Maryland Sends Delegation to Paris Air Show

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Gov. Larry Hogan led a delegation of eight Maryland businesses to the 52nd Paris Air Show, the world’s largest aerospace industry event, Eye on Annapolis reports. The state of Maryland set up a promotional booth at the show last week where Maryland businesses showcased products and services. The governor and members of his executive team met with top aerospace companies to promote Maryland’s aerospace industry and to recruit investments and jobs for the state.

At the Paris Air Show, officials from the German government and Lockheed Martin met to discuss the F-35, Defense News reports. It is not uncommon for potential customers to engage with the defense industry on a number of platforms and technologies. Click here for complete coverage of the show

Maj. Gen. Mark Wise, commander of the San Diego-based 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, made the decision late last week to allow Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 at the Yuma air station to resume flights of F-35Bs in the skies over Arizona, The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Computer glitches had caused the jets to be grounded. Military.com reports F-35As at Luke AFB in Arizona were back in the air following a string of hypoxia-related incidents.

In their annual defense authorization bill, lawmakers in the House of Representative will push for a hike in military end strength, new punishment for troops who share nude photos, and more lenient consideration for troops dismissed from the ranks because of underlying health problems, Military Times reports.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) are set to unveil legislation that will make it national policy to maintain a 355-ship Navy, Defense News reports. The fleet goal is subject to Congress appropriating the money for the new hulls. The Navy currently stands at 276 ships.

The Marine Corps wants a mega-drone, which it calls MUX. The MUX must be able to take off and land on amphibious ships, needs to escort the MV-22 Osprey and have comparable flight range, carry the same weapons as an F-35B, and execute missions ranging from electronic warfare, command and control, airborne early warning, and airstrikes, DoD Buzz reports.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) wants an independent Space Corps, Breaking Defense reports. His proposal has met opposition from Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein.

Amid concerns that the Veterans Affairs department is too bloated, VA officials plan to close at least 430 vacant buildings over the next two years and freeze new office space for Veterans Benefits Administration, reports Military Times.

NAVAIR received the 2016 Adm. James S. Russell Naval Aviation Flight Safety Award this month, smnewsnet.com reports. The award is one of two top naval aviation safety awards NAVAIR has won for its outstanding 2016 safety record and contributions to readiness and efficient operations. This is the sixth time NAVAIR has won the award.

Sen. John McCain said Americans who are “stupid” enough to still want to travel to North Korea should be required to sign a waiver absolving the US government of any blame should they be harmed while there, reports Military Times. This comes after Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old American college student died just days after North Korea released him from detention. He had been held for more than 17 months.

Contracts:

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is being awarded a not-to-exceed congressional cost cap of $584,200,000 fixed-price-incentive firm target contract for the construction of a littoral combat ship (LCS), to include associated cost-plus-fixed-fee LCS class services and related material, and firm-fixed-price integrated data environment support. The contract also includes options for the construction of additional LCS, class services, and post-delivery availability support. The Navy expects to release a competitive solicitation(s) for additional LCS class ships in future years, and therefore the specific contract award amount for these ships is considered source selection sensitive information (see 41 US Code 2101, et seq., Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101 and FAR 3.104) and will not be made public at this time. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (54 percent); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (9 percent); California, Maryland (4 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (4 percent); Leesburg, Virginia (3 percent); Williston, Vermont (3 percent); Linthicum, Maryland (3 percent); East Syracuse, New York (2 percent); Franklin, Massachusetts (2 percent); and various other locations of less than 2 percent each (totaling 16 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2022. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding not-to-exceed the Congressional cost cap of $584,200,000 for construction of one fiscal 2017 littoral combat ship; and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) in the amount of $6,568,800 for LCS class services and integrated data environment support will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was awarded via a limited competition pursuant to 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 – full and open competition need not be provided for when it is necessary to award the supplies or services needed by the agency which are available from only one responsible source or only from a limited number of responsible sources and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy the needs of the agency. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-17-C-2301).

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is being awarded a $130,827,895 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost reimbursement contract for the procurement of Technical Insertion 18-20 Acoustic Rapid Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Insertion (A-RCI) engineering services. The A-RCI TI 18-20 engineering services provide engineering development to support modernization requirements. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (88 percent); and the governments of Canada (6 percent); Australia (4 percent); England (1 percent); and Japan (1 percent). This contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $1,168,676,654. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (95 percent); and Clearwater, Florida (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by August 2018. Fiscal 2017 research and development (Navy); 2015 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); 2016 other procurement (Navy); and 2017 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,983,247 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-15-R-6267).

Insight Public Sector, Chantilly, Virginia, is being awarded an $8,600,231 firm-fixed-price delivery order under previously awarded blanket purchase agreement (BPA) N66001-15-A-0001 under the Department of Navy Enterprise Software Licensing initiative to provide Microsoft licenses and software assurance for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) program. The order was executed against the Navy’s mandatory use agreement for Microsoft licensing and is subject to the policy established in the “Mandatory Use of Department of the Navy Enterprise Licensing Agreements.” This award is supported by a brand name limited source justification in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405-6(b) and was approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition on March 25, 2015. Work will be performed at locations and on ships worldwide. Work is expected to be completed May 31, 2018. Fiscal 2017 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,600,231 will be obligated at the time of award. The BPA was competitively awarded among all Department of Defense Enterprise Software Initiative agreement holders in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 208.74. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, is being awarded an $85,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-17-C-2100) for additional long-lead time material associated with the fiscal 2019 Virginia-class submarines (SSN 802) and (SSN 803). This contract provides long-lead time material for steam and electric plant components; the main propulsion unit efforts and ship service turbine generator efforts; and miscellaneous hull, mechanical and electrical system components to support SSNs 802 and 803 ship construction. Work will be performed in Spring Grove, Illinois (15 percent); Coatesville, Pennsylvania (13 percent); Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (6 percent); Arvada, Colorado (5 percent); Irvine, California (5 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (5 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3 percent); Mossville, Illinois (2 percent); Florence, New Jersey (2 percent); Loanhead, United Kingdom (2 percent); Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2 percent); Warren, Massachusetts (2 percent); Manchester, New Hampshire (2 percent); High Bridge, New Jersey (2 percent); New Castle, Pennsylvania (2 percent); York, Pennsylvania (2 percent); Orrville, Ohio (1 percent); Newport News, Virginia (1 percent); Westfield, Massachusetts (1 percent); Pewaukee, Wisconsin (1 percent); Groton, Connecticut (1 percent); South El Monte, California (1 percent); Northhampton, Massachusetts (1 percent); Erie, Pennsylvania (1 percent); Fairfax, Virginia (1 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (1 percent); Bloomfield, Connecticut (1 percent); and other efforts performed at various sites throughout the US (19 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2018. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $85,000,000 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, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Four LLC, Herndon, Virginia, is being awarded a $16,465,882, firm-fixed-price blanket purchase agreement (BPA) call order M67854-17-F-4051 under previously awarded Enterprise Software Initiative BPA W52P1J-14-A-0003.  This contract converts existing IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Processor Value Unit (PVU) perpetual software licenses and associated sustainment to a new PVU unlimited enterprise license model with associated sustainment. This procurement will be a Marine Corps Enterprise Agreement available across the Marine Corps. This contract contains four 12-month option periods, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $38,833,086. Work will be performed in Centreville, Virginia, and work is expected to be completed June 30, 2018. With options exercised, work will continue through June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $16,465,882 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded as a sole-source in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1).  The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.