Surveys Ensure Better-fitting Gear for Soldiers, Marines

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

NATICK, Mass. – When it comes to combat clothing and gear, size matters for the folks at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center here.

It’s not simply a matter of a tailored military appearance, explained Claire C. Gordon, a senior research scientist who specializes in biological anthropometry, the study of body height, weight and size.

“If you go into combat with a chemical protective ensemble or body armor that doesn’t fit, you are at higher risk,” Gordon said. “The mildest thing that could happen is that it will impair your physical performance because it doesn’t fit you well, so your biomechanics are off. The worst thing that can happen is that it can increase your risk of injury.”

Gordon understands the link between military body size and shape and the mission like few others. Everything a soldier wears, carries, flies, drives, rides in, works in and sleeps in depends on anthropometry, she said.

Recognizing its importance, Gordon designed and oversaw a 1988 Army survey that provided a representative sample of the force for the Natick center’s anthropometric database. That database provided the standards used to design everything from military clothing and protective equipment to combat vehicles, aircraft and weapons systems.

It ensured, for example, that the Army was inventorying the correct number of clothing and personal protective items in the correct sizes to accommodate its members.

Buyers for civilian department stores use the same principle, Gordon explained, but with one big exception. “Commercial providers can choose to fit only a subset of the market, or a target market,” she said. “The military has to fit 90 percent of the population right off the shelf, with no customization.” For life-protecting equipment, that percentage increases to as high as 98 percent to support quick-deploying forces, she said.

Yet when the Army started deploying troops to Iraq in 2003, officials were puzzled when they began running low on larger-size chemical-biological protective suits. The Marine Corps ran into a similar predicament with body armor.

As it turned out, ground troops needed larger-size clothing and equipment than expected because they were larger and heavier than the services had realized.

A 2007 Army pilot study conducted at Fort McCoy, Wis., and Fort Hood, Texas, revealed the extent of the problem. Between 1988 and 2007, the average active-duty male soldier was 11 pounds heavier, weighing in at just over 184 pounds. He measured 1.8 inches more around the chest, 2.3 inches more around the waist and 1.6 inches more around the hips.

The smaller sample of active-duty female soldiers in the pilot study showed similar results.

The Army experienced the greatest spike, but Gordon said the phenomenon crosses every military service. “The trend of increasing weight without increasing stature is there – not just in the Army, but also in the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps,” she said.

Gordon cited factors that could have an impact: the military’s changing ethnic composition and a nationwide obesity epidemic, among them. “Compared to the civilian population, we are still lower [in weight],” she said. “But we are in parallel, in terms of the increases we have had.”

Whatever the reasons, Gordon said, it became clear that the Army could no longer depend on data from its 1988 anthropometric study to clothe, protect and equip today’s and tomorrow’s soldiers. As she was laying plans for a new survey, the Marine Corps decided it wanted one for its members, too.

The surveys were conducted using representative samples of each service, with evaluators taking 94 measurements on every participant, as well as three-dimensional whole-body, head-and-face and foot scans, Gordon explained.

In conducting what Gordon called “the most comprehensive anthropometric data set to ever be collected by the Army,” evaluators took measurements of 13,000 soldiers from 57 units at 12 bases in seven states. The survey group included 5,000 soldiers from the active-duty ranks, 2,000 Army reservists, 5,000 National Guardsmen and 1,000 aviators from both active and reserve components.

The Marine Corps survey included almost 2,000 Marines at Quantico, Va., Camp Lejeune, N.C., and Camp Pendleton, Calif. Just under one-third of the participants were female, and, as in the Army study, those selected for the survey were broken down by age, racial and ethnic background and career path to reflect current and future demographic projections.

Both surveys are now completed, with final reports expected within the next six months, Gordon said.

Preliminary conclusions from the Marine Corps survey show that while heights have remained relatively stable for the past two decades, body weight and related body circumferences have increased significantly in both men and women, she reported.

While the body size change in Marines is similar to that in soldiers and U.S. civilians, Marines haven’t experienced the same level of weight gain, she said. Initial findings show that the typical weight increase for male and female Marines was about 3.4 and 3.6 pounds, respectively.

