By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
June 26, 2008 - Sunny days will be just around the corner when Elmo and his friends bring "The Sesame Street Experience" to 43 military installations to help children trying to cope with parents' deployments. Excited youngsters from the Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and Fort Belvoir, Va., child development centers who couldn't wait to meet their TV friends got a sneak preview when the program launched here today.
The new live program adds a new dimension to Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen, Connect," DVDs for military children facing deployments, said Gary Knell, the Sesame Workshop's president and chief executive officer. He compared the 60-minute program to an adult concert featuring "The King."
"It's sort of like an Elvis concert for 2-year-olds," Knell said. "We'll have Elmo and Rosita and Grover and Cookie Monster [and Zoe]."
While the show promises to be fun for all, it also has a serious purpose: to help young military children learn how to better handle a parent's deployment. Few are better qualified to put that message into terms kids can understand than Sesame Street characters, said Leslye Arsht, deputy under secretary of defense for military community and family policy.
"The muppets have a way of talking to 3- to 5-year olds and their parents that talks right to the heart," she said. "Nobody could do it like they can do it."
When parents and children attend "The Sesame Street Experience," the children learn and be entertained, and the parents will walk away with new tools to help their children.
"The packages that are going to come with the [performance] include both [Talk, Listen, Connect] DVDs, and some additional materials ... that can guide the conversation that they need to have with their children," Arsht said. "The real opportunity here is for military families to see that Sesame Workshop, like America, really cares about them and knows that being separated is really hard.
"And it is no matter how old you are, and we all need to learn strategies for coping and being strong and having courage around those difficulties," she added.
While the Defense Department and corporations have lent support so that the Sesame Workshop could provide the content, it's the partnership with United Service Organizations that will help get the muppets in front of their adoring fans.
"The way that we help is with our relationship with the military and our access to the bases," said Ned Powell, USO president and chief executive officer.
"The Sesame Street Experience" is the second time USO has partnered with Sesame Workshop. "We did do the 'Talk, Listen, Connect,' program with Sesame Street earlier this year, and now we're rolling out the tour," he said.
It's an exciting partnership, Powell added, explaining that working with Sesame Street has expanded its breadth of volunteers. "We go from [comedian] Robin Williams and [country singer] Toby Keith all the way to Elmo and Rosita," he said.
But it's all in a day's work for both Sesame Street, which has educated children for 40 years, and USO, which supports troops.
"That's our job, to help foster that peace of mind, as well as say thank you," Powell said. "Why not say thank you to the littlest members of the armed forces."
The USO is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Defense Department Celebrates 35 Years of All-Volunteer Force
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - On July 1, the nation will mark 35 years of an armed military made up soley of volunteers. Until July 1973, the military operated under an involuntary draft policy to produce manpower to fight the country's wars. Draftees served during both world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Opposition to the war in Vietnam brought extreme scrutiny to the draft, and the public's increasing dissatisfaction took its toll during President Richard Nixon's administration. Congress eventually approved the institution of the all-volunteer force, and although the framework for selective service remained in place, the armed forces stopped drafting people to serve.
For the past 35 years, volunteers manned 100 percent of the armed forces during the nation's times of need, including the Cold War as well as conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. They filled the ranks and fought in the Persian Gulf, Panama and Grenada.
Retention flourishes among the services – in both the active duty and reserve components – as they continue to operate in Iraq and Afghanistan and conduct humanitarian missions at home and throughout the world, a senior Defense Department official said.
Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel and policy, said the nation and its armed forces are stronger in many ways, thanks most notably to the aptitude and experience today's volunteers bring to the table. Carr said about 20 percent of servicemembers in the draft era were in the bottom third of the aptitude-test scoring range. Today, only 2 percent of the force is in the bottom third, and more than 66 percent are in the top half.
"One thing that characterizes today's recruits is that they're so smart relative to average," he said. "Two-thirds are in the top half in math and verbal aptitude, and they can figure out what to do in ambiguous situations. You can see it in their performance, and they're just a remarkable group of people."
Experience is evident in today's armed force's retention statistics. Nearly one out of every two servicemembers re-enlists. During the draft, only one-eighth of the force re-enlisted, leaving an average of less than 20 percent with more than a few years of service, Carr said.
"Although, the [draft-era] force was valiant, they didn't have the attributes of the all-volunteer force," he said. "Frankly, today's force is a lot more seasoned, experienced and smarter."
For the first time, the all-volunteer military has been taken to war for a protracted period of time, he said. Considering the current endeavors in Iraq and Afghanistan, Carr reflected on performance and retention concerns senior leaders had expressed.
"There were concerns about how today's fight would affect retention, and yet, retention has been as strong as any period in our history," he said. "Volunteers want to serve; their performance is strong, their behaviors are strong, and their discipline is high."
Their choice to become members of the armed forces "speaks volumes for the dedication and loyalty of our nation and its volunteers," Carr added.
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - On July 1, the nation will mark 35 years of an armed military made up soley of volunteers. Until July 1973, the military operated under an involuntary draft policy to produce manpower to fight the country's wars. Draftees served during both world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Opposition to the war in Vietnam brought extreme scrutiny to the draft, and the public's increasing dissatisfaction took its toll during President Richard Nixon's administration. Congress eventually approved the institution of the all-volunteer force, and although the framework for selective service remained in place, the armed forces stopped drafting people to serve.
For the past 35 years, volunteers manned 100 percent of the armed forces during the nation's times of need, including the Cold War as well as conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo. They filled the ranks and fought in the Persian Gulf, Panama and Grenada.
Retention flourishes among the services – in both the active duty and reserve components – as they continue to operate in Iraq and Afghanistan and conduct humanitarian missions at home and throughout the world, a senior Defense Department official said.
Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel and policy, said the nation and its armed forces are stronger in many ways, thanks most notably to the aptitude and experience today's volunteers bring to the table. Carr said about 20 percent of servicemembers in the draft era were in the bottom third of the aptitude-test scoring range. Today, only 2 percent of the force is in the bottom third, and more than 66 percent are in the top half.
"One thing that characterizes today's recruits is that they're so smart relative to average," he said. "Two-thirds are in the top half in math and verbal aptitude, and they can figure out what to do in ambiguous situations. You can see it in their performance, and they're just a remarkable group of people."
Experience is evident in today's armed force's retention statistics. Nearly one out of every two servicemembers re-enlists. During the draft, only one-eighth of the force re-enlisted, leaving an average of less than 20 percent with more than a few years of service, Carr said.
"Although, the [draft-era] force was valiant, they didn't have the attributes of the all-volunteer force," he said. "Frankly, today's force is a lot more seasoned, experienced and smarter."
For the first time, the all-volunteer military has been taken to war for a protracted period of time, he said. Considering the current endeavors in Iraq and Afghanistan, Carr reflected on performance and retention concerns senior leaders had expressed.
"There were concerns about how today's fight would affect retention, and yet, retention has been as strong as any period in our history," he said. "Volunteers want to serve; their performance is strong, their behaviors are strong, and their discipline is high."
Their choice to become members of the armed forces "speaks volumes for the dedication and loyalty of our nation and its volunteers," Carr added.
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 26, 2008
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego, Owego, N.Y., is being awarded a $144,041,340 modification to definitize a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0005) to a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This modification provides for the system design and development of the MH-60R Advanced Radar Periscope Detection and Discrimination System, to include design, development, integration and test. Work will be performed in Owego, N.Y., (51 percent) and Farmingdale, N.Y., (49 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 2013. 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.
BAE Systems, Rockville, Md., is being awarded a ceiling priced $94,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed price and cost task orders. The contract will provide the essential complementary operational test and evaluation managerial and technical support resources required by the Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity. The minimum dollar amount to be ordered under this contract is $1,000,000 per each period of performance year. The contract contains four one-year options. Work will be performed in Quantico, Va., with other locations specified in each individual Task Order and may include sea and land locations within the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS), and work is expected to be completed Dec. 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through full and open competition via Navy Electronic Commerce Office, with five offers received. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-08-D-6040).
BAE Systems, Electronics and Integrated Solutions, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $31,923,195 firm-fixed-fee contract for the low rate initial production Lot IV of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALE-55(V) Subsystems and associated technical support for the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft. The AN/ALE-55(V) subsystem consists of an electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber optic towed decoy (FOTD). This contract provides for a total of 54 EFCs and 150 FOTDs. In addition, this contract provides for non-recurring and sustaining engineering for production support, first article test analysis, and physical configuration audits for the EFCs and FOTDs. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., (92 percent) and Mountain View, Calif., (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in Oct. 2011. 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-0044).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $20,472,101 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for spares for three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft, One Lot. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y., (52.02 percent); Bethpage, N.Y., (19.49 percent); Woodlawn, Calif., (5.82 percent); Greenlawn, N.Y., (5.60 percent); Springville, Utah, (2.90 per Cincinnati, Ohio, (2.14 percent); Ronkonkoma, N.Y., (2.06 percent); and at various locations within the United States, (9.97 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 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.
Base-X, Fairfield, Va., is being awarded a $7,998,375 firm-fixed-price delivery order against Federal Supply Schedule Contract GS-07F-0173J for Ultra Light Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) in both Desert Marpat and Woodland patterns. ULCANS will aid in the concealment of military ground equipments when tactically deployed. It will also provide visual, elctro-optical, radar, and infrared signature reduction characteristics. It is a Type IV system for a general purpose radar scattering concealment. Work will be performed in Fairfield, Va., and work is expected to be complete in Dec. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $7,998,375 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded as a result of a full and open competitive unrestrictive solicitation. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-08-F-3024).
Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Inc., Hauppauge, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,522,462 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to procure developmental and production hardware supported by engineering and technical services for two Phase III Small Business Innovative Research topics for the Sparsely Populated Volumetric Array (SPVA) and Torpedo Detection, Classification, and Localization System (TDCL). This contract will provide developmental and production hardware supported by technical and engineering services for SPVA sensors, SPVA installation kits, and a prototype TDCL system. The contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,841,385. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, N.Y., (35 percent); Columbia, Md., (35 percent); and Lemont Furnace, Pa., (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-6252).
ARMY
Benham Constructors, LLC, Oklahoma, Okla., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $55,117,614 firm-fixed price contract to construct an advanced metal finishing facility building with various plating equipment. Contract includes relocating a ground support equipment maintenance and other functions. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 29, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 16 bids were solicited on Jan. 19, 2007, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-C-0031).
O'Brien & Gere Crowder, Charlotte, N.C., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $23,552,000 firm-fixed price contract for design and construction of an industrial wastewater treatment plan with 600,000 gallon per day capacity. Work will be performed at Anniston Army Depot, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Aug. 14, 2007, and four bids were received. Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0037).
