More Weapons on the Way to Ukraine
As part of a new security assistance package announced April 21, 2022, the US will send 72 howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds to Ukraine. Here, Iraqi soldiers prepare to load an artillery round for a howitzer firing demonstration in Iraq in 2018. (US Army photo by Spc. Eric Cerami courtesy of DoD)
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.
Retired three-star Army LT GEN Terry Wolff will help coordinate the security assistance the US and other partner nations are providing to Ukraine, reports Defense News. The White House announced the appointment Thursday. Wolff had previously helped coordinate the US-led anti-ISIS coalition.
The Biden administration is hoping to streamline the process of getting the weapons and other equipment to Ukraine with the appointment of Wolff, reports The Hill. “Having a continuous flow of just supplies and munitions, like ammunition, is critical,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The US is providing Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems to Ukraine as part of the latest $800 million arms package, reports Breaking Defense. The tactical drone is a never-before-revealed system designed by the US Air Force. They are made by AEVEX Aerospace.
The latest US military assistance also includes 72 155mm howitzers and the tactical vehicles to tow them, along with 144,000 artillery rounds, reports The Washington Post. By some expert estimates, the 144,000 rounds could last as long as four weeks.
Russia has issued new sanctions against more Americans, reports Al Jazeera, including Vice President Kamal Harris and businessman Mark Zuckerberg. Russia’s foreign ministry said the list comprised people responsible for the US and Canada’s “Russophobic” policies. The mayor of Toronto and the premier of Ontario were also placed on the list. Newsweek reports that 398 members of the US House of Representatives were placed on the list last week.
The National Guard is discussing possible deployments to Eastern Europe, reports Military Times. “We are working very closely with the Army and the Air Force to identify if there’s going to be rotational plans where the Guard will fit in, so that we can identify those units as soon as possible,” said Army GEN Dan Hokanson said.
Lockheed Martin is expanding its facility in Johnstown, PA, reports Aerospace Manufacturing. The company expects to hire more than 80 mechanics and technicians in the next year to support component production for new F-16s. The new F-16s are being built in South Carolina.
Lockheed Martin was awarded a $74 million contract to produce the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, weapon system for the US Missile Defense Agency, reports Army Technology. The new system is expected by 2025.
The Missouri University of Science and Technology has several student interdisciplinary design teams that take their projects to competitions all over the world. Design teams are registered student organizations that operate as nonprofit businesses, according to the university. The teams work like small start-ups. In addition to hands-on design and manufacturing experience, students gain experience in project management, fundraising, and public relations. The school’s Multirotor Robot Design Team that builds autonomous flying drones plans to compete June 15-18 in Pax River.
The US Navy said that three junior enlisted sailors assigned to aircraft carrier USS George Washington died earlier this month in three separate apparent suicides within a week of each other, reports USNI News. The series of suicides has prompted the US Fleet Forces to begin an investigation.
The US Army has unveiled some new policies aimed to create quality-of-life improvements for military parents, reports Military.com, including expanded leave and making it easier for pregnant soldiers to continue their careers.
Whiteout conditions caused a Utah Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter pilot to lose sight of where he was trying to land, causing a February crash with another helicopter near Snowbird ski resort, reports Army Times. The crash resulted in more than $9 million in damages.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that veterans saw increased employment opportunities in the education and health services sector last year but less hiring for professional and business services, reports Military Times.
Personal finance website WalletHub says Maryland is the safest state to be during the COVID-19 pandemic. WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across five key metrics: the rates of COVID transmission, positive testing, hospitalizations and death, as well as the share of the eligible population getting vaccinated.
WalletHub also ranked states where employers were struggling the most to hire employees. Maryland ranked 22nd on that list.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that veterans saw increased employment opportunities in the education and health services sector last year but less hiring for professional and business services, reports Military Times.
The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a communications breakdown that led police to think an aircraft carrying military parachutists for a baseball game stunt last week at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, was “a probable threat,” prompting an alert and urgent evacuation of the US Capitol, reports The Associated Press.
This year’s General Assembly session turned into a year of great victories for the animal rights movement in Maryland, reports Maryland Matters. “This was the year to get it done for the animals and pass critical reforms that have been debated but never before moved,” said Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, Maryland state director for the Humane Society of the United States.
A dead dolphin washed up at the St. Mary’s Environmental Education Center in Lexington Park on Thursday, reports WMAR2 News. No further information about why the dolphins may have washed up there was available.