As the final reports are being compiled, data revealed by the surveys already is being incorporated into military programs, reported Cynthia Blackwell, the project leader.

The result, she said, will go a long way toward promoting readiness. “It is critical for service members to have perfectly fitting clothing and gear in order for them to maneuver, move, shoot, communicate and survive,” she added.

It can make the difference, she said, in how they shoulder a weapon or get a site picture on a target, how they and their equipment load into and exit a combat vehicle, and if pilots can properly adjust their seat to ensure safety in a military aircraft.

“So it is not just about having nice-looking clothing,” Blackwell said. “It is for the health and safety and welfare of our service members, and anthropology is a key part of that. It’s foundational in everything we do.”

War Yields Lessons in Preventing, Treating Eye Injuries

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2012 – Ten years of conflict has given rise, not only to the world’s best body armor and state-of-the-art battlefield technologies, but also a new understanding about ways to prevent eye injuries and treat those who suffer from them.

When the war in Afghanistan kicked off in 2002, ballistic goggles were hard to come by in the military supply system and combat troops rarely wore them, Army Col. (Dr.) Donald Gagliano, executive director of the Vision Center of Excellence, told American Forces Press Service.

As improvised explosive devices became the enemy’s weapons of choice, eye injuries soared, affecting as many as 29 percent of all battlefield casualties, Gagliano estimated. So as the military began introducing improved body and head protection, ensuring troops had and wore ballistic glasses also became a top priority.

Eye injuries initially dropped, Gagliano reported, but as IEDs and high-energy blast waves become increasingly powerful, eye injuries continued to take their toll. So as part of its charter, the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs Vision Center of Excellence is focusing on ways to prevent injuries and improve the care and rehabilitation for wounded warriors.

In addition to exploring these areas, the center is promoting research that could one day restore vision to those who have lost it, Gagliano reported.

Eye prosthetics are likely to be a decade or more away, but Gagliano said he’s optimistic that initiatives under way will bear fruit. In the meantime, Gagliano and his deputy, Dr. Mary Lawrence, offered several suggestions to help prevent battlefield eye injuries and ensure the best outcome when they occur:

-- Wear ballistic eye protection. While not completely eliminating eye injuries, they greatly reduce their occurrence, particularly against fragments. One of the programs at the Center of Excellence is exploring improvements to existing ballistic eye protection devices.

-- Avoid wearing contact lenses in combat environments, particularly in dirty, sandy areas. In addition to the high risk of infection, wearers risk exposure to flying fragments from explosions or weapons fire.

-- Consider refractive surgery to improve vision problems and eliminate the need for corrective glasses or contact lenses.

-- Don’t apply pressure to the eye area when providing battlefield care for a comrade suspected of having an eye injury. Pressure may be the appropriate treatment to some wounds, but in the case of eye injuries, it can cause severe complications and even blindness.

-- Apply a Fox Eye Shield, if available, over the eyes of any patient suspected of having an eye injury. Fox Eye Shields are now included in every Air Force and Marine Corps individual first aid kit, and the Army is expected to begin adding eye shields to its kits soon. If one of these metal devices isn’t immediately available, Lawrence recommended using another rigid surface such as the bottom of a coffee cup or even knee pads or elbow pads and taping it over the patient’s eyes.

Vision has a major impact on military readiness as well as quality of life, Gagliano emphasized.

“If you can’t see, you can’t fight,” he said. “And the bottom line is, that makes not only you, but also your entire unit, vulnerable.”

Sailors and Marines Invade Eisenhower Park from the Skies

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Donisha Burns, Fleet Week New York Public Affairs

NEW YORK (NNS) -- The sea services kicked off Memorial Day weekend in Nassau County by hosting a joint air and ground demonstration May 28, at Eisenhower Park, East Meadows, N.Y.

