Report Highlights China’s Push for Military Dominance

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.

A newly released report says China’s military is pushing ahead of the US, reports Breaking Defense. The “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China,” presented Sept. 1, reveals China has progressed in areas such as shipbuilding, missile defense, and ballistic and cruise missile construction. The People’s Liberation Army is an “increasingly modern and flexible force,” according to the report. Newsweek reports China dismissed the document as being “full of the zero-sum Cold War mentality.”

Military Times polled service members about renaming military bases that honor Confederate leaders. The results: Nearly half of those responding said the bases should be renamed and a large majority favored banning Confederate symbols and paraphernalia from all Defense Department locations.

The US Army Cyber Command has completed its move to Fort Gordon, GA, reports The Associated Press. Before consolidation, elements of the command were also based at Fort Belvoir, VA, and Fort Meade.

US troops will start military exercises in Lithuania amid tensions over Belarus, reports Reuters. Belarus is seeing mass protests, triggered by an election widely believed to have been rigged in favor of the longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko, reports BBC.

Five Defense Department sites have been selected to stage a clinical trail for a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, reports Defense One. Among the sites are Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia.

President Donald Trump is expected to nominate William Ruger as the new ambassador to Afghanistan, reports The Hill. Mr. Ruger is a foreign-policy expert and proponent of the president’s agenda to withdraw a substantial number of US troops from Afghanistan.

The Pentagon is staying with its original decision to award the multibillion dollar JEDI Cloud contract to Microsoft, reports Federal News Network, six months after telling a federal court it wanted to reconsider the original award.

 

 

Kaman Aerospace has ordered mandatory inspections of its K-MAX helicopters, reports Fire Aviation. It is not known if the inspections are related to a crash last month that killed a Montana pilot battling a fire in Mount Hood National Forest, ABC News reports.

Talks to acquire the US portion of TikTok appear to have stalled, reports The Washington Post, a snag in a deal expected to reshape the technology landscape. Chinese-owned TikTok has received two bids — one from Microsoft and Walmart and a second from a group led by Oracle.

The Defense Health Agency launched 74 new military hospital and clinic Air Force websites­, reports the service’s Military Health System Communications Office. The Air Force says it is an important milestone in the effort to modernize the web presence of all military medical treatment facilities. Each website transitioned to the TRICARE domain to provide a standardized patient experience.

The US Air Force Academy has a new mascot, “Nova,” reports Air Force Magazine. “Nova, an exceedingly bright star, represents the future of our Academy as a commissioning source for both Air & Space Force officers,” according to a statement from the school.

The University of Maryland suspended all training activities last week after 46 student-athletes tested positive for the coronavirus, reports WTOP News. The students are on 10 different sports teams on campus.

Data released Thursday by the Maryland Department of Labor shows 11,115 workers applied for jobless relief in the week ending August 29. That represents a 6.4% decrease from the 11,875 jobless claims that were filed the prior week, reports Patch.com.

Veterans able to find jobs in an economy devastated by the coronavirus pandemic will face the continuing problem of “underemployment” in positions unsuited to their skills, reports Military.com.

The third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will be run on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, reports Maryland Matters, but there will be no fans in attendance. The Kentucky Derby took place Saturday, four months later than usual. Authentic won the 146th running of the Derby, reports UPI. TV ratings showed a drop in viewership for this year’s race compared with past years, reports Courier Journal.

Contracts:

International SOS Government Services Inc., Trevose, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $960,362,689 single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price task order contract for health care support services by the Defense Health Agency (DHA). This contract supports the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) by supplementing the healthcare capabilities and capacities of overseas military treatment facilities and provides healthcare in remote overseas locations. This was a full and open competitive acquisition. The TOP contract is for $19,803,735 operations and maintenance funds for a base year (transition-in) and seven one-year option periods. It provides a wide range of health care support services for TRICARE eligible beneficiaries outside the US and Washington, DC. The performance completion date is Aug. 31, 2028. The DHA Managed Care Contracting Division, Aurora, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HT9402-20-D-0002). (Awarded Aug 31, 2020)

