US Weighing Options After Saudi Oil Attacks

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.

Retired VADM John Miller, former 5th Fleet commander, says the US and Saudi Arabia should ratchet up the war in Yemen to hit back at Iran following last weekend’s attacks on Saudi oil facilities, reports Foreign Policy. The Pentagon is urging restraint in the US response to the attacks, arguing against a potentially costly conflict with Iran, reports The Washington Post. President Trump stressed Monday that military retaliation was not yet on the table in response to the strike, reports The Associated Press. By Tuesday, the administration was weighing a range of options for retaliatory action against Iran, NBC News reports.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is readying a “skeleton” version of the 2020 defense policy bill to ensure troops are paid in the event the House committee can’t resolve its differences, reports Defense News.

A recent port visit by the guided-missile destroyer Ramage to Beirut was the first for a US warship in 36 years, reports Military Times. The visit comes at a contentious time in the Middle East where conflict, bolstered by Iranian militants, appears to be spilling out across the region.

Lockheed Martin broke ground in Alabama on a facility to build and test hypersonics, reports AL.com. Russia and China also are actively pursuing these faster-than-sound weapons systems, and the US must top their efforts, said US Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL).

The head of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program will temporarily take over for the company’s aeronautics business while its current leader, Michele Evans, goes on medical leave, Defense News reports.

The US displayed its RQ-4 Global Hawk at the Japanese-American Friendship Festival at Yokota Air Base in Japan last week, reports Stars and Stripes. Since the aircraft often are launched at night, the people living near the base got a chance for an up-close look.

The Air Force might change how it designs and buys planes, reports Federal News Radio. “We’ve gone from having over two dozen vendors who can build a tactical aircraft to two or three,” Will Roper, the service’s assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said. “We’re at the critical point where if we don’t start thinking about the industry base strategically we could collapse to two and then to one.”

The Air Force named its next-generation training jet the T-7A Red Hawk to pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black military aviators who flew during World War II, reports Defense News.

Whidbey Island, WA, residents are concerned about the increased noise as the EA-18G Growlers are conducting training flights nearby, reports The Associated Press. The Navy authorized the Growler program’s expansion in March.

The three credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — have agreed to provide free credit monitoring services to all active duty service members, reports Military Times. 

Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, the top US general for NATO, said he expects increased violence in Afghanistan in the lead-up to that country’s presidential election later this month, reports Military Times.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland’s upcoming oyster season won’t be cut by 10 days at the start and another 10 days at the end, a change to an initial proposal that relieved watermen but concerned critics who support stronger conservation measures. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources said the final regulations are expected to result in a net reduction of about 26 percent to the oyster harvest.

Contracts:

Semper Tek Inc., Lexington, Kentucky (FA8501-19-D-A010); Construction Services Group Inc., Charleston, South Carolina (FA8501-19-D-A011); Kmk Construction Inc., Jacksonville, Florida (FA8501-19-D-A012); Charlton Enterprise Inc., Folkston, Georgia (FA8501-19-D-A013); and York-Brawley JV LLC, Yorktown, Virginia (FA8501-19-D-A014), have been awarded a maximum value of $95,000,000, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, civil engineer multiple award construction contract. This contract supports operational design and construction contract efforts to provide 78th Civil Engineering Group the capability to have design and construction maintained in a short time frame. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by March 30, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 20 offers were received. No funds have been obligated to the contract; task orders will be funded with operations and maintenance funds. The Air Force Material Command Operational Contracting, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia is the contracting activity.

CH2M HILL Inc., Englewood, Colorado, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering (A-E) contract with a maximum amount of $75,000,000 for A-E services involving preparation of studies, plans, specifications, design, reports, cost estimates and all associated engineering services in support of Navy and other Department of Defense (DoD) environmental compliance programs for Navy, Marine Corps and other DoD installations and federal agencies. No task orders are being issued at this time. The work to be performed provides services for, but not limited to, petroleum storage tank and assets compliance, oil preparedness and planning compliance, air quality and Clean Air Act compliance, Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, Clean Water Act compliance (storm water), Clean Water Act Compliance (wastewater) and waste management. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within, but not limited to, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic area of responsibility including California (20%); Virginia (20%); North Carolina (20%); Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (15%); Florida (5%); Maryland (5%); Washington (5%); Georgia (5%); and Texas (5%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-4015).

AH/BC Navy JV LLC, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering (A-E) contract with a maximum amount of $60,000,000 for compliance with Safe Water Act (SDWA), Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance program and all other environmental media regulations to support Navy, Marine Corps, other Department of Defense (DoD) installations and federal agencies worldwide. The work to be performed provides for support of compliance with the SDWA and CWA compliance program and all other environmental media regulations as required. The intent of this contract is to provide comprehensive A-E services to various Navy and other DoD installations/organizations worldwide in order to meet statutory compliance requirements for all applicable overseas environmental baseline guidance document, final governing standards, DoD, federal, state, local and installation-specific environmental laws, regulations, and guidance. This support includes preparation of studies, plans, specifications, design documents, reports, cost estimates and all associated engineering work including, but not limited to, work in SDWA compliance, storm water pollution prevention plans and CWA compliance, industrial pre-treatment/wastewater treatment plans and permit compliance, laboratory work and other miscellaneous environmental compliance services. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps facilities and other government facilities within, but not limited to, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic area of responsibility including, California (15%); Virginia (10%); North Carolina (10%); Florida (10%); Maryland (5%); Washington (5%); Georgia (5%); Far East Asia (5%); and Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (35%). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance, (Navy) (O&M, N) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M, N. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-4001).

Briartek Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N64498-19-D-4033), was awarded an $11,233,400 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with provisions for cost-plus-fixed-fee services and firm-fixed-price supplies to support Man Overboard Indicators (MOBI) ship installations. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (30%); San Diego, California (30%); Mayport, Florida (5%), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (5%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (5%); Marinette, Wisconsin (5%), Everett, Washington (5%); Bremerton, Washington (5%); Yokosuka, Japan (5%); and Sasebo, Japan (5%), and is expected to be completed by September 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the total amount of $37,967 was obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 13, 2019)

Bowhead Mission Solutions LLC, Springfield, Virginia, was awarded a $33,659,910 modification (KX04) to contract W15P7T-12-D-E010 for software and system engineering services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 15, 2024. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.