A proper send-off
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On Dec 25th, UK servicemen and women posted overseas in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and the Falkland Islands receive a Christmas box filled with gifts. Inspired by a tradition that dates back to the First World War, the Christmas box program was established 3 years ago by charity UK4U; this year, they distributed gifts to more than 25,000 British troops. The final send off for the items took place on Dec 22/07 this year, and the UK MoD has a feature describing their receipt.

What a fine idea. This worthy program is made possible by industry sponsors, including:

Angliss
BAE Systems
Cooneen Watts & Stone
DBC Foodservice
Deloitte
EADS (UK)
Farside Marketing
Finmeccanica (UK)
Fleet Air Arm Association
Fra Angelico
Fretwell Downing Hospitality
Gifts by Design
J C Bamford Excavators
KBR Halliburton
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Marks and Spencer
Northrup Grumman
NP Aerospace (England)

Afghanistan, 2007
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Nuffield Trust for Forces of the Crown
PA Consulting Group
PRA Architects
Purple Food Service Solutions
QinetiQ Group
Right Management
Rolls Royce
Royal Photographic Society
Sodexho Defence Service
Supreme FoodService
Thistle Garments
Twinings of London
Web-Tex
Wilkinson Sword
Yellow Ribbon Foundation

The US General Services Administration (GSA) is a procurement hub for many US government agencies. In late July 2007, the GSA announced a continued special focus on easing acquisitions for its largest customer, the Department of Defense (who has some surprising most-requested GSA items), including the launch of a full DoD/GSA portal site.

They’ve also just announced the selection of 29 firms for award under the maximum $50 billion Alliant Governmentwide Acquisition Contract. The Alliant umbrella contract provides all US federal government agencies, including the Pentagon, with a centralized source to acquire integrated Information Technology (IT) solutions worldwide. The contract has a 5-year base period with a 5-year option period, and replaces two similar contracts set to expire: Millenia, and ANSWER (Applications ‘N Support for Widely diverse End user Requirements)....

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Price Waterhouse Coopers L.L.P. in Washington, DC received a delivery order amount of $7.5 million as part of a $16.8 million firm-fixed-price contract to conduct a financial statement audit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works FY 2007 financial statements.

Work will be performed in Washington, DC and is expected to be complete by April 25, 2008. There were 5 bids solicited on March 20, 2006, and 5 bids were received by the Washington Headquarters Services in Arlington, VA (N00421-05-D-0025).

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The US Navy has issued a set of consulting firm contracts to help the Director of Material Readiness and Logistics (OPNAV N4) with business process improvements. These are cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts with options. Contract funds associated with the contract guaranteed minimum amounts will expire Sept. 2007, while work is expected to be complete Mar. 2008. Work will be performed in Washington, DC (95%); and other Department of Navy CONUS locations (5%). These contracts were competitively procured and solicited through Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with 15 offers received by the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Division. Winners included:

• Accenture National Security Services LLC in Reston, VA. $11.6 million, $57.5 million if all options are exercised (N00189-07-R-Z018).
• AMSEC LLC in Virginia Beach, VA. $8.9 million, $44 million if all options are exercised (N00189-07-R-Z019).
• Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. in McLean, VA. $9.5 million, $47 million if all options are exercised (N00189-07-R-Z020).
• IBM in Fairfax, VA. $9.3 million, $47 million if all options are exercised (N00189-07-R-Z021).
  
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Secure Border Initiative (SBI) is a comprehensive plan to secure U.S. borders and reduce illegal immigration, including an array of technical aids and elements on both the northern Canadian border and the southern border with Mexico. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency will lead and execute both the SBI and related SBInet efforts, and a $2 billion SBInet contract is expected to be awarded in September 2006. Boeing IDS President & CEO Jim Albaugh has described SBInet as “an initiative of national significance addressing a global problem,” and both Boeing IDS and Raytheon are currently prepping teams for the bid.

The Boeing-led SBInet team includes the following major contractors: DRS Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group in Palm Bay, FL; DRS Technologies in Parsippany, NJ; Kollsman,Inc. in Merrimack, NH, an Elbit Systems of America company; L-3 Communications in Washington, D.C.; L-3 Communication Systems – West in Salt Lake City, UT; Perot Systems in Plano, TX; and Unisys Global Public Sector in Reston, VA.

Raytheon leads a team that includes: Apogen Technologies, Inc. in McLean, VA; BAE Systems, Inc. in Rockville, MD; Bechtel National, Inc. in Frederick, MD; Deloitte Consulting LLP in New York, NY; and IBM in Armonk, NJ. Interestingly, Raytheon is citing is leadership of Brazil’s SIVAM (System for Vigilance of the Amazon) program and its 30 subcontractors as a key qualification that’s comparable in scope and complexity to the USA’s SBInet.

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E-2C Hawkeye
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The Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD awarded a pair of contracts for planning, programming, and financial support. The scope is to accomplish all aspects of program life cycle management necessary, in order to meet the acquisition responsibilities of its carrier-capable E-2C Hawkeye AWACS/ C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft.

These modifications exercise an option under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract, and combine purchases for the United States Navy and the governments of France, Taiwan, Egypt, Japan, and Singapore under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Additional FMS purchases may include the governments of the United Arab Emirates, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand and Oman.

Exactly what kind of work does this contract entail? Who are the winners? And have similar contracts been issued before?

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Accenture, LLP in Reston, VA is being awarded a maximum $6.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for Informational Technology Services for the Defense Logistics Agency. The performance completion date is Dec. 5, 2006. There were six proposals submitted and three responded. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (SP0103-05-F-A130).

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KPMG LLP in Washington, DC won a $7.5 million time-and-materials contract for contractor advisory and assistance services for the Defense Logistics Agency. This is the base period, with three more option periods through Dec. 31, 2008. There were 19 proposals solicited and 6 responses. The Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) in Richmond, VA issued the contract (SP0410-05-D-0002)

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The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Detachment in Philadelphia, PA continues to issue cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts in support of the implementation of the Department of the Navy (DON) Financial Improvement Plan (FIP). These contracts were competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, and nine offers were received. The FIP is a corrective program designed to achieve an unqualified audit opinion for its Annual Financial Statements.

Initial contracts with a one-year value of $72.4 million were issued recently to SAIC and IBM Consulting, with options that could expand their combined total to $212.7 million over several years. These two contracts are cumulative with a combined $72.4 million in contracts issued on March 15, 2005 to Bearing Point and Deloitte Consulting LLP, with options that could raise their combined long-term value to $213.5 million.

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