This successful event was just part of many of the exciting activities taking place as part of Fleet Week New York 2011, a celebration of the sea services that has been a tradition in the city since 1984. This demonstration allowed Sailors and Marines to display how tactics and technology has evolved. In return, the local community shook hands, took pictures and even received a few autographs from those in uniform.

"I had a great time, me and my friend even got soldiers to sign our shirt," said eight-year old, John Ranize.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit 12 of Virginia Beach, Va., conducted a rappel demonstration before landing and allowing tours and photo opportunities of their MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter.

"This is perfect. I didn't expect we would be able to get on the helicopter or shake hands with the service members," said Ashish Chatur.

Following the Navy's EOD team, Marines from various units flew in a pair of AH-1W Cobras and MV-22B Ospreys. After landing the Marines conducted basic offloading tactics and showed spectators the proper wear of body armor and how to hold and operate some of the weapons systems.

Michael Counadis, a New Jersey native who usually spends his Memorial Day weekend in South Jersey watching the Air Show changed his plans this year. "This is my first time coming out, I'll rate it a 10, besides my nephew, Pvt. Milton is a part of the celebration this time," said Counadis.

After 24 years, Fleet week continues to be an unparalleled opportunity for Sea Service members and the citizens of New York and surrounding tri-state area to meet and share experiences.

Program Collects Protective Equipment to Save Lives

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2011 – A joint program charged with collecting the personal protective equipment of soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines killed in action is working to save future warfighters’ lives.

The Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injury in Combat Program links the Defense Department medical, intelligence, operational and materiel-development communities.

Known as JTAPIC, the program is part of DOD’s Medical Research Program for the Prevention, Mitigation and Treatment of Blast Injuries, established in 2006. JTAPIC was created the same year.

The two organizations work together to integrate combat, medical and materiel-analysis information to prevent and mitigate future warfighter injuries by changing tactics or improving equipment, John Uscilowicz, the program’s deputy manager, told American Forces Press Service.

The goal, Uscilowicz said, is to better understand warfighter vulnerabilities to threats and guide the improvement of tactics, techniques and procedures on the battlefield. Program partners include the Army National Ground Intelligence Center, the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, Program Executive Office Soldier, the Army Research Laboratory, the Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, the Army Institute of Surgical Research, the Maneuver Center of Excellence Naval Health Research Center, and the Marine Corps Systems Command.

The work starts on the battlefield, Uscilowicz explained, with an event that kills or injures warfighters. Information flows from after-action reports to the program’s operational intelligence partners, he said, “who gather as much information from the field as possible” about mounted operations and dismounted patrols.

Back at the program office, medical information is matched to data about the combat injuries and what personal protective equipment the warfighter was wearing at the time.

A critical element of the data gathering involves getting damaged personal protective equipment back from the battlefield and examining it along with the combat and medical data, Uscilowicz said.

“This has proven to be a real challenge,” he said.

For soldiers killed in action, body armor sometimes comes back with them to the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. For others, or for those who are wounded or fired on and hit but protected by their body armor, collection teams in Afghanistan and a few left in Iraq help to get the damaged equipment back to the United States for analysis.

At Program Executive Office Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Va., Army Col. William Cole, program manager for soldier clothing and individual equipment, is a JTAPIC partner.

“We partner with JTAPIC when the equipment is returned to the states, either at Dover or to the Mortuary Affairs Effects Collection Center at Aberdeen,” Cole said. “When the protective equipment is evacuated to them, they can look at it first and compare what happened with the equipment [to] what happened to the body. Afterward, they let us have the equipment to do further analysis.”

For example, he said, analysts perform a metallurgical analysis on any fragments in the equipment and look at X-rays and CAT scans of the equipment.

Advertising in dining halls, mailrooms and convenience shops helps to increase success in collecting the protective equipment, Cole said.

“We don’t expect to get 100 percent of the damaged equipment back from the field, just because of the nature of war,” he said. “It’s always somewhat chaotic, and leaders on the ground have to make decisions about where to place their priorities.

“Getting every last bit of protective equipment back isn’t realistic,” Cole added, “but I think the more we can advertise it and the more we can explain to soldiers how the things we learn help us make even better equipment in the future, the more successful we will be.”

