Wednesday, December 18, 2013

DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal

Defense News: DTN News - BRAZIL DEFENSE NEWS: Brazil Chooses Swedish Fighter Jet In $4.5B Deal
International Business Times
Reuters
theaviationist.com/2013/12/18/gripen-has-won-in-brazil/
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Bradley Brooks - AP
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 18, 2013: RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's government said Wednesday that Sweden's Saab won a long-delayed fighter jet contract initially worth $4.5 billion that will supply at least 36 planes to Latin America's biggest nation.

The decision comes as Brazil seeks to ramp up its defense capabilities to patrol a porous land border that's more than 9,300 miles (15,000 kilometers) long, much of it covered by jungle, over which arms and drugs easily flow. Brazil is also seeking better protection for massive offshore oil fields that it has discovered in recent years.

Brazil's Defense Minister Celso Amorim said that the choice after some 15 years of debate was made after "careful study and consideration, taking into account performance, transfer of technology and cost, not just of acquisition but of maintenance. The choice was made on the best balance of these three factors."

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter that the decision was "a tribute to Swedish technology and competitiveness."

The decision to buy the Swedish jet over Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet or France's Dassault Rafale came as a surprise to many. The French jet had been favored by former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, while current leader Dilma Rousseff had been said to favor the Boeing bid.

Some analysts said the Boeing jet was hurt by the fallout over revelations six months ago that the U.S. National Security Agency carried out a massive espionage program that directly targeted Rousseff's own communications.

That led to Rousseff canceling a planned state visit to Washington in October.

"Dilma had been favoring the Boeing plane and a lot of people thought she would announce her decision during her state visit to Washington," said David Fleischer, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia. "Boeing was very close but then the NSA booted them out of the air."

Others, however, contend the Swedish jet, which was favored by Brazil's Air Force, according to an internal assessment leaked to the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in 2010, was always going to win the competition and that the decision had little to do with the NSA spy revelations.

Alexandre Barros, a political risk consultant with the Brasilia-based firm Early Warning, said many in the government had long opposed Boeing because the company's bid was less flexible in terms of technology transfers than the two European plane makers and also because they were wary of becoming indebted to Washington.

"The Americans tend to think that if you buy arms from them you are automatically their allies," said Barros. "Brazil doesn't want that kind of link."

He said that Brazilian officials long prized their autonomy from the U.S., and as the main power in South America they don't want to be in the position of being perceived as having to support American policies on the continent, particularly in Colombia and Venezuela. Part of the draw of Saab's bid was that Sweden doesn't have any political clout in the region.

Regardless of the main reasons, Brazil's military hopes the government making the decision after some 15 years of debate will lead to advances in its defense capabilities.

Brazil in the mid-1980s had the largest defense industry in the developing world. It became the world's eighth-largest arms exporter amid strong demand for its armored personnel carriers, reconnaissance and anti-aircraft vehicles, troop carriers and rocket launchers.

However, the industry went into a tailspin when the Cold War ended and demand for weapons declined. In 1990, Brazil's two largest arms manufacturers, Engesa and Avibras, sought protection from creditors for debts of about $200 million.

___

Associated Press writers Jenny Barchfield in Rio, Karl Ritter in Stockholm and Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Bradley Brooks - AP
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated December 17, 2013

Defense News: DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated December 17, 2013
Source: K. V. Seth - DTN News + U.S. DoD issued No. CR-030-13 December 17, 2013
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 17, 2013: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued December 17, 2013  are undermentioned;

No: CR-030-13
December 17, 2013

CONTRACTS
 
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
 
Raytheon Co. Integrated Defense Systems, Woburn, Mass., is being awarded $172,680,000 contract modification (P00019) under firm-fixed-price contract HQ0147-12-C-0006, increasing the total contract value from $580,766,787 to $753,446,787.  Under this contract modification, the contractor will manufacture and deliver the AN/TPY-2 Radar #12 (CLIN 0018) with associated spares (CLIN 0019).  The work will be performed in Woburn, Mass.  The performance period is from December 2013 through March 2016.  Fiscal 2013 procurement funds in the amount of $172,680,000 are being obligated on this award.  The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity.
 
