The National Homeland Security Knowledgebase Newsletter September 2005
NHSK Editoral
Recent Hurricanes have tested DHS to new levels and initiated the debate as to whether or not Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needs to be taken out of the Department of Homeland Security and put back as an independent agency. It is questioned whether the extra layer of bureaucracy added to the mistakes and mismanagement following Katrina.
It is human nature to live in a “I hope “ state of mind and not really prepare for the worse case scenario until it hits us in the face. It is up for debate whether FEMA, if it was acting as a more independent agency, would have had a more expedient response.
In hearing the layers of truth revealed, there were serious mistakes made at the City, State and Federal levels; the biggest errors found in communication .
Hopefully everyone learns from Katrina at all levels of government and bureaucracy does not rise to new levels like the contaminated water, spending more time on blame than finding solutions for future disaster preparedness.
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Breaking News
Press Briefing by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson
Secretary Chertoff: Good afternoon, everybody. I have with me Secretary Alphonso Jackson, who, as you know, is the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, who will speak immediately after I do. Also here is Donna Dannels, who is the chief processing operations person at FEMA, who is going to be a subject matter expert that will be available to answer some of the very detailed questions about the housing program that we are announcing today.
Let me, before I turn to the issue of this new housing program -- which is designed to get transitional housing benefits in the hands of people quickly, with a minimum of red tape, while preserving accountability -- let me talk about some of the steps we've taken, working in support of our state and local partners, to prepare for Hurricane Rita, which, as you know, has now entered the area of the northwest Gulf Coast.
Full story: Click Here
'Stressed Out'
Hurricane Rita, like Katrina before her, made clear that government preparedness plans are hardly up to snuff.
Full Story: Click Here
Planning for disaster is suddenly popular
After hurricanes, Red Cross preparedness class draws a crowd.
By Ann Wlazelek Of The Morning Call
It takes a national disaster — sometimes two — to get people to prepare for the worst.That appeared to be the case Saturday morning, hours after the second of two major hurricanes pelted the Gulf Coast, when Cordelia Miller taught one of the local American Red Cross' best-attended classes on ''Preparing for the Unexpected.''
Full story: Click Here
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National News
Hearing and Demonstration: Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight; 'Sniffing Out Terrorism: The Use of Dogs in Homeland Security'
Friday September 23
Full Story: Click Here
Former First Responder Named Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairman
Thursday September 22, 5:46 pm ET
Reichert to Head Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 /-- House Homeland Security Chairman Peter T. King (R-NY) announced today that Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) will serve as Chairman for the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Science, and Technology.
Full Story: Click Here
SHAKEUP AT 'MICE-TAKEN' PLAGUE LAB By MARSHA KRANES
Sat Sep 17, The Newark bioterror research facility that misplaced three plague-ridden lab mice — triggering an FBI probe and a public-safety alert — is overhauling its procedures
Full Story: Click Here
Homeland Security, HUD offer housing payments to evacuees
By Chris Strohm
cstrohm@govexec.com
The Homeland Security and Housing and Urban Development departments announced Friday that citizens displaced by Hurricane Katrina can receive about $785 a month for three months to pay for transitional housing.
Full Story: Click Here
Military, civilian leaders will talk security policy
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Experts in homeland security and defense will join policy makers and defense contractors next month at what some are calling an unprecedented mingling of military and civilian officials.
"This is probably the biggest policy-level powwow that you've ever seen of homeland defense and homeland security officials," said Bill Harris, president of the Colorado Springs-based National Homeland Defense Foundation, which is spearheading the event. "You have a lot of key people who make the whole thing tick inside the Beltway who will be in the same room together."
Full Story: Click Here
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International News
Australia: Homeland security stock down under- goes up
Homeland security, defence and bomb disposal company XTEK Ltd debuted on the the Australian Stock Exchange.90 per cent of XTEK's business comes from sales to the Australian and state governments, defence and law enforcement offices
Homeland Security stock XTEK IPO Closes Over-Subscribed more info: Click Here
Thursday September 22, Australia PM rejects calls for homeland security dept
Prime Minister John Howard has rejected calls for a US-style Department of Homeland Security, saying the American organisation has been condemned for its response to Hurricane Katrina.Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has stepped up his demand for a new federal department to oversee Australia's counter-terrorism effort.
Mr Howard has attacked the suggestion."I point out to Mr Beazley that the Department of Homeland Security does not appear to have operated very well in relation to Hurricane Katrina," he said.
