Senators Urge DoD to Act on PFAS

Plains Environmental Services, Inc. conduct hydraulic testing during a March 2022 remedial investigation into the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances at Truax Field in Madison, WI. The investigation is the second major step in the EPA’s process toward mitigating PFAS compounds on and around the Air National Guard installation. (US Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman)

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 group of senators, are urging DEFSEC Lloyd Austin to treat PFAS chemicals on military installations with greater urgency, reports Military.com. A bipartisan petition signed by 42 senators urges Austin to set aside higher funding for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing and remediation, and to improve planning for dealing with the so-called “forever chemicals.”

The Army National Guard will likely be short tens of thousands of soldiers over the next couple of years, Military.com reports. The Army Guard is struggling to retain its troops – this year its lowest retention since the pandemic began – and recruit new ones, while governors are constantly calling for their help. The Army as a whole is in the midst of a recruiting slump, with the Guard short roughly 14,500 new soldiers this year. That’s in addition to some 40,000 unvaccinated Guardsmen, mostly from the Army Guard, many of whom will likely be discharged.

The Air Force will also fall short of its recruiting goals for its National Guard and reserve components this year, reports Military.com.  While the Air Force will meet its active-duty numbers by the start of fiscal 2023 on Oct. 1, MAJ GEN Ed Thomas, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, said last week that the branch will be behind between 1,500 to 2,000 airmen for each component of the reserve and Guard.

Interpol Venezuela captured Leonard Francis, the mastermind behind the US Navy bribery scandal known as “Fat Leonard,” reports The Maritime Executive.  Nearly three weeks ago, Francis had escaped house arrest in San Diego by cutting off his monitoring device just days before he was scheduled to be sentenced.

Navy officials are investigating how traces of jet fuel got into the potable water system aboard the aircraft carrier Nimitz, cutting off the crew’s drinking water for three days. Military Times reports the carrier was underway in the Pacific Ocean when fuel was discovered in the water. The system was secured and sailors receiving bottled water until potable water was restored.

In the opening week of the court-martial of Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays, Navy prosecutors described a 19-year-old sailor, so unhappy as a deck seaman after failing to become a Navy SEAL, that he sparked a fire that destroyed the $1.2 billion dollar warship, Bonhomme Richard. San Diego Union Tribune reports, Mays, now 21, is charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel, which could send him to prison for life if found guilty. Mays entered a plea of not guilty and waived his right to a trial by military jury. The case is being heard by the military judge, Navy CAPT Derek Butler, who will be tasked with rendering a verdict and sentencing Mays should he be convicted.

A Chinese scientific ship bristling with surveillance equipment docked in a Sri Lankan port. Hundreds of fishing boats anchored for months at a time among disputed islands in the South China Sea. Ocean-going ferries, built to be capable of carrying heavy vehicles and large loads of people. All ostensibly civilian ships. But GreenwichTime.com reports, experts and uneasy regional governments say the civilian ships are part of a Chinese civil-military fusion strategy, little concealed by Beijing, that enhances its maritime capabilities.

China has advanced so far and so fast in its air and space power that the Air Force’s ability to deter through conventional forces is at risk, Air Combat Command chief GEN Mark Kelley said last week in a speech at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine.

WalletHub has compared the federal, state, and international tax rates the S&P 100 companies paid in 2021. Overall they pay around 18 percent, 2% less than in 2020. They pay roughly 20 percent lower rates on US taxes than international taxes. The average S&P 100 company pays a 42 percent lower tax rate than the top 1 percent of consumers. The Kraft Company paid the highest at 40% while four pay a negative overall tax rate and due a net tax benefit: Carter Communications Inc. (-16.72%); Oracle Corp. (-5.75%); PayPal Holdings Inc. (-1.71%); and Ford Motor Co. (-.73).

Legislation has been introduced to strengthen the security of open source software by treating it as public  infrastructure, reports Homeland Security Today.  Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH), Committee Chair and Ranking Member of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, introduced the legislation. They had previously held a hearing about the widely used open source code Log4j, which held a vulnerability allowing entry into millions of computers worldwide, including critical infrastructure and federal systems.

The 13th annual Building Security in Maturity Model report finds a significant shift in software security tactics over the past 12 months, driven in part by the surge in supply chain attacks, including SolarWinds, Kaseya, and others over the last two years, reports Cybersecurity Dive. Organizations are dedicating much more time and effort into monitoring the security of open-source software and automating their testing processes amid a shortage of qualified workers to efficiently test software.

