Technology Lag Biggest Threat to US

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.

Defense News reports the biggest threat to the US is its loss of ground in the technology war. “The time is now for us to come up with a plan,” said Phil Chudoba, assistant director of intelligence for Headquarters Marine Corps. Citing heavy investments by China in artificial intelligence and information-aimed equipment and capabilities he said, “They are leveraging technology in the information space at a rate and at a scale that we are presently unable to match.”

Federal Times reports on Rep. Will Hurd’s (R-TX) efforts to shepherd civilian IT legislation — the Modernizing Government Technology Act — through the National Defense Authorization Act, which heads into a Senate/House conference committee for reconciliation this week. Hurd said the action has bipartisan support, and named Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) as supportive of retaining the provision in the final bill.

The US Dept. of Justice announced Mittesh Das was found guilty of inserting malicious code into US Army computers which required $2.6 million in corrective action. Five of the servers impacted were located at Fort Bragg.

NextGov introduces the 17-year-old who hacked the Air Force at a Pentagon-sponsored bug bounty program that recruited ethical hackers to find security holes. In total, the Air Force  paid out $130,000 for 207 vulnerabilities hackers uncovered in the competition. Jack Cable, the 17-year-old who finished first in the Hack the Air Force event, found more than 30 of those.

Flight Global reports, some F-35s could remain without fully combat-capable software. VADM Mat Winter, head of the F-35 joint program office, said, an early delivery of about 108 F-35s needed at least 150 software modifications to reach full combat capability.

India has nearly 5,000 miles of shoreline and more than 9,000 miles of borders and is actively seeking cutting-edge surveillance systems, which means drones and counter-drones. Nikkei Asian Review reports,  India’s video surveillance market, worth more than $950 million in 2016, is projected to grow at an annual rate of 13- to 18-percent from 2017 to 2023. Despite a national Make it in India campaign, drone companies around the world are showcasing their wares.

Commissary customers soon will be able to use their Military Star credit card to pay for their groceries, reports the Military Times.

Maryland Matters says Gov. Larry Hogan (R) remains broadly popular, according to a newly-released Goucher poll, which shows  62 percent of the survey respondents either approved or strongly approved of the job he is doing. Just 16 percent disapproved or strongly disapproved. That’s a near reverse of Trump’s numbers, which show only 25 percent of Marylanders approved of the job he is doing while 71 percent disapproved. The Marylanders think even less of Congress, just 8 percent approved of the job Congress is doing, while 86 percent disapproved.

Presidential son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner used a private email account to correspond with other administration officials about White House matters, reports Politico. The account was set up last December during the transition and is part of a larger pattern of Trump administration aides using personal email accounts for government business.

Delmarva Now reports on NASA teaming up with the Univ. of Delaware and VIMS to study climate impact on Wallops Island and develop a geological road map to predict how the strip of land will change in the future.

Navy runs for 569 yards in 42-32 win over Cincinnati, reports Navy Times.

Contracts:

Sprint Federal Operations LLC, Reston, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price contract modification for exercising option-year three for continued operation and maintenance of telecommunications fiber in Europe.  The face value of this action is $10,761,660, funded by fiscal 2018 defense working capital funds.  The total cumulative face value of the contract is $215,700,000.  Performance will be at various locations within Europe.  The original solicitation was issued on the basis of other than full and open competition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other type of supplies or services would satisfy agency requirements.  The period of performance is Oct. 1, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2018.  The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1047-15-C-4000-P00017).

AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, has been awarded a $9,999,999 indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery contract for radio frequency simulator hardware and sustainment. This contract provides for simulator units, hardware, and sustainment and technical support services for advanced architecture phase amplitude and time simulators and other simulators from the 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Maryland, This contract involves foreign military sales to multiple countries. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $65,085 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2487-17-D-0052).

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, has been awarded a $10,735,516 contract for Machine Translation for English Retrieval in Any Language program to investigate how machine translation and information retrieval methods can most efficiently be developed and employed to respond to domain-specific information needs against multilingual speech and text data. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 25, 2021. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and eleven offers were received. Fiscal 2016 research and development funds in the amount of $1,950,000 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-17-C-9115).