Contracts:
DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $48,614,923 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00073) to a previously awarded contract (N0042117C0033). This modification exercises options to provide organizational level aircraft maintenance and logistic support on all aircraft and support equipment for which the Naval Test Wing Atlantic (NTWL) has maintenance responsibility. This maintenance responsibility includes assigned aircraft (rotary, fixed, lighter-than-air, and unmanned), aircraft on-site for project testing, transient aircraft, loaner aircraft, leased aircraft, and civilian aircraft tested at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland. Additionally, labor and services will be provided to perform supportability/safety studies on various NTWL aircraft and weapons systems, and off-site aircraft safety/spill containment patrols and aircraft recovery services. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $44,011,643; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $503,779 will be obligated at the time of award, $44,515,422 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Defense Systems Sector, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded an $88,913,751 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-type contract for Specialized Tactical Electronic Warfare Production Operation Technology Site support. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2027. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $17,094,449 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8523-22-C-0001).
The Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory LLC, Laurel, Maryland, has been awarded a $42,761,583 bilateral modification (P00010) to previously awarded contract FA8819-18-D-0009/FA8819-20-F-1005 for additional studies, concept development, systems engineering/technical assessments, modeling, simulation and prototyping/experiments to include the tasks associated with the Space Warfighting Analysis Center. Work will be performed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by May 10, 2025. The total value of the task order is $64,900,272. Fiscal 2019-2025 operations and maintenance and research and development funds in the amount of $4,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.
Affigent LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $15,842,569 firm-fixed-price contract for an unlimited subscription agreement for Oracle Java Standard Edition software maintenance and support. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 22, 2027. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,193,217 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-22-F-0136).
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $29,116,744 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6400 to exercise options for systems engineering and integration on Navy submarines. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (68%); Waterford, Connecticut (10%); Groton, Connecticut (10%); Middletown, Rhode Island (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (5%), and is expected to be completed by April 2023. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,981,745 (37%); fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,984,423 (37%); and fiscal 2022 National Sea-Based Deterrence funds in the amount of $1,394,753 (26%) 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.
Colonna’s Shipyard, doing business as Steel America, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $27,484,402 firm-fixed price contract for replacement of Dry Dock #1 caisson at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Virginia. The work to be performed provides for caisson construction to include steel fabrication, installation of mechanical and electrical systems, and a full testing program of the caisson and its interface with the existing/repaired dry dock seat. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by October 2023. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $27,484,402 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website with one proposal received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-22-C-0015).
Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, is awarded a $12,800,805 firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements (N3220522C4056) for the self-sustaining combination container breakbulk vessel SLNC Corsica to transport containerized cargo, refrigerated containers, flat racks, breakbulk, hazardous cargo and rolling stock in support of regularly scheduled supply missions from Defense Logistics Agency facilities in Singapore to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. This contract includes a 12-month base period with three 12-month option periods and one 11-month option period, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $65,397,856. Work will be performed in the US 7th Fleet area of operation and is expected to be completed if all options are exercised, by May 22, 2027. Working capital funds (Transportation) in the amount of $12,800,805 are obligated for fiscal year 2022 and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the beta.sam.gov website and two offers were received. The Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220522C4056).
Kearney & Co. P.C., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-22-D-Z014); KPMG LLP, McLean, Virginia (N00189-22-D-Z015); Sehlke Consulting, Vienna, Virginia (N00189-22-D-Z016); Deloitte & Touche LLP, Arlington, Virginia (N00189-22-D-Z017); and Guidehouse Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (N00189-22-D-Z018), are awarded an estimated $999,620,355 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of both firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders to provide services in the areas of financial reporting, accounting operations, business process standardization, and various audit-related services in support of the Department of the Navy Financial Improvement and Audit Remediation Program. Each contract will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with no options. The ordering period will begin April 2022 and is expected to be completed by April 2027. Work will be performed in the National Capital Region (75%); various facilities in the continental US identified at task order level (23%); and various locations outside the continental US (2%) that cannot be determined at this time. Fiscal year 2022 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $250,000 will be obligated ($50,000 on each of the five contracts) to fund the contract’s minimum amount, and funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was full and open competitive solicitation for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504. The requirement was solicited through Navy Electronic Commerce Online and beta.sam.gov, with six offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.
International Center for Language Studies, Washington, DC, was awarded a $14,525,000 time-and-materials contract to provide culturally based foreign-language education, training, evaluation and sustainment. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 21, 2025. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-22-D-0003).
International Communications Associates Inc., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $14,525,000 time-and-materials contract to provide culturally based foreign-language education, training, evaluation and sustainment. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 21, 2025. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-22-D-0004).
Language Associates LLC, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $14,525,000 time-and-materials contract to provide culturally based foreign-language education, training, evaluation and sustainment. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 21, 2025. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-22-D-0005).
Language Associates LLC, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $14,525,000 time-and-materials contract to provide culturally based foreign-language education, training, evaluation and sustainment. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 21, 2025. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W911S0-22-D-0006).