M.A. Mortenson Co., Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded on Jun. 12, 2008, a $20,091,453 firm-fixed price contract for all work required to design and construct a division headquarters tactical equipment maintenance facility and an engineering squadron. Work will be performed at Fort Carson, Colo., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Mar. 4, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Neb., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-D-0053).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass., was awarded on June 25, 2008, a $16,856,000 firm-fixed price contract for PATRIOT pure fleet 12-lot add-on items. Work will be performed in Andover, Mass., and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on April 10, 2008. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).
Red Sled, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $6,480,640 firm-fixed price contract for sling assemblies. Work will be performed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 24, 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Jan. 11, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-08-D-0448).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Interconn Resources, Inc., Birmingham, Ala.*, is being awarded a maximum $31,012,233 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for natural gas delivery. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 166 proposals solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7506).
MxEnergy, Inc., Stanford, Conn.*, is being awarded a maximum $28,319,548 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for natural gas delivery. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 166 proposals solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7516)
Bethel Industries, Inc., Jersey City, N.J.**, is being awarded a maximum $13,730,220 firm fixed price, total set aside contract for airmen battle uniform coats and trousers. Other location of is in Tennessee. Using service is Air Force. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 26 responses. This contract includes a base and four one-year options. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 25, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM1C1-07-D-1502).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is increasing a fixed priced award fee and cost plus incentive fee contract with McDonnell Douglas Corp., A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Boeing Co., of Long Beach, Calif., for $273,320,007. This contract action exercises the FY08 fourth quarter option for the continued performance of the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership. The C-17 fleet sustainment and product support will be managed through a long term performance-based partnership between Boeing and the Air Force, which places performance risk on the contractor to provide sustainment support at continuously, raised benchmarked levels. In addition, the contractor logistics support for the palletized seat system for Air Material Command and the Air National Guard will be exercised and funded. At this time $273,320,07 has been obligated. 516 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8614-04-C-2004, P00250).
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego, Owego, N.Y., is being awarded a $144,041,340 modification to definitize a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0005) to a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This modification provides for the system design and development of the MH-60R Advanced Radar Periscope Detection and Discrimination System, to include design, development, integration and test. Work will be performed in Owego, N.Y., (51 percent) and Farmingdale, N.Y., (49 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 2013. 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.
BAE Systems, Rockville, Md., is being awarded a ceiling priced $94,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed price and cost task orders. The contract will provide the essential complementary operational test and evaluation managerial and technical support resources required by the Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity. The minimum dollar amount to be ordered under this contract is $1,000,000 per each period of performance year. The contract contains four one-year options. Work will be performed in Quantico, Va., with other locations specified in each individual Task Order and may include sea and land locations within the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS), and work is expected to be completed Dec. 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through full and open competition via Navy Electronic Commerce Office, with five offers received. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-08-D-6040).
BAE Systems, Electronics and Integrated Solutions, Nashua, N.H., is being awarded a $31,923,195 firm-fixed-fee contract for the low rate initial production Lot IV of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALE-55(V) Subsystems and associated technical support for the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft. The AN/ALE-55(V) subsystem consists of an electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber optic towed decoy (FOTD). This contract provides for a total of 54 EFCs and 150 FOTDs. In addition, this contract provides for non-recurring and sustaining engineering for production support, first article test analysis, and physical configuration audits for the EFCs and FOTDs. Work will be performed in Nashua, N.H., (92 percent) and Mountain View, Calif., (8 percent), and is expected to be completed in Oct. 2011. 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-0044).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $20,472,101 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for spares for three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft, One Lot. Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y., (52.02 percent); Bethpage, N.Y., (19.49 percent); Woodlawn, Calif., (5.82 percent); Greenlawn, N.Y., (5.60 percent); Springville, Utah, (2.90 per Cincinnati, Ohio, (2.14 percent); Ronkonkoma, N.Y., (2.06 percent); and at various locations within the United States, (9.97 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 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.
Base-X, Fairfield, Va., is being awarded a $7,998,375 firm-fixed-price delivery order against Federal Supply Schedule Contract GS-07F-0173J for Ultra Light Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) in both Desert Marpat and Woodland patterns. ULCANS will aid in the concealment of military ground equipments when tactically deployed. It will also provide visual, elctro-optical, radar, and infrared signature reduction characteristics. It is a Type IV system for a general purpose radar scattering concealment. Work will be performed in Fairfield, Va., and work is expected to be complete in Dec. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $7,998,375 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is awarded as a result of a full and open competitive unrestrictive solicitation. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M67854-08-F-3024).
Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Inc., Hauppauge, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,522,462 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to procure developmental and production hardware supported by engineering and technical services for two Phase III Small Business Innovative Research topics for the Sparsely Populated Volumetric Array (SPVA) and Torpedo Detection, Classification, and Localization System (TDCL). This contract will provide developmental and production hardware supported by technical and engineering services for SPVA sensors, SPVA installation kits, and a prototype TDCL system. The contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,841,385. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, N.Y., (35 percent); Columbia, Md., (35 percent); and Lemont Furnace, Pa., (30 percent), and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-6252).
ARMY
Benham Constructors, LLC, Oklahoma, Okla., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $55,117,614 firm-fixed price contract to construct an advanced metal finishing facility building with various plating equipment. Contract includes relocating a ground support equipment maintenance and other functions. Work will be performed at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 29, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. 16 bids were solicited on Jan. 19, 2007, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-C-0031).
O'Brien & Gere Crowder, Charlotte, N.C., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $23,552,000 firm-fixed price contract for design and construction of an industrial wastewater treatment plan with 600,000 gallon per day capacity. Work will be performed at Anniston Army Depot, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Aug. 14, 2007, and four bids were received. Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0037).
M.A. Mortenson Co., Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded on Jun. 12, 2008, a $20,091,453 firm-fixed price contract for all work required to design and construct a division headquarters tactical equipment maintenance facility and an engineering squadron. Work will be performed at Fort Carson, Colo., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Mar. 4, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Neb., is the contracting activity (W912DQ-07-D-0053).
Raytheon Co., Andover, Mass., was awarded on June 25, 2008, a $16,856,000 firm-fixed price contract for PATRIOT pure fleet 12-lot add-on items. Work will be performed in Andover, Mass., and is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on April 10, 2008. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).
Red Sled, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was awarded on Jun. 25, 2008, a $6,480,640 firm-fixed price contract for sling assemblies. Work will be performed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 24, 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Jan. 11, 2008, and four bids were received. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-08-D-0448).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Interconn Resources, Inc., Birmingham, Ala.*, is being awarded a maximum $31,012,233 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for natural gas delivery. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 166 proposals solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7506).
MxEnergy, Inc., Stanford, Conn.*, is being awarded a maximum $28,319,548 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for natural gas delivery. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Federal Civilian Agencies. There were originally 166 proposals solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7516)
Bethel Industries, Inc., Jersey City, N.J.**, is being awarded a maximum $13,730,220 firm fixed price, total set aside contract for airmen battle uniform coats and trousers. Other location of is in Tennessee. Using service is Air Force. This proposal was originally Web solicited with 26 responses. This contract includes a base and four one-year options. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 25, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM1C1-07-D-1502).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is increasing a fixed priced award fee and cost plus incentive fee contract with McDonnell Douglas Corp., A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Boeing Co., of Long Beach, Calif., for $273,320,007. This contract action exercises the FY08 fourth quarter option for the continued performance of the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership. The C-17 fleet sustainment and product support will be managed through a long term performance-based partnership between Boeing and the Air Force, which places performance risk on the contractor to provide sustainment support at continuously, raised benchmarked levels. In addition, the contractor logistics support for the palletized seat system for Air Material Command and the Air National Guard will be exercised and funded. At this time $273,320,07 has been obligated. 516 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8614-04-C-2004, P00250).
America Supports You: 'Angels' Deliver Music to Wounded Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Some troops recovering from injuries at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and their families will receive the gift of music July 5, when they are presented with Gibson guitars. "Soldiers' Angels," a group that supports troops in various ways such sending as care packages, has partnered with the famous guitar manufacturer to provide guitars for wounded musicians, said Jeff Bader, husband of the organization's founder, Patti Patton-Bader.
"We will be presenting a minimum of 20 donated guitars to wounded, guitar-playing soldiers, and one to each of the seven local Fisher Houses for anyone to play," he said.
Fisher Houses, run by the Fisher House Foundation, provide free or low-cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers.
Both Soldiers' Angels the the Fisher House Foundation are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Bader said the group hopes to also present guitars to wounded troops at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here at some later point.
Bader, a musician, said the guitars can bring more than the joy of music.
"Being a guitar player makes this new program and the gifts to our soldiers something very special," he said. "Music truly has a healing power, and guitar-playing soldiers who have suffered from traumatic brain injury have improved their short-term memory capabilities by remembering songs they used to play."
He recalled a conversation with a military wife whose husband had suffered just such an injury, which caused severe short-term memory loss.
"The guitar I gave him helped him, because he remembered an entire song, and that gave him the confidence that he could get better," he said.
Soldiers' Angels and Fisher House volunteers, as well as representatives and instructors from Gibson, will attend the July 5 event at Brooke Army Medical Center, which will culminate in a barbecue for about 1,200 wounded servicemembers and their families at the Fisher Houses' "quad" area.
"The band Angels and Airwaves has donated [its] time to play an acoustic show for everyone," Bader said. "We will additionally have games, coloring books, prizes, clowns and balloon sculptures [and other activities] for the kids.
"Afterward, we are transporting any soldiers and their family members who would like to attend the Vans Warped Tour at the Verizon Center in San Antonio," he added. The Warped Tour, sponsored by BMX and skateboard shoe manufacturer Vans, is a music and extreme sports festival.
Servicemembers and their families arriving from the BAMC event will be admitted at no charge and will watch the show from a specially built viewing area near the stage, Bader said.
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Some troops recovering from injuries at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and their families will receive the gift of music July 5, when they are presented with Gibson guitars. "Soldiers' Angels," a group that supports troops in various ways such sending as care packages, has partnered with the famous guitar manufacturer to provide guitars for wounded musicians, said Jeff Bader, husband of the organization's founder, Patti Patton-Bader.
"We will be presenting a minimum of 20 donated guitars to wounded, guitar-playing soldiers, and one to each of the seven local Fisher Houses for anyone to play," he said.
Fisher Houses, run by the Fisher House Foundation, provide free or low-cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers.
Both Soldiers' Angels the the Fisher House Foundation are supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.
Bader said the group hopes to also present guitars to wounded troops at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here at some later point.
Bader, a musician, said the guitars can bring more than the joy of music.
"Being a guitar player makes this new program and the gifts to our soldiers something very special," he said. "Music truly has a healing power, and guitar-playing soldiers who have suffered from traumatic brain injury have improved their short-term memory capabilities by remembering songs they used to play."
He recalled a conversation with a military wife whose husband had suffered just such an injury, which caused severe short-term memory loss.
