Report: Rebranding DoD Could Come With Hefty Pricetag

A new plaque was installed at the River Entrance in front of the Pentagon on Nov. 13, 2025. (Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech)

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.

An NBC News report finds that the Pentagon name change could cost up to $2 billion. Officially changing the Department of Defense to the Department of War can only be done by Congress and would require updating thousands of signs, rewriting digital code, and creating new letterheads, placards, and badges. The new name reflects a new ethos for the department, DefSec Pete Hegseth said in a Pentagon news release, after he fastened the last screw on the new River Entrance plaque. On Thursday, personnel took down bronze plaques at two of the building’s entrances and replaced them with plaques bearing the proposed name.

When the announcement of the DoD name change was made in September, Politico reported that the billions of dollars in expenses could put a serious dent in the administration’s efforts to slash Pentagon spending and waste.

A Pentagon intelligence report raises concerns about a bid from Saudi Arabia to buy F-35 fighter jets from the United States, reports The New York Times. The report warns that China could acquire the aircraft’s technology if the sale proceeds.

The US Marine Corps cybersecurity and technical fields again will get the biggest enlistment bonuses, reports Marine Corps Times. Bonuses worth up to $15,000 are available for enlistees in the fields of electronic maintenance and cyber and crypto operations.

The US Coast Guard recruited the most new active-duty enlisted service members in fiscal 2025 since 1991, according to the service, reports Military Times. The military brought in 5,204 active-duty enlisted personnel, far exceeding its goal of 4,300, according to the service.

Boeing machinists who assemble military aircraft and weapons voted Thursday to approve a new contract, reports AP News. This ends a three-month strike that saw workers reject four earlier offers from the company. The five-year labor agreement includes a 24% wage hike across the life of the contract and a $6,000 signing bonus. The machinists are set to return to work at plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, as well as in Mascoutah, IL.

The US military announced the beginning of Operation Southern Spear on Thursday, reports Washington Examiner. The operation is aimed at protecting the Western Hemisphere from “narcoterrorists,” according to DefSec Hegseth.

Several congressional lawmakers have expressed concern about the legality of the military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. A July opinion from the US Department of Justice argues that military members cannot be prosecuted for their involvement in strikes, reports The Hill.

The US conducted its 20th strike on an alleged drug boat Tuesday, killing four people in Caribbean Sea, reports CBS News. Since September, US forces have destroyed at least 21 vessels in 20 strikes in international waters, killing at least 80 people.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that just more than half of Americans oppose the Trump administration’s military strikes on the boats in the Caribbean region and Pacific Ocean, reports Washington Examiner. Fifty-one percent said they were opposed to the military operations. Twenty-nine percent of all respondents said they supported the strikes.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that US military operations in Caribbean violate international law, reports Reuters on MSN. “We have observed with concern the military operations in the Caribbean region, because they violate international law and because France has a presence in this region through its overseas territories, where more than a million of our compatriots reside,” Barrot said during the Group of Seven foreign ministers’ summit in Canada last week.

The United Kingdom has suspended some intelligence sharing with the US, reports Washington Examiner on MSN, over the US military’s strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean. UK views the attacks as illegal and does not want to be implicated.

President Donald Trump is receiving updated options from his top military officials for potential US operations in Venezuela, including strikes on land, reports CBS News.

US Air Force B-52 Bombers have deployed to Spain and will train with Nordic and Baltic allies, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. Multiple Stratofortresses landed at Morón Air Base last week for the Air Force’s first Bomber Task Force rotation of fiscal 2026 in Europe. The B-52s will be based in Spain, yet the rotation will be focused east and north. Specifically, training with forces from Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden.

Veterans face many challenges transitioning out of the military. Military.com highlights 11 companies that offer programs and service to help vets make the transition to civilian life.

Blue Origin successfully launched and landed last week its New Glenn rocket in a major milestone for owner Jeff Bezos’ space ambitions, reports The Independent. It was only the second flight of the rocket that Blue Origin and NASA are counting on to get people and supplies to the moon. New Glenn’s inaugural test flight early this year delivered a prototype satellite to orbit but failed to land the booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.