 

 

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is pushing bipartisan legislation allowing spouses of dead military service members to keep certain VA and other DoD benefits if they remarry, reports Stars and Stripes. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) joined in introducing the Love Lives On Act last week. Under current law, a surviving spouse could lose benefits if they remarry before the age of 55.

Military family members, reservists and some retirees covered by Tricare will be able to get the female sterilization surgery known as tubal ligation from civilian doctors at no cost starting Jan. 1, the Defense Health Agency confirmed. Vasectomies, though, will still come with a copay, reports Military.com.

A Naval Academy midshipman was found not guilty of second-degree rape by a jury Wednesday morning following more than a week of arguments in Anne Arundel Circuit Court, reports Military.com. Both midshipmen remain enrolled at the Academy.

The Pentagon announced last week a series of reforms on housing, commissary, and other household benefits that are aimed at making daily life cheaper for troops and moves less of a financial burden, reports Military.com. Changes are set to take effect within weeks.

Army Times reports that high-level discussions are being held about a one-time payment to help troops in lower pay grades, according to Air Force Chief of Staff GEN Charles Q. Brown Jr. who also noted that military families are also struggling with higher costs for food, gas, housing, and more.

Residents of an Air Force base in northeastern Japan were told to shelter in place Friday after Senior Airman Layne Ring, 28, found a Japanese grenade from World War II, reports Stars and Stripes. Misawa’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel determined it was not a threat. Ring, whose job involves testing jet engines at Misawa, knew what it was, “a Japanese imperial navy Type 4 ceramic grenade … created from 1944-1945 as a ‘last ditch’ effort to defend Japan’s citizens from the Americans if they invaded.”

Raytheon Technologies outbid Lockheed Martin and Boeing to win become the developer of the Air Force’s hypersonic cruise missile, positioning itself to become the leading supplier of hypersonic cruise missiles for the service,says EurAsian Times.com. Seeking Alpha reports, Raytheon Technologies (NYSE:RTX) +0.7% post-market Thursday after winning the $985M contract award to design, develop and produce the new Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile.

Contracts:

Dominion Privatization Texas LLC, Richmond, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $11,994,983 modification (P00106) to a 50-year utility services contract (SP0600-16-C-8312) with no option periods for the electric and natural gas systems at Fort Hood, Texas. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. Location of performance is Texas, with a June 30, 2067, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (HQ003422D0018) in the amount of $67,893,846 if all options are exercised. This is a non-personal services contract to provide electrical preventive maintenance and replacement services for the Pentagon Reservation. Some of the equipment is at the end of its life cycle and needs to be replaced prior to failing. Fiscal 2022 Pentagon Reservation Maintenance Revolving Funds in the amount of $1,192,672 are being obligated at the time of the award; $1,096,183 of this amount is base funding for the contract. The estimated completion date is Feb. 22, 2028. The work will be performed at the Pentagon. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

ECS Federal LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a competitive, firm-fixed-price contract with a face value of $429,509,210 for the U. S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command, which is a managed solution that will drive innovation using current and future best of breed technologies in delivering capabilities to improve security and reduced risk across the Army’s endpoints. The base period of the award is being funded by fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds. Proposals were solicited via the General Services Administration Alliant II contract vehicle, and three proposals were received from the proposals solicited. The period of performance is Sept. 29, 2022, to March 28, 2023, with four 12-month option periods and two 3-month option periods. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1084-22-C-0005).

Ocean Construction Services Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $12,251,279 firm-fixed-price task order (N4008522F6490) under a multiple award construction contract for replacement of medium voltage circuits and distribution equipment, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia. The work to be performed provides for the replacement of primary conductors, construction of new substation foundations, demolition of three existing substations, installation of five new electrical manholes, and installations of 12 new electrical duct-banks. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by October 2024. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,251,279 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Public Works Department Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-18-D-1158).

Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is awarded a $15,551,870 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification (P00007) to a previously awarded contract (N6134021C0017). This modification adds additional in-scope work to provide a virtual reality trade study, aircraft common equipment replacement/virtualization, aircraft flight management computer functional equivalent unit card development, and Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) chat software enhancements in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System devices, as well as provides associated technical data, computer software, and computer software documentation for BLOS chat software enhancement efforts. Additionally this modification exercises an option to procure coupled mode capability in support of E-2D Aircrew Procedures Trainer Device 2F211 S/N 4 and E-2D Distributed Readiness Trainer. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia (90%); and Orlando, Florida (10%), and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,921,921; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,793,583; and fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,836,366 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.

