ACS Update: Lockheed Drops ERJ-145, Shifts to Bombardier Jet

UK’s ASTOR Sentinel R1

In a previous article, DID dissected “The Kerfuffle Around the Shuffle.” We covered the 3 different US reconnaissance aircraft that the $8 billion Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) spy plane program would replace, and went over the ACS’s bidding history. Then DID looked at various players and possible strategies at work as the program hit a major roadblock, and the “winner” Lockheed faced a possible air platform change. As DID noted at the time, all options presented serious risks and headaches for Lockheed – even as Northrop-Grumman pushed for a reopening of the bid process.

While no official change has been made, reports in the Wall St. Journal, ABC News, and CNN are noting that an air platform change is indeed in the works; it just wasn’t the one most people were expecting. As DID noted, Lockheed’s original choice seemed to involve a switch from the Embraer ERJ-145 to the much larger ERJ-190 regional jet. Instead, however, Lockheed has chosen an even more expensive Canadian option. Bombardier’s Global Express long range business jet isn’t as large as the ERJ-190, but offers much longer range and station time – and an additional benefit as well. It may seem like a strange choice, especially since it seems to give ammunition to Northrop-Grumman and General Dynamics to push for a rebid. Yet there is a logic to it…

$1.93 Billion to Recruit Health Care Workers for 63 USAF Facilities

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)
  
• RLM Services, Miami, FL
  (FA7014-06-D-0004)
  
• TerraHealth, San Antonio, TX
  (FA7014-06-D-0005)
  

India’s MoD Releases 2004-2005 Annual Report

This 244 page PDF report covers on the activities of India’s Ministry of Defence in 2004-2005. DID has its own body of coverage of course, which can be found in our India topic archive. The MoD’s report provides a good primer for those unfamiliar with India’s defense establishment, and despite some flaws the report is good at sketching out the security situation as India sees it, detailing the activities and exercises undertaken by its armed forces, addressing restructuring and other change efforts, and sketching out broad procurement priorities and changes. The level of state ownership in the defense sector certainly comes through strongly, and the section on auditor findings was useful.

Having said that, Defense-Aerospace.com correctly noted that “the report tends to overwhelm the reader with obscure details while neglecting, or glossing over, the most obvious points of interest, such as details of procurement appending and programs.” DID took the time to read the report, and this is a fair characterization; many of the sections could have comfortably been deleted, or restructured as appendices, while more focus on procurement programs, accountability/transparency for same, and doctrine would be helpful.

Overall, both the report’s strengths and its flaws are consistent with the ministry’s apparent mindset (also reflected in its web site, for instance), and may offer additional insight into the issues discussed in this DID report covering India’s defense procurement issues.

$215.6M for Trident II Missile-Related Contracts

Ohio class, 6 tubes open

Carried on SSBN-726 Ohio Class submarines, The Trident II D-5 is the US Navy’s submarine launched nuclear missile, with exceptional range for a sea-launched weapon and accuracy figures that rival or even exceed land-based ICBMs. These missiles are arguably the most important and effective component of the US nuclear deterrent, and they constitute Britain’s entire nuclear deterrent as well.

The US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs in Washington, DC has issued a number of contracts recently related to the Trident II D-5 SLBMs, totaling $215.6 million. DID has grouped them all into this post, using subheadings. Readers may also note that none of these efforts were competitively procured. Mind you, “built by the lowest bidder” may not be an overly comforting thought in this particular area…

Hurricane Cleanup Contracts Keep on Coming

Katrina

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana Recovery Field Office Continue to issue contracts for services as varied as debris removal, quality assurance, modifications to key structures, etc. The total value of all contracts noted here is $147 million.

Since the recent list is a long one, DID will divide them by issuing agency. Note especially the high number of small business related contracts in this group; this is common when undertaking local construction-related work leveraging the local firms’ proximity and also helping the US Defense Department to get closer to its small business contract award targets.