Navy Plans Two Carriers, One Contract

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.

The US Navy plans to commit $24 billion to buy two new Ford-class aircraft carriers under the same contract, reports Breaking Defense. That commitment should save 5 to 10 percent over buying each carrier separately.

A meeting Saturday between top White House officials and senior congressional aides ended with no apparent breakthrough for ending the partial government shutdown, which is now in its third week, reports The Washington Post.

In his first day on the job, acting DefSec Patrick Shanahan gathered civilian leaders of the military services to deliver a simple message: “China, China, China,” reports Breaking Defense. This even as the US fights militants in Syria and Afghanistan. David Norquist, Pentagon comptroller since May 2017, will be the acting deputy defense secretary assuming the responsibilities Shanahan is leaving behind, reports Defense News.

The New York Times reports the Trump administration is considering Jim Webb, a former Democratic senator and Reagan-era secretary of the Navy, to be the next defense secretary to replace Jim Mattis.

The Department of Homeland Security has submitted a new request for assistance to the Pentagon to further harden the US-Mexico border, Military Times reports.

Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets have arrived in France to take part in evaluating the stealthy qualities of the unmanned combat air vehicles, reports The Drive. This comes as Spain is considering buying more of the fighters and are looking to join the French and Germans in the development of a new stealth fighter, as well as advanced UCAV.

The New York Times reports President Donald Trump had amended his plans to withdraw about 2,000 American troops from Syria over the next four months, instead of removing all the troops in just a few weeks.

Gen. Scott Miller, who commands US forces and the NATO-led non-combat mission in Afghanistan, reiterated the need for a political settlement to end the conflict, reports Reuters. He told NATO troops to prepare themselves to deal with “positive processes or negative consequences” as peace talks between the US and the Taliban to end a 17-year war gain momentum.

A Defense Department task force report lays the groundwork and a timeline for merging the military exchange systems with the commissary systems, reports Military Times.

Records obtained by The Associated Press underscore how few child-on-child sex assault reports pursued by military investigators are prosecuted. That problem is most serious on US installations overseas, where at least 47,000 children are enrolled in Pentagon-run schools. Despite new rules addressing sexual assault among the children of US service members, the federal government failed to fix a flaw that on many military bases has let alleged juvenile abusers escape accountability or treatment.

Kelvin Droegemeier, a meteorology professor and former member of the National Science Board, received Senate approval last week to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Federal Times reports.

DoD has again become serious about electronic warfare, Breaking Defense reports. The department will need to sustain its emphasis on the electromagnetic spectrum, which, along with outer space and cyberspace, is where commanders will find the information that wins or loses futures battles.

The US Army had recently has pointed to low unemployment rates and a high instance of childhood obesity as negatively affecting the number of its potential recruits, reports Army Times, but as part of its push to move out of its old-school recruiting ways, the service is overhauling its marketing strategy.

Contracts:

Advanced Management Strategies Group LLC, Dumfries, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0001); Atkinson Aeronautics and Technology Inc., Fredericksburg, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0002); Emerging Technology Support LLC, Mooresville, North Carolina (M00264-19-D-0003); Get It Done Solutions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0004); Strategic Ventures Consulting Group LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0005); and Vickers and Nolan Enterprises LLC, Stafford, Virginia (M00264-19-D-0006), are each awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with five-year ordering periods and an option to extend services for up to six months for technical, analytical, and engineering support for the Marine Corps Capabilities Development Directorate. The estimated aggregate ceiling of the contracts is a combined $43,891,128. If the option is exercised, the contract value will be $48,280,241. Each company will have an opportunity to compete for individual firm-fixed-price task orders. The majority of work will be performed at the contractor facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina; Dumfries, Virginia; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Falls Church, Virginia; and Stafford, Virginia, as determined by task orders awarded. Work is expected to be completed in January 2024. With the option exercised, work will continue through July 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); and research and development (Navy) funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with nine proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations Command, National Capital Region, Regional Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Fairbanks Morse Engine, Beloit, Wisconsin, is awarded a $13,552,041 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-priced ordering provisions for engineering, logistics and program management services in support of the Navy diesel engine systems. Work includes engineering and technical services, logistics support, engine training, and program management services. Work will be performed in Beloit, Wisconsin, (52 percent); San Diego, California (30 percent); and Norfolk, Virginia (18 percent), and is expected to be complete by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $720,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1) – only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the contracting activity (N64498-19-D-4001).

Fulcrum IT Services LLC, Centreville, Virginia, has been awarded a labor-hour contract (HHM402-19-C-0012) with a ceiling amount of $128,003,638 for all-source intelligence analysis and operational support services to the Joint Intelligence Operations Center–Korea (JIOC-K), US Forces Korea and six divisions in Korea. Work will be performed in the Republic of Korea with an expected completion date of July 13, 2024, if all options are exercised. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition and seven offers were received. The Virginia Contracting Activity, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.