In Aberdeen, Md., Natalie Eberius is an analyst at the warfighter survivability branch of the Army Research Laboratory’s survivability and lethality analysis directorate. Her group also is a JTAPIC partner.

“Our group, in addition to doing materiel analysis, is what you call personal vulnerability experts,” she said. “We understand injuries and what it takes to get certain injuries. We’re able to take that data and make it make sense.”

Every four weeks, the partners meet to evaluate and learn from events that have occurred for mounted and dismounted warfighters since their last meeting, Eberius said.

“Right now,” she added, “we’re working on a program that is trying to provide body armor protection to a particular region of the body. The soldiers are engaged in a specific threat that is causing very specific injuries, so we’re looking at solutions that could mitigate those injuries and help trauma doctors treat those who are injured.”

On the mounted warrior side of the effort, she said, “one of the things we’re able to do through the JTAPIC program is to look at survivability benefits of adding specific armor enhancements or enhancements to a vehicle.”

Program results for combat vehicles include better seat design, blast-mitigating armor and fire-suppression systems. JTAPIC also has helped to improve personal protective equipment, tactics and procedures, as well as models and simulations.

One procedural improvement that came from the partnership’s deliberations, Eberius said, was to begin providing medics with scissors that can cut through body armor.

“It seems like a simple thing unless you’re a medic and you’ve got these bandage scissors and you’re trying to cut through 18 or 30 layers of Kevlar” to help a soldier on the battlefield, she said. “It was one of those ‘a-ha’ moments –- ‘Why don’t medics have that?’ the analyst said.

The JTAPIC program sent a pair of the scissors to every medic, Eberius added. “Now in their kits, instead of bandage scissors, they have these scissors that can cut through practically anything,” she said.

The power of the JTAPIC program, Eberius said, is through the incorporation of the medical, operational intelligence and materiel and analysis communities.

“If you’re looking just at operational intelligence, you’ll get a feel for what the soldiers are engaging in and the threats,” she explained. “If you are looking just at the medical aspect of it, you’ll understand the injuries. But what we’re doing is combining what’s happening to the soldier in terms of his environment, the system he’s wearing and the medical information that comes from the threats. We pull all that together and try to look at ways to mitigate the effects of those threats.”

Officials are working to get more soldiers to understand the program’s importance, Eberius said.

“They’re the ones who understand the threats they’re seeing in their environments,” she added. “The way we can give them the best equipment is to understand those vulnerabilities.”

MILITARY CONTRACTS August 20, 2008

Navy

Core Tech International Corp., Tamuning, Guam, is being awarded a $41,956,600 firm-fixed-price contract to replace housing units at Old Apra, Phase 2, Naval Base, Guam. This is a design-build project with performance and prescriptive requirements provided by the Government. The family units will consist of single and duplex family housing units. As housing units are also typhoon shelters with special construction criteria for reinforced concrete structures, exterior doors, windows and storm shutters that will meet the provisions for withstanding typhoon wind speed of 170 mph, Exposure D and Zone 4 seismic loading. The contract contains one option at $7,633,400 which may be exercised within 180 calendar days, bringing the total cumulative value to $49,590,000. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 68 offers solicited and four proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1310).