"The guitar I gave him helped him, because he remembered an entire song, and that gave him the confidence that he could get better," he said.
Soldiers' Angels and Fisher House volunteers, as well as representatives and instructors from Gibson, will attend the July 5 event at Brooke Army Medical Center, which will culminate in a barbecue for about 1,200 wounded servicemembers and their families at the Fisher Houses' "quad" area.
"The band Angels and Airwaves has donated [its] time to play an acoustic show for everyone," Bader said. "We will additionally have games, coloring books, prizes, clowns and balloon sculptures [and other activities] for the kids.
"Afterward, we are transporting any soldiers and their family members who would like to attend the Vans Warped Tour at the Verizon Center in San Antonio," he added. The Warped Tour, sponsored by BMX and skateboard shoe manufacturer Vans, is a music and extreme sports festival.
Servicemembers and their families arriving from the BAMC event will be admitted at no charge and will watch the show from a specially built viewing area near the stage, Bader said.
Official Praises Proposed Education Benefits
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - A Defense Department spokesman today expressed satisfaction that a proposed GI Bill allowing servicemembers to transfer their education benefits to family members passed the first round of congressional voting. But he also expressed concern that a possible provision of the bill could hurt the department's efforts to retain servicemembers.
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a version of the bill that would provide military members a more generous education package, which for the first time could be passed to family members if troops opt not to use it themselves.
"The No. 1 priority of this department was that any enhanced benefit coming out of the Congress provide for the ability for servicemembers to transfer any unused benefit to their family members," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said during a Pentagon news conference.
But while the Defense Department is pleased the House version incorporates transferability, Morrell said, officials have voiced concern that the amount of time before the benefits become available -- after 36 months of service -- may hurt retention rates.
"That -- we've said from the beginning -- we believe, is too soon," Morrell said. "But if that's the way the Congress ultimately chooses to go, ... we will work with it."
The bill will next appear before the Senate, where it must receive approval before being enacted. Meanwhile, the Defense Department intends to study what effects the bill would have on military retention if it passes in its present form, Morrell said.
"If we find that it's having an adverse affect on retention, we're going to have to figure out other ways to entice men and women in uniform to stay in the service," he said.
Morrell suggested that bigger financial bonuses for re-enlistment could be offered if servicemembers become "lured out" of uniform by taking advantage of the new package, which would double the education benefit from about $9,000 to about $18,000 per year and kick in during the first enlistment.
The spokesman added that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is more pleased that the bill includes transferability than he is disappointed that it could adversely affect retention.
In other Defense Department news, Gates was scheduled to hold a meeting this afternoon to discuss an investigation by the Government Accountability Office – the investigative arm of Congress -- that found improper practices related to an Air Force tanker contract.
The GAO last week recommended the Air Force reopen the bidding process for the service's aerial refueling aircraft contract. The recommendation came after a review of the contract process that in February selected the Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium as the winner of the $35 billion contract. Boeing Co., which had submitted a competing bid, protested the decision.
Morrell said Gates would meet with representatives of the Pentagon's acquisition, technology and logistics office, the Air Force, and with Defense Department lawyers.
"It will be the first time he has had a chance to hear from them about the GAO's recommendations, as well as the preliminary analysis that's been done within the department on how those recommendations would potentially impact the Air Force's February decision to award the new tanker contract to Northrop Grumman and EADS," he said.
The Defense Department has 60 days from the release of the investigation report to respond to the GAO, Morrell said. He added that the secretary -- who is "intimately involved" in the issue -- hopes to move as quickly as possible.
"The secretary is just about to begin reviewing the various options available to him, and will chart a course as to the way ahead as soon as possible," he said.
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - A Defense Department spokesman today expressed satisfaction that a proposed GI Bill allowing servicemembers to transfer their education benefits to family members passed the first round of congressional voting. But he also expressed concern that a possible provision of the bill could hurt the department's efforts to retain servicemembers.
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a version of the bill that would provide military members a more generous education package, which for the first time could be passed to family members if troops opt not to use it themselves.
"The No. 1 priority of this department was that any enhanced benefit coming out of the Congress provide for the ability for servicemembers to transfer any unused benefit to their family members," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said during a Pentagon news conference.
But while the Defense Department is pleased the House version incorporates transferability, Morrell said, officials have voiced concern that the amount of time before the benefits become available -- after 36 months of service -- may hurt retention rates.
"That -- we've said from the beginning -- we believe, is too soon," Morrell said. "But if that's the way the Congress ultimately chooses to go, ... we will work with it."
The bill will next appear before the Senate, where it must receive approval before being enacted. Meanwhile, the Defense Department intends to study what effects the bill would have on military retention if it passes in its present form, Morrell said.
"If we find that it's having an adverse affect on retention, we're going to have to figure out other ways to entice men and women in uniform to stay in the service," he said.
Morrell suggested that bigger financial bonuses for re-enlistment could be offered if servicemembers become "lured out" of uniform by taking advantage of the new package, which would double the education benefit from about $9,000 to about $18,000 per year and kick in during the first enlistment.
The spokesman added that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is more pleased that the bill includes transferability than he is disappointed that it could adversely affect retention.
In other Defense Department news, Gates was scheduled to hold a meeting this afternoon to discuss an investigation by the Government Accountability Office – the investigative arm of Congress -- that found improper practices related to an Air Force tanker contract.
The GAO last week recommended the Air Force reopen the bidding process for the service's aerial refueling aircraft contract. The recommendation came after a review of the contract process that in February selected the Northrop-Grumman/EADS/Airbus consortium as the winner of the $35 billion contract. Boeing Co., which had submitted a competing bid, protested the decision.
Morrell said Gates would meet with representatives of the Pentagon's acquisition, technology and logistics office, the Air Force, and with Defense Department lawyers.
"It will be the first time he has had a chance to hear from them about the GAO's recommendations, as well as the preliminary analysis that's been done within the department on how those recommendations would potentially impact the Air Force's February decision to award the new tanker contract to Northrop Grumman and EADS," he said.
The Defense Department has 60 days from the release of the investigation report to respond to the GAO, Morrell said. He added that the secretary -- who is "intimately involved" in the issue -- hopes to move as quickly as possible.
"The secretary is just about to begin reviewing the various options available to him, and will chart a course as to the way ahead as soon as possible," he said.
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 25, 2008
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Pepco Energy Services, Arlington, Va., is being awarded a maximum $92,532,366 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for the direct supply of approximately 4,194,116 Dekatherms of Direct Supply Natural Gas to various DoD and federal civilian agencies in the Northeast and Central regions of the United States. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and other federal agencies. The original proposal was web solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance is Oct. 1, 2008, through Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7502)
Carter Industries, Inc., Olive Hill, Ky.*, is being awarded a maximum $24,026,000 firm fixed price contract for coveralls. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy and Air Force. There were originally 3 proposals solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug. 30, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM1C1-08-C-0027).
Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Swiftwater, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $11,782,359 firm fixed price contract for influenza vaccine. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were originally eight proposals solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Jun. 25, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM2DP-08-D-0003).
NAVY
Bell Boeing Tiltrotor Team, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $28,473,442 ceiling priced delivery order #0274 under previously awarded contract (N00383-03-G-001B) for spare components of the CV-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Hurst, Texas, and work is expected to be completed by Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not awarded competitively. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corp.*, Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $16,264,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-6256) to analyze, design, fabricate, and integrate hardware and/or software solutions for Commercial-Off-The-Shelf electronics-based subsystems, which collectively provide C3I functionality to submarines, surface ships, surveillance and air platforms. The contract modification is for Phase III engineering services in support of Small Business Innovative Research Topic No.N96-278 "Technology Infusion Methodology". The Phase III SBIR effort addresses systems and subsystems ranging from simple single processors to highly complex multi-processor network architectures. Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $9,398,794 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for non-recurring engineering efforts for the production of required subsystems and components for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot production Aircraft, one lot. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y., (28.23 percent); Torrance, Calif., (14.47 percent); Dallas, Texas, (10.80 percent); Pomezia, Italy, (8.74 percent); Cleveland, Ohio, (8.36 percent); New Port Richey, Fla., (8.13 percent), Owega, N.Y., (6.71 percent); Freeport, N.Y., (3. 20 percent) and various locations within the U.S., (11.54 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 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.
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $9,234,251 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for continued efforts in support of the Common Network Interface (CNI) systems engineering effort under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. The CNI System improves situational awareness for Expeditionary Strike Group Commanders by fusing stove-piped battle management systems into a single integrated tactical picture. The contract requirements for CNI will include engineering and design agent services and integrated logistic services. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,876,834. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded on a sole source basis as a Phase III SBIR. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-5205).
ARMY
SUMMA Technology, Inc., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded on Jun. 23, 2008, a $26,092,635 firm-fixed price contract for the container roll in/out platform. Work will be performed in Cullman, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Dec. 21, 2005, and six bids were received. U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-D-0269).
Talbert Manufacturing, Rensselaer, Ind., was awarded on Jun. 24, 2008, a $19,853,925 firm-fixed price contract for semi-trailers and supporting vehicle system side kits, stockage list kits and carwell rust protection. Work will be performed in Rensselaer, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Mar. 19, 2003. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAE07-03-D-S067).
AIR FORCE
The Boeing Co., of Seal Beach, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $35.3 million. The contract action provides for system engineering, program management, and contract operations support for ground operations and readiness start-up activities for the Space Based Surveillance System Block 10 program. These activities are necessary to insure sustainment capabilities are in place to support the system 61 days after launch of the SBSS Block 10 Space Vehicle. This contract will run concurrent with the Space Vehicle Development contract, from the date of issuance of this letter contract through Dec. 31, 2008. At this time $9.2 million has been obligated. USAF HQ Space and Missile Systems Center/SYSW/PK, Los Angeles AFB, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8819-08-C-0001).
Pepco Energy Services, Arlington, Va., is being awarded a maximum $92,532,366 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for the direct supply of approximately 4,194,116 Dekatherms of Direct Supply Natural Gas to various DoD and federal civilian agencies in the Northeast and Central regions of the United States. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force and other federal agencies. The original proposal was web solicited with 37 responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance is Oct. 1, 2008, through Sep. 30, 2010. The contracting activity is Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-08-D-7502)
Carter Industries, Inc., Olive Hill, Ky.*, is being awarded a maximum $24,026,000 firm fixed price contract for coveralls. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy and Air Force. There were originally 3 proposals solicited with three responses. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Aug. 30, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM1C1-08-C-0027).
Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Swiftwater, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $11,782,359 firm fixed price contract for influenza vaccine. There are no other locations of performance. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were originally eight proposals solicited with one response. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is Jun. 25, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM2DP-08-D-0003).
NAVY
Bell Boeing Tiltrotor Team, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $28,473,442 ceiling priced delivery order #0274 under previously awarded contract (N00383-03-G-001B) for spare components of the CV-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Hurst, Texas, and work is expected to be completed by Dec. 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not awarded competitively. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity.