Advex Corp., Hampton, Virginia (N00164-20-D-GW63); Chesapeake Machining and Fabrication, Baltimore, Maryland (N00164-20-D-GW06); Kodiak Manufacturing, Allison, Pennsylvania (N00164-20-D-GW07); and Merrill Technologies Group, Saginaw, Michigan (N00164-20-D-GW08), will compete for each order of the $50,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for machining and fabrication requirements in support of the development, maintenance and sustainment of systems, sub-systems, equipment and components. The Platform and Launch Systems Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, in support of the strategic systems program, requires the establishment of multiple award contracts for the purpose of competing machining and fabrication requirements to manufacture new parts, and major overhaul of existing parts for systems in the operation and sustainment phase of their lifecycle. This acquisition provides support for Trident missile launcher subsystems, fire control and guidance subsystems and navigational subsystems. Work locations will be determined by individual task orders and is expected to be complete by September 2025, and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be complete by September 2030. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,250 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These multiple award contracts were set-aside for small business concerns in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(b)(2). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity.

MEB General Contractors Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded a $43,681,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of dry dock flood protection improvements located at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia. The work includes subsurface cutoff wall for construction of cast-in-place concrete flood wall with manual flood gates, utility valve vaults, Dry Dock 1 and 3 caisson gunwale and seal extension and incidental related work in the small dock area of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction contract funds in the amount of $43,681,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with six proposals received. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-0063).

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi (N00024-20-C-6319); Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland (N00024-20-C-6320); Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, Lockport, Louisiana (N00024-20-C-6316); Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wisconsin (N00024-20-C-6317); Gibbs & Cox Inc., Arlington, Virginia (N0002420C6318); and Austal USA LLC, Mobile, Alabama (N00024-20-C-6315), are each being awarded a firm-fixed price contract for studies of a Large Unmanned Surface Vessel with a combined value across all awards of $41,985,112. Each contract includes an option for engineering support, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value for all awards to $59,46,146. The contract awarded to Huntington Ingalls Inc. is $7,000,000; the contract awarded to Lockheed Martin Corp. is $6,999,978; the contract awarded to Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, is $6,996,832; the contract awarded to Marinette Marine Corp. is $6,999,783; the contract awarded to Gibbs & Cox Inc. is $6,989,499; and the contract awarded to Austal USA LLC is $6,999,020. Work will be performed in various locations in the contiguous US in accordance with each contract and is expected to be complete by August 2021, and if option(s) are exercised, work is expected to be complete by May 2022. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount $41,985,112 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities (now beta.SAM.gov) with eight offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $12,529,557 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N64267-18-C-0132 to exercise options for Aegis design agent field engineering services. The services include test and evaluation, engineering change development, ordnance and ship alterations, modernization engineering, logistics and technical support, ordnance alterations kit development, integration and test support, AN/SPY-1 series radar antenna refurbishment and Coast Guard deep-water program design agent field engineering support. These services are in support of Aegis-equipped guided missile cruisers and destroyers, allied Aegis-equipped ships and Coast Guard Aegis-configured ships. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (30%); San Diego, California (30%); Yokosuka, Japan (17%); Wallops Island, Virginia (6%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (5%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (4%); Port Hueneme, California (4%); and Rota, Spain (4%), and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,566,205 (75%); and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $272,303 (25%), will be obligated at time of award and $272,303 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity.

Goldbelt Frontier LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $36,828,500 hybrid (firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials) contract for equipment maintenance and repair and administrative, advisory, inventory and training services at US Army Medical Research and Development Command/Defense Health Agency. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 4, 2025. US Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W81XWH-20-D-0062).

Technical and Project Engineering LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $9,221,888 firm-fixed-price contract to provide computer programming support services to Headquarters, Department of the Army; US Army Training and Doctrine Command; US Army Special Operations Command; the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve; Army National Guard; and TRADOC Centers of Excellence. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 6, 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,221,888 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W91CRB-20-F-0446).

