March 29, 2024

Weather, Climate Disasters Taking Toll on Guard

Guard
Trees burn within eyesight of a California National Guard hand crew with Joint Task Force 578 during the Dixie Fire, in August 2021, in Northern California. The task force is part of the mutual aid system in support of CAL FIRE. (US Army National Guard photo by 1st Sgt. Harley Ramirez)

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Morning Coffee logoeconomic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Climate change is running the National Guard ragged, reports Task & Purpose. An increase in man hours spent fighting wildfires is just one example of how record-breaking weather and climate disasters are impacting the National Guard, which often responds to wildfires and hurricanes all over the country.

Officials from some Western states are sounding an early alarm about a coming wildfire season that could be exacerbated by an ongoing drought, reports The Hill. They warn that fires that were once confined to hot and dry summer months are starting earlier as well as continuing later into the year.

Wildfires all across the world helped fuel global forest losses in 2021, reports The Washington Post. According to a satellite-based survey by the University of Maryland and Global Forest Watch, the Earth saw more than 97,500 square miles of tree cover vanish last year.

Some Capitol Hill lawmakers are concerned that recent military recruiting difficulties might be an omen of personnel shortfalls to come, reports Military Times. But Pentagon leaders said recruiting challenges are not at that level of threat yet.

US President Joe Biden is expected to visit a Lockheed Martin facility in Alabama on Tuesday, reports The Hill, to spotlight the US’ Ukraine response. Lockheed’s Troy facility manufactures weapon systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles.

Boeing officials said the company added $1 billion in new charges so far in 2022 for the Air Force One (VC-25B) replacement and the T-7 Red Hawk training jet programs, reports Breaking Defense. Overruns for the Air Force One program were attributed to “higher supplier costs, higher costs to finalize technical requirements, and schedule delays.” Boeing CEO David Calhoun said Boeing cut a bad deal with former President Donald Trump when it agreed to produce two new Air Force One jets for $3.9 billion, reports Fox2Now.

Twenty-two-year-old Willy Joseph Cancel, a US Marine Corps veteran, was killed alongside Ukrainian forces in the war with Russia, reports Navy Times. Cancel’s death is the first known death of an American citizen fighting in Ukraine.

The US Cyber Command has a new deputy. Pending Senate confirmation, LT GEN Timothy Haugh, currently the commander of the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), would replace LT GEN Charles Moore, reports Defense News.

A group of lawmakers wants to bring the US Space Force’s training headquarters to the Space Coast in Florida, reports Stars and Stripes. Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County is one of six locations being considered for the headquarters, which is temporarily at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.

The Air Force Academy will have its first permanent professor who is a member of the Space Force, reports Military.com. Air Force COL Luke Sauter will head the academy’s astronautics department,

A Russia-US prisoner exchange has led to the release of US Marine veteran Trevor Reed, jailed in Moscow in 2019 for allegedly assaulting a police officer, reports The Associated Press. The US released a Russian pilot serving a sentence for drug smuggling.

 

 

China protested the sailing of the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer Sampson through the Taiwan Strait last week, reports Navy Times, accusing the US of “hyping the maneuver.”

Lockheed Martin said its testing on the Sentinel A4 radar should be completed in May, and it will send the first five systems to the US Army, reports Breaking Defense. The company said it is ahead of schedule on producing the air and missile defense radar.

The Navy’s next increment of its air-launched, ship-killing missile will be a hypersonic weapon called HALO, short for Hypersonic Air-launched OASuW (Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Weapon), reports Breaking Defense. HALO is the second major hypersonic weapon program the Navy is undertaking.

The US Army will decide whether it will further pursue a hybrid version of the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle in fiscal 2023, reports Defense News. The service has been working to develop a hybrid Bradley for several years and will wrap up the process through a series of tests in FY22.

A new challenge for the Army is total soldier fitness, and that includes getting plenty of sleep. Soldiers need to learn the discipline of “tactical naps,” reports Army Times. A tactical nap is about a 20-minute power nap that soldiers should be encouraged to implement when needed. Sleep expert MAJ Allison Brager discussed the need for sleep at the service’s second annual Holistic Health and Fitness.

Seventy percent of the 3,400 troops who involuntarily separated from service for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine received general discharges, reports Military Times. That lets them keep their veterans benefits and, in many cases, allows them to rejoin the military if they decide to get vaccinated.

The Fleet Readiness Center East V-22 team earned awards for efficiency, safety, and quality of work, reports WITN NBC7. FRCE’s V-22 Aircraft Integrated Product Team earned the 2022 NAVAIR Commander’s Award for Best Performing Fleet Readiness Center/Integrated Product Team, and V-22 branch head Andrew Rock was named Most Collaborative IPT Lead.

More wind turbines are still on track east of Virginia Beach, VA, reports Richmond Times-Dispatch. Dominion Energy has plans for 176 new turbines. That is roughly one for each square mile in the area it is leasing from the federal government over the next 30 years.

Among the nine winners of the 2022 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards was Spring Valley Glenbrook Road remedial action in Washington, DC, the Defense Department announced. The US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District said the project cleaned up and restored the residential property that had contained one of the most unique burials of discarded World War I experimental chemical warfare agents known in the US.

Beltsville, MD, will be the home of the new Bureau of Engraving and Printing production facility, reports Maryland Matters. The facility will be built on the current site of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George’s County. It will replace one in Washington, DC, near the Holocaust Museum, that is more than 100 years old.