NAVY
 
JCON Group, Construction and Design*, Miami, Fla. (N69450-14-D-0754); Orocon -- Carother Joint Venture 1*, Oxford, Miss. (N69450-14-D-0755); Mitchell Industrial Contractors Inc., and Brasfield and Gorrie LLC, a Joint Venture*, Madison, Ala. (N69450-14-D-0756); PentaCon LLC*, Catoosa, Okla. (N69450-14-D-0757); TMG Services Inc.*, Cleveland, Ohio (N69450-14-D-0758), and Leebcor Services LLC*, Williamsburg, Va. (N69450-14-D-0759); are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-build construction contract for construction projects, located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR).  The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all six contracts combined is $95,000,000.  The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, repair work, and any necessary design including:  industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, and community support facilities.  JCON Group, Construction and Design is being awarded task order 0001 at $8,696,000 for the construction of an enlisted dining facility located at Naval Air Station, Meridian, Miss.  Work for this task order is expected to be completed by October 2015.  All work on this contract will be performed primarily within the NAVFAC Southeast AOR which includes Mississippi (48 percent), Florida Panhandle area (48 percent), and in the remainder of the NAVFAC Southeast AOR (4 percent).  The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of December 2018.  Fiscal 2013 military construction, Navy, and fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $8,701,000 are obligated on this award and $5,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website with 51 proposals received.  These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
 
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $70,032,166 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 12 encapsulated harpoon all-up round tactical missiles; five harpoon Grade B exercise missiles; two encapsulated harpoon certification training vehicles and shipping containers; 100 harpoon improved fuze booster kits; 50 harpoon improved fuze kits; two harpoon blast test vehicles; and associated hardware and containers for the U.S. Navy and various foreign military sales customers. Work will be performed in the St. Charles, Mo. (48.2 percent); United Kingdom (12 percent); McKinney, Texas (8.83 percent); Middletown, Conn. (4.77 percent); Elkton, Md., (4.16 percent);  Toledo, Ohio (3.72 percent); Lilititz, Pa. (2.24 percent); Joplin, Mo. (2.09 percent); Galena, Kan. (1.9 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (1.74 percent); Grove, Okla. (1.38 percent); Lancaster, Pa. (1.04 percent); Huntsville, Ala. (1.0 percent); Newton, Pa. (0.8 percent); China Lake, Calif. (0.8 percent); Chandler, Ariz. (0.7 percent); Minneapolis, Minn. (0.56 percent); East Camden, Ark. (0.55 percent); and various locations in the continental United States (3.52 percent).  Work is expected to be completed in December, 2014.   Foreign military sales in the amount of $67,638,493 and fiscal 2013 weapons procurement, Navy contract funds in the amount of $70,032,166 will be obligated at time of award, $2,393,673 of which expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($2,393,673; 3.42 percent); the governments of Korea ($38,122,613; 54.44 percent); Canada ($9,981,318; 14.25 percent); Japan ($7,679,885; 10.97 percent); Germany ($6,491,198; 9.27 percent); Australia ($3,354,415; 4.79 percent); Taiwan ($812,520; 1.16 percent); Saudi Arabia ($460,952; .66 percent); Turkey ($444,749; .64 percent); Egypt ($239,618; .34 percent); and the United Kingdom ($51,225; .07 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-14-C-0005).
 
Watts Contrack, a Joint Venture, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded a $57,084,144, firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of the MV-22 hangar and infrastructure and aircraft staging area at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii.   The work to be performed provides for the construction of a hangar, apron, and taxiway to support one MV-22 squadron.  The hangar is a multi-story type II modified aircraft maintenance hangar to provide a weather protected shelter for inspection, service, and maintenance for the MV-22 aircrafts.  The high bay aircraft maintenance hangar will be steel frame construction with a standing seam metal roof installed over a steel metal deck.  The second floor administrative space of the hangar will be steel framed with metal deck and concrete fill.  Other primary and supporting facilities include aircraft taxiway, aircraft taxiway shoulders, Substation No. 3 feeder upgrade and utility infrastructure.  The project will also construct an aircraft staging area to support one MV-22 squadron, which consists of 12 aircrafts.  Site preparations include clear/grub, earthwork, site grading and excavation.  Paving and site improvements include site storm drainage systems and taxiway shoulders.  The contract also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to an estimated $58,999,995.  Work will be performed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by September 2015.  Fiscal 2010, 2011 and 2013 military construction, Navy contract funds in the amount of $57,084,144 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with nine proposals received.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity (N62742-14-C-1327).
 
Lockheed Martin Corp., Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., is being awarded a $33,996,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of AN/AAQ-30(A) Target Sight Systems (TSS) and data.  AN/AAQ-30(A) TSS will be integrated into the AH-1Z Cobra Attack helicopter as part of the Marine Corps H-1 upgrades program for the remanufacture of legacy aircraft with state of the art designs incorporated into the existing fleet of AH-1W's, converting them to AH-1Z.  The TSS provides target identification and tracking, passive targeting for integrated weapons, including Hellfire missiles, and a laser designation capability supporting friendly laser-guided weapons.  Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (80 percent), and Ocala, Fla. (20 percent), and is expected to complete by May 2016.  Fiscal 2013 and 2014 aircraft procurement Navy contract funds in the amount of $31,163,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as set forth in FAR 6.302-1(b)(1)(ii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-14-C-JQ65).  
 