VADM Patrick J. Hannifin is the new commander of the US 7th Fleet, reports Navy Times. A change of command ceremony was held Thursday in Yokosuka, Japan. Hannifin took over for VADM Fred W. Kacher.

The private company that operates a community of base housing near Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida has recently instructed residents to remove their Christmas decorations and refrain from putting them back up until after Thanksgiving, reports Military.com. The community handbook states that winter decorations and lights are only allowed from the week after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, and that lights can only be lit from 6 to 11pm.

The Guardian reports on findings from a California-based think-tank tracking water conflicts showing Israeli armed forces and settlers used bombs, dogs, poison and heavy machinery to attack Palestinian water sources more than 250 times in the past five years, at least 90 times between January 2024 and mid 2025. The attacks on Palestinian infrastructure at drinking water, irrigation, and sanitation sites in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip is the most sustained assault on civilian water supplies in recent years, the new research reveals.

Israel’s longest war is leaving a trail of traumatized soldiers, according to AP News. Reports of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicides are increasing among soldiers. Israel’s defense ministry says it has documented nearly 11,000 soldiers suffering from “mental health injuries” since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war in Gaza. That’s more than a third of the total 31,000 troops with such injuries in all of Israel’s conflicts since its founding nearly 80 years ago.

The US Mint produced its last penny on Wednesday, reports NPR. Some restaurants and retailers are already struggling with a shortage of pennies. The phase-out may require businesses to round prices up or down to the nearest nickel, although the growing popularity of non-cash payments makes that less of a headache.

With the government shutdown over, the Pentagon is playing catchup, announcing nearly $9 billion in contract awards on Thursday, reports Breaking Defense.

Contracts for Oct. 1, 2025, Through Nov. 12, 2025:

WGL Energy Services Inc., Vienna, Virginia, (SPE604-26-D-8004, $241,502,937); Constellation NewEnergy Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, (SPE604-26-D-8000, $109,685,010); MP2 Energy NE LLC, doing business as Shell Energy Solutions, Houston, Texas, (SPE604-26-D-8003, $45,035,484) and Direct Energy Business LLC, Houston, Texas, (SPE604-26-D-8001, $17,553,047) have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, requirements contract under solicitation SPE604-25-R-0405 to supply and deliver retail electricity and ancillary/incidental services. This was a competitive acquisition with eight responses received. These are two-year contracts with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, with a Dec. 31, 2027, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Department, Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health and Department of Agriculture. The using customer is solely responsible for funding this contract and funds vary in appropriation type and Fiscal year. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Awarded Oct. 2, 2025)

US Foods Inc., doing business as US Food Service Manassas, Manassas, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $19,487,231 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for full-line food and beverage items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 US Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a 357-day bridge contract with no option periods. The ordering period end date is Oct. 3, 2026. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is Fiscal 2026 through 2027 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-26-D-3002). (Awarded Oct. 10, 2025)

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $53,793,482 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-22-C-5500) for spares production of the AN/SPY-6(V) Family of Radars program. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (50%), Andover, Massachusetts (33%), Sykesville, Maryland (13%), Riverside, California (2%), and Cerritos, California (2%). Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,640,001 (25%); Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) $11,852,401 (22%); Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $9,598,011 (18%); Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $7,567,213 (14%); Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $2,455,516 (4%); Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $2,088,539 (4%); Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $2,026,712 (4%); Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $1,812,511 (3%); Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) $1,495,000 (3%); Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) $1,000,000 (2%); Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $159,503 (<1%); Fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) $108,075 (<1%) will be obligated at the time of award, of which, $16,135,001 will expire at the end of the current Fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 20, 2025)

L3 Technologies, Inc., Camden, New Jersey., is awarded a $30,287,137 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded (N66001-24-C-0018) for procurement, assembly, and configuration of network equipment, components, and spares to support the Battle Force Tactical Network Resilient Command, Control, and Communication System Enhancement High Frequency system. Work will be performed in Camden, New Jersey (95%) and Germantown, Maryland (5%). Work is expected to be completed in May 2027. Fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $27,296,000 and shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,494,000 will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was awarded as a sole-source acquisition under the statutory authority of 10 US Code 3204(a)(1), as prescribed by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California is the contracting activity. (Awarded Oct. 02, 2025)

