March 29, 2024

Navy Opens Pier to Help Shipping Delays

Port Hueneme, CA., Photo by Melinda Larson, Naval Base Ventura County.

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Morning Coffee logoeconomic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

The US Navy has opened one of its deep-water piers to merchant ships to ease the California cargo crisis, reports USNI News. With Southern California seaports overburdened by commercial ships and pandemic and supply-driven delays in moving cargo, the Navy will allow cargo-carrying vessels to use one of its military wharves at Port Hueneme, CA. It is the only deep-water port sited between San Francisco and Los Angeles that can support the heavy, large commercial vessels with deep drafts that require deeper channels and harbors to take on or offload their cargo.

A congressional budget cut from House lawmakers is threatening to delay the Navy’s plans to award an initial contract for the MQ-25 Stingray for a year, reports Breaking Defense. The MQ-25 is the Navy’s unmanned aerial tanker. The House Appropriations Committee recommended slicing off $47.5 million in advance procurement while the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended funding the program as requested. The Navy says the cut could mean operational squadrons won’t reach the fleet by a 2026 target and will incur millions in extra costs over the life of the program.

The White House has delayed federal employee vaccine enforcement until the new year, reports Federal Times. Federal employees who have not received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and are not awaiting a decision on a requested exemption from the White House mandate will not face the loss of their jobs until after the holiday season.

Veterans Affairs workers are among the least vaccinated against COVID-19 of all federal agencies, reports Military Times, despite facing earlier deadlines to protect themselves against the pandemic that has already killed nearly 17,000 department patients.

Marine Corps Times reports 5% of active duty Marines are unvaccinated as its November 28 deadline passes. The Corps initially said any Marine without an exemption who fails to meet the deadline would be administratively separated, but NavSec Carlos Del Toro has given non-compliant Marines one more chance to change their minds.

As the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency considers ways to safeguard federal civilian email, CISA seeks feedback from industry on a broad set of email security measures, including a contractor supplied protective email service to strengthen federal network protections, reports FCW.

Washington Technology offers three reasons why companies will still struggle to meet the newest update to CMMC  (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) even though it exempts companies that don’t touch controlled unclassified information from a third-party audit. Companies handling CUI will need evidence that their systems maintain required standards.

After the F-35B released the smart weapon, StormBreaker, in a first-ever munition drop, a nearby F/A-18F Super Hornet monitored the weapon over a common network, demonstrating successful network connectivity capability, reports Naval News.

DefSec Lloyd Austin has denied Oklahoma governor’s attempt to exempt the state’s National Guard from the DoD’s vaccine mandate, reports Military Times. In his denial of the request from Gov. Kevin Stitt, Austin laid out the Pentagon’s rationale for the mandate and noted potential consequences of Stitt’s stated intention to defy the requirement.

 

 

Russia’s Navy has successfully test-fired a prospective hypersonic missile, reports Defense News. Russia’s Defence Ministry said the frigate Admiral Gorshkov launched the Zircon cruise missile while in the White Sea, hitting a practice target 215 nautical miles away. The launch was the latest in a series of tests of Zircon, which is set to enter service next year.

The White House is reviewing options to deter a feared Russian invasion of Ukraine, including providing more military aid to Kyiv and threatening sanctions, reports The Washington Post. The US seeks to dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from escalating the simmering conflict into a full-blown transatlantic crisis. US President Joe Biden is preparing for a virtual call with Putin next month, a moment analysts see as an opportunity to signal the costs of an invasion to the Kremlin but also present a path for reducing tension.

Congress could trigger a partial government shutdown if lawmakers can’t reach an agreement on another stopgap budget measure by the end of this week, reports Military Times. House and Senate leaders are considering whether to agree to another budget bill until the end of the month, in hopes of finding a path ahead, or push the issue into 2022, after the holiday season.

The Pentagon will focus on building up bases in Guam and Australia to better prepare the US military to counter China, reports CNN.