Definitive Logic Corp., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $7,090,619 modification (P00004) to contract W912HZ-18-F-0339 to provide all personnel, supervision and services necessary to maintain and integrate the Comprehensive Planning Platform. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 3, 2021. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance (Air Force) funds in the amount of $7,090,619 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, Mississippi, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $33,394,848 cost-plus, award-fee task order under the Ground Subsystems Sustainment contract to definitize an undefinitized contract action issued for Minuteman III general sustainment. Work will be performed in Ogden, Utah, and is expected to be completed Aug. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,177,579 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8214-20-F-0082-PZ0001).

Kearney & Co. P.C., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $15,050,774 firm-fixed-price modification (P00006) to contract FA7014-19-F-A162 for advisory and assistance support for the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability missions. This modification exercises Option Year One that continues support for future and concepts analysis, design blueprints, capability development strategic integration, capability development implementation analysis, assessment of opportunities for new capability, workflow management, strategic communication, special access program integration, simulation studies, war gaming support, decision analytics and strategy, planning, programming, budgeting and execution analysis. Work will be performed in Washington, DC, and if all options are exercised, work is expected to be completed Sept. 9, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with two offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,468,467 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Tuckman-Barbee Construction Co. Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was awarded a $24,482,287 firm-fixed-price contract for work on the Reece Road access control point at Fort Meade. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed at Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 3, 2022. Fiscal 2016, 2018 and 2019 military construction (Army) funds in the amount of $24,482,287 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-C-0042).

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $9,641,028 firm-fixed-price contract for barricades upgrades at Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 5, 2021. Fiscal 2020 procurement of ammunition (Army) funds in the amount of $9,641,028 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-20-F-0614).

National Conferencing Inc., Dumfries, Virginia, was awarded a $7,406,966 hybrid (cost-no-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to provide event planning, coordination and logistical support for training requirements of the Department of the Army’s Chief of Chaplains. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Dumfries, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Army); operations and maintenance (Army National Guard); and overseas contingency operations transfer funds in the amount of $1,836,982, were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-20-C-0018).

Liberty Business Associates LLC, Ladson, South Carolina, is awarded a $108,000,000 performance-based, single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price, firm-fixed-price level-of-effort, and cost-plus-fixed-fee level-of-effort and completion contract (N65236-20-D-1002) to provide corporate operational functional support with responsibilities to sustain mission capabilities. The procurement will provide services which support day-to-day operations that are critical to Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic’s mission success. The contract includes a five-year ordering period. Fiscal 2020 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $588,220 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina (80%); Norfolk, Virginia (17%); and other Department of Defense sites (3%), and is expected to be completed by September 2025. The contract was competitively procured by full and open competition after exclusion of sources, small business set aside, via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website with five offers received. NIWC Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity.

M.A. Mortenson Co. doing business as Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis, Minnesota (N62473-18-D-5850); RQ Construction LLC, Carlsbad, California (N62473-18-D-5851); R. A. Burch Construction Co. Inc., Ramona, California (N62473-18-D-5852); Harper Construction Co. Inc., San Diego, California (N62473-18-D-5853); Sundt Construction Inc., Tempe, Arizona (N62473-18-D-5854); SOLPAC Construction Inc., doing business as Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, California (N62473-18-D-5855); Bethel-Webcor Pacific JV, Anchorage, Alaska (N62473-18-D-5856); and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Baltimore, Maryland (N62473-18-D-5858), are being awarded $92,000,000 to increase the aggregate capacity of the previously awarded suite of firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts. The maximum dollar value including the base year and four option years for all eight contracts combined is increased from $842,000,000 to $934,000,000. The contracts are for new construction, renovation and repair of commercial and institutional building construction projects at various government installations located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. All work will be performed at various federal sites within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest area of responsibility. No funds are being obligated on this award. No funds will expire. Future task orders will be primarily funded by military construction (Navy); operations and maintenance (O&M) (Navy); O&M (Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. The original contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 22 proposals received. NAVFAC Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin, Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $51,865,301 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-5151 to exercise options for ship integration and test of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) for AWS Baselines through Advanced Capability Build (ACB) 16. This option exercise is for Aegis shipboard integration engineering, Aegis test team support, Aegis modernization team engineering support, Ballistic missile defense test team support and AWS element assessments. This contract action provides AWS ship integration and test efforts for nine new construction guided missile destroyer (DDG 51) Class ships and the major modernization of seven DDG 51 Class ships. It will additionally cover the integrated combat system modifications and upgrades for all current ships with all AWS Baselines up to and including ACB 16. Work under this modification will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (49%); Norfolk, Virginia (8%); San Diego, California (8%); Washington, DC (7%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (5%); Mayport, Florida (4%); Everett, Washington (4%); Deveselu, Romania (4%); Bath, Maine (4%); and various places (7%) each below 1%, and is expected to be completed by September 2021. Fiscal 2013 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy), funding in the amount of $9,457,408 will be obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $5,160,256 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