Solpac Construction Inc., dba Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $19,567,500 firm-fixed-price task order 0004 under previously awarded contract (N62473-08-D-8609) for modifications to Hangar 6, Building 9670 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. Modification will provide for Hangar 6 to accommodate two squadrons of MV-22 aircraft. The modifications will include a building extension onto the existing aircraft parking with sufficient internal plan area and clear height to accommodate the MV-22 when it is in airplane or helicopter configurations. The interior improvements will include installation of four new built-in cranes, electrical improvements, ventilation additions, compressed air, and installation of additional Aqueous Film Forming-Foam (AFFF) suppression system. Exterior improvements include new airfield surface pavement from the increased building foundation. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was competitively procured with five proposals received under a multiple award construction contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $17,949,701 firm fixed priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0006 under and existing contract (M67854-07-D-5031) for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle integrated logistic support sustainment parts, training equipment, training material, tool sets, outside the continental United States (OCONUS) FSRs, continental United States, and OCONUS admin tech. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.; Gulfport, Miss.; Port Hueneme, Calif.; Fort Story, Va.; Texarakana, Texas, and in OIF/OEF Area's of responsibilities, and work is expected to be completed December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Phoenix International, Inc., Largo, Md., is being awarded a $13,813,728 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-4204) to exercise an option for services to manage, maintain, mobilize and operate the Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System (SRDRS), including associated facilities and equipment. SRDRS is a highly portable and mobile submarine rescue and recompression system capable of transferring personnel from a disabled submarine, under pressure, from depths up to 2,000 feet. The contractor is tasked to operate and maintain the SRDRS and be capable of carrying out an end-to-end rescue operation and maintaining a high level of readiness for a worldwide deployment on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week basis. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., (80 percent) and Largo, Md., (20 percent), and work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $3,367,830 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Koam Engineering Services, Inc.,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $12,868,413 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $33,550,763. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0134).

Actionet, Inc.,* Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $12,127,255 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $31,957,490. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0063).

Conexus, LLC,* San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $11,813,002 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $30,567,520. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0135).

ITT Corp., Aerospace Communications Division, Fort Wayne, Ind., is being awarded an $11,198,413 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). The SRW software application will operate on Joint Tactical Radio (JTR) sets to provide voice, data, and video tactical communications services in support of network-centric operations. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $116,947,363. Work will be performed in Clifton, N.J., (90 percent) and Fort Wayne, Ind., (10 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2010 (Jul. 2010 with options exercised). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively awarded. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-07-C-5876).

Vector Planning and Service, Inc.,* Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $10,933,976 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,501,423. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an 8(a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0132).

S4 Inc.*, Bellevue, Neb., is being awarded a $10,432,967 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award term contract with a cost-plus-fixed fee pricing arrangement for systems engineering, software development, integration and testing, technical services, and cost engineering in support of various Navy projects. This contract includes one option and three award terms, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,307,413. All work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed Aug.2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposalssolicited as an eight (a) competition, and five offers were received via the Space and Naval Warfare Systems E-commerce web site. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N66001-08-D-0133).

TSM Corp., Bartlett, Tenn., is being awarded an $8,210,420 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for professional support services in the areas of program management, engineering, logistics and financial management to the Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Command New Orleans, La. This contract includes a one-year base period, and four one-year options, which if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $43,197,928. Work will be performed in New Orleans, La., (60 percent); and various CONUS locations (40 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Aug. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This offer was awarded through full and open competition, with 12 offers received. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Philadelphia Office is the contracting activity (N00189-08-D-Z049)

AIR FORCE

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of McLean, Va.; Shafer Corp., of Chelmsford, Mass.; and Systems Research and Application Corporation of Fairfax, Va., are being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $95 million. This action will provide professional defense science, engineering, and technical non-personal advisory and assistance support services. At this time no funds have been obligated. AIR FORCE District of Washington/A7KI, Anacostia Annex, D.C., is the contracting activity (FA7014-08-D-0008 – Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; FA7014-08-D-0009 – Schafer Corp.; FA7014-08-D-0010 – SRA).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Point Blank Body Armor Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., is being awarded a maximum $22,151,750 firm fixed price and fixed quantity contract for outer tactical camouflage vests. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are ARMY, Navy, AIR FORCE, and Marine Corps. There were four proposals originally solicited with four responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Jan. 15, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM1C1-08-F-C005).

Sysco Food Services of Seattle, Kent, Wash., is being awarded a maximum $5,800,000 firm fixed price, indefinite quantity contract for full line food distribution service. Other location of performance is Anchorage, Ala. Using services are ARMY, AIR FORCE and Job Corps. This proposal was originally web solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is the third option year of a five-year contract which includes four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is Aug. 26, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPm300-08-D-3160).