Valkyrie Enterprises,* Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a $16,600,711 hybrid (cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and firm-fixed-price-level of effort) contract to support the Army watercraft systems. 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 Sept. 27, 2022. U.S Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56JSR-17-D-0014).

American International Contractors Inc., Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,963,000 contract for runway repairs, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Kingdom of Jordan. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 12 received. Work will be performed in Azraq, Zarqa Governorate, Jordan, with an estimated completion date of March 29, 2019. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $19,963,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winchester, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912ER-17-C-0015).

Spalding Consulting Inc.,* Lexington Park, Maryland, has been awarded an $83,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for consolidated information technology support for Navy and Department of Defense components through the entire acquisition life cycle. 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 Sept. 18, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-17-D-1014).

American International Contractors-Archirodon JV,* Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $48,148,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the Mina Salman Pier Replacement project which demolishes four steel jack-up barges and constructs 305 meters of pile supported steel pier at the end of the existing Mina Salman pier. Bids were solicited via the Internet with four received. Work will be performed in Manama, Bahrain, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 22, 2019. Fiscal 2013 and 2016 military construction funds in the amount of $48,148,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Winchester, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W912ER-17-C-0014).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is being awarded $21,243,554 for modification P00004 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-16-C-0026) to procure seven 2103 signal processors; seven Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) Signal Processor Replacement (LSPR) assemblies; 82 0001 advanced threat warning (ATW) sensors; 30 0003 ATW sensors; and seven smart connector assemblies for LSPR in support of the LAIRCM program.  Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (34 percent); Goleta, California (30 percent); Longmont, Colorado (11 percent); Columbia, Maryland (3 percent); various locations in the continental U.S. (19 percent) and various locations outside the continental U.S. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2019.  Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy); research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and other defense agency funds in the amount of $21,243,554 will be obligated at 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.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is being awarded $15,240,542 for cost-plus-award-fee order N6278617F0065 against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-15-G-2303) to provide engineering and management services for the future USS Sioux City (LCS 11) post-shakedown availability.  Lockheed Martin will provide the services in support of 60,000 man-hours level of effort and to provide the work specification, pre-fabrication and material.  Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (73 percent); New York, New York (25 percent); and Marinette, Wisconsin (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by November 2018.  It is anticipated that this award will be incrementally funded.  Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,541,530 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This order was not competitively procured.  The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Bath, Maine, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $28,918,000 for cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification P00020 under a previously awarded contract (N00019-16-C-0033) for the procurement of non-recurring special tooling and special test equipment that are required to meet current and future F-35 production rates.  Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (34.03 percent); Orlando, Florida (20.01 percent); Marietta, Georgia (8.09 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (7.41 percent); Avon, Massachusetts (7.21 percent); Papendrecht, Netherlands (5.37 percent); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (4.91 percent); Camden, New Jersey (3.50 percent); Kjeller, Norway (2.67 percent); Rome, Italy (1.99 percent); El Segundo, California (1.64 percent); Palmdale, California (0.88 percent); Rome, New York (0.88 percent); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (0.69 percent); Grand Rapids, Michigan (0.52 percent); Kongsberg, Norway (0.14 percent); and Tempe, Arizona (0.07 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2021.  Fiscal 2015 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps); non-U.S. Department of Defense (Non-DoD) partners; and foreign military sales (FMS) funds in the amount of $17,109,000 are being obligated at the time of award, $11,582,241 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($9,463,087; 32.72 percent); Navy ($4,731,545; 16.36 percent); Marine Corps ($4,731,545; 16.36 percent); and governments of United Kingdom ($1,069,047; 3.70 percent); Australia ($774,627; 2.68 percent); Turkey ($774,627; 2.68 percent); Italy ($697,236; 2.41 percent); Canada ($503,637; 1.74 percent); Norway ($402,816; 1.39 percent); Netherlands ($286,610; 0.99 percent); and Denmark ($232,412; 0.80 percent); and FMS ($5,250,811; 18.16 percent ), under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $45,418,499 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, non-commercial, undefinitized contract action for fully integrated replacement shelters for transmit array, transmit site monitors and receive site monitors for the Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar system.  Work will be performed in Dallastown, Pennsylvania (50 percent); New Kent, Virginia (11 percent); Premont, Texas (11 percent); Vieques, Puerto Rico (11 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (10 percent); Marlborough, Massachusetts (3 percent); Freer, Texas (2 percent); and Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico (2 percent), and work will be completed by Sept. 2022.  Fiscal 2015 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,815,624 will be obligated (to fund the contract’s minimum amount), and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  One firm was solicited for this sole-source requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The requirement was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with one offer received.  Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-17-D-Z056).