Progeny Systems Corp.*, Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $16,264,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-6256) to analyze, design, fabricate, and integrate hardware and/or software solutions for Commercial-Off-The-Shelf electronics-based subsystems, which collectively provide C3I functionality to submarines, surface ships, surveillance and air platforms. The contract modification is for Phase III engineering services in support of Small Business Innovative Research Topic No.N96-278 "Technology Infusion Methodology". The Phase III SBIR effort addresses systems and subsystems ranging from simple single processors to highly complex multi-processor network architectures. Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded a $9,398,794 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for non-recurring engineering efforts for the production of required subsystems and components for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot production Aircraft, one lot. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y., (28.23 percent); Torrance, Calif., (14.47 percent); Dallas, Texas, (10.80 percent); Pomezia, Italy, (8.74 percent); Cleveland, Ohio, (8.36 percent); New Port Richey, Fla., (8.13 percent), Owega, N.Y., (6.71 percent); Freeport, N.Y., (3. 20 percent) and various locations within the U.S., (11.54 percent), and is expected to be completed in Sep. 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.
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Inc., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $9,234,251 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for continued efforts in support of the Common Network Interface (CNI) systems engineering effort under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. The CNI System improves situational awareness for Expeditionary Strike Group Commanders by fusing stove-piped battle management systems into a single integrated tactical picture. The contract requirements for CNI will include engineering and design agent services and integrated logistic services. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $28,876,834. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Va., and is expected to be completed by Jul. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is being awarded on a sole source basis as a Phase III SBIR. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-08-C-5205).
ARMY
SUMMA Technology, Inc., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded on Jun. 23, 2008, a $26,092,635 firm-fixed price contract for the container roll in/out platform. Work will be performed in Cullman, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Dec. 21, 2005, and six bids were received. U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-06-D-0269).
Talbert Manufacturing, Rensselaer, Ind., was awarded on Jun. 24, 2008, a $19,853,925 firm-fixed price contract for semi-trailers and supporting vehicle system side kits, stockage list kits and carwell rust protection. Work will be performed in Rensselaer, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Mar. 19, 2003. TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAE07-03-D-S067).
AIR FORCE
The Boeing Co., of Seal Beach, Calif., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $35.3 million. The contract action provides for system engineering, program management, and contract operations support for ground operations and readiness start-up activities for the Space Based Surveillance System Block 10 program. These activities are necessary to insure sustainment capabilities are in place to support the system 61 days after launch of the SBSS Block 10 Space Vehicle. This contract will run concurrent with the Space Vehicle Development contract, from the date of issuance of this letter contract through Dec. 31, 2008. At this time $9.2 million has been obligated. USAF HQ Space and Missile Systems Center/SYSW/PK, Los Angeles AFB, El Segundo, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8819-08-C-0001).
National Security Archive Update, June 25, 2008
THE SHOOTDOWN OF MAJOR ANDERSON
New Book One Minute to Midnight Reveals U.S. Intelligence Tracked Activation of Soviet Air Defenses During Missile Crisis
For more information contact:
Michael Dobbs - dobbsm@washpost.com - 202/334-4399
http://www.nsarchive.org
Washington, DC, June 25, 2008 - American signals intelligence collectors tracked the activation of Soviet air defenses prior to the shootdown of a U.S. spy plane at the peak of the Cuban missile crisis, according to documents published on the Web today by the National Security Archive.
A new book by Washington Post reporter Michael Dobbs shows that the destruction of the U-2 piloted by Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr. on October 27, 1962, was closely connected to the deployment of Soviet nuclear cruise missiles in the vicinity of the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo. Soviet generals feared that the spy plane had uncovered the forward launch position of the cruise missiles, just 15 miles from Guantanamo.
This is the fourth of five postings looking at the new material in One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War, which draws on the National Security Archive's long-standing documentary work on the Cuban missile crisis. The book provides new details about U.S. SIGINT (signals intelligence) activities in and around Cuba at the height of the missile crisis.
Next week, in the final installment from One Minute to Midnight, the National Security Archive will publish key primary sources behind the "Eyeball to Eyeball" confrontation between U.S. and Soviet ships that never happened.
Visit the Web site of the National Security Archive for more information about today's posting.
http://www.nsarchive.org
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals.
New Book One Minute to Midnight Reveals U.S. Intelligence Tracked Activation of Soviet Air Defenses During Missile Crisis
For more information contact:
Michael Dobbs - dobbsm@washpost.com - 202/334-4399
http://www.nsarchive.org
Washington, DC, June 25, 2008 - American signals intelligence collectors tracked the activation of Soviet air defenses prior to the shootdown of a U.S. spy plane at the peak of the Cuban missile crisis, according to documents published on the Web today by the National Security Archive.
A new book by Washington Post reporter Michael Dobbs shows that the destruction of the U-2 piloted by Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr. on October 27, 1962, was closely connected to the deployment of Soviet nuclear cruise missiles in the vicinity of the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo. Soviet generals feared that the spy plane had uncovered the forward launch position of the cruise missiles, just 15 miles from Guantanamo.
This is the fourth of five postings looking at the new material in One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War, which draws on the National Security Archive's long-standing documentary work on the Cuban missile crisis. The book provides new details about U.S. SIGINT (signals intelligence) activities in and around Cuba at the height of the missile crisis.
Next week, in the final installment from One Minute to Midnight, the National Security Archive will publish key primary sources behind the "Eyeball to Eyeball" confrontation between U.S. and Soviet ships that never happened.
Visit the Web site of the National Security Archive for more information about today's posting.
http://www.nsarchive.org
THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals.
Defense, Education Departments Sign Pact on Military Children
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and Deputy Education Secretary Raymond Simon signed a memorandum of understanding between their agencies at the Pentagon today that addresses the quality of education and the unique challenges faced by children of military families. Hundreds of thousands of students in military families will be affected by moves precipitated by recent Base Realignment and Closure Act decisions and the relocation of military units from overseas bases to stateside installations as part of global defense posture realignment moves, England said.
Children of U.S. military members who have sacrificed so much for the nation "deserve to have to a good education," England said during his remarks before the signing ceremony.
"And so, we have an obligation, both as a department and as a nation, to make sure not just the children in our military, but all of the children in the United States of America get absolutely the finest education that they can," the deputy defense secretary said.
The failure to provide a good education for America's children could result in the forfeiture of the United States' premier position in the world, England pointed out, as well as the loss of freedom for its citizens.
"So, I'm an extraordinary strong proponent of anything we do to improve the education of our children, especially the children of our military," England said.
The memo of understanding generally defines how the Defense and Education departments will work together with local educational organizations to strengthen and expand school-based efforts to ease student transitions and help military students develop academic skills and coping strategies during parents' military deployments.
Simon hailed the agreement, noting that its implementation will "honor the sacrifice that these families make every day."
The agreement supports defense and education department efforts to:
-- Promote and enhance policies that will improve military children's education and overall well-being;
-- Advance the quality of educational opportunities for all military children;
-- Provide research-based academic, social-emotional and behavioral supports to facilitate seamless transitions for military children;
-- Provide leadership and advocacy programs to help military students cope with issues surrounding deployments;
-- Support foreign language education, including programs for strategic languages;
-- Explore legislative options to address transition issues for military students;
-- Extend opportunities for student learning through support of online, virtual and other research-based teaching models;
-- Provide research-based teacher and administrator professional development programs;
-- Forge effective partnerships with local schools and districts;
-- Coordinate Defense Department and Education Department impact aid programs;
-- Communicate with military families and organizations to show appreciation for their contributions; and
-- Increase awareness of resources and tools available from the Education and Defense departments.
Congress has provided financial assistance to local school districts through the impact aid program since 1950. Current legislation provides financial assistance to school districts with concentrations of children residing on military bases who have parents in the military. Military families that reside in government-provided quarters do not pay local property taxes, a portion of which are used to manage and operate public schools.
More than 1.1 million students who belong to active duty and reserve-component military families are expected to benefit from activities outlined in the agreement.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael J. Naquin, a security forces noncommissioned officer posted at Bolling Air Force Base here, and his 6-year-old son, Aaron, were among several military families personally greeted by England and Simon at signing ceremony.
"Progress is being made, and it is nice that our two communities can come together as one," Naquin said of the bi-departmental education agreement.
"It is one less worry, not having to worry about the education my children are getting," Naquin pointed out, noting education is a "very, very important" component of quality of life. A special panel will now begin work to implement the initiatives, David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said.
"We all have just one goal in mind, and that is to provide a quality education for the children of all military families," Chu said.
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and Deputy Education Secretary Raymond Simon signed a memorandum of understanding between their agencies at the Pentagon today that addresses the quality of education and the unique challenges faced by children of military families. Hundreds of thousands of students in military families will be affected by moves precipitated by recent Base Realignment and Closure Act decisions and the relocation of military units from overseas bases to stateside installations as part of global defense posture realignment moves, England said.
Children of U.S. military members who have sacrificed so much for the nation "deserve to have to a good education," England said during his remarks before the signing ceremony.
"And so, we have an obligation, both as a department and as a nation, to make sure not just the children in our military, but all of the children in the United States of America get absolutely the finest education that they can," the deputy defense secretary said.
The failure to provide a good education for America's children could result in the forfeiture of the United States' premier position in the world, England pointed out, as well as the loss of freedom for its citizens.
"So, I'm an extraordinary strong proponent of anything we do to improve the education of our children, especially the children of our military," England said.
The memo of understanding generally defines how the Defense and Education departments will work together with local educational organizations to strengthen and expand school-based efforts to ease student transitions and help military students develop academic skills and coping strategies during parents' military deployments.
Simon hailed the agreement, noting that its implementation will "honor the sacrifice that these families make every day."
The agreement supports defense and education department efforts to:
-- Promote and enhance policies that will improve military children's education and overall well-being;
-- Advance the quality of educational opportunities for all military children;
-- Provide research-based academic, social-emotional and behavioral supports to facilitate seamless transitions for military children;
-- Provide leadership and advocacy programs to help military students cope with issues surrounding deployments;
-- Support foreign language education, including programs for strategic languages;
-- Explore legislative options to address transition issues for military students;
-- Extend opportunities for student learning through support of online, virtual and other research-based teaching models;
-- Provide research-based teacher and administrator professional development programs;
-- Forge effective partnerships with local schools and districts;
-- Coordinate Defense Department and Education Department impact aid programs;
-- Communicate with military families and organizations to show appreciation for their contributions; and
-- Increase awareness of resources and tools available from the Education and Defense departments.
Congress has provided financial assistance to local school districts through the impact aid program since 1950. Current legislation provides financial assistance to school districts with concentrations of children residing on military bases who have parents in the military. Military families that reside in government-provided quarters do not pay local property taxes, a portion of which are used to manage and operate public schools.
