It’s Finally Arrived — Election Day

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.

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins cast her vote in the 2020 presidential election in the International Space Station “voting booth” last week, reports NASA. Election Day voting in Maryland begins today, Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7 am. The seven vote centers in St. Mary’s County close at 8 pm.

By Sunday morning, the Maryland State Board of Elections officials said that roughly half of the state’s eligible voters had cast their ballots — either during early voting or by mail-in ballots, reports Maryland Matters. As of Nov. 1, at least 92 million people have already voted nationwide, reports USA Today, about two-thirds of the total votes cast in the 2016 general election.

Federal laws generally leave the US military out of the election process, reports Military Times, but President Donald Trump’s warnings about widespread voting irregularities have raised questions about a possible military role.

There are 182 veterans running for Congress in the 2020 election. Military Times highlighted five high-profile races on this year’s ballots.

Trump administration officials say there is a high-level push to prepare for a major expansion of the US fleet, reports Defense News, beginning in earnest with the rollout of the 2022 budget and into a potential second Trump term. A major buildup could deepen the naval arms race in the Western Pacific and potentially reorder the Defense Department’s budget for years to come.

Work at Fort Detrick, MD, is leading to approval for the remdesivir treatment for COVID-19, reports The Frederick News-Post. A process that can take several years was completed in a matter of months, and much of the work required to earn Food and Drug Administration approval occurred in the labs and offices on the base.

Federal agencies warned that cybercriminals are unleashing a wave of data-scrambling extortion attempts against the US health care system designed to lock up hospital information systems, reports Patch.com, which could hurt patient care just as nationwide cases of COVID-19 are spiking.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) has introduced legislation that would place caveats on the proposed F-35 deal with the United Arab Emirates, along with other future weapons sales to Middle East countries outside of Israel, reports Breaking Defense.

 

 

The Marines sent 10 F-35Bs from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ, to the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, where they operated alongside the United Kingdom’s Joint Squadron 617, reports Marine Corps Times.

US Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star will be on its way to the Arctic region, reports Navy Times. Normally its role would be supporting efforts in Antarctica, but due to the pandemic there has been a change in its deployment. The deployment north echoes concerns from military commanders in Alaska about security in the region as tensions with Russia and China mount, reports Juneau Empire.

An earthquake struck Izmir, Turkey, late last week. It killed at least 14 people and injured hundreds, reports ABC News. Some American troops are stationed nearby, but no injuries to US military members were known, reports Air Force Times.

Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley led a ceremony opening an exhibit at the Pentagon dedicated to Gold Star Families honoring families who lost loved ones in military service, reports UPI.

China has launched more satellites than any other country this year as of the end of September, reports Breaking Defense, putting China on track to win the space launch-rate race three years in a row.

The USS Halsey returned to its homeport in Hawaii, reports UPI. The guided-missile destroyer had spent seven months at sea with the 4th and 7th fleets.

Fee information from the Defense Health Agency’s Tricare reveals many costs will be relatively stable in the coming year for military families in Tricare, and pharmacy costs won’t increase, reports Military Times.

A new Veterans Affairs program that requires phone calls to recently separated service members to discuss potential benefits and support services could be made into a permanent mandate for the department, reports Military Times. The Solid Start program began late last year.

The US Naval Academy Midshipmen enter November ranked 32nd nationally in rushing with an average of 187 yards per game, reports The Associated Press, calling it a stunning development for a program that led the nation in rushing in 2019 and five other seasons since 2002.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only undefeated team in the NFL, reports ESPN, after besting the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley suffered a season-ending ankle injury, reports The Baltimore Sun.

Contracts:

Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $36,020,450 modification (P00005) to previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00421-18-D-0017. This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to continue to provide systems engineering support to include multi-discipline, integrated technical baseline evaluations, developmental progress assessments, cost, schedule, emerging technology and maturity of design assessments for all Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) acquisition programs in support of the NAVAIR Systems Engineering Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (95%); various locations within the continental US (4%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in April 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Akima Logistics Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia (FA6800-21-D-0002); DynCorp International, Fort Worth, Texas (FA6800-21-D-0005); M1 Support Services LP, Denton, Texas (FA6800-21-D-0003); PAE Aviation and Technical Services LLC, Arlington, Virginia (FA6800-21-D-0001); and Vertex Aerospace LLC, South Madison, Mississippi (FA6800-21-D-0004), have collectively been awarded an $835,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for helicopter maintenance services in support of Air Force Global Strike Command, Pacific Air Forces, Air Education and Training Command, and Air Force District of Washington requirements. This contract provides helicopter maintenance, aircrew flight equipment maintenance and weapons maintenance services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Work will be performed at Malstrom Air Force Base, Montana; Minot AFB, North Dakota; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Yokota Air Base, Japan; Fairchild AFB, Washington; Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; and Andrews AFB, Maryland. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition and 11 offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,521,850 are collectively being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, is the contracting activity.

Huntington-Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a not to exceed $284,285,022 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-2114, and a not-to-exceed $30,714,978 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost plus incentive fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-09-C-2116, for the accomplishment of CVN 79 single phase delivery and Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) capabilities. The Navy is transitioning to a single-phase delivery approach to meet both Fleet requirements and a congressional mandate of ensuring that CVN 79 is capable of operating and deploying Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) aircraft before completing the post-shakedown availability as codified in Section 124 of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92). The single-phase delivery date is planned for June 30, 2024. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,961,569 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, DC, is the contracting activity.

Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded a $124,391,335 firm-fixed-price modification P00043 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0018 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Washington, DC; Indian Head, Maryland; Quantico, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Cherry Point, North Carolina; Bogue, North Carolina; New River, North Carolina; Beaufort, South Carolina; and Parris Island, South Carolina. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $27,431,955 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Sodexo Management Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, is awarded a $121,791,100 firm-fixed-price modification P00038 under previously awarded contract M95494-18-C-0016 for the management and operation of mess halls in support of the Marine Corps Regional Garrison Food Services Program. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, California; San Diego, California; Twentynine Palms, California; Miramar, California; Yuma, Arizona; and Bridgeport, California. Fiscal 2021 military personnel (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $27,440,774 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installation Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z067); CACI Inc. – Federal, Chantilly, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z068); Science Application International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z069); Capstone Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z070); and Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N00189-18-D-Z071), are awarded an estimated increased multiple-award-program ceiling-price of $92,834,859 via modifications P00003 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract program that included terms and conditions for the placement of both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders to provide technical support services for functions such as chief information officer strategic support; data and information management; engineering support; information technology system support; network support; information assurance/cyber security; enterprise business intelligence/enterprise business analytics; software analysis; hardware maintenance and development; and business process reengineering in support of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Personnel Command, the Navy Manpower Analysis Center, Commander Naval Education and Training and Commander Navy Recruiting Command. This modification brings the total cumulative multiple-award-program ceiling to $342,538,913. The contracts run concurrently and the ordering period is expected to be completed by September 2024. Work will be performed in Millington, Tennessee (45%); Pensacola, Florida (27%); Arlington, Virginia (10%); various locations throughout the continental US (16%); and various contractor facilities (2%). Operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will fund individual task orders with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract action for the modifications is being executed on a non-competitive basis. The original multiple award contracts were solicited under full and open competition; the multiple-award-program ceiling increase is non-competitive utilizing the authority of 10 US Code 2304(c)(2) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-2. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.