Service Academies Exempt in Affirmative Action Ruling

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.

Military service academies are exempt from the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling on affirmative action that effectively ends that policy at the country’s colleges and universities, reports Military Times. “No military academy is a party to these cases, however, and none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. He cited “the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present” as a reason not to address their admissions practices now.

Corporate America could be the next affirmative action battleground, reports The Boston Globe.

Saturday marked 50 years since the end of the military draft, reports Houston Chronicle.

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the United States earlier this year did not collect any data during its flight, reports Military Times. BRIG GEN Pat Ryder told reporters during a Pentagon briefing Thursday, that the Pentagon’s assessment is “that [the spy balloon] did not collect while it was transiting the United States or overflying the United States. And as we said at the time, we also took steps to mitigate potential collection efforts.” The balloon, however, used commercially available, off-the-shelf technology that was American-made, reports NBC News.

The US Air Force is investigating a mechanical problem aboard an F-35A fighter in flight earlier last month at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, reports Air Force Times.

Lockheed Martin has announced that it has entered an agreement with Firefly Aerospace to launch a small satellite aboard Firefly’s Alpha vehicle, reports SpaceNews. No estimated timeline for the launch was provided. Lockheed Martin is developing a number of self-funded space experiments to demonstrate technologies for government customers.

Lockheed Martin and Red 6 will integrate the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) into the T-50 trainer jet, reports The Defense Post. The Red 6 system is initially targeted for the T-50 program. However, it could eventually serve other Lockheed platforms, such as the F-16, F-22, and F-35.

The US State Department approved the potential sale to the Czech Republic of 24 Lockheed Martin F-35s, as well as other weapons, parts, and equipment, reports Breaking Defense. The deal is estimated to be worth $5.6 billion. In a possible $15 billion deal with Poland, an integrated air and missile defense system that includes the US Army’s 360-degree threat detection sensor, was approved, reports Defense News.

The US also has OK’d a possible foreign military sale to Canada of up to 16 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, reports AeroTime Hub.

How big a threat to US air superiority are Russia’s Su-57 and China’s Chengdu J-20? 19FortyFive reports that these fifth-generation fighters pose a danger to America’s “once-stealth fighter advantage.”

Fort Bliss, TX, soldiers need to rest and recuperate from the stress of military service, according to a June 22 memo from the base’s commanding general, reports Army Times. MAJ GEN James P. Isenhower III said the Army hopes the move will improve soldiers’ resiliency and allow them to return to duty recharged and ready for action. All Fort Bliss soldiers, from enlisted to officers, permanently assigned to the Texas base, will be required to put in for at least 14 days of annual leave starting in October 2023.

The US Navy is halting its plan to force recruiters to work six days a week, reports Navy Times. The Navy had announced the policy change early last week, calling the increased workload “a warfighting imperative.” But by late Friday afternoon, Chief of Naval Personnel VADM Rick Cheeseman announced the six-day work week policy would not be going into effect.

The US Army is preparing to cut some units and restructure others, reports Army Times, in the wake of recruiting challenges for the service. ArmySec Christine Wormuth said efforts are underway to identify and eliminate excess units and restructure some.

The US Marine Corps is on target to meet its active, Reserve recruiting, and retention goals for 2023, reports Marine Corps Times.

The US Air Force’s new T-7 Red Hawk training jet flew for the first time last week, reports Air Force Times. Red Hawks will replace the service’s 6-decade-old T-38 Talon trainers as the main platform that prepares pilots to fly fighter and bomber aircraft.

CMDR Nicholas Green took command of the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 Blackjacks from LT COL Matthew Baumann during a change of command ceremony at NAS Patuxent River last month, reports The Southern Maryland Chronicle.

Naval Support Activity South Potomac welcomed its seventh commanding officer — CAPT David Wilson Jr. — at a ceremony at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren in Virginia last month, reports fredericksburg.com. Wilson takes over from CAPT Todd Copeland.

Personal-finance website WalletHub’s report on “2023’s States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring” puts Maryland’s overall rank at 10th. WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the last 12 months.

Investigators from the US, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom are working on the investigation of the June 18 Titan submersible implosion, reports Hartford Courant. Salvage operations from the sea floor are ongoing, and the accident site has been mapped, according to Coast Guard chief investigator CAPT Jason Neubauer. “My primary goal is to prevent a similar occurrence by making the necessary recommendations to advance the safety of the maritime domain worldwide,” he said. The final report will be issued to the International Maritime Organization.

James Muldoon was recently honored by the US Coast Guard Foundation for his commitment to Annapolis-based Brendan Sailing and DC Sail, along with other boating achievements, reports Southern Maryland News.

