The C-130J Hercules medium transport aircraft is already slated for cuts in the proposed 2005 budget. Recently, a series of watchdog groups have added fuel to the fire by coming out against the C-130J: Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS), Military Money Project (MMP), the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), and the National Taxpayers Union (NTU). A series of government reports have identified various issues with the program, including subsystem reliability, software, defensive features, and its relative cost vs. the inflation-adjusted figures for older C-130 versions. POGO’s C-130J archive summarizes the case being made by opponents of the C-130J program, and adds numerous links to relevant news items.
The C-130J is a modification of the C-130H, undertaken by Lockheed Martin at company expense, with intended sales to the United States and various foreign markets. Key aims include reducing the life-cycle cost of the tactical airlift fleet, an emerging Air Force concern.
ITT Avionics of Clifton, NJ won a pair of electronic countermeasures (ECM) contract modifications this week: a $13,995,655 modification related to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and a $48,229,597 modification for upgrading the B-52H bomber’s ECM systems. The Super Hornet award modifies a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-04-C-0074) to exercise an option for more spares of the AN/ALQ-214(V)2, a self-protection radio frequency [radar et. al.] jammer for tactical combat Navy aircraft. Work is expected to be completed in July 2008, and The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity. The B-52H award provides for the AN/ALQ-172(V) ECM system, part of the Group B components of the ECM improvements to B-52H aircraft. At this time, $36,172,197 of the funds has been obligated and work will be complete by February 2009. The Headquarters Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, GA is the source of this contract (# FA8523-05-C-0013).
Workers with U.S. security clearances are in demand, and a backlog is making them even more valuable. It can take up to two years for an individual to receive a security clearance, and more than 400,000 candidates await clearances; in an effort to bring down this backlog, responsibility for clearance investigations recently has been handed from the Defense Security Service to the Office of Personnel Management. Unsurprisingly, Internet-based job boards like ClearanceJobs.com are becoming important links in the procurement chain. Open positions can be found in nearly every country with a U.S. military presence, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Source: National Defense Magazine, March 2005
Digital System Resources (DSR), Inc., Fairfax, VA, received a $10,017,241 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, non competitively procured contract for fabrication, integration, test and delivery of 7 photonics mast workstations (PMWs). The PMWs are part of the photonic mast electronic imaging system that will display sensor data, replacing conventional periscopes on Virginia Class submarines. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2011. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-05-C-6244). [DoD]
On February 22nd, The Home Office introduced and published the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2005. Alongside publication of the Bill the Home Office has placed in the libraries of the House of Commons and House of Lords four Papers which the Government hopes will aid discussion and debate on the issues. The contracting community may be especially interested in Paper Four – International Terrorism: Protect and Prepare, which lays out a number of high-level priorities for improved domestic security. Cryptome: U.K. Prevention of Terrorism 2005 Bill Briefings
McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, MO received a $19,919,140 non-competitive, firm fixed price, indefinite-delivery / indefinite-quantity order for spares line items used on the surfaces of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter. Work will be performed at St. Louis, MO and is expected to be completed by October 2008. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity (N00383-01-D-020H-0020).
Bea Maurer, Inc. of Fairfield, VA was awarded a $5,942,559 firm fixed price delivery order under its GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract GS07-F-0173J for 7,203 space heater arctic systems, of which 6,441 will be for active forces and 762 for reserves. This order was competitively awarded via GSA advantage. Work will be performed at Fairfield, VA and is expected to be completed by February 2006. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, VA is the contracting activity (M67854-05-F-3015).
