Government Contracts Blog

Ever wondered when the big money would start rolling in the Base Realignment process.
On July 30 2008 the Department of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command contracting office awarded $312,495,000 to Hensel Phelps Construction Co to
design/build and to collocate Military Department (MILDEP) Investigation Agencies P012V.

This facility will be designed and constructed to include SCIF areas classrooms, offices, restrooms, lounges, locker rooms, showers, video viewing rooms, storage areas, cafeteria, mechanical rooms and other special spaces. Interior will be finished with a combination of tile, carpet, painted CMU walls, suspended gypsum board and acoustical ceiling tiles. Electrical systems include fire alarm systems, energy saving Electronic Monitoring and Control System (EMCS), and information systems.

Mechanical systems include plumbing, fire protection systems, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Supporting facilities includes site and building utility connections for potable water, sanitary and storm sewers, natural gas, electrical, telephone, area distribution node (AND) building and equipment, and local area network (LAN). Paving and site improvements include exterior site and building lighting, roadway access, roadway expansion and relocation, paved parking spaces, sidewalks, earthwork, grading, and landscaping. The scope also includes Technical Operating Manuals, Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) features, and storm water management pond. Anti-terrorism Force Protection features include security fencing, site access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection system conduit and wiring, security lighting, and perimeter access control.

I just read an article publshed by an INPUT blog on the amount of year end spending DHS does and whether the large amounts spent in 2007 would be the same as in 2008. What was interesting is how much money DHS spends each year through this omnibus program and how important it is to monitor from a contracts perspective. Here is what INPUT said:

<em>"In federal fiscal year 2007, spending through task orders on DHS' EAGLE contract vehicle spiked in the fourth quarter dramatically. Increased spending in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year is expected at all agencies. However, spending on EAGLE was much more pronounced than the average total agency spend made in fourth quarter....by far! Spending in 4Q of FY2007 through DHS EAGLE was 46% of total spend through EAGLE that year or $2.4 billion--almost quadruple the spending from the previous three quarters of the year combined! The average agency fourth quarter spend is 34%."</em>

Lockheed Martin Corp. has been awarded a huge contract with the FAA. The contract will help manage employee payroll and other human resources functions for the TSA - maximum value  $1.2 billion!

The contract also includes an option for the government to use Lockheed Martin's human resources services to a larger degree, creating a possible maximum value of $3 billion over the eight and a half years, TSA said.

TSA is an agency of the Homeland Security Department. It employs more than 40,000 airport screeners as well as federal air marshals and other full- and part-time officials.

It seems like DHS is finally getting their consolidation plans together. After combining 22 agencies under the Homeland Security Act ve 4 years ago, one of the more daunting tasks was how to manage all the data. Well it seems like we have an answer.

This past week,  the Homeland Security Department awarded a $390 million contract to government systems integrator Computer Services Corp. to outsource its primary data center..The contract will help DHS complete consolidating its 18 data centers into two megacenters. The contract, which extends until Dec. 31, 2016, includes an initial award of $17 million and a ceiling price of $390 million.

The second megacenter is being built under an $800 million contract DHS awarded to EDS earlier this year and will act as a backup to the primary center.

As anyone will tell you, nothing better than bird in the hand. Recently, a General Dynamics unit received an $850 million increase from the Air Force under its Intelligence, Information, Command and Control Equipment and Enhancement contract.

The additional funding for the ICE2 program raises the value of the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to $3.1 billion, the Defense Department said June 30.

Through the contract, General Dynamics Network Systems provides computer equipment support consisting of preventive and remedial maintenance of hardware and inventory management. The equipment supports key intelligence, command and control, and network operations for DOD components, intelligence agencies and related government departments.

If anyone has any doubt about the recently awarded GSA NETWORX contract living up to expecations, all they have to do is look at Verizon. Verizon Federal was awarded over $678 million in task orders from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a world wide IP network.. GSA awarded the omnibus Networx Universal contracts in April 2007 to Verizon Business (then MCI Communications Services), AT&T and Qwest Government Services. One month later it awarded the second round of contracts, Networx Enterprise, to Verizon Business, AT&T, Level 3 Communications, Qwest Government Services and Sprint Solutions. The contracts include more than 40 networking and communications services, and most agencies are breaking up the services into separate task orders rather than making a single large procurement as they did under the FTS2001 contracts, Zeleniak said. This has resulted in a slow take-off for Networx.

We are on the tip of the crossover from the FTS 2001 contract. One reason for the flurry of activity is a Sept. 30 deadline for selecting Networx service providers in order for agencies to qualify for GSA transition credits to help pay for capital expenses in switching from the old FTS2001 contract. 

Chris Ballenger author of Government Contract Blog and CEO of APEX STRATEGIES reported that the military NETCENTS II contract RFP is scheduled for August. The current contract NETCENTS allows the military to buy a wide range of services and products to support communications and information technology. Ballenger added that wireless technologes are expected play a large role in the RFP.

Chris Ballenger, CEO of APEX Strategies and publisher of Government Contracts Blog reports that Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has made available nearly $1.1 billion to continue assisting public health departments, hospitals and other health care organizations to strengthen their ability to respond to public health and medical emergencies as a result of a terrorism attack or naturally occurring event.

Ballenger further reports that contract grants consist of  HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  funding $704.8 million and $398 million through the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
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These $704.8 million in grants will be used for health departments in states, territories and metro areas of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles County and Washington, D.C., through the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement.

For more information on these grants contact Chris Ballenger at cjballe@apexstrategies.biz

Chris Ballenger, CEO of APEX Strategies and Editor of GovernmentContractsBlog.com annonces that "The Navy has awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts to 340 contractors that will compete for a variety of command task orders that collectively could be worth $5.3 billion a year."

"This Government Contract, part of the SeaPort Enhanced Rolling Admissions solicitation, will have a one-year base period with one five-year award term and one additional four-year award term. They are in addition to the 1,265 contracts previously awarded under the SeaPort-e acquisition program," stated Ballenger.

Ballenger further adds that "This is a great contract program for companies to participate in due to its flexible structure and over 22 functional service areas and set aside provisions for small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, 8a business development program and Historically Underutilized Business Zone small businesses."

Chris Ballenger, CEO of APEX Strategies and Editor of GovernmentContractsBlog.com annonces that "The Army is looking to small businesses to fill in the gaps left by the two ITES contracts. ITS-SB will supply IT services in the specific task areas missed or limited under the current large ITES-2S and ITES-2H requirements. Even though the Army has trusted Small Businesses in other areas with the massive FIRST contract and more specific SETAC requirements, ITS-SB brings technology services directly to the small business community. Look for an Industry day in June prior to release of the RFP." For more information you can contact Chris Ballenger at cjballe@apexstrategies.biz

Chris Ballenger is a founder and CEO of Apex Strategies, Inc. (APEX) in Dulles, Virginia. APEX is a management consulting firm specializing in generating and expanding federal contract awards for diverse businesses worldwide. Chris provides clients with a more insightful and contemporary way into how to create and expand federal contracts. Through APEX, Chris has taken his 20 + years as an owner in and consultant to numerous federal contractors to create a new streamlined "2.0" methodology for doing federal business.

APEX CEO Chris Ballenger, quoted in John Moore article,
<a href="http://www.fcw.com/print/10_44/news/86381-.html">From boomtown to business as usual </a>

"There's a leveling-off effect with respect to the pace of growth, [but] the budgets are essentially pretty robust," said Chris Ballenger, chief executive officer of APEX, which advises vendors on public-sector business development. 

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