VHB LLC,* Boyds, Maryland, was awarded a $14,763,000 firm-fixed-price task order (N6945022F0956) under a multiple award construction contract (N69450-22-D-0007) to provide repairs to the sanitary sewer system southeast sector and replacement of water reservoir tank 2227 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The work to be performed provides for replacing, repairing, cleaning, and abandoning manholes; cleaning, replacing, and repairing lining, or plugging cleanouts, laterals, and mains, installing and replacing manhole inserts. The work also provides the replacement of the existing 500,000-gallon reinforced concrete water reservoir, and a 150,000-gallon metal water tank water treatment plant at Corry Station, Florida. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,763,000 was obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 21, 2022)

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, is awarded a $31,803,907 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5519 for provisioned item order spare parts in support of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block 3 full rate production. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (46%); Andover, Massachusetts (6%); Sykesville, Maryland (4%); Windsor Mill, Maryland (4%); Chelmsford, Massachusetts (4%); Tampa, Florida (3%); Newport Beach, California (2%); Chatsworth, California (2%); Littleton, Colorado (2%); Chandler, Arizona (2%); Redondo Beach, California (2%); San Diego, California (2%); and 75 additional locations within the U.S. that are each less than 1% each and make up the remaining 21%. Work is expected to be completed by September 2025. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,648,923 (52%); fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,064,301 (26%); fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,090,683 (22%) will be obligated at time of award, of which none will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc. – Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $30,868,578 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2100 to exercise options for engineering, technical, design agent, and hull planning yard support for the Navy’s operational aircraft carrier fleet. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2023. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,423,818 (77%); fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $771,000 (17%); fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $181,253 (4%); fiscal 2022 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $40,000 (1%); and fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $25,000 (1%) will be obligated at time of award, and $3,423,818 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

MEB General Contractors Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, is awarded an $89,411,498 firm-fixed-price contract for the CVN-78 Dry Dock 8 saltwater system at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia. The work to be performed provides for two phases of construction. Phase 1 will construct site power distribution including underground duct banks, feeders, pad-mounted switches, substations and underground feeders to Pumpwell 8. Phase 2 will demolish two pump stations and their saltwater intake structures, Buildings 828 and 829, and construct two saltwater pump stations including saltwater intakes, back-up power, pile foundations including additional timber wharf piles. The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $168,758,300. The work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2026. Fiscal 2022 military construction (Navy) funds in the amount of $56,554,300 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the System for Award Management website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-22-C-0047).

Dominion Energy Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, has been awarded an $11,545,787 delivery order against General Services Administration area-wide contract 47PA418D0072 for installation of an underground electrical connection service. This contract provides all labor, tools, equipment, transportation, materials, supervision, and other supplies required for the installation. Work will be performed in Hampton, Virginia, in the vicinity of Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE), and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2024. This was a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds will be used. The 633d Contracting Squadron, JBLE, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA480022F0242).

NCS Technologies Inc.,* Gainesville, Virginia, has been awarded a $12,922,796 firm-fixed- price delivery order for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Computer Acquisition Program (DCAP) computer lifecycle management worldwide. This contract provides for life-cycle replacement of laptop and desktop computers with storage carts to be delivered to multiple DoDEA schools and offices in the U.S., Europe, and Pacific areas. Delivery is expected to be completed 60 days after contract award. This award is a result of a competitive set-aside and two offers were received. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $12,922,796 are being obligated at the time of award. The Department of Defense Education Activity – Information Technology Procurement Division, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (HE1254-22-F-3022).

Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $24,773,989 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost only, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract for the procurement of overhaul, repair, and technical services for multiple radar systems. This contract does not include options. Work will be performed in Bedford, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by March 2028. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) $803,866 will be obligated at time of award, of which $803,866 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via System for Award Management, with two offers received. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N0016422DWP79). 

Northrop Grumman Corp., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded an $20,956,528 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity order contract to procure the B-2 electronic control start unit. Work will be performed at multiple locations, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 25, 2024. This award is the result of a sole-sourced acquisition. Consolidated Sustainment Activity Group working capital funds in the amount of $20,956,528 will be obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8119-22-F-0027).