More than 1.1 million students who belong to active duty and reserve-component military families are expected to benefit from activities outlined in the agreement.
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael J. Naquin, a security forces noncommissioned officer posted at Bolling Air Force Base here, and his 6-year-old son, Aaron, were among several military families personally greeted by England and Simon at signing ceremony.
"Progress is being made, and it is nice that our two communities can come together as one," Naquin said of the bi-departmental education agreement.
"It is one less worry, not having to worry about the education my children are getting," Naquin pointed out, noting education is a "very, very important" component of quality of life. A special panel will now begin work to implement the initiatives, David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said.
"We all have just one goal in mind, and that is to provide a quality education for the children of all military families," Chu said.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Soldier Missing in Action From The Korean War is Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.
He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie.
Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position along the Nammyon River near a bend known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Clark was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Among several boxes turned over in 1993, one contained a dog tag for Clark, and the accompanying North Korean documents indicated that the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province. This location correlates with where Clark's unit fought during the battle at Unsan.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of Clark's remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie.
Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.
In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position along the Nammyon River near a bend known as the "Camel's Head." On Nov. 1, 1950, parts of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. Clark was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan.
Between 1991-94, North Korea turned over to the United States 208 boxes of remains believed to contain the remains of 200-400 U.S. servicemen. Among several boxes turned over in 1993, one contained a dog tag for Clark, and the accompanying North Korean documents indicated that the remains were exhumed near Chonsung-Ri, Unsan County, North Pyongan Province. This location correlates with where Clark's unit fought during the battle at Unsan.
Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of Clark's remains.
For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.
Pentagon Officials Testify on Chinese Military Buildup
By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Though the Defense Department doesn't see China as a strategic adversary, the country's military buildup and lack of openness in how it's going about it has officials wondering about Chinese leaders' intentions, senior Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee today. James J. Shinn, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, vice director for strategic plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on the topic. Their testimony revolved around three key questions from the Defense Department's recently submitted China Military Power Report:
-- What are the Chinese doing in terms of their military modernization and buildup?
-- What does it mean for the United States and its allies in the region?
-- What are the Defense Department and the U.S. government doing to react?
According to the report, the Chinese have engaged in a sizeable and sustained increase in military expenditures over the past few years. Their official budget is reported to be about $60 billion, but the Defense Department estimates that it's twice that, Shinn said.
The buildup is across all of China's services, Shinn added. "It's comprehensive in the sea, land and air forces. It's also particularly significant that it includes its nuclear as well as the conventional forces," he continued.
Shinn noted China's heavy investment in personnel, recruiting and training, which in previous years was not as big a factor as the overall numbers of its forces. The Chinese also are devoting much effort into logistics and the command and control apparatus, he said.
China's buildup reflects a deliberate and well-thought-through strategy to invest in asymmetric warfare, cyber warfare, and counter-space capabilities, Shinn told the House panel, and also has sophisticated cruise missile and under-sea warfare programs.
The buildup means the United States and its allies in the region could be at risk, because the increasing capabilities may alter China's intentions, which currently seem to be peaceful, Shinn said. The increasing capacity may present the Chinese leadership with more options, he noted.
"As the Chinese nuclear forces increase their size and survivability, we don't know if [their intention] is going to alter," he explained. "We are very careful about inferring intent as to expanding capability. Part of the reason for the deep seriousness of the report is that one must always plan for the worst."
Therefore, he said, DoD will continue pressing intelligence collection and analysis to understand Chinese leaders' intentions for their country's increased capabilities. The United States will continue to train, equip and posture Pacific forces and work closely with regional allies to strengthen their capabilities, he said.
Shinn also stressed the importance of U.S. forces engaging and maintaining dialogue with the Chinese government and leaders of the People's Liberation Army to learn more about them and their intentions. The Defense Department does not currently see China as a strategic adversary, but rather as a competitor in some respects and a partner in others, he said.
"China's rise certainly presents a variety of opportunities and challenges, but the Chinese are definitely not destined to be an adversary," he told the committee.
Breedlove affirmed Shinn's comments, noting that cooperation continues to progress between the United States and China in areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and military environmental protection.
"An encouraging sign [of cooperation] was China's reception of relief supplies delivered to the needy Chinese by our military aircraft during this past winter's storms and most recent earthquake," Breedlove said.
China's military modernization is no surprise, given the country's impressive economic growth, the general said.
"[The United States] continues to communicate to China that our desire for greater transparency and openness is to gain a better understanding of their strategic intent," he said. "We believe it is clearly in the interest of all to avoid any misunderstanding or miscalculation. We continue to watch the situation closely and respond in a matter that brings peace and stability."
American Forces Press Service
June 25, 2008 - Though the Defense Department doesn't see China as a strategic adversary, the country's military buildup and lack of openness in how it's going about it has officials wondering about Chinese leaders' intentions, senior Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee today. James J. Shinn, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Air Force Maj. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, vice director for strategic plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on the topic. Their testimony revolved around three key questions from the Defense Department's recently submitted China Military Power Report:
-- What are the Chinese doing in terms of their military modernization and buildup?
-- What does it mean for the United States and its allies in the region?
-- What are the Defense Department and the U.S. government doing to react?
According to the report, the Chinese have engaged in a sizeable and sustained increase in military expenditures over the past few years. Their official budget is reported to be about $60 billion, but the Defense Department estimates that it's twice that, Shinn said.
The buildup is across all of China's services, Shinn added. "It's comprehensive in the sea, land and air forces. It's also particularly significant that it includes its nuclear as well as the conventional forces," he continued.
Shinn noted China's heavy investment in personnel, recruiting and training, which in previous years was not as big a factor as the overall numbers of its forces. The Chinese also are devoting much effort into logistics and the command and control apparatus, he said.
China's buildup reflects a deliberate and well-thought-through strategy to invest in asymmetric warfare, cyber warfare, and counter-space capabilities, Shinn told the House panel, and also has sophisticated cruise missile and under-sea warfare programs.
The buildup means the United States and its allies in the region could be at risk, because the increasing capabilities may alter China's intentions, which currently seem to be peaceful, Shinn said. The increasing capacity may present the Chinese leadership with more options, he noted.
"As the Chinese nuclear forces increase their size and survivability, we don't know if [their intention] is going to alter," he explained. "We are very careful about inferring intent as to expanding capability. Part of the reason for the deep seriousness of the report is that one must always plan for the worst."
Therefore, he said, DoD will continue pressing intelligence collection and analysis to understand Chinese leaders' intentions for their country's increased capabilities. The United States will continue to train, equip and posture Pacific forces and work closely with regional allies to strengthen their capabilities, he said.
Shinn also stressed the importance of U.S. forces engaging and maintaining dialogue with the Chinese government and leaders of the People's Liberation Army to learn more about them and their intentions. The Defense Department does not currently see China as a strategic adversary, but rather as a competitor in some respects and a partner in others, he said.
"China's rise certainly presents a variety of opportunities and challenges, but the Chinese are definitely not destined to be an adversary," he told the committee.
Breedlove affirmed Shinn's comments, noting that cooperation continues to progress between the United States and China in areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and military environmental protection.
"An encouraging sign [of cooperation] was China's reception of relief supplies delivered to the needy Chinese by our military aircraft during this past winter's storms and most recent earthquake," Breedlove said.
China's military modernization is no surprise, given the country's impressive economic growth, the general said.
"[The United States] continues to communicate to China that our desire for greater transparency and openness is to gain a better understanding of their strategic intent," he said. "We believe it is clearly in the interest of all to avoid any misunderstanding or miscalculation. We continue to watch the situation closely and respond in a matter that brings peace and stability."
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 24, 2008
ARMY
SHAW Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $53,029,251 cost-plus award fee contract for base operations and support services for the directorate of public works and directorate of logistics. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 24, 2007, and seven bids were received. Southern Regional Contracting Center, Installation Contracting Center, Fort McPherson, Ga., is the contracting activity (W911SE-08-C-0021).
Head, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $12,695,353 firm-fixed price contract for demolition of airfields and replacement. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by May 20, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sept. 31, 2007, and ten bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0036).
Archer Western Contractors, LTD, Phoenix, Ariz., was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $9,000,000 firm-fixed price contract for the Tres Rios environmental restoration project flow regulating wetlands. Work will be performed in Tolleson, Maricopa County, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on April 29, 2008, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912PL-08-C-0011).
Bell Aerospace Services, Inc., Ozark, Ala., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $7,781,781 firm-fixed price contract for refurbishment of UH-1 aircraft for the Philippines. Work will be performed in Ozark, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on July 10, 2007. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0139).
Telford Aviation Inc., Bangor, Maine, was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $7,395,486 time and materials contract for modification for the procurement of DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft to be designated as the Multi-Sensor Airborne Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems. Work will be performed in Hagerstown, Md., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on May 29, 2008. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-07-C-W009).
NAVY
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a not to exceed ceiling price $45,700,000 modification #0012 to a previously awarded contract (N00383-06-D-001J, order number 0004) for the purchase of initial spares in support of the E/A-18 G Growler. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and work will be completed July 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
DRS EW & Network Systems, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,909,165 fixed-price, time and materials contract for a Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for the DDG53, a land-based GEDMS trainer, EDMS hardware, and installation and checkout repair for the DDG53 GEDMS. The GEDMS is a shipboard network for DDG51 Class Destroyers. GEDMS is a ship wide data transfer network for a ship's machinery, steering, navigation, combat, alarm and indicating, and damage control systems. It was designed to replace the miles of point-to-point cabling, signal converters, junction boxes, and switchboards associated with conventional ship's cabling. This contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $7,009,165. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa. (80 percent) and Buffalo, N.Y. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured on a limited competition basis with two proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-08-C-2001).
Raytheon Systems Co.,McKinney, Texas, is being awarded a $6,055,004 firm-fixed-price contract for Multi-spectral Targets Systems (MTS). The MTS is a forward looking infrared system for the aircraft. The MTS provides real-time imagery selectable between infrared and day TV as well as a laser designation capability. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas and is expected to be completed by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,055,004 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-06-G-8555) (Job Order 0042).
