Pax Begins Investigating Potential for PFAS Contamination
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The NAS Patuxent River environmental investigation of PFAS drew a packed crowd to the Lexington Park Library last week, reports Southern Maryland Online. The fire extinguishing foam has been used on military bases across the country, including, potentially, on 18 sites at Pax River. Known as aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), it contains a substance called per- and polyfluorolalkyl (PFAS) which the Navy called an “emerging public health concern.” In addition to Pax River sites, also being investigated is the Webster Field base in St. Inigoes, MD.
SpaceX Dragon cargo ship, the last to be caught by robot arm, arrives at the International Space Station, reports Space.com. SpaceX’s robotic Dragon cargo capsule delivered this week more than 4,300 pounds of supplies to the ISS. The robot arm is being replaced with a new iteration will dock directly to the International Space Station, no arm required, just like SpaceX’s astronaut-carrying Crew Dragon capsule.
US begins troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, reports Military Times, as required in the US-Taliban peace agreement, amid political chaos in Kabul that threatens the deal. Hundreds of troops are heading out toward the goal of reducing forces in the country from about 13,000 to 8,600.
Two US service members were killed fighting ISIS in Iraq, reports Marine Corps Times, while advising Iraqi Security Forces on a mission targeting an ISIS terrorist stronghold in a mountainous area of north central Iraq.
The Army Europe commander goes remote after possible coronavirus exposure, reports Army Times. LG Christopher Cavoli, who leads the Army component of US European Command in Germany, and some of his staff will start working remotely after they may have been exposed to the COVID-19. As fears about the coronavirus outbreak roil financial markets, the nation’s political leaders grapple with a public health and economic maelstrom — as well as concerns for their own safety. The Pentagon begins “social distancing” measures amid coronavirus concerns, reports Military Times, such as breaking face-to-face meetings into multiple rooms to provide six-foot distancing between attendees.
US military cracks down on travel, cancels meetings as coronavirus cases spread, reports Military.com. The military services are erring on the side of caution, with some attempting to limit human contact as much as possible, while others are canceling events and overseas travel as the novel coronavirus continues to spread.
Coronavirus concerns mean empty seats at Navy graduations, reports Navy Times. The Navy’s boot camp is barring the public from attending graduations beginning Friday amid concerns about the spread of a potentially deadly strain of coronavirus, Navy Recruit Training Command spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Martin announced. While the graduations will continue, they will be live-streamed on Navy platforms, including social media. Those affected are allowed to call their would-be guests and inform them about the changes sparked by the global coronavirus outbreak.
VA suspends GI Bill certifications for five universities over deceptive enrollment practices, reports Military Times. Educational benefits for GI Bill beneficiaries are suspended for new students enrolling in programs at the University of Phoenix, Colorado Technical University, American InterContinental University, Bellevue University, and Temple University.
US strikes in Somalia nearly on par with strikes in Iraq, Syria, reports Voice of America. The US has carried out 25 strikes against al-Shabab to date in 2020, including one Monday in the vicinity of Janaale, Somalia, that US Africa Command said killed four terrorists.
Changes to help ease the stress of military moves roll out, reports Military.com. A series of small changes aim to be in place in time for 2020’s busiest permanent change-of-station period. The new rules were developed with the help of a panel of advisers, including service representatives and military spouses.
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force will partner with US firms to build its next-generation fighter plane, reports UPI. A proposal to enlist British companies, which would have given Japan the freedom to update the planes at will, was ultimately rejected in favor of the increasing security ties between Japan and the US, according to Japanese officials.
Contracts:
Tetra Tech Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $78,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for comprehensive long-term environmental architect-engineering services on Navy and Marine Corps installations at sites in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic. Work will be performed primarily in New York (31%); Florida (24%); Pennsylvania (8%); Virginia (6%); Rhode Island (5%); Texas (4%); South Carolina (4%); Mississippi (3%); Indiana (2%); Maine (2%); Massachusetts (2%); New Jersey (2%); Illinois (1%); Connecticut (1%); Arizona (1%); Minnesota (1%); Washington, District of Columbia (1%); Washington (1%); and New Hampshire (1%). The work includes architectural and engineering services to provide program management and technical environmental services in support of the Department of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program, Munitions Response Program and other similar programs at Navy and Marine Corps activity in the area of responsibility covered by NAVFAC Atlantic. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $278,000,000. Work is expected to be complete by July 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by environmental restoration (Navy). Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-16-D-9008).
Cornell Howland Hayes Merryfield (CH2M) Hill Inc., Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a $54,000,000 cost-plus-award-fee modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for comprehensive long-term environmental architect and engineering services on Navy and Marine Corps installations at sites in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic area of responsibility. Work will be performed primarily in Puerto Rico (35%); California (18%); Virginia (15%); Washington (12%); North Carolina (8%); Maryland (7%); Mississippi (3%); and Washington, District of Columbia (2%). The work includes architectural and engineering services to provide program management and technical environmental services in support of the Department of the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program, Munitions Response Program and other similar programs at any Navy and Marine Corps activity in the area of responsibility covered by NAVFAC Atlantic. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $362,000,000. Work is expected to be complete by January 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by environmental restoration (Navy). Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-16-D-9000).
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $9,460,780 modification (P00008) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-18-F-0016) against basic ordering agreement N00019-17-G-0002. This modification provides additional funding to support non-recurring engineering for supportability analysis, interactive electronic technical manual and technical directive requirements necessary for the V-22 Nacelle (combat aircraft) Improvements Phase One Program. This modification supports Navy, Air Force and the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (84%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (5%); Patuxent River, Maryland (4%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4%) and Amarillo, Texas (3%). Work is expected to be complete by May 2021. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,846,466; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $744,575; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,311,555; fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $647,119; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $911,066 will be obligated at time of award, $1,958,674 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Concurrent Technologies Corp., Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $7,771,574 modification to exercise Option Period Two under previously awarded contract (GS00Q14OADU112) task order (M95494-18-F-0016). This modification provides for support services in efforts to meet Marine Corps’ energy reliability and resilience requirements for utility distribution systems and various energy security positions supporting headquarters, regions and installations. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (40%); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (12%); Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (12%); San Diego, California (11%); Quantico, Virginia (10%); Bridgeport, California (4%); New River, North Carolina (3%); Cherry Point, North Carolina (3%); Barstow, California (3%); Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan (1%); and Pohang, Republic of Korea (1%). Work is expected to be complete by March 2021. If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $7,771,574 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Installations Command Headquarters Contracting Office, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, issued a contract modification (HDTRA1-17-C-0019-P00021) to exercise Option Period Three with a ceiling value of $34,485,270 time-and-materials contract and does not include the value of the unexercised options. This contract is for scientific and technical services in support of various projects under the Biological Threat Reduction Program. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the world. The anticipated completion date is May 13, 2021 (Option Period Three); this contract includes one additional 12 month option that would end on May 13, 2022, if exercised. The contract was a competitive acquisition; the government received 11 offers. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Cooperative Threat Reduction, Contracting Office, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
System High Corp., Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $24,731,784 modification (P00025) to previously awarded task order HR0011-17-F-0001 for program security services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the task order to $93,368,570 from $68,636,786. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of March 2021. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $6,841,516; and fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $15,982,751 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
CORRECTION: An announcement included on March 9, 2020, for a firm-fixed-price task order to General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia (HC1013-20-F-0073) has not yet been awarded.
