearly 70 Coast Guard veterans called on senators investigating the service’s sexual-assault scandal to force all Coast Guard leaders involved in the service’s internal investigation to testify in Congress about the years-long coverup. Stars and Stripes report the service veterans, including many former commanders, bonded together to make the request after a whistleblower said she was told not to provide some sexual-assault victims the documentation needed to get help from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Elsie Dominguez, a civilian engineer who says she was raped in her cabin by the civilian skipper of the Navy expeditionary fast transport Carson City in 2021, sued the US in November for back pay and compensatory damages. She was told she must instead petition the Department of Labor for worker’s compensation. Edward S. Kiel, judge of the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, based his decision on a 1952 Supreme Court decision holding that the Federal Employees Compensation Act program offers payouts to government workers for job-related injuries and illnesses. Attorneys for Dominguez maintain that the case deserves a court remedy, saying rape always falls outside the scope of employee duties.
The US Justice Department is pushing Boeing to plead guilty to criminal fraud in connection with two deadly plane crashes involving its 737 Max jetliners, reports AP News. The department determined Boeing violated an agreement intended to resolve a 2021 charge of conspiracy to defraud the US government. Prosecutors alleged at the time that Boeing misled regulators who approved the 737 Max and set pilot-training requirements to fly the plane. The company blamed two relatively low-level employees for the fraud. Relatives of some of the 346 people who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes learned about the plea offer during a video meeting. Family members who want Boeing to face a criminal trial and to pay a $24.8 billion fine reacted angrily.
New York National Guard soldiers tested new “pocket-sized” drones that the Army hopes to one day field to every squad across the service. Task & Purpose reports that similar systems are already deployed with some active-duty units. The NY troops were the first Guard unit to train with the Black Hornet 3 drone, which can fly about 25 minutes and requires no equipment beyond what a soldier can carry on their combat gear.
Among a raft of new measures to shore up long-term support for Ukraine, NATO will station a senior civilian official in Kyiv and establish a new command in Wiesbaden, Germany, to coordinate provisioning of military equipment to Kyiv and the training of Ukrainian troops, reports The Wall Street Journal. The steps seek to buttress Ukraine’s prospects to eventually join the alliance and come amid a right-wing political surge across Europe and the growing possibility that former President Donald Trump could return to the White House and reduce American support for Ukraine.
NATO allies have agreed to fund military aid for Ukraine with $43.05 billion next year, a Western European diplomat told Reuters on Wednesday, one week before the alliance’s leaders are set to meet in Washington.
More than 160 years after they were captured and executed by Confederate rebels, US soldiers Pvts. Philip Shadrach and George Wilson are set to be posthumously recognized for their valor during the Civil War with the Medal of Honor. Military.com reports, in 1862, alongside 20 other Union soldiers and two civilians, they infiltrated rebel territory and stole a train, taking it northward, and destroying as much of the train tracks, bridges, and other key logistical infrastructure as they could. It was a mobile raid over roughly 200 miles during the course of a week while they were constantly pursued by Confederates.
What is preventing aviators from remaining in the service, and what could be done to improve retention efforts? Military.com wants to know and is asking naval aviators why they are leaving – or staying. Email [email protected] to share your story, insight and experiences. Anonymity can be granted upon request.
Last month, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission by a 5-4 vote repealed the longtime prohibition on dredging for blue crabs during the winter near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Secretary Josh Kurtz called it a poor management decision for crabs. “The Virginia Commission’s unilateral decision . . . of this magnitude should have only been made with the support of scientists, in close consultation with Maryland officials, and in response to a significant increase in the blue crab population. It’s a bad day if you care about blue crabs. We are reviewing our options to ensure the sustainability of the blue crab fishery.”
Contracts:
Clark Construction Group LLC, Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $33,317,000 firm-fixed-price contract to construct a new child development center. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2027. Fiscal 2024 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $33,317,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity (W912DQ-24-C-4026).
American States Utility Services Inc., San Dimas, California, has been awarded an estimated $28,819,200, modification (P00011) to a 50-year contract (SP0600-23-C-8356) with no option periods for additional water distribution and wastewater collection systems utility services at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. The performance completion date is March 31, 2074. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2074 Navy operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded an $88,147,844 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides installation and certification support for combat integration and identification systems (CI&IDS) and sub-systems, provisioning of training materials and technical manuals, as well as associated system, technical and shipping support for the Naval Air Warfare Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field CI&IDS Division. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (80%); Chesapeake, Virginia (8%); San Diego, California (8%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (2%); and Bath, Maine (2%), and is expected to be completed in January 2030. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; three offers were received. NAWCAD, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042124D0016).