AIR FORCE
L-3 Communications EO/ERs, Inc. of Santa Rosa, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $34,000,000. The contractor shall furnish the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy Directorate with the necessary qualified personnel, materials facilities, supplies, and travel to provide and deliver airborne ISR imaging turrets of 20" diameter and 15" diameter, in accordance with the list of technical requirements below. The turrets will be compatible with Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) and Airborne Reconnaissance Low (PM AR-L) airborne turret systems installations, and meet the following Technical Requirements: (CLIN 0001) Qty 6 twenty-inch (20"); (CLIN 0002) Qty 10 Fifteen-inch (15") class airborne ISR turret system; (CLIN 0006). The contractor will propose maintenance for 3 of the 20" turrets, and for 5 of the 15" turrets. The contractor shall propose complete spare parts kits for these units as well, with turnaround repair times of 10 days between turret arrival at, and shipping from, the contractor's facilities. Or, alternately, a specific best timetable as established by currently available maintenance scheduling methods as practiced in their business; (CLIN 0003). The contractor will propose upgrades to the turrets requiring approximately 10,000 engineering and manufacturing hours, for the engineering and adding of the following technology areas; High Definition Television sensors, improved MWIR sensors, fiber optic or other high bandwidth slip-ring capabilities, larger or more versatile apertures for any classes of turrets the produce, SWIR and laser technology additions to sensor suites, and upgraded pointing, tracking, operator interfaces, turret stabilization, image processing and communications. At this time $3,135,000 has been obligated. Det 8 Air Force Research laboratory/PKDB, Directed Energy Contracts Division, Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-08-D-0242).
International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., is being awarded a cost type contract for $2,390,799. The goal of the Wafer-Scale Graphene RF Nanoelectronics effort is to investigate two challenges that are fundamental to development of high performance carbon electronics for RF applications in military systems. At this time $2,390,799 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-7838).
SHAW Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $53,029,251 cost-plus award fee contract for base operations and support services for the directorate of public works and directorate of logistics. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Oct. 24, 2007, and seven bids were received. Southern Regional Contracting Center, Installation Contracting Center, Fort McPherson, Ga., is the contracting activity (W911SE-08-C-0021).
Head, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $12,695,353 firm-fixed price contract for demolition of airfields and replacement. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by May 20, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sept. 31, 2007, and ten bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-08-C-0036).
Archer Western Contractors, LTD, Phoenix, Ariz., was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $9,000,000 firm-fixed price contract for the Tres Rios environmental restoration project flow regulating wetlands. Work will be performed in Tolleson, Maricopa County, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 6, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on April 29, 2008, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity (W912PL-08-C-0011).
Bell Aerospace Services, Inc., Ozark, Ala., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $7,781,781 firm-fixed price contract for refurbishment of UH-1 aircraft for the Philippines. Work will be performed in Ozark, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on July 10, 2007. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0139).
Telford Aviation Inc., Bangor, Maine, was awarded on June 23, 2008, a $7,395,486 time and materials contract for modification for the procurement of DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft to be designated as the Multi-Sensor Airborne Reconnaissance Surveillance Systems. Work will be performed in Hagerstown, Md., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on May 29, 2008. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-07-C-W009).
NAVY
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a not to exceed ceiling price $45,700,000 modification #0012 to a previously awarded contract (N00383-06-D-001J, order number 0004) for the purchase of initial spares in support of the E/A-18 G Growler. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and work will be completed July 2010. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.
DRS EW & Network Systems, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., is being awarded a $6,909,165 fixed-price, time and materials contract for a Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for the DDG53, a land-based GEDMS trainer, EDMS hardware, and installation and checkout repair for the DDG53 GEDMS. The GEDMS is a shipboard network for DDG51 Class Destroyers. GEDMS is a ship wide data transfer network for a ship's machinery, steering, navigation, combat, alarm and indicating, and damage control systems. It was designed to replace the miles of point-to-point cabling, signal converters, junction boxes, and switchboards associated with conventional ship's cabling. This contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $7,009,165. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa. (80 percent) and Buffalo, N.Y. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured on a limited competition basis with two proposals solicited and two offers received via the Federal Business Opportunities website. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-08-C-2001).
Raytheon Systems Co.,McKinney, Texas, is being awarded a $6,055,004 firm-fixed-price contract for Multi-spectral Targets Systems (MTS). The MTS is a forward looking infrared system for the aircraft. The MTS provides real-time imagery selectable between infrared and day TV as well as a laser designation capability. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas and is expected to be completed by September 2009. Contract funds in the amount of $6,055,004 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-06-G-8555) (Job Order 0042).
AIR FORCE
L-3 Communications EO/ERs, Inc. of Santa Rosa, Calif., is being awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for a maximum of $34,000,000. The contractor shall furnish the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Directed Energy Directorate with the necessary qualified personnel, materials facilities, supplies, and travel to provide and deliver airborne ISR imaging turrets of 20" diameter and 15" diameter, in accordance with the list of technical requirements below. The turrets will be compatible with Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS) and Airborne Reconnaissance Low (PM AR-L) airborne turret systems installations, and meet the following Technical Requirements: (CLIN 0001) Qty 6 twenty-inch (20"); (CLIN 0002) Qty 10 Fifteen-inch (15") class airborne ISR turret system; (CLIN 0006). The contractor will propose maintenance for 3 of the 20" turrets, and for 5 of the 15" turrets. The contractor shall propose complete spare parts kits for these units as well, with turnaround repair times of 10 days between turret arrival at, and shipping from, the contractor's facilities. Or, alternately, a specific best timetable as established by currently available maintenance scheduling methods as practiced in their business; (CLIN 0003). The contractor will propose upgrades to the turrets requiring approximately 10,000 engineering and manufacturing hours, for the engineering and adding of the following technology areas; High Definition Television sensors, improved MWIR sensors, fiber optic or other high bandwidth slip-ring capabilities, larger or more versatile apertures for any classes of turrets the produce, SWIR and laser technology additions to sensor suites, and upgraded pointing, tracking, operator interfaces, turret stabilization, image processing and communications. At this time $3,135,000 has been obligated. Det 8 Air Force Research laboratory/PKDB, Directed Energy Contracts Division, Directorate of Contracting, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA9451-08-D-0242).
International Business Machines Corp., of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., is being awarded a cost type contract for $2,390,799. The goal of the Wafer-Scale Graphene RF Nanoelectronics effort is to investigate two challenges that are fundamental to development of high performance carbon electronics for RF applications in military systems. At this time $2,390,799 has been obligated. AFRL/PKDA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-7838).
Guard Aircraft, Crews Battle California Wildfires
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Army and Air National Guard members from California and North Carolina are supporting firefighting efforts in Northern California today following a state active-duty call-up by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a request for airborne firefighting assets by the Interagency Fire Center. The governor's office reported yesterday that a "swarm of dry lighting cells over the last 16 hours sparked nearly 400 new fires across the state, spanning from Monterey and Fresno counties to the Oregon-California border."
Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency June 22 for Monterey and Trinity counties. The governor made similar declarations for Butte and Santa Cruz counties June 11 and 12. At least 30 Guard members were operating in Redding, Napa and Stockton.
The Interagency Fire Center reported more than 33,000 wild land fires in the United States this year. More than 1,000 new fires have been reported in California since June 21.
Two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft, aircrews and support assets from the North Carolina Air Guard's 145th Airlift Wing arrived in Chico, Calif., yesterday, adding to 10 other Army and Air National Guard aircraft and aircrews performing firefighting missions in the state.
Four Air Guard C-130s carry special mobile airborne firefighting systems that can drop 3,000 gallons of an orange-colored water and fire-retardant mixture. In addition, four Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter equipped with helibuckets also are suppressing wildfires from a staging area at the Stockton Flight Facility.
Two Army Guard OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopters from Los Alamitos are performing fire-spotting missions out of Mather Air Field, and one RC-26 Metroliner is performing aerial reconnaissance missions. Officials reported additional requests for at least eight Army Guard aircraft from Nevada, Washington and Oregon.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Army and Air National Guard members from California and North Carolina are supporting firefighting efforts in Northern California today following a state active-duty call-up by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a request for airborne firefighting assets by the Interagency Fire Center. The governor's office reported yesterday that a "swarm of dry lighting cells over the last 16 hours sparked nearly 400 new fires across the state, spanning from Monterey and Fresno counties to the Oregon-California border."
Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency June 22 for Monterey and Trinity counties. The governor made similar declarations for Butte and Santa Cruz counties June 11 and 12. At least 30 Guard members were operating in Redding, Napa and Stockton.
The Interagency Fire Center reported more than 33,000 wild land fires in the United States this year. More than 1,000 new fires have been reported in California since June 21.
Two specially equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft, aircrews and support assets from the North Carolina Air Guard's 145th Airlift Wing arrived in Chico, Calif., yesterday, adding to 10 other Army and Air National Guard aircraft and aircrews performing firefighting missions in the state.
Four Air Guard C-130s carry special mobile airborne firefighting systems that can drop 3,000 gallons of an orange-colored water and fire-retardant mixture. In addition, four Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter equipped with helibuckets also are suppressing wildfires from a staging area at the Stockton Flight Facility.
Two Army Guard OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopters from Los Alamitos are performing fire-spotting missions out of Mather Air Field, and one RC-26 Metroliner is performing aerial reconnaissance missions. Officials reported additional requests for at least eight Army Guard aircraft from Nevada, Washington and Oregon.
(Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith serves with the National Guard Bureau.)
America Supports You: Lake Michigan Cruise Recognizes Veterans
By Meghan Vittrup
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Veterans can once again enjoy an afternoon cruising Lake Michigan, sharing tributes and building relationships thanks to one Illinois group. Kup's Purple Heart Cruises began in 1945 when Irv Kupcinet also known as "Kup," a Chicago Sun Times columnist, wanted to do something for servicemembers coming back from World War Two.
The 50-year tradition ended with its last cruise in 1995. Twelve years later, David Kupcinet decided to re-launch his grandfather's renowned Kup's Purple Heart Cruises.
After fours year of planning the successfully re-launched cruise took place July 31, 2007.
Kupcinet said the cruise is a way to show appreciation to veterans for their service to the country.
Kup's Purple Heart Cruise is an "effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our armed forces at home and abroad," according to a news release from the group.
Last year, Kupcinet said, it took three and a half months to fill the 500 spots on the cruise, but "it was so successful last year it took three and a half weeks to hit capacity this year."
The cruise is not only for veterans but also active-duty servicemembers. Kupcinet said veterans range in age from 19 to 91.
"The most interesting thing was seeing the relationships built between old time veterans and [Afghanistan and Iraq] veterans," Kupcinet said. "The connection between ... veterans in their 20s and a guy from World War Two, for example, is really a pretty amazing thing to see."
"These relationships are long-lasting relationships," said Dan Casara, a Purple Heart recipient and participant in Kup's Purple Heart Cruise. He was wounded Sept. 23, 2005, when a roadside bomb flipped his tank. He said he tries to use such events to network, meet new people, and build lasting relationships that will turn into friendships.
Kupcinet said it is a great experience to see both young and older veterans interacting and still holding on to deep military ties and traditions, including the playful arguments over which branch of the military is the strongest.
"It's also very funny to see the branches still mess with each other even so many years after they've been in service," Kupcinet said. "We had an 89-year-old Marine and 90-year-old sailor in the Navy, and at those ages they were still messing with each other about who was tougher."
The Purple Heart Cruise event takes place in two parts. The first part is the pierside send-off ceremony that includes presentations and speeches from the honorary chairman as well as dignitaries. There also are military and Defense Department tributes to the veterans, Kupcinet said.
