Marine Band Returns to Mardi Gras
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet affecting the go
government and defense contracting industry in the mid-Atlantic region. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.
“There is no sharper band in all of Carnival than the Marine Corps Band,” according to New Orleans author and Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde. And the Marine Forces Reserve Band once again took to the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras this year, reports Marine Corps Times. Parade goers consider themselves fortunate to catch an impromptu jam session.
Abundant caution in the face of the coronavirus prompted the Pentagon to close 15 DoD schools in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, affecting roughly 7,500 students, reports Military Times. The military is also bracing for coronavirus cases to rise in Germany, reports Military.com. Anticipating the virus to soon reach the US, the head of the CDC calls for implementation of “social distancing measures,” such as dividing school classes into smaller groups of students or closing schools altogether, canceling meeting and conferences, and arranging for employees to work from home, reports The New York Times.
Britain confirms it is developing a new nuclear warhead, its own version of the W93 warhead in the assessment phase for the US military ahead of replacing the Navy W76 warhead, reports Defense News. The confirmation followed separate comments of two US military officials made before Britain’s Parliament had been informed of the project.
Six senators demand an investigation into VA Sec Robert Wilkie’s handling of a reported sexual assault at its DC hospital, reports Military.com. The letter to the inspector general was prompted by reports that Wilkie attempted to discredit the veteran who reported the assault.
The US military launched two airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Afghanistan, midway through a seven-day partial truce with the Taliban, reports Stars and Stripes, killing four Islamic State fighters in Kunar province. If violence drops significantly, US and Taliban officials are scheduled to sign a broader deal Saturday.
Defense News reports President Donald Trump said India signed a deal to purchase more than $3 billion of advanced military equipment, including helicopters. The announcement came this week during the president’s first state visit to India, reports Defense News. At least 22 killed and 189 people injured in three days of clashes coinciding with Mr. Trump’s visit, reports AP. The death toll is expected to rise as violence continues between Hindu mobs and Muslims protesting a new citizenship law aimed to exclude Muslims.
DARPA is testing urban, underground warfare inside a never-used nuclear power plant in tiny Elma, WA, population 3,092, reports C4ISRNET. Military planners find the bones of the plant a near ideal testing ground: an urban environment without the difficulties of an inhabited urban space.
Around 6,400 troops and their family members were poisoned by carbon monoxide in the past decade, 24 service members died, reports Stars and Stripes. Troops working in repair and engineering jobs accounted for more poisonings than those in other career fields.
USA Today reports researchers have discovered the only known animal that does not need oxygen to survive, a common parasite that largely preys on salmon. The multicellular organism is closely related to jellyfish, does not breathe at all, and does not have mitochondrial DNA.
The Army, Marines, and some special ops all want a version of the same sniper rifle, capable of of firing different rounds for different purposes, reports Business Insider.
The Marine Corps is decommissioning its last search and rescue squadron, worrying Yuma residents about the loss of this locally based vital service, reports Marine Corps Times. Aging equipment advanced the date, but the decision to phase out search and rescue operations was already established. “This is a capability that the Marine Corps does not intend to go forward with,” said Capt. Gabriel Adibe.
FCW reports concerns out of Congress at the re-hire of President Trump’s former personal assistant. John McEntee was rehired as head of the Office of Presidential Personnel after being fired in 2018 for his inability to obtain a security clearance, the result of “serious financial crimes,” as reported at the time by The Wall Street Journal.
The Marines are looking for a few more female officers to attend the corps’ grueling 13-week Infantry Officer Course, reports Marine Corps Times. The same week the Marines made that announcement, the first woman to pass the course went on terminal leave. Potentially only one qualified female Marine infantry officer remains in the service.
A National Guard soldier is set to become the Army’s first female Green Beret, reports The New York Times.
Contracts:
Resource Management Concepts Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $28,116,256 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical and management support services in support of Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) information technology operations and its infrastructure of research, development, testing and evaluation networks. This is one of 11 multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $87,263,798. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. This contract will provide the Navy support in systems and networks administration and engineering; network operations; systems and information technology services; software development; operational and technical support; and security engineering/cybersecurity. The period of performance of the base award is from February 2020 through February 2022. If the option is exercised, the period of performance would extend through February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using defense working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0005 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the NAVWAR e-Commerce Central website. There were 36 offers received and 11 were selected for award. NIWC Pacific in San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-D-3409).
Machining Technologies Inc., Salisbury, Maryland, was awarded a $92,006,676 firm-fixed-price contract for work related to the 120mm M31 Tail Fin used on 120mm mortar cartridges. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 20, 2025. US Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-20-D-0002).
Information Systems Solutions Inc., Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $31,803,308 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical and management support services in support of Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) information technology operations and its infrastructure of research, development, testing and evaluation networks. This is one of 11 multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $96,036,994. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from February 2020 through February 2022. If the option is exercised, the period of performance would extend through February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using defense working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0005 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the NAVWAR e-Commerce Central website. There were 36 offers received and 11 were selected for award. NIWC Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-D-3406).
DirectViz Solutions LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $26,631,289 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical and management support services in support of Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) information technology operations and its infrastructure of research, development, testing and evaluation networks. This is one of 11 multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $81,413,947. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from February 2020 through February 2022. If the option is exercised, the period of performance would extend through February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using defense working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0005 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the NAVWAR e-Commerce Central website. There were 36 offers received and 11 were selected for award. NIWC Pacific in San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-D-3403).
FreeAlliance.com LLC, McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $26,040,165 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical and management support services in support of Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) information technology operations and its infrastructure of research, development, testing and evaluation networks. This is one of 11 multiple-award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes one, three-year option period which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $78,798,208. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from February 2020 through February 2022. If the option is exercised, the period of performance would extend through February 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using defense working capital funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0005 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the NAVWAR e-Commerce Central website. There were 36 offers received and 11 were selected for award. NIWC Pacific in San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-20-D-3404).