ARMY

Science Applications International Corp., Newton, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $8,622,630 cost plus fixed fee contract for the procurement of research and development for enhanced air purification media and system performance. Work will be performed in Newton, Mass., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2013. Bids were solicited via a Broad Agency Announcement with one bid received. U.S. ARMY Research and Development Command, Edgewood Branch, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W911SR-08-C-0052).

W.M. Jordan/Versar, Newport News, Va., was awarded on Aug. 19, 2008, a $27,500,000 firm-fixed price contract to construct standard-design barracks for 419 soldiers. Work includes living/sleeping rooms, private baths, walk-in closets, storage, mailroom, activity room, mudroom, visitor area, and centeral restroom/vending/payphone area. Work is to be performed at Fort Lee, Va., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2011. Three bids were solicited with two bids received. U.S. ARMY Engineer District, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (W91236-08-D-0056).

Foulger-Pratt Contracting, LLC, Rockville, Md., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $33,094,000 fixed-price construction contract for two phase design-build headquarters command center, Missile Defense Agency. Work is to be performed at Fort Belvoir, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2010. Bids were solicited via the Web with 11 bids received. U.S. ARMY Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-08-C-0039).

Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $27,609,057 cost plus fixed fee contract modification to support incremental funding to support the requirement for 100 additional base expeditionary targeting and surveillance system-combined, rapid aerostat initial deployment systems. Work is to be performed at Andover, Md., with an estimated completion date of May 1, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. U.S. ARMY Space and Missile Defense Command, Contracting and Acquisition Management Office, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W9113M-08-C-0171).

AMEC EARTH & ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., Plymouth Meeting, Pa., was awarded on Aug. 18, 2008, a $6,722,979 firm fixed price contract to supply the expertise, materials, labor and equipment necessary to design and construct helicopter parking ramp extensions, pre-engineered / expedient construction buildings, munitions storage area, and communications facilities. Work is to be performed at the Taji National Depot, Iraq with and estimated completion date of Aug. 19, 2009. Four bids were solicited with three bids received. Gulf Region Division, Central District, Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq is the contracting activity (w917bg-07-d-0010).

MILITARY CONTRACTS July 3, 2005

ARMY

Point Blank Body Armor, Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., was awarded on Jul. 2, 2008, an $86,184,060 firm-fixed price contract for improved outer tactical vests. Work will be performed in Pompano Beach, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Two bids were solicited on Mar. 18, 2008, and two bids were received. U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-07-C-0085).

Global Fleet Sales, Inc., Charlottesville, Va., was awarded on Jul. 1, 2008, a $10,390,250 firm-fixed price contract for mobile maintenance vehicles. Work will be performed in Thailand and is expected to be completed by Feb. 4, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on May 18, 2006, and nine bids were received. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (WHZV-06-D-G002).

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on Jul. 2, 2008, a $9,800,000 firm-fixed price contract for UH-60M upgrade long lead parts. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 20, 2005. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

McTech Corp., North Kansas City, Mo., was awarded on Jul. 1, 2008, a $7,950,730 firm-fixed price contract for construction of a child development center. Work will be performed at Fort Riley, Kan., and is expected to be completed by Sep. 16, 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four bids were solicited on Apr.l 3, 2008, and two bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Mo., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-08-D-0030).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Valero Marketing & Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas is being awarded a maximum $45,978,408.00 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Pasadena, Texas. Using service is the Government of Israel. This proposal was originally Web solicited with one response. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug. 13, 2008. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0495).

Isobunkers, LLC., Norfolk, Va.*, is being awarded a maximum $20,620,737.57 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Puerto Rico, Ky. and Fla. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 55 proposals solicited with 18 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0358).

Midstream Fuel Service LLC., Houston, Texas *, is being awarded a maximum $5,787,527.11 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for fuel. Other locations of performance are in Ala., Fla., and Mis. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 55 proposals solicited with 18 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Apr. 30, 2011. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. (SP0600-08-D-0362).