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $16,331,483 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024 13 C-5402) for fiscal 2014 standard missile depot and intermediate level maintenance, all-up-round re-certifications, and special maintenance tasks.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (95 percent), Camden, Ark. (3 percent), and Burlington, Mass. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2014.  Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $16,331,483 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
 
AIR FORCE
 
The Boeing Co., Seattle, Wash., has been awarded an $81,972,630 delivery order (0378) on an existing contract (F33657-01-D-0013) for C-32A and C-40B/C integrated fleet support (IFS).  The contract modification is to provide support for calendar year 2014 IFS.  Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and other locations as necessary to support the aircraft, and work is expected to be completed by Dec. 3, 2014.  Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $81,972,630 are being obligated at time of award.  Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WLKLB, Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity.  
 
A-Tech Corp., doing business as Applied Technology Associates, Albuquerque, N.M., has been awarded a $60,000,000 not-to-exceed, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA9453-14-D-0312) with cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders to assist Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate, Spacecraft Technology Division in the development, evaluation and integration of new technologes, as well as innovative operational concepts, leading to improved operational systems in support of the warfigter.  The award was solicited electronically as a total small business set-aside, and three proposals were received.  Work will be performed at Albuquerque, N.M., and Kirtland AFB, N.M., and is expected to be completed by March 20, 2019.  Fiscal 2013 research and development funds (task orders 0001 through 0006) in the amount of $723,000 are being obligated at same time as the basic contract.  Air Force Research Laboratory/RVKVV, Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the contracting activity.
 
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, Calif., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $19,970,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide research and development pertaining to the development and implementation of condition-based maintenance plus structural integrity.  The scope of the program is to develop and demonstrate a probabilistic, risk-based, flight-by-flight individual aircraft tracking (IAT) framework to replace the baseline deterministic IAT framework currently used for legacy aircraft.  Deliverables will include technical reports and may include hardware and software.  The award is a result of a competitive acquisition.  Unlimited offers were solicited, and four offers were received.  Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, Calif., and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by March 17, 2020.  Fiscal 2013 research and development funds for task order 0001 in the amount of $140,446 are being obligated on this task order, which has a total value of $2,052,203.  Air Force Research Laboratory/RQKPD, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-14-D-2413).
 
Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Sudbury, Mass., has been awarded a $6,896,385 modification (P0005) on an existing cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract (FA8730-13-C-0003) for the Taiwan Surveillance Radar program follow-on support string upgrade engineering change proposal.  The contract modification provides a continental United States sustainment string upgrade that creates a controlled site-like testing environment for build deployment and system troubleshooting at the CONUS development facility.  Work will be performed at Sudbury, Mass., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 8, 2017.  This contract involves foreign military sales to Taiwan.  Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/HBNA, Hanscom AFB, Mass., is the contracting activity.
 
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
 
Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc., doing business as Hyster Co., Greenville, N.C., has been awarded a maximum $28,725,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for Navy shipboard-use forklifts.  This contract is a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received.  Location of performance is North Carolina with a Dec. 16, 2018 performance completion date.  This contract is a five-year base with no option year periods.  Using military service is Navy.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM8E8-14-D-0002).
 
The Oilgear Co., Milwaukee, Wis., has been awarded a maximum $16,000,000 modification (P00004) exercising the third one-year option period on a two-year base contract (SPM8EE-10-D-0004) with three one-year option periods for meter assembly skids and fuel.  This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract.  Location of performance is Wisconsin with a Jan. 28, 2015 performance completion date.  Using military service is Army.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2015 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
 
Rocky Brands Inc., Nelsonville, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $14,957,408 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM1C1-13-D-1017) with four one-year option periods for Army hot weather combat boots.  This is a firm-fixed-price contract.  Locations of performance are Ohio and Puerto Rico with a Dec. 21, 2014 performance completion date.  Using military services are Army and Marine Corps.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
 
Signature Flight Support Corp., Las Vegas, Nev., has been awarded a maximum $14,649,857 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for into-plane jet fuel.  This contract is a sole source acquisition.  Location of performance is Nevada with a March 31, 2018 performance completion date.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2018 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va.; (SP0600-14-D-0023).
 
Mercury Air Centers, doing business as Atlantic Aviation, Reno, Nev., has been awarded a maximum $13,496,963 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for into-plane jet fuel.  This contract is a sole-source acquisition.  Location of performance is Nevada with a March 31, 2018 performance completion date.  Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2018 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0022).
 
Altama Delta Corp., Atlanta, Ga., has been awarded a maximum $10,340,320 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM1C1-13-D-1018) with four one-year option periods for Army hot weather combat boots.  This is a firm-fixed-price contract.  Locations of performance are Georgia and Tennessee with a Dec. 21, 2014 performance completion date.  Using military services are Army and Marine Corps.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
 
*Small Business

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources 
U.S. DoD issued No. CR-030-13 December 17, 2013
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS