Virtual Ceremony to Mark Pearl Harbor Remembrance

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.

The coronavirus pandemic will keep Pearl Harbor survivors from attending the 79th Commemorative Ceremony remembering those killed in the attack that launched the US into World War II, reports Navy Times. The ceremony today, Dec. 7, will be closed to the public. The event will be live streamed for public viewing at approximately 7:45 am on the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Facebook page and www.pearlharborevents.com.

The US Navy put a pause on MQ-8C Fire Scout operations after two mishaps a few days apart, reports Military.com. One incident occurred in California, the other at Webster Field in St. Inigoes, MD.

Military service members will see a 3% pay raise in January, whether or not President Donald Trump vetoes the annual defense authorization bill, reports Military Times.

The compromise defense policy bill released late last week includes language aimed at preventing a withdrawal from Afghanistan, reports The Hill. Late Thursday in a tweet, President Trump repeated his threat to veto the bill after a bipartisan deal omitted a provision that he demanded, reports Bloomberg, which would strip social media platforms of a legal shield.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) thinks President Trump is bluffing with his threat to veto the defense spending bill if it includes language renaming some military posts that memorialize Confederate heroes from the Civil War, reports The Progress-Index. “I don’t think he’s gonna do it. He probably won’t have a signing ceremony like he usually does. He’ll probably just let it become law, but he’s not going to veto it,” the senator said.

Legislation that would make President Trump’s payroll tax deferral plan optional for federal employees and members of the military received opposition on the Senate floor Thursday, reports Federal Times, preventing a proposed unanimous consent passage and pushing the potential for enactment timeline further back.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, aka the “Black Knights,” has achieved initial operational capability, reports Task & Purpose. The fifth-generation F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters is ready for global combat operations.

The last of three CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter trainers has been declared “ready for training,” and an industry/government team will soon begin training the squadron that will conduct the new helo’s initial operational test and evaluation, reports USNI News. Pilots, crew chiefs, and maintainers from NAVAIR’s Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron (VMX) will conduct IOT&E next year.

 

 

Nine members of the DoD Defense Business Board have been replaced, reports Defense News. Among the newcomers are loyalists to President Trump, including his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. The board consists of up to 25 members. It is supposed to provide nonpartisan information on best business practices to the Pentagon.

Career aviator ADM John “Lung” Aquilino has been nominated to be the new chief of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reports Navy Times. He would replace ADM Phil Davidson.

The Pentagon said it is pulling most US troops out of Somalia on President Trump’s orders, reports Military Times, continuing the push by Trump to shrink US involvement in counterterrorism missions overseas. “While a change in force posture, this action is not a change in US policy,” reads the Defense Department  announcement.

Lexington Park’s ASEC-AVIAN — A2 JV — is calling its recent five-year contract award “a tremendous win for our team,” reports govconwire.com. “Early this past year ASEC and AVIAN formed a joint venture which merges terrific talent from both companies, fully capable of providing the strong support required for the Airborne Systems Integration Division,” said ASEC CEO Vinnie Bellezza.

DoD has not revealed the schedule of when and which service members will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, reports Navy Times, but the distribution will happen quickly when the time comes.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Sunday that “if things are on track, the advisory committee goes well, I believe we could see FDA authorization within days,” referring to a hearing late last week on Pfizer’s vaccine, reports ABC News.

The US Navy announced that a second sailor has died from complications related to COVID, reports USNI News. Builder 2nd Class Nathan Huff Bishop, 33, a U.S. Navy Reserve Seabee assigned to Navy Operational Support Center in Akron, Ohio, died Thursday.

Thirty midshipmen from the US Naval Academy had a chance to see and hear what their naval aviation futures could look like on a field trip to NAS Patuxent River, reports The Tester. The students visited the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 early in November.

Midshipman Sydney Barber will become the first Black woman to be the brigade commander at the Naval Academy, reports The Associated Press. Brigade commander is the top student leadership position. She will represent about 4,400 midshipmen before the academy’s commandant.

Maryland is on track to reach its Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction goals by 2025, reports Maryland Matters, but advocates say the state needs to plant more trees to address stormwater runoff from farms and land development.

Contracts:

DRS Laurel Technologies Inc., Johnstown, Pennsylvania (N63394-21-D-0001); and VT Milcom Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N63394-20-D-0002), are each awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract to sustain the Technical Insertion 2016 equipment. The maximum dollar value for both contracts combined is $211,588,719. DRS Laurel Technologies Inc. is awarded a maximum value contract of $211,588,719. VT Milcom Inc. is awarded a maximum value contract of $188,428,823. This contract will provide for the manufacture, assembly, and testing of Technical Insertion 2016 equipment spares; associated engineering services, procurement, and harvesting; and installation of ordinance alteration kits and related products. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Virginia (10%); Norfolk, Virginia (10%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (10%); Port Hueneme, California (10%); San Diego, California (10%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (10%); Wallops Island, Virginia (10%); Everett, Washington (5%); Honolulu, Hawaii (5%); Kauai, Hawaii (5%); Mayport, Florida (5%); Moorestown, New Jersey (5%); and Yokosuka, Japan (5%), and is expected to be completed by December 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 ($5,000 per contract) will be obligated at time of award to satisfy the minimum guarantee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be made available at the order level as contracting actions occur. This contract was competitively procured via beta.sam.gov with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity.

Southeastern Computer Consultants Inc., King George, Virginia, is awarded a $42,989,767 cost-plus-fixed-fee level of effort task order which shall provide Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) products and services in support of Training Support Activity responsibilities at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. This is a single award, five-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee term level of effort task order that consists of one base year with four option years, which, if all line item quantities are ordered, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,989,767, with an ordering period through December 2025. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (26%); Dahlgren, Virginia (21%); Port Hueneme, California (11%); San Diego, California (8%); Norfolk, Virginia (8%); Mayport, Florida (6%); Bangor, Washington (6%); Kings Bay, Georgia (4%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (4%); Yokosuka, Japan (4%); and the United Kingdom (2%), and is expected to be complete in December 2021, and if all options are exercised, will be complete in December 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funding in the amount of $42,989,767 will be obligated at contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. A sources sought notice was posted to Seaport-NxG on Oct. 2, 2020, and closed on Feb. 24, 2020, to all large and small business primes in Seaport-NxG. In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 5.202 (a)(6), a synopsis is not required if the proposed contract action is an order placed under FAR 16.505, Ordering. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity (N63394-20-F-3006).

Vectrus Mission Solutions Corp., Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $35,510,370 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for logistics support services at Fort Benning, Georgia. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work will be performed in Chattahoochee, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $2,077,440 were obligated at the time of the award. The US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-F-0035).

VS2 LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded a $9,513,800 modification (0001BG) to contract W52P1J-13-G-0029 for logistics support services at Fort Benning, Georgia. Work will be performed in Chattahoochee, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of March 9, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,513,800 were obligated at the time of the award. The US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

BlueForce Inc., Hampton, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,179,677 firm-fixed-price Option Two modification (P00004) to contract FA3002-19-F-A045 for continued support for the Royal Saudi Air Force English language training outside the continental US program. Work will be performed at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to be completed Jan. 3, 2024. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $42,188,737. FMS funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The 338th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Randolph, Texas, is the contracting activity.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $49,914,895 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the modernization of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance science and technology research and development. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 2, 2023. The US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911QX-21-D-0001).