The Kentucky National Guard says about 150 soldiers are deploying to eastern Africa, reports Military Times. The unit will deploy under the command of a task force from the Virginia Army National Guard and provide security around the Horn of Africa.

Atlantic hurricane season ends up as more costly than the record-breaking one in 2020, reports CNN. The 2021 season had 21 named storms, seven hurricanes, and four major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). An average year has seven hurricanes, three major hurricanes, and 14 named storms. This year’s uptick was forecast in the spring. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The major hurricanes this season were Grace, Ida, Larry, and Sam. Ida and Sam reached Category 4 strength; Grace and Larry peaked at Category 3.

Four-star Army GEN Michael X. Garrett has 90 days to review the 2019 Syria strike that killed dozens of civilians, and the Pentagon’s handling of its investigation of it, reports Defense News. The strike on ISIS in Baghouz, Syria, only recently made public, appears to have targeted a group of women and children, killing 70 civilians.

Human Rights Watch finds that Taliban fighters have killed or forcibly “disappeared” more than 100 former police and intelligence officers, reports Military Times. The group found continuing retaliation against the armed forces of the ousted government despite an announced amnesty.

The US Army plans to switch on the ignition of its hybrid electric Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle in January and put it through several tests next year, reports Breaking Defense.

Barbados ditches its last remaining colonial bonds to Britain and on November 30 became a republic, reports Reuters. The first English ships arrived at the Caribbean island nearly 400 years ago. At the strike of midnight, hundreds of people lining Chamberlain Bridge in the capital, Bridgetown, cheered. A 21-gun salute fired as the national anthem of Barbados was played over a crowded Heroes Square.

The Navy gears up for single physical fitness assessment cycle, and scored planks, in 2022, reports Navy Times. The Navy attributed the single cycle to the COVID-19 pandemic and to delays in the rollout of the Physical Readiness Information Management System 2, which commanders will use to record physical readiness test scores. The 2022 PFA cycle will be conducted from April 1 to September 30 and plank scores will be counted for the first time.

Contracts:

Raytheon Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded an undefinitized $447,601,042 not-to-exceed modification (P00011) to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive (firm target), cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable contract (N0001921C0011). This contract provides for the procurement of recurring sustainment support activities including maintenance of support equipment, common program activities, unique and common base recurring sustainment, repair of repairables, field service representatives, common replenishment spares, conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant F-135 unique maintenance services, and short take-off and landing F-135 unique services in support of the F-35 Lightning II F135 propulsion system for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Air National Guard, non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (47%); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (15%); Indianapolis, Indiana (13%); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (6%); West Palm Beach, Florida (5%); Brekstad, Norway (2%); Leeuwarden, Netherlands (2%); Williamtown, New South Wales, Australia (2%); Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station, South Carolina (1%); Cameri, Italy (1%); Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1%); Edwards AFB, California (1%); Hill AFB, Utah (1%); Iwakuni, Japan (1%); Luke AFB, Arizona (1%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in May 2022. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $44,006,026; fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $41,480,264; fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,092,764; fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Air National Guard) funds in the amount of $5,525,000; non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $29,576,990; and FMS funds in the amount of $16,311,383 will be obligated at time of award, $98,104,054 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4442); BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4443); East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4444); Continental Maritime San Diego, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4445); Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4446); and General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4447) (Lot I), are awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a combined ceiling of $654,848,672 for complex repair, maintenance and modernization requirements of non-nuclear Navy surface combatant (CG & DDG) class ships homeported in or visiting San Diego, California homeport. These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking and non-docking, continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance availabilities of surface combatant class ships to be performed in the San Diego, California port. Delivery orders will be competitively awarded under these contracts, which are to be performed in San Diego, California. Each of the contracts has an estimated ordering period of five years, which is expected to end in November of 2026. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $60,000 ($10,000 minimum per awardee) is obligated at contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Lot I contracts were competitively procured using full and open competition with seven offers received via the beta.sam.gov website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4448); BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4449); East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4450); Continental Maritime San Diego, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4451); Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication, Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4452); and General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4453) (Lot II) are awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a combined ceiling of $538,517,390 for complex repair, maintenance and modernization requirements of non-nuclear Navy amphibious (LHA, LHD, LPD and LSD) class ships homeported in or visiting the San Diego, California homeport. These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking and non-docking, Continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance availabilities of amphibious class ships to be performed in the San Diego, California port. Delivery orders will be competitively awarded under these contracts, which are to be performed in San Diego, California. Each of the contracts has an estimated ordering period of five years, which is expected to end in November of 2026. No funding will be obligated at contract award. Lot II contracts were competitively procured using full and open competition with seven offers received via the beta.sam.gov website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4463); Colonna’s Shipyard West LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4464); East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4465); Gulf Copper Ship Repair, Port Arthur, Texas (N00024-22-D-4466); Integrated Marine Services Inc., Chula Vista, California (N00024-22-D-4467); Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4468); Propulsion Controls Engineering,*San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4469); Southcoast Welding & Manufacturing, Chula Vista, California (N00024-22-D-4470); and Advanced Integrated Technologies LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4471) (Lot IV) are awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a combined ceiling of $335,047,591 for non-complex repair, maintenance and modernization requirements of non-nuclear Navy Amphibious (LHA, LHD, LPD and LSD) class ships homeported in or visiting San Diego, California homeport. These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking and non-docking, continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance availabilities of amphibious class ships to be performed in the San Diego, California port. Delivery orders will be competitively awarded under these contracts, which are to be performed in San Diego, California. Each of the contracts has an estimated ordering period of five years, which is expected to end in November 2026. No funding will be obligated at contract award. Lot IV contracts were small business set asides with nine offers received via the beta.sam.gov website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