Vectrus Systems, LLC, a V2X Company, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is awarded a $12,837,684 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of Equipment Maintenance Test Support services and includes cost contract line items for materials, shipping and travel. This contract will provide vehicle maintenance and configuration support for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle Family of Vehicles in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Caroline County, Virginia, with an expected completion date of October 2028. Fiscal 2025 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $1,981,065 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current Fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-26-C-0017). (Awarded Oct. 31, 2025)

Modern Technology Solutions, Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $111,006,400 modification (P00020) to previously awarded (FA8806-25-C-B001) for the additional work to support the Space Based Interceptors effort on the Program Management Office, Systems Engineering, Integration and Testing contract. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $226,977,329 from $115,970,929. Work will be performed at Huntsville, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 10, 2030. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Oct. 7, 2025)

Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $12,372,498 modification (P00021) to previously awarded (FA4890-22-C-0006) for a maintenance and sustainment service requirement. The contract modification is to exercise and incrementally fund Option Year Four services to provide storage, maintenance, outload, reconstitution, exercise and contingency logistics support of prepositioned materiel. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $47,543,400 from $35,170,902. Work will be performed in Husterhohe/Pirmasens, Germany, and Royal Air Force Fairford, United Kingdom and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2026 operation and maintenance funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Oct. 02, 2025)

KPMG, LLP, McLean, Virginia, is being awarded a maximum $368,979,915 labor-hour contract for audit services and travel for the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General audits of the Department of Army financial statements, with an expected completion date of November 30, 2026.  The contract has a 12-month base period with four individual one-year option periods, and is the result of a competitive acquisition for which two quotes were received. Subject to availability of funding, Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $68,192,061 will be obligated when funds are available for this contract. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (HQ042326FE007) (Awarded Oct. 07, 2025)

Kearney and Company, P.C., Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a Labor-Hour contract option for financial statement audit services for the Defense Health Program (DHP), Medicare Eligible Retiree Care Fund and Defense Health Agency Contract Resource Management. The modification, P00020, is for a maximum face value of $12,484,739.24 and brings the total cumulative value of the existing contract, HQ042322F9000 to $59,003,834.65. Work will be performed in various locations including DHP headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, as well as other federal locations in Texas, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Colorado, New York, and Maine, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. This contract was the result of a competitive acquisition for which one quote was received. The action is being awarded subject to availability of funds. Fiscal 2026 defense-wide operating and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,484,739.24 will be obligated when available. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Nov. 03, 2025)

AES-ESFS JV II LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (W912DQ-26-D-A001); EA Engineering, Science, and Technology Inc. PBC, Hunt Valley, Maryland (W912DQ-26-D-A004); HydroGeoLogic Inc., Reston, Virginia (W912DQ26DA007); Sevenson Environmental Services Inc., Niagara Falls, New York (W912DQ-26-D-A009); FPM-AECOM JV2, Oneida, New York (W912DQ-26-D-A006); Renova Environmental Company Inc., Ocean Township, New Jersey (W912DQ-26-D-A008); Bhate-ER JV LLC, Birmingham, Alabama (W912DQ-26–DA002); CAPE-APTIM JV1 LLC, Norcross, Georgia (W912DQ-26-D-A003); Environmental Chemical Corporation, Burlingame, California (W912DQ-26-D-A005); and LATA-CTI JV LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico (W912DQ-26-D-A010), will compete for each order of the $245,000,000 hybrid firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for environmental remediation work at various sites for customers across the Northwestern Division and the Environmental Protection Agency. Bids were solicited via the internet with 12 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 13, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Oct. 14, 2025)