Navy

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Group, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded $19,739,625 for a 15 month extension of order #0002 under previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00383-07-G-003M) for repair of 11 line items used on the J-52 engine, powering the EA-6B aircraft. Additionally, Pratt & Whitney will provide manufacturing, engineering, and technical support to the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast with a goal of improving monthly output. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla., and work is expected to be completed Jun. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a sole-source requirement. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

Bell-Boeing Tiltrotor Team, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $14,288,800 for ceiling priced delivery order #0275 under previously awarded contract (N00383-03-G-001B) for repairable spare components of the CV-22 aircraft such as blade assemblies and pendulum assemblies. The work will be performed in Hurst, Texas, and work is expected to be completed Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement and one offer was received. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

Textron Defense Systems, Wilmington, Mass., is being awarded a $3,170,000 increment of a $21,303,000 other transaction for prototypes agreement for phase two of the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System. Work will be performed in Wilmington, Mass., (66 percent), Cambridge, Mass., (13 percent), Vienna, Va., (9 percent), Bridgeton, Mo., (9 percent), Albuquerque, N.M., (1 percent), and Charlestown, Mass., (less than 1 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2009. Funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is a sole source award. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-08-9-0006).

MILITARY CONTRACTS May 14, 2008

NAVY

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $197,050,000 for long lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III procurement of 8 Air Force Conventional Take Off and Landing, 8 Marine Corps Short Take-off and Vertical Landing and 2 United Kingdom, STOVL aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif., (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom, (20 percent); Orlando, Fla., (10 percent); Nashua, N.H., (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md., (5 percent), and work is expected to be completed in Feb. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0028).

Nova Group/Tutor-Saliba, a joint venture, Napa Calif., is being awarded a $35,000,000 modification (second increment) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N44255-08-C-6000) for replacement of the CVN maintenance pier at Naval Base Kitsap. The work to be performed provides for all labor, materials, and equipment to demolish the existing Pier Bravo and construct a new ship repair wharf, including the replacement of approximately 300 lineal feet of quay wall (Structure 729), the strengthening of the sheet pile wall west of the Dry Dock 6 mole, and the demolition of Pier 8. An additional $48,877,000 will be funded subject to the availability of FY10 funds making the total contract amount $122,877,000. Work will be performed in Bremerton, Wash., and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Northwest, Silverdale, Wash., is the contracting activity.

TEC, Inc., Joint Venture, Charlottesville, Va., is being awarded $16,849,851 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62742-06-D-1870) to exercise option year two for architect-engineer services for environmental planning. After exercise of this option the total cumulative contract amount will be $23,150,149. This contract contains two additional one-year option periods which if exercised, will bring the total contract value to a not to exceed amount of $40,000,000. Work will be performed predominantly in Guam (95 percent), and in Hawaii, Saipan, and various locations in areas under the cognizance of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific (NAVFAC Pacific), other NAVFAC components, or other governmental agencies for which NAVFAC Pacific is tasked to provide assistance (5 percent). The exact location of individual efforts will be designated on individual contract task orders. Work is expected to be completed May 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Integrated Systems Division, Clearwater, Fla., is being awarded a $16,405,193 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0107) to exercise an option for the procurement of AAR-47(V)2 Missile Approach Warning Set hardware weapons replacement assemblies. This modification provides for 572 Integrated Optical Sensor converters with laser warning capabilities for the U.S. Navy, (364), U.S. Air Force, (136), U.S. Army, (12), and the Governments of Pakistan, (36) and Norway, (24). In addition, this modification provides for 143 Computer Processor upgrade kits for the U.S. Navy, (76), U.S. Air Force, (49), U.S. Army, (3), and the Governments of Pakistan, (9) and Norway (6). This modification also provides for 32 Control Indicators for the U.S. Air Force, (15), U.S. Army, (3), U.S. Navy, (5), and the Government of Pakistan (9). This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy, ($9,894,964; 60 percent); U.S. Air Force, ($4,349,671; 27 percent); U.S. Army, ($372,081; 2 percent); and the Governments of Pakistan, ($1,116,243; 7 percent); and Norway, ($672,234; 4 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Clearwater, Fla., (52 percent); Austin, Texas, (34 percent); Iwata-Gun Shizoka, Japan, (8 percent); and Natanya, Israel, (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in Aug. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $224,078 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

I.E. Pacific, Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $7,111,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contract for design and construction of a weapons and armaments facility at the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake. This task order contains one option at $880,000, which if exercised, will bring the total contract amount to $7,991,000. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, Calif., and work is expected to be completed by Oct. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity (N62473-07-D-2008).

Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a $9,904,384 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0060) for the procurement six MV-22 AE1107C engines. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., and work is expected to be completed in Dec. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

ARMY

AM General, LLC, South Bend, Ind., was awarded on May 13, 2008, a $187,750,244 firm-fixed price contract for 1,470 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles. Work will be performed at Mishawaka, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2009. One bid was solicited and one bid received. Test and Automotive Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity. (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Protective Apparel Corp., of America, Jacksboro, Tenn., was awarded on May 6, 2008, a $13,507,958.00 firm-fixed price; delivery order off GSA contract for body armor for Government of Iraq Ministry of Interior security forces. Work will be performed at Jacksboro, Tenn., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 1, 2008. Bids were solicited via the Web with 15 bids received. Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq/Joint Contracting Command – Iraq, (MNSTC-I/JCC-I), Baghdad, Iraq is the contracting activity. (GS-07F-9075D).

AIR FORCE

Kent Construction Co., Incorporated of Smyrna, Del., is being awarded a firm fixed price contract for $13,899,000. This action will construct a new 8-room dormitory, approximately 62,000 square feet, three story with open balconies, precast concrete plank and concrete masonry block construction with brick and stucco exterior finish, standing seam metal roof, common and mechanical/electrical/communications space, complete fire protection, alarm, and mass notification system, complete heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, electrical, and communications systems, and all appurtenances for a complete and usable facility. At this time $13,899,000 has been obligated. Dover AFB, Del., is the contracting activity (FA4497-08-C-0004).

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., of Herndon, Va., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $7,268,521. This contract action will provide survivability and vulnerability assessment support to the Director, Surface Warfare, for the Office of Naval Operations. At this time $360,537 has been obligated. Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SP0700-03-D-1380, Delivery Order: 0253).

ITT-AES of Herndon, Va., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $50,168,645. The objective of this Technical Area Task is to research and develop to provide anti-insurgency analysis capabilities and methods for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization in ways that benefits the warfighter and counter evolving insurgency threats. At this time $0 has been obligated (will advise). Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SPO700-98-D-4000, DO 0063).

ITT-AES of Herndon, Va., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $11,559,925. The objective of this Technical Area Task is to provide engineering research and analysis to provide expertise to the combat, training, and material developer and operational units in current and future operations. At this time $0 has been obligated (will advise). Offutt AFB, Neb., is the contracting activity (SPO700-98-D-4000, DO 0064).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

U.S. Foodservice Inc., Salem, Mo., is being awarded a maximum $6,449,588 firm fixed price, indefinite quantity contract for full line food distribution services. Other location of performance is Kansas. Using services are Army and Air Force. This contract is exercising an extension of option year four. There were originally 178 proposals solicited with two responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Sept. 27, 2008. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3033).

Labatt Food Service, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, is being awarded a maximum $8,152,658 firm fixed price, indefinite delivery contract for full line food distribution services. Other location of performance is Dallas, Texas. Using services are Army, Navy, and Air Force. There were originally 125 proposals solicited with four responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is Dec. 23, 2008. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3028).

Lankford Sysco, Inc., Pocomoke City, Md., is being awarded a maximum $31,250,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment, prime vendor contract for total food and beverage support. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Job Corps. This proposal was originally DIBBS solicited with four responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is May 24, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3126).

TIFCO Industries Inc., Pinehurst, Texas* is being awarded a maximum $11,984,945 fixed price with economic price adjustment, indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity, electronic catalog contract for repair parts. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. There were originally 455 proposals solicited with 31 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is May 9, 2013. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.(SPM200-07-D-8262).