DRS Laurel Technologies Inc. (DRS), Johnstown, Pennsylvania (N63394-20-D-0005); Management Services Group Inc. doing business as Global Technology Systems (GTS), Virginia Beach, Virginia (N63394-20-D-0004); and Gryphon Technologies LC (Gryphon), Washington, DC, (N63394-20-D-0003), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price order provisions to sustain the AN/UYQ-70 Advanced Display System. DRS is awarded a not-to-exceed $37,476,913; GTS is awarded a not-to-exceed $33,769,484; and Gryphon is awarded a not-to-exceed $29,233,479. The awards are not to exceed a program value and combined total of $37,476,913. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (94%); and the governments of Korea and Australia (6%), under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in ship ports (35%); contractors’ facilities in Chesapeake, Virginia; Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Washington, DC (50%); and Moorestown, New Jersey (15%). All work is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $15,000 ($5,000 for each contractor) will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Charlottesville, Virginia, is awarded a $27,702,506 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for engineering, training, technical publication development, program management, technical services and other services relating to surface vessel navigation systems, steering/propulsion control systems, machinery control systems and electronic charting display and information systems. This requirement is for engineering, training, technical publication development, program management, technical services and other services relating to surface vessel navigation systems, steering/propulsion control systems, machinery control systems (MCS) and electronic charting display and information systems (ECDIS). Specific systems under Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, cognizance include, but are not limited to, the Navy electronic charting display and information systems, legacy Voyage Management System, scalable integrated bridge system, DDG-51 class integrated bridge and navigation system/integrated bridge system, DDG-1000 class integrated bridge system, CG-47 class Integrated Ship Control, landing helicopter dock (LHD) automated bridge system, LHD MCS, landing helicopter assault MCS, navigation data distribution system, Voyage data recorder, and Littoral Combat Ship echo-sounder. The contract will have a five year ordering period and is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $305,000 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 (N64498-20-D-4026).

Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina (N00174-18-D-0009); and PAE National Security Solutions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (N00174-18-D-0008), are awarded a total of $17,430,720 in modifications to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise Option Three for support services for the Demonstration and Assessment Team. Advanced Technology International is awarded an $8,946,101 modification and PAE National Security Solutions LLC is awarded an $8,484,619 modification. This requirement will provide support services to the Demonstration and Assessment Team for coordination of operation forces to include, warfighter workshops and other engagement activities; preparation and facilitation of technology demonstration and assessment planning and readiness meetings; analysis and reporting of warfighting/warfighter inputs and concepts. Each task order under will be competitively procured. The location of the work will be determined by individual task orders and is expected to be completed by September 2021. No funding is being obligated at the time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a competitive single award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract (HC1084-20-D-0009) for Enterprise Storage Solutions (ESS) III for Defense Information Systems Agency’s Operations Center. The total cumulative value of the order is $14,486,526. The contract ceiling is $79,452,482. The place of performance will be at government data centers or future government centers in the contiguous U.S.; data centers outside the contiguous U.S.; and other government-approved locations worldwide in which the government may acquire an operational responsibility. The solicitation was posted on Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fbo.gov). The solicitation was issued as a competitive action and six proposals were received. The period of performance consists of a five-year base period and five one-year option periods, for a total contract life cycle of 10 years. The period of performance for the base period is Sept. 14, 2020, through Sept. 13, 2025, and the option years follow consecutively through Sept. 13, 2030. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1084-20-D-0009).

CORRECTION: The $78,779,262 contract awarded on Sept. 1, 2020, to Zenetex LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was announced with an incorrect contract number. The correct contract number is N00189-20-D-Z031.