ERAPSCO, Columbia City, Indiana (P00012); and Lockheed Martin Corp., Manassas, Virginia (P00016), are awarded firm-fixed-price modifications to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N0001919D0012). These modifications exercises options for the production and delivery of up to 18,000 AN/SSQ-125A series production sonobuoys for the Navy. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all modifications is not-to-exceed $222,266,700, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. ERAPSCO will perform work in De Leon Springs, Florida (70 %); Columbia City, Indiana (30%); while Lockheed Martin will perform work in Manassas, Virginia (95%); and Clearwater, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4454); Colonna’s Shipyard West LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4455); East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4456); Gulf Copper Ship Repair, Port Arthur, Texas (N00024-22-D-4457); Integrated Marine Services Inc., Chula Vista, California (N00024-22-D-4458); Pacific Ship Repair and Fabrication Inc., San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4459); Propulsion Controls Engineering, San Diego, California (N00024-22-D-4460); Southcoast Welding & Manufacturing, Chula Vista, California (N00024-22-D-4461); and Advanced Integrated Technologies LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N00024-22-D-4462) (Lot III) are awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract with a combined ceiling of $209,213,270 for non-complex repair, maintenance and modernization requirements of non-nuclear Navy surface combatant (CG & DDG) class ships homeported in or visiting the San Diego, California homeport. These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking and non-docking, continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance availabilities of surface combatant class ships to be performed in the San Diego, California port. Delivery orders will be competitively awarded under these contracts, which are to be performed in San Diego, California. Each of the contracts has an estimated ordering period of five years, which is expected to end in November of 2026. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $60,000 ($10,000 minimum per awardee) is obligated at contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Lot III contracts were small business set asides with nine offers received via the beta.sam.gov website. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Palantir USG Inc., Palo Alto, California, has been awarded a $43,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification (P00005) to previously awarded contract FA8806-21-C-0010 for a Data-as-a-Service platform. The modification provides for the exercise of an option for additional term software licenses, cloud hosting, enablement services, support and training for each platform solution being performed under the basic contract. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California; Palo Alto, California; Washington, DC; and New York, New York, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2022. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $18,000,000; and fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $19,400,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract remains unchanged at $91,500,000. Space Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity.

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