The cruise itself is the second part of the event; it is a four-hour cruise on Lake Michigan that includes of food, entertainment and camaraderie.
"It was really nice," Casara said. "It was refreshing to see other Purple Heart recipients, ... whether they were of this conflict or prior conflicts, to come out and enjoy themselves."
This year's Kup's Purple Heart Cruise will take place July 31 at Navy Pier in Chicago.
Kup's Purple Heart Foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program that seeks to focus public support for the men and women in the military.
African Nations Working for Maritime Security
By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Representatives from 10 East African nations, along with coalition partners from the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in a week-long working group to help lay a foundation for great partnership in the realm of maritime security. Speakers from the various organizations covered a wide range of topics, including strategies for short- and long-term planning, pooling resources, regional cooperation, and security considerations at sea.
The team from Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa organized the event and was the catalyst for bringing these countries together to discuss issues pertaining to the region.
Navy Rear Adm. Philip H. Greene Jr., commander of CJTF-HOA, spoke first about the implication for why maritime security is vital to regional success.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to develop partnerships, as well as to share information and knowledge about our path to improving maritime security and safety in the Horn and Eastern Africa," he said.
The desired end state is regional security and cooperation to help create a prosperous East Africa, Greene said.
"The importance of maritime security and safety in this region is driven because of the economic challenges that the region faces," the admiral said. "This is due to criminal activities at sea, trafficking of drugs, smuggling of illegal cargo, trafficking of people, as well as armed robbery and piracy at sea.
"Every country has limited resources to combat these many issues, including the United States," he continued. "Whether it is money, people or ships, the resources are finite, and talking about the issues candidly allows all of us to tackle the problems within the confines of what we have."
Navy Capt. James R. Burke, director of the plans and policy directorate for CJTF-HOA, was one of the driving forces behind this workshop. One of the goals he said he hopes eventually will come from these meetings is organizing and pooling resources throughout the region.
"Whenever you build some type of maritime capacity, it is never cheap, and there are limited resources," Burke said. "What is required is to determine what the threats are and what the nation may need to combat these threats.
"It is not just about equipment, it is also a supporting legal structure," he continued. "It may also span several agencies -- it could be the military, it could be the navy, its port authorities -- and bringing all those agencies together. It is complex environment, not a simple problem, but one that needs to be tackled."
A team from the Naval War College, in Newport, R.I., facilitated the small working groups, allowing delegates from the partner nations to discuss openly and candidly the problems each nation faces. Some challenges were common among the region's nations, but others presented were unique.
One delegate brought up the issue of having an uninformed populace regarding the laws surrounding smuggling. "If they do not know it is wrong, how can you expect them to refrain from doing illegal activities?" was a question posed by one of the attendees.
"Seeing the issues each nation is up against sets a framework for finding solutions in the future," Burke said. "Because of the limited resources involved, and the overlapping challenges the countries in the region encounter, if they can start thinking about working together to improve the overall security situation, this region in Africa will be one step closer to achieving the goals of the working group."
Concern for maritime security is not limited to coastal nations, Burke noted. Any nation with waterways has to consider how to provide security on them, he said.
Uganda is a prime example of a land-locked country with maritime security concerns. Lt. Col. Michael Nyayrwa, head of the Uganda People's Defense Force Maritime Forces, said even though his country is in the interior of Africa, maritime security still plays a role in the overall security of his country.
"We looked at how maritime security and safety strategies could be developed in the workshop, and we came to understand these strategies are not about navies, but about maritime domain awareness," Nyayrwa said. "It is about partnership, it is about cooperation, it is about countries pooling their resources, sharing information, and all of this is for the economic benefit for the people in this region of Africa."
He went on to say the problems of piracy and illegal fishing have an untold cost to the people as a whole and it is in the interests of everyone to work together to battle these forces.
"High crimes on our water bodies have transcended national borders, and coming together of various countries will engender prosperity of all the peoples in eastern Africa," he said.
"The framework is being laid for better regional maritime safety and security in the region," Burke said. "Ultimately, it will be up to everyone to step up and deliver on the goals talked about here."
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen serves with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - Representatives from 10 East African nations, along with coalition partners from the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in a week-long working group to help lay a foundation for great partnership in the realm of maritime security. Speakers from the various organizations covered a wide range of topics, including strategies for short- and long-term planning, pooling resources, regional cooperation, and security considerations at sea.
The team from Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa organized the event and was the catalyst for bringing these countries together to discuss issues pertaining to the region.
Navy Rear Adm. Philip H. Greene Jr., commander of CJTF-HOA, spoke first about the implication for why maritime security is vital to regional success.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together to develop partnerships, as well as to share information and knowledge about our path to improving maritime security and safety in the Horn and Eastern Africa," he said.
The desired end state is regional security and cooperation to help create a prosperous East Africa, Greene said.
"The importance of maritime security and safety in this region is driven because of the economic challenges that the region faces," the admiral said. "This is due to criminal activities at sea, trafficking of drugs, smuggling of illegal cargo, trafficking of people, as well as armed robbery and piracy at sea.
"Every country has limited resources to combat these many issues, including the United States," he continued. "Whether it is money, people or ships, the resources are finite, and talking about the issues candidly allows all of us to tackle the problems within the confines of what we have."
Navy Capt. James R. Burke, director of the plans and policy directorate for CJTF-HOA, was one of the driving forces behind this workshop. One of the goals he said he hopes eventually will come from these meetings is organizing and pooling resources throughout the region.
"Whenever you build some type of maritime capacity, it is never cheap, and there are limited resources," Burke said. "What is required is to determine what the threats are and what the nation may need to combat these threats.
"It is not just about equipment, it is also a supporting legal structure," he continued. "It may also span several agencies -- it could be the military, it could be the navy, its port authorities -- and bringing all those agencies together. It is complex environment, not a simple problem, but one that needs to be tackled."
A team from the Naval War College, in Newport, R.I., facilitated the small working groups, allowing delegates from the partner nations to discuss openly and candidly the problems each nation faces. Some challenges were common among the region's nations, but others presented were unique.
One delegate brought up the issue of having an uninformed populace regarding the laws surrounding smuggling. "If they do not know it is wrong, how can you expect them to refrain from doing illegal activities?" was a question posed by one of the attendees.
"Seeing the issues each nation is up against sets a framework for finding solutions in the future," Burke said. "Because of the limited resources involved, and the overlapping challenges the countries in the region encounter, if they can start thinking about working together to improve the overall security situation, this region in Africa will be one step closer to achieving the goals of the working group."
Concern for maritime security is not limited to coastal nations, Burke noted. Any nation with waterways has to consider how to provide security on them, he said.
Uganda is a prime example of a land-locked country with maritime security concerns. Lt. Col. Michael Nyayrwa, head of the Uganda People's Defense Force Maritime Forces, said even though his country is in the interior of Africa, maritime security still plays a role in the overall security of his country.
"We looked at how maritime security and safety strategies could be developed in the workshop, and we came to understand these strategies are not about navies, but about maritime domain awareness," Nyayrwa said. "It is about partnership, it is about cooperation, it is about countries pooling their resources, sharing information, and all of this is for the economic benefit for the people in this region of Africa."
He went on to say the problems of piracy and illegal fishing have an untold cost to the people as a whole and it is in the interests of everyone to work together to battle these forces.
"High crimes on our water bodies have transcended national borders, and coming together of various countries will engender prosperity of all the peoples in eastern Africa," he said.
"The framework is being laid for better regional maritime safety and security in the region," Burke said. "Ultimately, it will be up to everyone to step up and deliver on the goals talked about here."
(Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Cohen serves with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.)
Bush Commits Navy Support Following Philippines Typhoon
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - U.S. Pacific Command is moving quickly to support President Bush's promise to provide naval assets in the wake of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines that left more than 150 dead and hundreds missing. Bush expressed condolences to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during their White House meeting today and assured her the United States will move Navy assets to the area to assist. "We're happy to do it. We want to help our friends in time of need," Bush said.
The official death toll from the June 21 Typhoon Fengshen stands at 163, with about 800 more missing after the ferry Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibyauan. The typhoon also damaged more than 600,000 acres of farmland.
After her session with Bush, Arroyo met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon and also visited Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte.
Arroyo expressed thanks to the United States for its willingness to provide emergency aid to the Philippines "in this hour of need" during a news conference with Negroponte. "We are deeply grateful for the response by the U.S. government, including the U.S. Navy," she said.
Talking to reporters after their meeting, Bush said he congratulated Arroyo on her strong, effective stand on counterterrorism and her vision of peace for the region.
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2008 - U.S. Pacific Command is moving quickly to support President Bush's promise to provide naval assets in the wake of a deadly typhoon in the Philippines that left more than 150 dead and hundreds missing. Bush expressed condolences to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during their White House meeting today and assured her the United States will move Navy assets to the area to assist. "We're happy to do it. We want to help our friends in time of need," Bush said.
The official death toll from the June 21 Typhoon Fengshen stands at 163, with about 800 more missing after the ferry Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibyauan. The typhoon also damaged more than 600,000 acres of farmland.
After her session with Bush, Arroyo met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates at the Pentagon and also visited Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte.
Arroyo expressed thanks to the United States for its willingness to provide emergency aid to the Philippines "in this hour of need" during a news conference with Negroponte. "We are deeply grateful for the response by the U.S. government, including the U.S. Navy," she said.
Talking to reporters after their meeting, Bush said he congratulated Arroyo on her strong, effective stand on counterterrorism and her vision of peace for the region.
Face of Defense: Soldier Applies Leadership Lessons
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - June 20 was a special day for Army 1st Sgt. Anthony Farinosi. A quick ceremony on a flight line in the middle of a combat zone marked his first day as a full-fledged, diamond-wearing first sergeant. His new job with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, isn't his first time filling the role as a company's top enlisted soldier. During a previous deployment in Iraq, Farinosi held the position in the aviation intermediate maintenance company for 412th Aviation Support Battalion when he was a sergeant first class.
It was an experience, the Irvine, Calif., native said, that he has yearned for ever since.
"My best time in the Army has been when I worked as a first sergeant," Farinosi said. "I had 235 soldiers who were just like my kids. If I can influence one kid or keep him on the right track, then I feel like I was successful."
"First sergeant" is one of several titles Farinosi is proud of. Farinosi also is "Dad" to two teenage boys, but he's most proud of another title that he said fits all areas of his life: "coach."
Since his arrival in Germany in 2003, Farinosi has been coaching for a German community soccer club, Sportverein Oberreichenbach. Farinosi's team now competes in the 17- to 18-year-old bracket.
"Coaching is amazing because of the influence you can have on a kid," he said. "For a lot of them, the happiest time of their day is when they're playing soccer. They're training hard, learning and getting better. It's a great thing to be around."