Dawson CMS LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, is awarded a $17,812,618 modification (HT940822C0002) for Option Year Two of a firm-fixed-price contract to perform personal services necessary to accomplish enterprise tele-behavioral health clinical services in support of the Behavioral Health Resource and Virtual Experience program. The contractor will deliver flexible clinical services as required, based on the active-duty beneficiary population within and outside the continental U.S. Place of duty for administrative staff is the Virtual Medical Center-San Antonio, Texas. Health care workers will work remotely from their residence or personal business office. Period of performance is Sept. 1, 2024, to Aug. 31, 2025. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds were obligated at the time of the award modification. The Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity, Southern Healthcare Operations Contracting Division, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 20, 2024.)
CACI Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $41,969,322 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost modification (P00028) to a previously awarded contract (N0042122C0025). This modification exercises options to provide continued engineering, technical, and program management support services and associated supplies to support the development, production and sustainment of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission systems for the Navy. Work will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia (90%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (10%), and is expected to be completed in June 2025. Fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,274,617; fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,609,526; fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $320,000; and Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $100,000, will be obligated at the time of award, of which $ $2,609,526 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
BryMak-FSI JV LLC, Clarksville, Tennessee (W912DY-24-D-0008); CBRE Inc., Washington, DC (W912DY-24-D-0009); Dynamics-HHS JV LLC, Winnebago, Nebraska (W912DY-24-D-0010); EMCOR Government Services Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-24-D-0011); Facility Services Management Inc., Clarksville, Tennessee (W912DY-24-D-0012); Frontline King George JV LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland (W912DY-24-D-0013); J&J Maintenance Inc., doing business as J&J Worldwide, Austin, Texas (W912DY-24-D-0014); King & George LLC, Fort Worth, Texas (W912DY-24-D-0015); Quality Services International LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (W912DY-24-D-0016); Valiant Government Services LLC, Fayetteville, North Carolina (W912DY-24-D-0017); VW International Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W912DY-24-D-0018); and Zero Waste Solutions Inc., Concord, California (W912DY-24-D-0059), will compete for each order of the $939,999,000 firm-fixed-price contract for operation and maintenance services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 17 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 25, 2031. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Spectrum Healthcare Resources Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract (HT001524C0001) with a value of $373,027,112. The A.T. Augusta Military Medical Center requires the services of ambulatory care centers (formerly family health centers) in the western and southern areas of the National Capital Region. Services include primary care and medical specialty care for TRICARE beneficiaries, including active duty service members and their dependents, or military retirees and their dependents. The ambulatory care centers will remain at their current locations in Fairfax, Virginia; and Dumfries, Virginia, to meet the 30-minute drive time for primary care eligible beneficiaries. This is a 12-month base contract with four 12-month option periods, with an Aug. 31, 2029, performance completion date. The base year will be funded with operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $60,666,063. The Defense Health Agency, Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity.
Phoenix Air Group Inc., Cartersville, Georgia, is awarded a $165,732,375 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract procures flight minutes using 10 contractor-owned, contractor-operated aircraft for electronic warfare (EW) simultaneous presentations consisting of six for the East Coast and four for the West Coast to simulate a wide variety of airborne threats to train, test and evaluate shipboard and aircraft squadron weapon systems operators and aircrew on fleet air defense and counter potential enemy EW and electronic attack operations. Additionally, this effort provides a variety of training venues, from basic “schoolhouse” air intercept control training to large multinational exercises as well as small single unit training exercises, including target/banner tow missions supporting the Navy, Department of Defense (DOD) and non-DOD agencies. Work will be performed at San Diego, California (50%); and Virginia Beach, Virginia (50%), and is expected to be completed in August 2029. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,400,000 will be obligated at the time of award, of which $2,400,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042124D0018). (Awarded June 28, 2024)
Textron Systems Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $20,779,333 firm-fixed-price order (N0001924F0023) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0008). This order procures unmanned aircraft systems intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services, in support of the Department of Defense, other government agencies, and domestic and overseas contingency operations for the Navy. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland (20%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (80%), and is expected to be completed in February 2028. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $20,779,333 will be obligated at the time of award, $20,779,333 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Rockwell Collins Simulation and Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded a $14,697,546 firm-fixed-price modification (P00023) to a previously awarded contract (N6134021C0017). This modification adds scope to produce and deliver four Special Programs Advanced Readiness Trainer Afloat/Ashore (SPARTA) devices as well as computer hardware and software updates to maintenance devices for the Virtual Reality Concurrency Gap effort including associated technical data, computer software, and computer software documentation in support of the trainer architecture modernization efforts for the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (80%); and Orlando, Florida (10%), and is expected to be completed in December 2026. Fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,297,546; and fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,400,000 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 28, 2024)
Peraton Technology Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $12,995,298 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00007) to order N0001924F0007 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0010). This modification adds contract line items to provide the continued development, delivery and installation of the Theater Mission Planning Center subsystems which includes requirements analysis, design, integration, documentation, training, test, performance and performance analysis support in support of the governments of Japan and Australia. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, California (50.40%); Reston, Virginia (18.80%); Honolulu, Hawaii (11.80%); various locations within the continental US (19%); and is expected to be completed in June 2027. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $12,995,298 will obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $42,761,560 contract modification (P00007) to previously awarded contract FA2860-23-F-0060 for executive airlift aircraft maintenance and back shop support services. The contract modification is for the exercise of Option Period One from July 1, 2024, through June 20, 2025. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $78,549,490. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington. The work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2028. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $28,666,404 are being obligated of at the time of award. The 316th Contracting Squadron Services Flight, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 28, 2024)
