Nordic Air ECU with Trailer (click to view larger)
Nordic Air in Geneva, OH received a $9 million task order to supply environmental control units (ECUs) for the US Marine Corps. The units [PDF] provide heating and cooling for tents, shelters, vans, containers and trailers.
The units’ vertical skid mounts are designed for ease of transport and hookup. The USMC selected Nordic Air to replace its existing inventory of ECUs, according to the company.
Nordic Air will perform the work in Geneva and expects to complete it by Dec 31/09. The task order was part of a blanket purchase agreement (M67854-08-A-5023) between the company and the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, VA.
The US Air Force Academy is having a 3 megawatt solar farm built on its campus in Colorado Springs, CO to provide solar electricity to the educational complex. Currently, all of the academy’s electricity comes from external sources.
USAFA’s 10th Contracting Squadron awarded a $18.3 million contract (FA700-09-F-0023) to Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to provide renewable photovoltaic solar electrical energy through construction of the solar farm.
The CSU sent an interoffice memorandum to the Colorado Springs mayor and city council about talks it was having with the USAFA concerning the solar farm…
The global proliferation of advanced, ultra-quiet diesel electric submarines has prompted a number of responses around the globe, from initial-stage efforts to mimic a shark’s senses in the USA, to the most obvious route of using more powerful active sonars. In Western countries, concerns have been expressed that these sonars may disorient or scare marine mammals, leading to decompression sickness or disruption of their biological sonar navigation systems. This has led to (unsuccessful) lawsuits aimed at curtailing submarine exercises by Western navies.
In December 2007, USN Rear Adm. Lawrence S. Rice, director of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness, discussed some of the measures that are being taken to investigate the issue, and also mitigate any possible effects. In January 2008, a court battle erupted over undersea training off the coast of San Diego, CA, throwing the issue back into the limelight and potentially crippling Navy training before a dangerous deployment to the Persian Gulf. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ follow-on ruling was predictable, but in November 2008, the US Supreme Court issued its ruling.
In light of that favorable ruling, a settlement has now been reached on the Navy’s terms. The Navy has just been given permission to conduct exercises near Hawaii, and this, too, is likely to end up in court, along with its planned training near Florida. Meanwhile, the US Navy continues to fund marine mammal research – which may begin to include UUVs and/or USVs…
Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) awarded 5 companies firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts for assessment, repair, and construction of petroleum, oils and lubricant (POL) fuel systems at various U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) locations worldwide.
The value for all the contracts combined is $70 million. The contracts also include unexercised options, which if exercised would increase their cumulative value to $350 million.
DID has more on the winning companies and the contract numbers…
Taos Industries in Huntsville, AL, received 2 task orders worth $8.5 million for the operation of 6 Defense Reutilization and Marketing Offices (DRMOs) in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. The DRMOs demilitarize and dispose of excess and unserviceable military property, with the exceptions of ordnance and HAZMAT, for U.S. military and allied forces.
Taos, a subsidiary of Agility Defense & Government Services, won the original 5-year, $97.7 million firm-fixed-price contract (SP4410-08-D-2000) in November 2007. The contract is managed by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS), a unit of the Defense Logistics Agency, based in Battle Creek, MI.
A half dozen U.S. small businesses in California and Hawaii were awarded a firm-fixed-price with award fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award construction contracts for construction projects at U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) installations worldwide.
The companies will carry out new construction, repairs, demolition, and renovation, including utilities and waterfront work; construction of medical facilities (hospitals, medical clinics, and/or dental clinics); and possibly energy and water conservation projects. The maximum dollar value for all 6 contracts combined is $400 million.
DID has a complete list of the companies and the contract numbers…
Weapons Testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground (click to view larger)
The U.S. Army awarded a $5.97 million performance-based task order to CH2M Hill in Englewood, CO for environmental remediation services at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, in support of the U.S. Army Environmental Command (USAEC).
The Aberdeen Proving Ground award is a 5-year task order that includes performing remedial investigations at 12 Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP) sites. The task order was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Multiple Award Military Munitions Services (MAMMS) contract (W912DR-08-R-0002) administered by the Baltimore District.
DID has more on MMRP and the Army’s performance-based acquisition approach…
As part of its six-year strategic plan [PDF], the U.S. Naval Engineering Facilities Command (NAVFAC) has undertaken a comprehensive effort to improve the Navy’s compliance with environmental regulations at ashore facilties. In coordination with the Commmander Navy Installations Command (CNIC), Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics (OPNAV N4), and the Fleet Readiness Enterprise, NAVFAC is implementing an integrated Navy model for all ashore environmental compliance and product/service delivery.
As part of this effort, NAVFAC has recently awarded contracts to consulting companies to support its environmental compliance work. DID has more on these NAVFAC contracts…
Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, OH received the fourth option, worth $6.9 million, under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N62473-07-D-4013) to provide environmental services and technology to U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps installations and commands worldwide. Battelle will provide engineering and incidental services for research, development, testing, evaluation, and implementation of environmental technologies, strategies and techniques; operation of sites and systems, including maintenance and monitoring; and technical consultation.
The total estimated contract amount after exercise of this final option is $30 million. Battelle will perform the work at various Navy, Marine Corps, and other federal locations worldwide. It expects to complete the work by June 2010. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Specialty Center Acquisitions in Port Hueneme, CA manages the contract.
The U.S. Air Force awarded a $49 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to Concurrent Technologies Corp in Johnstown, PA to provide a research and development program entitled “Environmental and Energy Quality Technologies.” The program will use emerging materials, processes and new technologies to reduce and eliminate toxic and hazardous chemicals, materials, and waste streams, while improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the Air Force. Task orders will be assigned over the life of the basic contract. At this time, $5.2 million has been obligated. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio manages the contract (FA8650-09-D-5601).
The objective of the Air Force program is the reduction and eventual elimination of the service’s use of pollution generating chemicals and processes including: ozone depleting substances, greenhouse gases, toxic release inventory, biological oxygen depleting, chemical oxygen depleting, and Resource Conservation Recovery Act regulated chemicals. The program is needed to achieve pollution prevention and ensure environmental compliance during manufacture, operation, maintenance and remanufacture of Air Force aeronautical, space and missile systems and ground equipment.