During his time as a coach, three of the athletes he's helped mentor have been recruited to play at the Division 1 level, the highest in a country where soccer is the national sport. One of his players has even played for the German national team for his age group.
Farinosi said cultural differences are no longer an issue, as the players are older and have become used to him and his sons, who also play for the club.
"The German kids have really accepted us," he said. "I see them around town and they smile and they get excited to see me, because I take the time to work with them. That makes me feel really good. I don't have all the answers, but I can show them what they're doing wrong and help them find the right way to do it."
His new commander, Capt. Barbara Burger, who also worked with him in 412th Aviation Support Battalion, said Farinosi's ability to mentor and motivate transcends the soccer field.
"He teaches his soldiers what he expects of them and then lets them make their own decisions," she said.
Farinosi said the jobs go hand in hand and that doing one often helps him with the other.
"Coaching helps with patience, and the first sergeant job teaches me a lot of structure that I can apply toward coaching," he said. "As the kids on my team get older, they like to joke around and get a little lippy sometimes – just like soldiers. Some of my soldiers are only a couple of years older than the kids on my team."
Because he's been deployed for nearly a year, Farinosi has missed a full season of soccer. He'll be back in Germany in time for one more season before it's time to leave Europe. Ultimately though, he said he wants to return to Germany someday with a new title: "teacher."
"I'm going to get my teaching certificate and become a teacher and coach, hopefully at a Department of Defense school in Germany," Farinosi said. "My dad always told me that if you always do the right thing, you never have to worry about things going wrong. My goal has always been to take care of people, no matter who they are."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2008 - June 20 was a special day for Army 1st Sgt. Anthony Farinosi. A quick ceremony on a flight line in the middle of a combat zone marked his first day as a full-fledged, diamond-wearing first sergeant. His new job with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, isn't his first time filling the role as a company's top enlisted soldier. During a previous deployment in Iraq, Farinosi held the position in the aviation intermediate maintenance company for 412th Aviation Support Battalion when he was a sergeant first class.
It was an experience, the Irvine, Calif., native said, that he has yearned for ever since.
"My best time in the Army has been when I worked as a first sergeant," Farinosi said. "I had 235 soldiers who were just like my kids. If I can influence one kid or keep him on the right track, then I feel like I was successful."
"First sergeant" is one of several titles Farinosi is proud of. Farinosi also is "Dad" to two teenage boys, but he's most proud of another title that he said fits all areas of his life: "coach."
Since his arrival in Germany in 2003, Farinosi has been coaching for a German community soccer club, Sportverein Oberreichenbach. Farinosi's team now competes in the 17- to 18-year-old bracket.
"Coaching is amazing because of the influence you can have on a kid," he said. "For a lot of them, the happiest time of their day is when they're playing soccer. They're training hard, learning and getting better. It's a great thing to be around."
During his time as a coach, three of the athletes he's helped mentor have been recruited to play at the Division 1 level, the highest in a country where soccer is the national sport. One of his players has even played for the German national team for his age group.
Farinosi said cultural differences are no longer an issue, as the players are older and have become used to him and his sons, who also play for the club.
"The German kids have really accepted us," he said. "I see them around town and they smile and they get excited to see me, because I take the time to work with them. That makes me feel really good. I don't have all the answers, but I can show them what they're doing wrong and help them find the right way to do it."
His new commander, Capt. Barbara Burger, who also worked with him in 412th Aviation Support Battalion, said Farinosi's ability to mentor and motivate transcends the soccer field.
"He teaches his soldiers what he expects of them and then lets them make their own decisions," she said.
Farinosi said the jobs go hand in hand and that doing one often helps him with the other.
"Coaching helps with patience, and the first sergeant job teaches me a lot of structure that I can apply toward coaching," he said. "As the kids on my team get older, they like to joke around and get a little lippy sometimes – just like soldiers. Some of my soldiers are only a couple of years older than the kids on my team."
Because he's been deployed for nearly a year, Farinosi has missed a full season of soccer. He'll be back in Germany in time for one more season before it's time to leave Europe. Ultimately though, he said he wants to return to Germany someday with a new title: "teacher."
"I'm going to get my teaching certificate and become a teacher and coach, hopefully at a Department of Defense school in Germany," Farinosi said. "My dad always told me that if you always do the right thing, you never have to worry about things going wrong. My goal has always been to take care of people, no matter who they are."
(Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Seaton serves in Multinational Division Baghdad with the Task Force 12 Public Affairs Office.)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
MILITARY CONTRACTS June 23, 2008
NAVY
Helix Electric, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,is being awarded a $52,687,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the FY08 MCON P-494, Harden Electrical System, Main Base, Agana, Guam. This design-build project will include the design and construction to the primary electrical distribution system serving critical operational facilities on the main base to mitigate damage caused by typhoons. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete July 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 48 proposals solicited and six offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1305).
Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a $28,873,959 cost-plus fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering, installation, and test of the Internet Protocol and Bandwidth Expansion (IPBE) Phase 1 on one E-6B aircraft. The purpose of the IPBE Phase 1 is to install commercial satellite and line of sight radio equipment to allow for increased data capabilities and global communications/Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) on the E-6B aircraft. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kan. (84 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (14 percent); and Seattle, Wash. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. 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-0053).
REDCOM Laboratories, Inc.,* Victor, N.Y., is being awarded a $16,758,760 firm-fixed-price contract to provide HDX-C Switching upgrade equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Victor, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by June 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source procurement. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-3064).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
U.S. Foodservice Lexington, Lexington, S.C. is being awarded a maximum $37,500,000.00firm fixed price, prime vendor contract for food and beverage support. Other location of performance is in South Carolina. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Bamberg job Corp. The original proposal was Dibbs solicited with four responses. This contract is exercising the fourth option period. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 19, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3057).
ARMY
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $37,330,000 firm-fixed price contract for 387 Bradley reactive armor side skirts for the Bradley fighting vehicle system. Work will be performed in McHenry, Miss., and Burlington, Vt., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on June 4, 2008. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-06-C-0143).
Harper Construction Company, Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $12,497,265 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of battalion and brigade headquarters for a 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Complex. Work will be performed at Fort Sill, Okla., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 21, 2007, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-D-0028).
FFEB JV, Metaire, La. was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,565,416 firm-fixed price contract for GeoTechnical Investigation and Report with soil borings and testing in support of hurricane protection office construction projects. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on March 21, 2008, and one bid was received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-07-D-0022).
International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,445,000 contract for research activities for language processing applications such as translation and distillation capabilities. Work will be performed in locations across the United States and is expected to be completed by June 19, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on June 25, 2007, and 21 bids were received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-08-C-0110).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, not to exceed $18 million. This action will update the current Peace Onyx III contract/baseline, which is a comprehensive hardware and software aircraft modernization to the Turkish Block 30 C/D, 40 C/D, and 50 C/D aircraft. This effort supports foreign military sales to Turkey. At this time $9,000,000 (FMS Funds) has been obligated. Aeronautical Systems Center, 312 AESG/PKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-05-C-6002 P00021).
The Boeing Co., of Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $14,983,252. This action will accomplish aircraft integration system engineering studies to support development of critical technology required to enable airborne stand-off electronic attack. The technologies include low-band, high-power transmitting phased arrays, mid-band high-power transmitting phased arrays, and advanced exciters. At this time $4,050,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKSE, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-1304).
Helix Electric, Inc., San Diego, Calif.,is being awarded a $52,687,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the FY08 MCON P-494, Harden Electrical System, Main Base, Agana, Guam. This design-build project will include the design and construction to the primary electrical distribution system serving critical operational facilities on the main base to mitigate damage caused by typhoons. Work will be performed in Guam, and is expected to be complete July 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 48 proposals solicited and six offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-08-C-1305).
Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a $28,873,959 cost-plus fixed-fee contract for non-recurring engineering, installation, and test of the Internet Protocol and Bandwidth Expansion (IPBE) Phase 1 on one E-6B aircraft. The purpose of the IPBE Phase 1 is to install commercial satellite and line of sight radio equipment to allow for increased data capabilities and global communications/Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) on the E-6B aircraft. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kan. (84 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (14 percent); and Seattle, Wash. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2010. 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-0053).
REDCOM Laboratories, Inc.,* Victor, N.Y., is being awarded a $16,758,760 firm-fixed-price contract to provide HDX-C Switching upgrade equipment and spares. Work will be performed in Victor, N.Y., and is expected to be completed by June 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source procurement. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity (N65236-08-D-3064).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
U.S. Foodservice Lexington, Lexington, S.C. is being awarded a maximum $37,500,000.00firm fixed price, prime vendor contract for food and beverage support. Other location of performance is in South Carolina. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Bamberg job Corp. The original proposal was Dibbs solicited with four responses. This contract is exercising the fourth option period. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The date of performance completion is June 19, 2009. The contracting activity is Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP, Philadelphia, Pa. (SPM300-08-D-3057).
ARMY
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded on June 20, 2008, a $37,330,000 firm-fixed price contract for 387 Bradley reactive armor side skirts for the Bradley fighting vehicle system. Work will be performed in McHenry, Miss., and Burlington, Vt., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on June 4, 2008. U.S. Army Joint Munitions & Lethality, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-06-C-0143).
Harper Construction Company, Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $12,497,265 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of battalion and brigade headquarters for a 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade Complex. Work will be performed at Fort Sill, Okla., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 7, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Eight bids were solicited on Sept. 21, 2007, and six bids were received. U.S. Army Engineer District, Savannah, Ga., is the contracting activity (W912HN-08-D-0028).
FFEB JV, Metaire, La. was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,565,416 firm-fixed price contract for GeoTechnical Investigation and Report with soil borings and testing in support of hurricane protection office construction projects. Work will be performed in Plaquemines Parish, La., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 20, 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on March 21, 2008, and one bid was received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P8-07-D-0022).
International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was awarded on June 19, 2008, a $9,445,000 contract for research activities for language processing applications such as translation and distillation capabilities. Work will be performed in locations across the United States and is expected to be completed by June 19, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bids were solicited on June 25, 2007, and 21 bids were received. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (HR0011-08-C-0110).
AIR FORCE
The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, not to exceed $18 million. This action will update the current Peace Onyx III contract/baseline, which is a comprehensive hardware and software aircraft modernization to the Turkish Block 30 C/D, 40 C/D, and 50 C/D aircraft. This effort supports foreign military sales to Turkey. At this time $9,000,000 (FMS Funds) has been obligated. Aeronautical Systems Center, 312 AESG/PKA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-05-C-6002 P00021).
The Boeing Co., of Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a cost plus fixed fee contract for $14,983,252. This action will accomplish aircraft integration system engineering studies to support development of critical technology required to enable airborne stand-off electronic attack. The technologies include low-band, high-power transmitting phased arrays, mid-band high-power transmitting phased arrays, and advanced exciters. At this time $4,050,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKSE, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-08-C-1304).
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