Booz Allen, Hamilton Incorporated in McClean, VA received a $56.6 million (estimated) cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification for operation of the Survivability/ Vulnerability Information Analysis Center (SURVIAC) for a 4-year option period beginning January 2006. “The mission is to perform the functions of a full service Department of Defense Information Analysis Center as described in DoD Regulation 3200.12-R-2, “Centers for analysis of scientific and technical information in the vital technical area of non-nuclear survivability/ vulnerability.”
Well, that’s what DefenseLINK says. Enlightening, isn’t it? So, what is SURVIAC, really…
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Service International in Greensville, SC received a maximum $225 million fixed-price with economic price adjustment / indefinite-quantity contract. It covers integrated prime vendor support for spare parts and industrial hardware support to the U.S. Air Force air logistics centers. Under this program, Lockheed Martin will provide approximately 50,000 bench stock items for a variety of aircraft through Lockheed Martin field offices at the three air logistics centers at Robins Air Force Base, GA; Hill Air Force Base, UT; and Tinker Air Force Base, OK.
The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ, also called “the Boneyard,” stores hundreds of older or retired aircraft outdoors in the dry Arizona sun (see Flash tour). The planes are then scavenged for parts, or restored to flying condition later for re-entry into active service. AMARC is sometimes the only place to get spare parts for older aircraft like the B-52 Bomber or F-111 Aardvark short of doing custom builds, and will become increasingly important given the rising average ages of the US tacair, bomber and transport fleets.
AMARC
By reclaiming nearly 42,000 aircraft parts during FY 2004 and 2005, a team saved the government $1.25 billion, while providing parts support to American and allied warfighters. During a visit in 2004, DID Editor-In-Chief Joe Katzman was told the facility is that ultimate rarity, an active military installation that makes a net profit. As a result of these efforts, and some impressive strides in on-site performance, AMARC has earned a 2005 Lean Continuous Process Improvement award. Some process improvements included:
The US Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM has issued a contract to establish Innovation-Nodes (iNodes), which will be small, flexible organizations that execute Rapid Reaction Innovation solution efforts or tasks. It’s all part of a concept called the Innovation Network (iNet), also referred to as iSUN (Innovative Solutions to Urgent Needs) – see this iNet/iNode briefing page, and this 2005 presentation [PDF format]
Applied Minds in Glendale, CA (FA9453-06-D-0103) and Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ (FA9453-06-D-0104) received indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts under the iNodes/iSUN program. The Air Force can issue specific delivery orders to the contract winners totaling up to $30 million, although it can choose to spend less. Solicitation began September 2005, negotiations were complete November 2005, and work will be complete by November 2008.
The Air Force District of Washington Acquisition Division at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH has issued a number of indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contracts to recruit, qualify and retain health care workers at 63 Air Force medical treatment facilities in 58 geographic locations. The Air Force can issue task orders totaling up to the maximum indicated above, but may choose to spend less. Solicitations began May 2005, and 28 proposals were received. Negotiations were completed October 2005, and work will be complete in November 2010. The winners included:
American Hospital Service Group, Exton, PA (FA7014-06-D-0001)
Godwin Corp., Langley Park, MD (FA7014-06-D-0002)
The Healing Staff, San Antonio, TX (FA7014-06-D-0003)
The Headquarters Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued a $355.2 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract to the MITRE Corp. in Bedford, MA. The contract covers systems engineering and integration support for US Air Force programs in FY 2006, and will end by October 2006 (the end of the fiscal year). The support level is estimated at 929 direct staff years for the Air Force ceiling programs, and 131 direct staff years for the Air Force non-ceiling program. This effort also supports foreign military sales with Britain, France, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
MITRE was formed in 1958 as a not-for-profit corporation under the leadership of C.W. Halligan, and has a long-standing cross-fertilization with MIT. It manages three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): one for the Department of Defense (known as the DOD Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence FFRDC), one for the Federal Aviation Administration (the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development), and one for the Internal Revenue Service (the Center for Enterprise Modernization). MITRE also has its own independent research and development program that explores new technologies and new uses of technologies to solve its sponsors’ problems in the near-term and in the future.
Market research firm Forecast International recently released “The Market for UAV Reconnaissance Systems,” which claims that the total UAV market including air vehicles, ground control equipment and payloads is expected to be worth $13.6 billion through 2014. More than 9,000 UAVs are expected to be purchased over the next 10 years by countries in every region of the world, and Forecast International does not include funding for RDT&E and operations and maintenance in its analysis.
Furthermore, analyst Larry Dickerson notes that “the United States is by far the largest single market… American firms have a value share of more than 50% of this market and could gain control of a further 5-10% over the next decade.”
RAND Corp. in Santa Monica, CA received a $210.6 million cost-reimbursement plus fee-for-need contract to provide for RAND Project Air Force, Research of Air and Space Power. Originally known as Project RAND (an acronym for research and development), PAF was established in 1946 by General H. H. “Hap” Arnold as a way of retaining for the United States Air Force (USAF) the considerable benefits of civilian scientific thinking that had been demonstrated during World War II. Since its founding, PAF has focused entirely on studies and analyses rather than systems engineering or scientific laboratories. Publications include the F/A-18 E/F and F/A-22 program lessons learned report that DID covered earlier today.
This is a five-year option period, which extends the contract to a ten-year period. Solicitations began August 2005 and one proposal was received; work will now be complete in September 2015. The Air Force District Washington in Rosslyn, VA issued the contract (FA7014-06-C-0001). For more information, contact the 11th WG/PA at 202-767-7561.
Air Force Chief Michael Moseley told CongressDaily that over-budget programs and ones far behind schedule could find themselves at risk not just from Congress, but also from his own office.
“I don’t believe Congress will be sending unsolicited pots of gold to the Department of Defense,” Moseley said in reference to the notion that the Air Force would be able to replace its aging F-15s on a one-for-one basis with the F/A-22.
Raytheon won a $45.5 million contract for more Paveway II kits that make dumb bombs into smart bombs. These add-ons home in on laser light reflected off a target. They do not have the bells and whistles offered by the Enhanced Paveway II, which includes GPS-aided inertial navigation that allows for more accurate use in inclement weather. 8,700 Paveway II’s were dropped in Operation Iraqi Freedom, making it the most used air-based munition in that conflict.
