McSally to Introduce Military Sexual Assault Bill

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.

Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) will introduce a military sexual assault reform bill, reports the Hill, to address how the military handles sexual assault claims, including making sexual harassment a stand-alone offense under the military’s criminal justice system.

Under pressure, the Pentagon published a contractor-fraud report, states Defense One, but the four-page document listing firms barred from government work lacks the detail of a predecessor report. The Defense Department last week released a congressionally mandated report on the extent of criminal contractor fraud, naming nine firms that were suspended or debarred.

The Pentagon disputes a British general’s assessment on Iranian threat as it raised the threat level in the Middle East, reports Military Times. A top British general in Iraq said that Iranian-backed fighters do not pose an increased risk to coalition forces fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The DoD is considering a crippling cyber attack on Iran and as well as a 120,000-troop deployment to the Middle East, reports Military Times.

In the first draft of the FY2020 defense budget, Democrats’ budget plan includes a 3.1 percent pay raise for troops, reports Military Times, but cut the White House’s end-strength request by 2,000 troops.

Pentagon hints at retaliation if the EU attempts to block US companies from a new defense pact, reports Reuters, saying the new pact risks shutting American companies out of defense contracts and undermining NATO.

DoD begins Exercise Northern Edge in Alaska, reports Defense News. Approximately 250 aircraft from the Air Force, Marines, Navy, National Guard, and five naval ships along with 10,000 US military personnel are participating in the 12-day joint training exercise.

Birth control policies at boot camp affect military readiness, study finds, reports Military.com. Army soldiers have more babies in their first two years of enlistment and miss more work as a result than do women in the other military branches, a finding researchers say is linked to different service policies on birth control education and access at basic training.

SECNAV censures two captains as part of “Fat Leonard” investigation, reports USNI News. The secretary of the Navy administratively punished a senior captain described as a linchpin in a corruption scandal that defrauded the US government of more than $34.8 million and ensnared dozens of commanders and officials in the bribery and fraud investigation.

T-45C Goshawk Training jet crash injures two, reports Navy Times. The Navy instructor and a student safely ejected from the aircraft and were taken to a local hospital after the crash last Friday at Naval Air Station Kingsville, TX.

Naval Academy plebes will take part in Sea Trials, reports Navy Times. The Naval Academy’s freshmen class will be going through the annual 14-hour series of drills modeled after the Marine Corps’ Crucible and the Navy’s Battle Stations recruit programs. The exercise is considered a culmination of a midshipman’s first year at the academy. It is designed to test teamwork and reinforce their bonds as a company and a class.

The Marine Corps is working on an advanced reconnaissance drone to launch from the MV-22 Osprey, reports Marine Corps Times. The 6-foot-long drone can fly at an altitude of 25,000 feet and carry a payload of up to 4.4 pounds, potentially providing other kinetic strike capabilities or sensors.

A DOD contractor’s 9,400 percent profit on a half-inch pin, reports Bloomberg, has the Pentagon weighing legislation to give contracting officers the power to demand back-up data on spare parts costs after its inspector general said TransDigm Group Inc. could be paid about 9,400 percent in excess profit for a half-inch metal pin. A review found potential excess profits for 98 of 100 parts sampled.

Contracts:

Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $15,394,247 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June 14, 2026. Fiscal 2019 military construction; and other funds in the amount of $15,394,247 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Pyeongtaek, Republic of Korea, is the contracting activity (W912UM-19-C-0006).

The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, California, is awarded a $13,353,939 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously-awarded contract (N00024-18-C-4103) for design agent and technical services for the AN/USQ-82(V) family of systems consisting of the Data Multiplex System, Fiber Optic Data Multiplex System, and Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System. The Boeing Co., as the AN/USQ-82(V) design agent, will provide advanced and highly specialized technical engineering to assist with system sustainment; cybersecurity enhancement; configuration management; development, qualification and integration of systems; testing and technical support to manufacturing and repair vendors. The AN/USQ-82(V) systems are installed and deployed on Navy DDG 51-class destroyers, in Missile Defense Agency Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense systems, on ships of three countries under Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases, in various Navy and FMS land-based test sites, and are also being installed on new-construction LHA 8 and new FMS Japan and Korean DDGs. This contract involves foreign military sales to Korea and Japan. Work will be performed in Huntington Beach, California (69 percent); Arlington, Virginia (19 percent); Pascagoula, Mississippi (5 percent); Bath, Maine (5 percent); Seattle, Washington (1 percent); and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2020. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy); and Foreign Military Sales funding in the amount of $13,353,939 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.

Everest Consulting Group, Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $10,926,508 firm-fixed-price contract (HHM402-19-C-0029) for the Acquire to Retire Program Management Office Support Services for property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) requirement. This contract has a one-year base period and four one-year options, with an estimated completion date of May 14, 2024, if all options are exercised. Through this award, DIA’s Office of Logistics and Global Readiness will obtain on-site subject matter expertise to provide financial transactions support for the Defense Travel System, and to develop and improve business practices and internal controls to achieve and sustain an unqualified audit opinion for PP&E. Work is to be performed in the National Capital Region. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,463,234 are being obligated at time of award. This was an 8(a) set-aside acquisition and four offers were received. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.