Omega Aerial Refueling Co.,* Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded $43,062,416 for modification P00017 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-13-D-0010) to exercise an option for contractor-owned and -operated aircraft services in support of the Contracted Air Services (CAS) program.  The CAS program provides aerial refueling services for Navy, other Department of Defense and government agencies, the Foreign Military Sales program and government contractors.  Work will be performed at Norfolk, Virginia (45 percent); Victorville, California (35 percent); and at various locations outside the continental U.S. (20 percent).  Work is expected to be completed by September 2018.  Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $22,257,600 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Advanced Integrated Technologies LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0013); Auxiliary Systems Inc.,* Norfolk Virginia (N50054-17-D-0012); Colonna’s Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0011); Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc.,* Reading, Pennsylvania (N50054-17-D-0010); East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0009); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc.,* Portsmouth, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0008); LPI Technical Services Inc.,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0007); Lyon Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0006); Marine Hydraulics International LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0005); and Técnico Corp.,* Chesapeake, Virginia (N50054-17-D-0004), are each being awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for a combined $119,108,407 to provide non-complex emergent and continuous maintenance on surface combatant ships (DDG and CG) and amphibious (LSD, LPD, LHA, and LHD) ships homeported in or visiting Norfolk, Virginia.  Each contractor shall furnish the facilities and human resources capable of completing non-complex emergent and continuous maintenance, repair, and modernization availabilities on surface ships. Each contractor will be awarded one contract to include both surface combatants class ships and amphibious class ships and subsequently compete for each delivery when a requirement is identified.  These contracts include options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative ceiling value to $644,050,296.  These 10 small businesses will have the opportunity to provide offers for individual delivery orders.  Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia; at Naval Station Norfolk; and/or other military and naval facilities within a 50-mile radius of Norfolk, Virginia.  Work is expected to be completed September 2018.  If all options are exercised, work will continue through September 2022.  Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $50,000 ($5,000 minimum guarantee per contract) is obligated under each contract’s initial delivery order and expires at the end of the current fiscal year.  These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 13 offers received.  The Navy’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Mission 1st Group Inc.,* Arlington Virginia, was awarded a $23,319,615 modification (P00012) to contract W52P1J-15-F-0039 for network and communication, engineering and installation support services for U.S. Army Central Command and the 335th Signal Command Theater Provisional in the Central Command area of responsibility. Work will be performed in Kuwait City, Kuwait; Bagram, Afghanistan; and Amman, Jordan; with an estimated completion date of Sept. 24, 2018. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $4,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Co., Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, was awarded a $48,000,000 hybrid (cost, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and firm-fixed-price) contract to support the following systems and subassemblies: AN/UPR-3 – Cooperative Aviation Surveillance Sensor; Avenger/Stinger Man Portable Air Defense System; AN/TPX-57(V)1; AN/TPX-57(V)2; AN/TPX-58(V)1; AN/TPX-59; and ADI KIV-77. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 21, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56JSR-17-D-0018).

ECS Federal LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded an $111,132,813 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for management, development, enhancement, integration, testing, deployment, and maintenance of a secure unclassified network system. Nineteen bids were solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 18, 202. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Adelphi, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QX-17-D-0012).