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc, Radford, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for procurement and storage of 6.4 million pounds of sheeted cotton linters, a primary raw material for making nitrocellulose used in propellant production at Radford Army Ammunition Plant. The amount of this action is $20,348,798. Bids were solicited with one received. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2026 funds in the amount of $20,381,455 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-11-D-0013 W519TC-26-F-0002). (Awarded Nov. 07, 2025)

Sardi’s Catering Inc., College Park, Maryland, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract to provide catered meals for activated servicemembers supporting the District of Columbia mission. The amount of this action is $13,813,219. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work will be performed in Washington, DC, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2026 operation and maintenance, Army funds were obligated at the time of the award. National Guard Bureau, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912R-1-26-CA001). (Awarded Oct. 08, 2025)

Ethic Tech, Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded an Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Firm-Fixed Price contract HQ003426DE0001. The full value of the contract is $47,000,000.00. The value of this award is $9,000,000. The contract will be executed out of the Pentagon Reservation Maintenance Revolving Fund up to the maximum value of $47,000,000. No funds are being obligated at the time of the award The purpose of this contract is to provide a broad range of inter-related administrative, acquisition, financial management, professional, and program management support services in support of the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Facilities Services Directorate (FSD) mission and support elements as well as the mission of the Office of Golden Dome for America. This contract will support all the FSD operations, streamlining the support service functions across the directorate. Aside from accomplishing these tasks separately, as they are described in individual task order PWS, the Contractor is expected to take an integrated, process-oriented approach that will result in standardized, repeatable process improvements that maximize the use of this contract to effectively utilize resources throughout the agency. The work will be performed at the Pentagon, the Mark Center; Fairfield, Pennsylvania; Frederick, Maryland; and Huntsville, Alabama.  The estimated contract completion date is Nov. 3, 2030. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.  (Awarded Nov. 10, 2025)

Contracts For Nov. 13, 2025:

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded a ceiling $303,600,000 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract for F-16 System Program Office Foreign Military Sales Support. This contract provides for the repair and return of F-16 radar components for foreign military sales countries. Work will be performed at Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by November 2030.  This contract involves foreign military sales to Bahrain, Bulgaria, Greece, Korea, Slovakia, Taiwan, Morocco, and Jordan.  This contract was a sole source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $2,704,534.08 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (FA823226DB003)

MPR Associates Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for providing support to nuclear facilities within the Great Leaks and Ohio River Division. The amount of this action is $90,000,000.00. 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 Nov. 11, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91237-26-D-A006).

Peraton Technology Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $17,538,865 cost-plus-fixed fee to order (N0001926F0013) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0010). This order provides for the continued development, delivery, sustainment, requirement analysis and design of the Theater Mission Planning Center in support of the Navy. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, California (71%) and various telework locations within the continental US (29%) and is expected to be completed in November 2026. FMS customer funds in the amount of $6,040,989 will obligated at the time of award and Fiscal 2026 Other Procurement, Navy funds in the amount of $11,497,876 will be obligated once made available; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Contracts For Nov. 14, 2025:

Altus Technology Solutions, LLC, Hanover, Maryland, was awarded a ceiling $175,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for operations maintenance and support Services at Melrose Air Force Range. This contract provides for personnel, training, supervision, and administrative support to perform nine regimes of support encompassing facility maintenance, aerial gunnery and bombing ranges, ground training ranges, Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) sites, electronic/technology, scheduling, wildland fire, paramedic, and Situational Force. Work will be performed at Melrose Air Force Range, Melrose, New Mexico and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2035. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron, Clovis, New Mexico is the contracting activity. (FA485526D0001)

Peraton Technology Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $17,538,865 cost-plus-fixed fee to order (N0001926F0013) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0010). This order provides for the continued development, delivery, sustainment, requirement analysis and design of the Theater Mission Planning Center in support of the Navy. Work will be performed in Santa Clara, California (71%) and various telework locations within the continental US (29%) and is expected to be completed in November 2026. FMS customer funds in the amount of $6,040,989 will be obligated at the time of award and Fiscal 2026 Other Procurement, Navy funds in the amount of $11,497,876 will be obligated once made available; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.