Contracts:

Business Enabled Acquisition & Technology-Abacus Technology Corporation LLC, San Antonio, Texas (W91RUS-22-D-0002, P00000); A&T Systems Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland (W91RUS-22-D-0003, P00000); Advanced IT Concepts Inc., Winter Springs, Florida (W91RUS-22-D-0004, P00000); Full Spectrum LLC, Fairfax Station, Virginia (W91RUS-22-D-0005, P00000); Futron Inc., Woodbridge, Virginia (W91RUS-22-D-0006, P00000); GC&E Federal LLC, Peachtree Corners, Georgia (W91RUS-22-D-0007, P00000); Global Management Systems Inc., Rockville, Maryland (W91RUS-22-D-0008, P00000); Gstek Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia (W91RUS-22-D-0009, P00000); Information Systems Solutions Inc., Rockville, Maryland (W91RUS-22-D-0010, P00000); Leader Communications Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (W91RUS-22-D-0011, P00000); Link Solutions Inc., McLean, Virginia (W91RUS-22-D-0012, P00000); MilVets System Technology Inc., Orlando, Florida (W91RUS-22-D-0013, P00000); Oneida Technical Solutions LLC, Oneida, New York (W91RUS-22-D-0014, P00000); People, Technology & Processes LLC, Tampa, Florida (W91RUS-22-D-0015, P00000); Vision Information Technology Consultants LLC, San Antonio, Texas (W91RUS-22-D-0016, P00000); and Chartis Consulting Corporation, Mclean, Virginia (W91RUS-22-D-0017, P00000), will compete for each order of the $990,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for services that will include activities in support of all aspects of information and communication systems for the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with 31 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 28, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Melwood Horticultural Center, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was awarded a $113,798,134 firm-fixed-price contract for base operations and maintenance support services at Fort Meade, Maryland. 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 April 30, 2027. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-22-D-0013).

Accenture Federal Services, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $64,702,289 modification (P00013) to contract W52P1J-20-C-0005 to exercise Option Period 1 for the Unified Enterprise Resource Planning Capability Support Services contract. 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 April 30, 2023. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $9,073,528 firm-fixed-price contract to integrate the ServiceNow platform and related IT and non-IT related service desk modules for US Army Intelligence and Security Command. 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 April 27, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan is the contracting activity. (W50NH9-22-F-0049).

The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded an $18,125,732 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded task order N4008520F6537 placed against contract N40085-20-D-0036. This modification provides for the construction of a fourth-floor addition and west elevator to the Waterfront Support Facility, Building 178, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Award of this modification brings the total cumulative contract value to $87,000,389. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance, (Navy) funds in the amount of $18,125,732 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic, Officer in Charge of Construction Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is the contracting activity.

Akima Support Operations LLC, Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $15,842,383 contract for non‐personal services for continued operational support and civil engineering services on MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Work is expected to be completed by April 30, 2023. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,842,383 are being obligated at the time of award. The 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4814‐ 17‐C‐0002). (Awarded April 28, 2022)

Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $15,037,107 contract for radio detection and ranging (RADAR) support for the Battlespace Command and Control Center-Theater, surveillance and tracking RADAR processors and associated equipment dispersed throughout US Central Command. Work will be performed in Suffolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2027. This contract was a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,345,358 will be obligated at award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-22-C-0014).

Centauri LLC, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,943,626 cost-plus-fixed-fee completion type contract for broadening the impact of High-Performance Computing (HPC) by providing improved, secure access to HPC-backed resources and productivity tools. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by May 4, 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 11 offers were received. Fiscal 2022 research and development funds in the amount of $416,010 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-22-C-0014).

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $93,012,415 undefinitized modification (P00014) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0001919C0074). This modification adds scope to procure special tooling and test equipment in support of electronic warfare capabilities for F-35 Lightning II low rate initial production for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (99%); and Baltimore, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in November 2024. Fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $12,485,390; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,485,390; and non-US DoD participant funds in the amount of $20,605,302 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.

Conquest USA Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a maximum value $20,019,805 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for rigid paving construction services in Hampton Roads, Virginia. An initial task order in the amount of $5,000 is being issued to fulfill the minimum guarantee. Work will be performed in the Hampton Roads area and is expected to be completed by April 2027. Fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by working capital (Navy) funds; and operation and maintenance (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website, with one proposal received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-22-D-0033).

Global Technical Systems, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $7,716,039 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-5132 to exercise options for follow-on Battle Force Tactical Training (BFTT) Operator Console (BOPC), T46E, and T52A production, engineering and technical support, material and travel. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2023. Fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,233,338 (78%); fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $693,052 (17%); and fiscal 2022 other command funds in the amount of $231,017 (5%) 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, DC, is the contracting activity.

Systems Engineering Inc., Dulles, Virginia, is being awarded a non-competitive, firm-fixed-price, General Services Administration federal supply schedule contract order. The total value of this contract is $14,793,404. Under this follow-on contract, the contractor will provide all labor, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 201-2 Compliant Systems, and management necessary to provide maintenance and installation of access control systems, intrusion detection systems, closed circuit televisions, photographic badging equipment, intercom systems, and turnstiles for Missile Defense Agency and Space and Missile Defense Command facilities. The work will be performed in the National Capital Region; Dahlgren, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Ft. Greely, Alaska; Huntsville, Alabama; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; and Ft. Bliss, Texas. The performance period is May 2022 through April 2027. This contract was procured via required source, General Services Administration. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $773,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0867-22-F-0005).

UPDATE: Federal Resources Supply Co., Stevensville, Maryland (SPE8EC-22-D-0007), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for commercial portable power equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0010 and awarded Dec. 10, 2018.

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