Contracts:

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, is awarded a $26,558,279 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00117) to a previously awarded contract (N0001916C0002). This modification increases the contract value to extend the period of performance in support of Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) Mid-Band (MB) engineering and manufacturing development, as well as add scope to provide software support, to include management, design, development, test, and delivery for NGJ-MB software systems for the Navy and the government of Australia. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California (93.2%); McKinney, Texas (4.2%); Fort Wayne, Indiana (1.6%) and Patuxent River, Maryland (1.1%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2023 Royal Australian Air Force cooperative funds in the amount of $21,246,622 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Techflow Mission Support LLC., doing business as EMI Services, Idaho Falls, Idaho, is awarded a $17,918,505 firm-fixed-price modification to indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N62470-21-D-0002 for base operating support services at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $53,062,210. Work will be performed in Maryland, and will be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy); Defense Health Program, and fiscal 2023 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $14,073,693 will be obligated at time of award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

eSimplicity Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland, is awarded a $40,770,144 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide spectrum technical support services to the Navy and Marine Corps Spectrum Center that will include planning, retention, protection, and effective use of electromagnetic spectrum resources in support operations to the Department of the Navy. The contract will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option pursuant of Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 – option to extend services which, if exercised, will bring the total estimated value to $45,047,839. The base ordering period is anticipated to begin August 2023 and is expected to be completed by July 2028; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by January 2029. Work will be performed in Fort Meade, Maryland (50%); and Silver Spring, Maryland (50%). Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated to fund the contract’s minimum amount, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on SAM.gov as a total small business set-aside requirement with seven offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-23-D-Z025).

VSE Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $565,025,276. This contract provides supplemental depot capability for the C-5 aircraft. Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by June 29, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2023 transportation working capital funds in the amount of $43,239,665 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8525-23-D-0001).

AAR Government Services Inc., Wood Dale, Illinois (FA8609-23-D-B001); Aeroforge Inc., Puyallup, Washington (FA8609-23-D-B002); The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington (FA8609-23-D-B003); Hurricane Electronics Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida (FA8609-D-B004); Industrial Automation Inc., Seattle, Washington (FA8609-23-D-B005); NDT Solutions LLC., New Richmond, Wisconsin (FA8609-D-B006); Source One Spares LLC, Houston, Texas (FA8609-23-D-B007); Sunbelt Design & Development Inc., San Antonio, Texas (FA8609-D-B008); VC Displays Inc., Brooksville, Florida (FA8609-23-D-B009); and VSE Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (FA8609-22-D-B010), have been awarded a ceiling value of $485,000,000 firm-fixed-price, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for the KC-46 support equipment. This contract provides for ground-based support equipment to support the Air Force and Foreign Military Sales KC-46 fleets. Work will be performed in US government and foreign partner main operating bases and is expected to be completed by June 28, 2033. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition, and 10 offers were received. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright‐Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $12,377,686 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop the specification, selection, and procurement of a new hammer mill and associated ancillary equipment. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2025. Fiscal 2023 ammunition procurement, Army funds in the amount of $12,377,686 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W519TC-23-F-0114).

Red River Technology LLC, Claremont, New Hampshire, is awarded $71,851,506 for a firm-fixed-price delivery order as a result of the NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Request for Quote 271913. The Cisco Enterprise License Support Agreement provides hardware and software that will support the Defense Health Agency infrastructure by providing Military Health System users a single, reliable, stable, and secure network to exchange and process information across the medical enterprise. The licenses will support the entire Defense Health Agency infrastructure to include wide area network, local area network (LAN), and wireless LAN. This also reinforces the support required for network modernization that aligns to the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Zero Trust mandate. The protections provided also continues to enable the support for the infrastructure providing access to the MHS’s single electronic health record, MHS GENESIS. This task order provided a fair opportunity with three offers received. This is a five-year contract with an estimated delivery to begin on June 30, 2023. Task Order HT001523F0079 will be funded with fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,370,301 for the base year will be obligated at the time of award. Place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. The Defense Health Agency Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity.

