Bell Boeing Joint Program Office, Patuxent River, Md., is being awarded a $19.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract (N00019-04-C-0012) for the procurement of one CV-22 aircraft flight simulator at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM. That base will activate a new training squadron in May 2005 for the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey aircraft, which is currently undergoing testing and Operational Evaluation. According to the Air Force Times, The new unit will be called the 71st Special Operations Squadron, but the first four of six total Ospreys are not expected at Kirtland until March 2006. The USAF has ordered 50 of the $80 million Ospreys for special operations, to replace the aging fleet of MH-53 Pave Low helicopters.
Work on this contract will be performed in Tulsa, OK (44%); Fort Worth, TX (42%); St. Louis, MO (11%); Philadelphia, PA (8%); Dallas, TX (2%); and Clifton, NJ (2%), and is expected to be complete in August 2007. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.
The U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation awarded a five-year realistic combat training contract to Cubic Corporation to produce and field Initial-Homestation Instrumentation Training Systems (I-HITS) for U.S. Army, Army Reserve and National Guard sites. The initial award is $4.5 million with a ceiling value of $71.7 million if all options are exercised. The combat training systems provide exercise control, battle tracking, data collection and streamlined After-Action Reviews (AARS). Packaged in transit cases for rapid deployment, I-HITS also comes with player instrumentation, GPS player units and portable communications systems.
Microsoft has just launched a public relations campaign to highlight the role of the company’s products in the military’s data-sharing and network-centric warfare operations. This push is apparently part of their determination to pursue new work in major military programs, including the $10 billion dollar Net-Centric Enterprise Services contract and $2 billion Space Operations Center Weapon System Integrator contract.
Boeing Co.’s best-paid executives weren’t the best paid in the U.S. aerospace and defense industry last year. According to Tim McLaughlin of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, however, they delivered more bang for the buck than their peers when it came to boosting shareholder value.
McLaughlin used recently filed proxy statements by Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for his calculations, and noted the sharply divergent ways these companies reward their executives.
Northrop Grumman Corp. Laser Systems in Orlando, FL received a $5.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract (N00164-04-C-8518), exercising an option for two Improved Technology AN/PEQ-1B Special Operations Forces Laser Aiming Module prototypes.
The AN/PEQ-1B is the specific laser range finding and designation unit for Special Operations Forces. The system helps operators locate and designate critical enemy targets for destruction using laser-guided ordnance launched from planes, helicopters, or ground vehicles. Work will be performed in Orlando, FL and is expected to be complete by July 2006. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in Crane, IN issued the contract.
Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Clearfield, UT is being awarded a $7 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to provide for the upgrade purchase of the auxiliary power supply test suite in support of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Flight Controls and Propulsion Replacement Program. This work will be complete by June 2007. The Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, UT issued the contract (F42610-98-C-0001).
UNICOR Federal Prison Industries in Washington, DC won a maximum $6 million firm fixed price contract as an add on to an existing long-term contract (SP0406-05-D-4061) for Weapons Systems Cable Assemblies and Wiring Harnesses to be provided to U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Federal Civilian Agencies.
This contract will be performed in Washington, DC; Danbury, CT; Fairton, NJ; Lexington, KY; Lompoc, CA; Loretto, PA; Memphis, TN; and Oxford, WI. Performance completion date is March 16, 2006. This was a Internet based proposal and received eight responses. The Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) in Richmond, VA (SP0406-05-D-4061). Note that there is some ongoing controversy with UNICOR awards, as the U.S. small business advocacy organization NFIB has issues with what it claims are UNICOR’s advantages in the contracting process.
Oshkosh Truck Corp. of Oshkosh, WI won a $37.4 million undefinitized delivery order against a previously awarded contract (M67854-04-D-5016) for installation of the Marine Armor System on the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) Standard Cargo vehicles. Work will be performed in Camp Al Taqquaddum in Iraq and is expected to be completed in October 2007. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, VA issued the contract