Spire Global Subsidiary Inc., Vienna, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for phased array research. This contract will develop and deploy a multi-satellite, multi-phenomenology, intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance space mission that leverages high-technical readiness level satellite systems and radio frequency collection payloads paired with a commercial off the shelf multi-spectral imaging system to deliver the Department of Defense a signal geolocation data product with coherent imagery for enhanced situational awareness. Work will be performed at Albuquerque New Mexico; Bolder, Colorado; and Vienna, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 28, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. Fiscal 2023 research and development funds in the amount of $14,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-24-C-X046). (Awarded June 28, 2024)
Sierra Nevada Co. LLC, Sparks, Nevada, was awarded a $400,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Airborne Mission Networking System. The contract provides for Airborne Mission Networking system kits for the MC-130 aircraft, as well as engineering services, contractor logistics support, program management, field service representative support, and over and above. The locations of performance are Centennial, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Englewood, Colorado; Hagerstown, Maryland; Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; Eglin AFB, Florida, and Hurlburt Field, Florida. The work is expected to be completed by June 27, 2029. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2023 procurement funds in the amount of $14,486,696; fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,348,799; and fiscal 2024 procurement funds in the amount of $29,487,000, are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8509-24-D-0003).
ASRC Federal Gulf State Contractors LLC, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded a total contract value of $146,291,770 firm-fixed-price contract for Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, maintenance. The contract provides for management, equipment, personnel, and services necessary to support the 82nd Training Wing mission at Sheppard AFB, Texas, including all services, installation management, civil engineering operations and maintenance, installation engineering, and emergency management. Work will be performed in Wichita Falls, Texas, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2031. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with six offers received. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $254,652 are being obligated at the time of award. The 338th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA3002-24-C-0009).
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $23,216,570 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00039) to previously awarded contract FA7014-21-F-0108 to exercise Option Year Three for strategic plans and policy support services. This modification provides funding to continue to provide technical, analytical, operational, programmatic, and planning subject matter expertise support for Headquarters Air Force A10, and its component branches, as well as the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Branch missions. Work will be performed in Washington, DC, Hawaii, and Germany, and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed Aug. 25, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,850,563 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force D.C. Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
RBR Technologies, Odenton, Maryland, has been awarded a $9,292,852 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development. This contract provides for the analysis of current challenges to the development of flexible approaches and techniques toward autonomous and automated reasoning so recommended research and development environment and platform improvements can be implemented, as well as investigation of current data storage, management, and recall ability in the current research and development environment, platform, and testing environment to determine improved approach to exploiting data for artificial intelligence and autonomy algorithm development, and the identification and integration of commercial tools and products into environments and platforms for rapid application and leverage in solving military problems of interest while also providing management of platforms to ensure all updates, upgrades, improvements meet risk management framework. Work will be performed at Dayton, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by June 27, 2027. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $575,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson, Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA2377-24-C-B024). (Awarded June 24, 2024)
Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (W912DR-24-D-0006); Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Arlington, Virginia (W912DR-24-D-0007); AECOM Technical Services Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W912DR-24-D-0008); HDR Architecture Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W912DR-24-D-0009); and Dewberry Engineers Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (W912DR-24-D-0010), will compete for each order of the $120,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 2, 2029. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $199,558,670 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-20-C-6117) to exercise options for Navy engineering design, development, and production support. 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 September 2025. Fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,470,459 (66%); fiscal 2024 research, development, test and engineering (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,200,000 (22%); and fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,748,360 (12%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, 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); HHM Laulima Constructors JV, Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-20-D-4013); Nan Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (N62478-20-D-4014); and TNT Constructors JV, Bremerton, Washington (N62478-20-D-4015), are awarded a $61,000,000 modification to previously-awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award, design-build/design-bid-build contracts for new construction, repair, alteration, and related demolition of existing infrastructure. The cumulative face value of the contract is $1,051,000,000. Work will be performed primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii area of operations and is expected to be completed by June 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy) and military construction defense agencies contract funds. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. NAVFAC Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.
Satisloh North America Inc., Germantown, Wisconsin, is awarded $7,763,087 firm-fixed-price contract to provide a fully automated optical fabrication system to include itemized equipment, conveyor, fluid management, and applicable consumables, parts, and warranties in support of the Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity detachment Yorktown, Virginia. The contract has no option period and work is expected to be completed by December 2024. Work will be performed in Yorktown, Virginia (75%); and Germantown, Wisconsin (25%). Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the full amount of $7,763,087 will be obligated at time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole-source procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2 and one offer was received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-24-C-Z061).