Agile Defense Inc., Reston, Virginia (FA8612-22-D-B035); Altagrove LLC, Herndon, Virginia (FA8612-22-D-B036); Autonodyne LLC, Boston, Massachusetts (FA8612-22-D-B037); BMC Software Federal LLC, Houston, Texas (FA8612-22-D-B038); Clear Creek Applied Technologies Inc., Fairborn, Ohio (FA8612-22-D-B039); Colossal Contracting LLC, Annapolis, Maryland (FA8612-22-D-B040); Confluent Inc., Mountain View, California (FA8612-22-D-B041); The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (FA8612-22-D-B042); EpiSys Science Inc., Poway, California (FA8612-22-D-B043); Epoch Concepts LLC, Littleton, Colorado (FA8612-22-D-B044); FGS LLC, La Plata, Maryland (FA8612-22-D-B045); ICR Inc., Aurora, Colorado (FA8612-22-D-B046); InfoSciTex Corp., Dayton, Ohio (FA8612-22-D-B047); Innoflight LLC, San Diego, California (FA8612-22-D-B048); Intrinsic Enterprises Inc., Bellevue, Washington (FA8612-22-D-B049); Jasper Solutions Inc., Huntington Station, New York (FA8612-22-D-B050); Memcomputing Inc., San Diego, California (FA8612-22-D-B051); Nteligen LLC, Columbia, Maryland (FA8612-22-D-B052); Oceus Networks LLC, Reston, Virginia (FA8612-22-D-B053); Orbital Insight Inc., Palo Alto, California (FA8612-22-D-B054); Patrocinium Systems Inc., Reston, VA (FA8612-22-D-B055); Radiance Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8612-22-D-B056); RKF Engineering Solutions LLC, Bethesda, Maryland (FA8612-22-D-B057); RUAG Space USA Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8612-22-D-B058); Siemens Government Technologies Inc., Reston, Virgnia (FA8612-22-D-B059); SRIInternational, Menlo Park, California (FA8612-22-D-B061); Sterling Computers Corp., North Sioux City, South Dakota (FA8612-22-D-B062); Sigma Defense Systems LLC, Perry, Georgia (FA8612-22-D-B065); Terbine, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA8612-22-D-B063); and Vannevar Labs Inc., Palo Alto, California (FA8612-22-D-B064), have been awarded $950,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capabilities across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). These contracts provide awardees the opportunity to compete for efforts within seven different competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. Future work under this multiple-award contract will be competed via the Fair Opportunity process. The locations of performance are to be determined at the contract direct order level and are expected to be complete by May 28, 2025. These awards are the result of fair and open competition. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

ASM Affiliates Inc.,* Carlsbad, California (W91238-22-D-0013); Espinoza Cultural Services LLC,* La Jara, Colorado (W91238-22-D-0014); Far Western Anthropological Research Group Inc.,* Davis, California (W91238-22-D-0015); EAF2JV LLC,* San Antonio, Texas (W91238-22-D-0016); Gulf South Research Corp.,* Baton Rouge, Louisiana (W91238-22-D-0017); Scout-Cardno JV LLC,* Encinitas, California (W91238-22-D-0018); Solv LLC,* McLean, Virginia (W91238-22-D-0019); and Vernadero Group Inc.,* Phoenix, Arizona (W91238-22-D-0020), will compete for each order of the $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for environmental and cultural resources services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 15 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 21, 2027. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity.

Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (W56HZV-22-D-0095); Clogic LLC,* Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (W56HZV-22-D-0096); General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan (W56HZV-22-D-0097); LOC Performance Products LLC, Plymouth, Michigan (W56HZV-22-D-0098); Bigelow Family Holdings LLC, Sterling Heights, Michigan (W56HZV-22-D-0099); Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin (W56HZV-22-D-0100); Strata-G Solutions LLC,* Huntsville, Alabama (W56HZV-22-D-0101); Tevet LLC,* Greeneville, Tennessee (W56HZV-22-D-0102); W.S. Darley & Co.,* Itasca, Illinois (W56HZV-22-D-0103); and Yulista Integrated Solutions LLC,* Huntsville, Alabama (W56HZV-22-D-0104), will compete for each order of the $1,609,581,465 firm-fixed-price contract for vehicle production requirements of the Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2027. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

Norfolk Dredging, Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $9,269,720 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of March 15, 2023. Fiscal 2021 and 2022 civil operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $9,269,720 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-22-C-5012).

ID Technologies LLC, Ashburn, Virginia, was awarded an $8,257,686 firm-fixed-price contract for desktop and laptop computers, peripherals switches, routers, video teleconferencing, voice over internet protocol and accessories. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 23, 2023. Fiscal 2022 revolving funds in the amount of $8,257,686 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W912DY-22-F-0478).