SRA International Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $12,989,768 bridge modification to task order EL01 under a previously awarded contract (N00178-05-D-4593) that provides critical command, control, communications, and computer systems (C4S) operations support services necessary to ensure operational availability of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) C4S worldwide.  This contract assists MSC N64 in maintaining and merging the physical, financial, contractual, and performance attributes of its information technology (IT) networks and radio frequency communications support investments enabling cost-efficient, timely business decisions. These services include, but are not limited to assisting in developing, documenting, implementing and maintaining IT governance processes relative to shipboard network support (unclassified/classified), afloat network operations center support (unclassified/classified), and backup network operations center support (unclassified/classified). C4S afloat operations support services assists MSC N6 in providing technical support services for the various C4S, communications, navigations, electronic, networking computer and telecommunications systems aboard the MSC fleet of ships worldwide.  The contract also provides subject matter experts in the areas of logistical support and training.  Logistical support includes, but is not limited to positioning individuals around the globe to address MSC needs as they arise.  Training support includes, but is not limited to providing expert training and just-in-time training to Civil Service Mariners assigned to MSC ships in the area of C4S.  Work will be performed in and around Norfolk, Virginia, and work is expected to be completed by March 31, 2018.  Subject to availability, fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $12,989,768 will be obligated at the time of award.  Funds will expire at the end of that fiscal year.  The solicitation was competitively procured and posted to the Seaport-e Multiple Award Contract at the time of task order award.  The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.  Awarded Sept. 15, 2017

L-3 Chesapeake Sciences Corp., Millersville, Maryland, was awarded a $17,206,215 modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-16-C-6251) to exercise options for the production of TB-29X towed array assembly, towed array receiver units, test sets and engineering services.  Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (46 percent); Millersville, Maryland (35 percent); and Ashaway, Rhode Island (19 percent), and is expected to be complete by November 2019.  Fiscal 2017 and 2016 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amounts of $14,087,525 and $287,500 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. 

Vencore Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $22,819,701 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion contract for the research and development of ocean dynamics and prediction oceanography.  Work will be performed at the contractor’s facility at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.  Work is expected to be completed Sept. 14, 2022.  Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $741,951 will be obligated at the time of award.  No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured under Naval Research Laboratory broad agency announcement N00173-17-S-BA01, topic number 73-17-01, Ocean Dynamics and Prediction Oceanography, for which numerous offers were received.  The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00173-17-C-6011).  Awarded Sept. 15, 2017

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00189-17-D-Z051); Altarum Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan (N00189-17-D-Z052); Deloitte & Touche LLP, Arlington, Virginia (N00189-17-D-Z053); and Kennell and Associates Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (N00189-17-D-Z054), was awarded a combined estimated $20,398,936 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee multiple award  contracts that will include terms and conditions for the placement of both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders to provide data analytic services for the systematic examination of operational process efficiencies, populations health management strategies, and the quality of medical care and event outcomes with respect to near- and long-term resource consumption in support of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.  Each contract will run concurrently and each will include a 60-month base ordering period and an optional six-month ordering period.  If all options are exercised, the total estimated value of the contracts combined will be $22,588,606.  Work will be performed at various contractor locations throughout the U.S. (90 percent); and government facilities in Falls Church, Virginia (10 percent).  The ordering period of the contract is expected to be completed by Sept. 2022; if all options are exercised, ordering will be completed by March 2023.  Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (defense health procurement) funds in the amount of $40,000 will be obligated ($10,000 on each of the four contracts to fund the contracts’ minimum amounts) and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504.  The requirement was posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 12 offers received.  Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.  Awarded Sept. 15, 2017

U.S. Marine Management Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $36,070,998 firm-fixed-price contract for the operation and maintenance of seven USNS Bob Hope class surge large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vessels.  This contract includes a 12-month base period, four 12-month option periods and a six-month option, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $196,303,408.  Work will be performed at sea worldwide and is expected to be completed September 2018.  If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2023.  Working capital contract funds in the amount of $27,004,384 are obligated for fiscal 2018, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year.  The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-17-C-3000). Awarded Sept. 15, 2017

ManTech Advanced Systems International Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, is being awarded a $27,220,973 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple award contract to provide training services for tactical afloat shipboard, ashore and submarine command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems.  Support includes development and implementation of training solutions, scheduling of fleet training, and technical training equipment design and installation.  This is one of four multiple-award contracts; all awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period.  This three-year contract includes two one-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the overall, potential value of this contract to $45,822,726.  Work will be performed on ships and land sites worldwide, and work is expected to be completed September 2020.  If options are exercised, work will continue through September 2022.   No funds will be obligated at the time of award.  Funding will be obligated via task orders as they are issued. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The types of funding to be obligated include operations and maintenance (Navy); other procurement (Navy); and research, development, test and evaluation (Navy).  This contract was competitively procured via a request for proposal published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website.  Nine offers were received and four were selected for award.  Space and Navy Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-17-D-0216).