What’s Next for Federal Contractors?

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.

As the clock ticks down to the end of the Obama era, federal contractors are wondering what’s next? As with any change in a presidential administration, federal contractors will learn to adapt, says washingtontechnology.com.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says he expects a tough road ahead for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to raise defense spending, reports Defense News. Graham was speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. He said Congress will have to deal with the intractable and politically charged problem of statutory budget caps. Washington Examiner, in a special report, says that the defense industry is preparing “for the worst.”

The Los Angeles Times offers an opinion piece on “Why Trump needs James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis.” Trump made it official Monday that Mattis was his choice for DefSec. On Monday, The Hill reports, the Veterans of Foreign Wars said it “makes perfect sense” to appoint Mattis.

The Chicago Tribune reports the Japanese government is hastening to gather information on Mattis, a retired US Marine Corps general. Mattis is said to have had hardly any contact with Japan and his stance toward that country is unknown.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has released a poll that shows Americans are more likely to accept torture and indiscriminate bombing of suspected terrorists today if it means winning the fight against terrorism faster, Daily Beast reports. A 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 58 percent of Americans thought the “use of torture by our government could be justified against people suspected of terrorism to try to gain information about possible attacks in our country,” Newsweek reports.

Breaking Defense reports the first Defense Department-wide electronic warfare strategy is practically finished and will be heading to the defense secretary’s desk. There’s been no comprehensive strategy to guide all of the military branches’ efforts until now.

Northrup Grumman’s reconnaissance drone designed to fly both vertically and horizontally off of small ships has passed a pair of procurement milestones, Defense Systems reports.

ExecutiveGov.com reports that police authorities in Germany have collaborated with Interpol, Europol, US Justice Department, and the FBI to take down an international cyber network that works as a delivery platform to launch malware attacks worldwide.

The US Army is looking for a flame-resistant combat uniform, and a new prototype doesn’t need a topical treatment to protect it from fire. Researchers are developing a wool-blend fabric that is flame-resistant, breathable, and moisture wicking.

Contracts:

Total Logistics Small Business JV, Virginia Beach, Virginia, is being awarded a $55,602,073 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for logistics and technical support services for the Navy and Marine Corps. Services to be provided include planning, analysis, development, training, support equipment management, facilities and execution. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) in the amount of $420,581 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; one offer was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-17-D-0015).

BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is being awarded a $55,766,162 modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-11-C-4407) for USS Wasp (LHD-1) fiscal 2017 planned maintenance availability. A planned maintenance availability includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations, and modifications that will update and improve the ship’s military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 2017. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy); and other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $55,766,162 will be obligated at time of award and $55,285,426 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the administrative contracting activity.

Engineering Support Personnel Inc., Orlando, Florida; Global Technical Services LLC,  Anchorage, Alaska; and Ice Technical Services Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, are being awarded a multiple award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery contract with a shared maximum ceiling of $48,900,000 to provide ground training services support for the operations and maintenance of Marine Corps training ranges. The contract will have a basic ordering period of 40 months not to exceed 52 months. Work will be performed in Camp Pendleton, California (17.5 percent); Miramar, California (2 percent); Yuma, Arizona (5 percent); Bridgeport, California (2 percent); Twenty-nine Palms, California (17.5 percent);  Barstow, California (1 percent); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (17 percent); Cherry Point, North Carolina (2 percent);  Beaufort, South Carolina (1 percent); Parris Island, South Carolina (2 percent); Quantico, Virginia (14 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (3 percent); Albany, Georgia (1 percent); Marine Corps Base Hawaii (7 percent); Okinawa, Japan (6 percent); and Iwakuni, Japan (2 percent). Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance funds (Marine Corps) in the amount of $7,536,103 will be awarded to Engineering Support Personnel Inc. under task order 0001 immediately following contract award and funds will expire the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three proposals received.  Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-17-D-7829, M67854-17-D-7830, and M67854-17-D-7831).

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is being awarded a $40,975,311 modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-14-C-2111) for the advance planning of the refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) of the USS George Washington (CVN 73). This contract modification adds additional supplemental material and increases the level of effort during the second and third years of advance planning. This contract modification also establishes material and level of effort for RCOH pre-planning and shipcheck support of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by August 2017.  Fiscal 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount $33,727,970 will be obligated at time of award and contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.