Full Story: Click Here
Hebrew U gets $5.6m US biodefense grant
Hebrew University researcher Dr. Raymond Kaempfer will develop a drug to combat the superantigens family of toxins. Globes correspondent 25 Sep 05 A research grant of $5.6 million in the field of biodefense has been awarded by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), to a Hebrew University of Jerusalem researcher for the development of a broadly effective drug against a family of toxins called superantigens.
Full Story: Click Here
US, India, Israel to fight terror together
Washington, September 20, 2005 (PTI)A new organization called the US-India League has been formed by a group of leading American conservatives to draw the US, India and Israel closer in their objectives of fighting terrorism and setting an example of progress through democracy.
At its first meeting on Monday leading conservatives who spoke, including Don Feser, executive director, and Alan Keyes, a former Ambassador, emphasised that while India, the US and Israel may not agree on all issues, they are united in facing the most important challenges facing the world today.
Full Story: Click Here
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Homeland Security Stock News
Acquisition in the Homeland Security sector
DRS DRS Technologies(DRS) announces acquisition of Engineered Support Systems(EASI) DRS Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: DRS - News) and Engineered Support Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: EASI - News) jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement for DRS to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Engineered Support Systems, Inc. (ESSI) for $43.00 per share through a combination of cash and DRS common stock. More Info: Click Here
SAIC IPO
SAIC has announced that it intends to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) and a capital restructuring (merger). The capital restructuring is expected to close shortly before the IPO, and will require the approval of SAIC's stockholders.
More Info: Click Here
Read the Archived September 21 online HDS conference
The HDS forum entitled "Looking Back at the Progress and Obstacles; Tracking Trends in Technology & Funding Moving Forward" currently includes participating public companies: Sniffex, Inc. (OTC.PK: SNFX), SENSE Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: SEHO), Cyberlux Corporation (OTCBB: CYBL), Aethlon Medical (OTCBB: AEMD), Law Enforcement Associates (AMEX: AID), Markland Technologies (OTCBB: MRKL), and Nexicon, Inc. (OTCBB: NXCN).
Speakers :
Jack Mallon, Mallon and Associates, Publisher of leading industry financial newsletter, Mallon’s Security Report http://www.mallonassociates.com
Michael Soni, President & CEO Cronus Capital
http://www.cronuscapitalmarkets.com
Frank M. Rapoport, Frank M. Rapoport is a leader in the emerging Biodefense Procurement Market Place.
Tom McMillen, Tom McMillen has become in the last four years a major player in the Homeland Security industry.
Jim Smith, Jim Smith (MBA) is a freelance Homeland Defense Business Correspondent for the trade magazine ‘Jane’s Defense Weekly’ and is the editor for ‘Jane's Transport Finance’
Conference Link: Click Here Held on September 21, 2005 - currently archived..
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US Department of Defense Contract Updates
AIR FORCE
McDonnell Douglas, San Antonio, Texas is being awarded an $182,692,000 fixed price with economic price adjustment contract modification to exercise option VII and option G for fiscal year 2006 KC-10 and KDC-10 contractor logistics support. This action supports foreign military sales of the KDC-10 ARS to the Netherlands. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete by September 2006. The location of performance is McDonnell Douglas, San Antonio, Texas (57 percent), and General Electronic, Ontario, Calif. (43 percent). The Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F34601-98-C-0125/P00188).
Boeing Aerospace Operations, Oklahoma City, Okla., is being awarded a $43,924,000 time and material and firm fixed price contract modification to provide for contractor logistics support umbrella engineering support services provides sustaining and non-recurring services to support research and development, aircraft modifications, aircraft maintenance and technical services for Boeing commercial derivative military use aircraft. This effort supports foreign military to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete by September 2006. The location of performance is Boeing, Midwest City, Okla. (45 percent), and Boeing, Wichita, Kan. (55 percent). The Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F34601-02-C-0003/P00015).
M7 Aerospace, San Antonio, Texas, is being awarded a $12,500,000 firm fixed price contract modification to exercise option IX under the contract for contractor logistics support for the C-26B aircraft for the Army National Guard and the RC-26B aircraft for Air National Guard, consisting of maintenance, repair and support functions fiscal year 2006. At this time, no funds have been obligated. This work will be complete by September 2005. Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (F34601-97-C-0032/P00161).
Northrop Grumman Systems, Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a $6,000,000 time and materials contract to provide for engineering services to resolve obsolete part and vanishing vendor issues with the ALQ-155 system’s line replacement units and to increase the reliability and maintainability of the subassemblies in the line replacement units. At this time, $6,000,000 has been obligated. Electronic solicitations began in July 2005 with one firm solicited and one proposal received. Negotiations were complete September 2005. This work will be complete in March 2007. Headquarters Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (F09603-03-D-0002-0065).