CGI Federal Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded a $49,681,780 contract for enhancing the functionality, capability, capacity, and resiliency of the US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). This contract provides USSTRATCOM with agile and innovative research, development, and sustainment of new and existing hardware, systems, and software capability enabling operational robustness of the Global Integration Enterprise. Work will be performed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance; and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,446,691 are being obligated at the time of award. The 55th Contracting Squadron is the contracting activity at Offutt AFB, Bellevue, Nebraska (FA4600-23-F-0044). (Awarded June 28, 2023)

NetCentric Technologies LLC, Wall, New Jersey (HT001523D0001); A1FedImpact LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (HT001523D0002); DecisiveInstincts LLC, Vienna, Virginia (HT001523D0003); Eagle Integrated Services LLC, San Antonio, Texas (HT001523D0004); ITC-DE LLC, doing business as dotIT, Vienna, Virginia (HT001523D0005); and Beat LLC, doing business as Business Enabled Acquisition and Technology LLC, San Antonio, Texas (HT001523D0006) were awarded a global multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling value of $2,400,000,000 dollars to provide support for non-personal standardized enterprise information technology support services to medical treatment facilities and other lines of business. This contract will acquire IT services across the Defense Health Agency enterprise supporting medical treatment facilities and other lines of business in the continental U.S. and outside the continental US Global service providers (GSP) are contractors that perform a wide variety of IT tasks and services to standardize and provide robust information technology support at medical treatment facilities and other lines of business. GSP services may augment enterprise capabilities. The contractor will provide the expertise, technical knowledge, staff support, and other related resources necessary. The nine GSP scope areas include: IT Service Desk; Database, Application, and Web Development; Identity Management and Desktop Support; Data Center Operations; Information Assurance; Network Operations; Telecommunications; Clinical Informatics; and Information Business Operations. The total small business set aside solicitation provided a fair opportunity for competition, with 39 offers received. The ordering period of this contract will be 10 years, comprised of one five-year base ordering period and one five-year option ordering period. The contract will allow the use of firm-fixed-price and labor hour type task orders, as is appropriate for commercial services of this kind. The place of performance will be worldwide and annotated on each task order awarded. The Defense Health Agency, Enterprise Medical Services Contracting Division, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity.

Jacobs Government Services Co., Washington, DC (W912ER-23-F,-0071); HKS Inc., Dallas, Texas (W912ER-23-F-0072); M. Arthur Gensler & Associates Inc., Washington, DC (W912ER-23-F-0066); Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Washington, DC (W912ER-23-F-0070); WSP USA Solutions Inc., Washington, DC (W912ER-23-F-0068); and Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum PC, Washington, DC (W912ER-23-F-0069), will compete for each order of the $700,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architecture-engineer design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2028. US Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, Winchester, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

AICI-Archirodon Construction Co. Ltd. JV, McLean, Virginia (W912ER-23-D-0003); Al Hamra Kuwait WLL, Kuwait City, Kuwait (W912ER-23-D-0005); Dogus Construction and Trade Co., Sariyer, Turkey (W912ER-23-D-0006); Gilbane Federal- Yuksel Insaat A.S. JV, Concord, California (W912ER-23-D-0007); MVL Saudi Builders Group, Lansing, Michigan (W912ER-23-D-0008); and Perini Management Systems Inc., Framingham, Massachusetts (W912ER-23-D-0018), will compete for each order of the $449,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for design build, design-bid-build, site adapt, and operation construction activities. 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 June 29, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $92,455,111 modification (000837) to contract W52P1J-11-D-0013 for MK90 grain. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 28, 2024. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Peraton, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $17,247,304 modification (P00022) to contract W91RUS-19-F-0248 for information technology services and support. Work will be performed in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, Germany, with an estimated completion date of April 18, 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds, in the amount of $11,570,963 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $16,566,431 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for assessing, procuring and applying/demonstrating automation upgrades to two area of solventless rocket propellant grain production. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Radford, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. Fiscal 2023 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $8,283,216 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W519TC-23-F-0341).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Radford, Virginia, was awarded a $12,687,687 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of non-standard ammunition. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2024. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W519TC-23-F-0299).

Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $9,146,733 modification (P00289) to contract W58RGZ-19-C-0025 for worldwide aviation maintenance. Work will be performed in Kuwait; and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,146,733 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Metron Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $31,872,180 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N6523623C8020) for a Joint Mission Planning System. The end product delivered will be an integrated Mission Planning System for the Joint Force. The contract includes a 10-month base period for a risk reduction effort starting in 2023, followed by three 12-month option periods for spiral developments for a total period of performance of 46 months. The option periods, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $81,650,955. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,523,457 will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia (94%); Honolulu, Hawaii (3%); San Diego, California (1%); Oceanside, California (1%); and Okinawa, Japan (1%), with performance through April 2027 if all options are exercised. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 US Code 3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other services will satisfy agency requirements (Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1). Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity.

DSA LLC, Gadsden, Alabama, is awarded a $10,365,515 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N40080-20-D-0303 for grounds maintenance and snow removal at installations within Naval District Washington, Washington, DC. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $40,672,888. Work will be performed in Maryland (34%); Washington, DC (56%); and Virginia (10%); and will be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,578,231 will be obligated at time of award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.