Cyber test group to stand up

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Air Force recently approved a new group standup as part of the 96th Test Wing. The 96th Cyberspace Test Group will be formed from the existing 46th Test Squadron, located here, and other test units at six separate geographic locations throughout the U.S. The new group will include three subordinate squadrons: the 45th Test Squadron, 46th Test Squadron and the 47th Cyberspace Test Squadron. Approximately 19 of 50 new positions are projected to be added to the group here over the next five years. In addition, a business and logistics division will be established here to provide program management, budget and finance, as well as logistics, security and information technology functions. The change brings current AFTC cyberspace test capabilities under a single command structure of the newly formed group, but leaves all the current jobs, missions and assets in place at their current operating locations. The group’s formal activation ceremony is scheduled for December. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/26/17)

GAO: F-35 hurt by parts issue

The Pentagon is accelerating production of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jet even though the planes already delivered are facing “significantly longer repair times” than planned because maintenance facilities are six years behind schedule, according to a draft audit. The Government Accountability Office, Congress’s watchdog agency, found the time to repair a part has averaged 172 days, twice the program’s objective. The shortages are “degrading readiness” because the fighter jets “were unable to fly about 22 percent of the time” from January through August for lack of needed parts. (Source: Bloomberg, 10/23/17) Note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Aviation museum among top 20

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola was named one of the Top 25 museums across the globe by TripAdvisor as part of its 2017 Travelers’ Choice Awards. The NNAM ranked No. 16 on the list that included such well-known museums as the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The rankings are based on quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for museums worldwide gathered by TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. (Source: EW Bullock, 10/12/17) The 350,000-square-foot museum on 37 acres has a variety of attractions and more than 150 military aircraft representing the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

NASA awards construction contracts

NASA has awarded 24 Multiple Award Construction Contract Two (MACC-II) contracts to 20 small businesses and four large firms for general construction services at NASA's Stennis Space Center and several other agency locations. It has an anticipated value not to exceed $3 billion during an eight-year ordering period. MACC-II project work includes, but is not limited to, alteration, modification, maintenance and repair, demolition, design-build and new construction of buildings, facilities and real property at Stennis; NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, including White Sands Test Facility near Las Cruces, N.M.; NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Fla.; and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., including Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Businesses in the Gulf Coast region awarded contracts are Healtheon and Pontchartrain Partners, both of New Orleans; ESA South Inc., Cantonment, Fla.; Orocon Construction and WG Yates & Sons Construction Co., both of Biloxi, Miss.; Drace Construction Corp., Ocean Springs, Miss.; CCI Energy and Construction Services, Shalimar, Fla.; and MOWA Barlovento JV-2, Gautier, Miss. (Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire, 10/24/17)

Contract: Aermor, $93.5M

Aermor LLC, Virginia Beach, Va.; American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Va.; and Qualis Corp., Huntsville, Ala., have been awarded a $93,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center test services. The contractors will provide advisory and assistance services in support of operational test and evaluation that include a broad range of engineering, technical, and analytical services. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.; Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.; Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Everett, Wash.; Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; and Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and is expected to be complete by Oct. 19, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with three offers received. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $30,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity (FA7046-18-D-0001, FA7046-18-D-0002, FA7046-18-D-0003). (Source: DoD, 10/20/17)

Contract: Lockheed, $11.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $11,566,000 for cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized delivery order 0144 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This order provides support for the first of class flying trials and the release of the military permit to fly for F-35B aircraft to operate from Queen Elizabeth class carriers in support of the government of the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (68 percent); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (26 percent); Orlando, Fla. (3 percent); and Patuxent River, Md. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2018. International partner funds in the amount of $5,783,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/17/17) Note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Airport gets new service

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Frontier Airlines today announced it will begin service from Pensacola International Airport (PNS) this spring with nonstop, low-cost flights to Denver International Airport (DEN) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) as part of its nationwide expansion. Service to Denver will begin April 22, 2018 while service to Chicago O’Hare is scheduled to begin May 12, 2018. “This is a huge win for Pensacola and I look forward to a long-term partnership and additional growth opportunities with Frontier Airlines,” said Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. (Source: City of Pensacola, 10/17/17)

VTMAE plans info session

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- VT MAE will host an information session Oct. 27 at 9:00 a.m. regarding its current operations, upcoming hiring needs, employment application procedures, and available subcontracting opportunities at its new aircraft maintenance facility being built at Pensacola International Airport. The information session is at the Pensacola State College Hagler Auditorium, which is Building 2, 1000 College Blvd. in Pensacola. The event is for subcontractors and those seeking employment opportunities. (Source: VTMAE via City of Pensacola, 10/17/16)

Contract: Reliance, $27.3M

Reliance Test & Technology, Crestview, Fla., has been awarded a $27,255,000 modification (P00021) for Eglin operation and maintenance services. This contract modification increases the value of cost-type contract line item numbers. Work will be performed at Eglin Test and Training Complex, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $7,661,368 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-C-0002). (Source: DoD, 10/16/17

Contract: DCS, $207.6M

DCS Corp., Alexandria, Va., is being awarded a $207,596,336 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide system engineering, analysis, research, development, logistics, and configuration and data management services to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s aircraft integrated pProduct teams, which are critical in the development, integration, test, evaluation, and fielding of new and upgraded capabilities to Naval aircraft, such as the F/A-18, EA-18G, F-35, AV-8B, AH-1/UH-1, and unmanned aerial systems. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif. (86.5 percent); Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (7 percent); Ridgecrest, Calif. (5 percent); Point Mugu, Calif. (1 percent); Cherry Point, N.C. (0.2 percent); Yuma, Ariz. (0.2 percent); and Patuxent River, Md. (0.1 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2022. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $200,000 will be obligated at time of award; all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic proposal as a 100 percent small business set-aside; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, is the contracting activity (N68936-18-D-0006). (Source: DoD, 10/04/17)

Contract: COLSA, $56.2M

COLSA Corp., Huntsville, Ala., has been awarded a $56,190,669 modification (P00023) for technical and management advisory services command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber support. The contractor will provide additional research, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.; Gunter Annex, Ala.; Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.; Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Scott Air Force Base, Ill.; Robins Air Force Base, Ga.; Beale Air Force Base, Calif.; Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Langley Air Force Base, Va.; and San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30 2018. This modification includes foreign military sales support. Fiscal 2018 research, development, production, operations, and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,141,221 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-F-0031). (Source: DoD, 10/02/17)

Contract: QuantiTech, $39.6M

QuantiTech, Inc., Huntsville, Ala., has been awarded a $39,557,675 modification (P00045) for technical and management advisory services range support. The contractor will provide additional diverse research, development, test, evaluation, and acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2018. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, production, operations, and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,416,813 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-F-0034). (Source: DoD, 10/02/17)

Contract: Torch, $34.6M

Torch Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Ala., has been awarded a $34,628,375 modification (P00037) for technical and management advisory services armament support. The contractor will provide additional diverse research, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Kirkland Air Force Base, N.M.; and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2018. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, production, operations, and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,165,187 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-F-0030). (Source: DoD, 10/02/17)

Contract: Bevilacqua, $31.2M

Bevilacqua Research Corp., Huntsville, Ala.. has been awarded a $31,176,259 modification (P00034) for technical and management advisory services platforms support. The contractor will provide additional diverse research, development, test and evaluation, and acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Duke Field, Fla.; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.; and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30 2018. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, procurement, operations, and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,682,995 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-F-0033). (Source: DoD, 10/02/17)