ManTech SMA, South Falls Church, Va., is being awarded a $5,097,060 firm fixed price contract to provide for Joint Strike Fighter Systems security support services to provide integrated, full dimension security support allowing JSF to accomplish its critical mission of acquiring the next generation strike fighter for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, eight foreign partners and two foreign participants for one year base period, plus four one-year option periods. At this time, $1,300,000 has been obligated. Solicitations began in July 2005 with 12 solicited and two proposals received. Negotiations were complete in August 2005. This work will be complete in September 2006. The location of performance is various locations. Air Force District Washington Acquisition Division, Bolling Air Force Base, D.C., is the contracting activity (FA7012-05-C-0023).
NAVY
iRobot Corp., Burlington, Mass., is being awarded a $140,650, 000, firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to previously awarded contract N00174-03-D-0003, to provide lifecycle support and spare parts for additional systems being procured under the Man Transportable Robotic System program. Award of the modification was based on an urgent and compelling need for these systems by forward-deployed troops in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Work will be performed in Burlington, Mass., and is expected to be completed by October 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.
L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded an estimated value $90,819,382 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time and materials requirements contract (N00019-03-D-0010) to exercise an option for contractor logistics support for the T-45 training system. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas (53 percent) and NAS Meridian, Miss. (47 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
CH2M Hill/VT Griffin Joint Venture, Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded $19,327,736 under a previously awarded combination firm-fixed price, indefinite-quantity contract (N62467-99-D-1006) to exercise Option 4 for facilities/environmental maintenance services at the Pensacola Naval Regional Complex. Work will be performed primarily at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. (92 percent); Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Fla. (3 percent); Naval Hospital Pensacola, Pensacola, Fla. (3 percent); and Naval Station Pascagoula, Pascagoula, Miss. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed September 2006. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with 62 proposals solicited, three offers received and award made to CH2M Hill/VT Griffin Joint Venture on March 19, 2002. The Resident Officer in Charge of Construction, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Field Office, Pensacola, Fla., is the contracting activity.
M.C. Dean, Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $14,950,000 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract (N65236-03-D-5127) for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) and information technology services for planning, development, design, research, procurement, installation, testing, documentation, maintenance, and related C4ISR/IT engineering efforts. The cumulative value of this contract, including this modification, is $56,522,071. Work will be performed in the European and Central Regions, including Germany (75 percent); Balkans (12.5 percent); and other European and Central Region areas (12.5 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C. is the contracting activity (N65236-03-D-5127).
Raytheon Co., Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif., is being awarded a $10,649,722 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-03-C-0364) for nonrecurring engineering design and development efforts associated with engineering change proposal No. 04270510 titled “Laser Marker” for the F/A-18 Advanced Tactical Forward-Looking InfraRed (ATFLIR) pod. Work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif., and is expected to be completed in December 2006. Contract funds in the amount of $8,418,926 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass., is being awarded a $5,046,849 priced order under an existing Basic Ordering Agreement (FA8104-05-G-0003) for procurement of fan stator assemblies used on the F-414 engine, powering the F/A-18 E/F aircraft. Work will be performed in Lynn, Mass., and is expected to be completed by February 2007. Contract funds will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Inventory Control Point is the contracting activity. (Order GD54)
Belonger/Blinderman Joint Venture*, Waukegan, Ill., is being awarded a maximum amount of $5,000,000 guaranteed minimum of $25,000 (base period), firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, design build multiple award construction contract (MACC). The work to be performed provides for maintenance and repair, and occasional new construction with design capability required. The Belonger/Blinderman Joint Venture will compete and negotiate on task orders on an individual basis with the two existing MACC contractors. This contract contains one one-year option period, which if exercised, will bring the total potential contract value to $25,000,000 for all three contractors. Work will be performed at Naval Station Great Lakes and within a 75-mile radius from Great Lakes. The term of the contract is not to exceed two years with an expected completion date of September 2006 (September 2007 with options). Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Program via the NAVFAC e-solicitation website with 11 offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Midwest, Great Lakes, Ill., is the contracting activity (N40083-05-D-4009).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Wellco Enterprises, Inc., Waynesville, N.C., * is being awarded a maximum $17,356,929 fixed price with economic price adjustment for boots for Army and Air Force. The other location of performance is Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Proposals were Web-solicited and four responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is an indefinite quantity/delivery type contract exercising its 2nd term option. The performance completion date is September 22, 2006. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-03-D-0372).
Altama Delta Corp., Atlanta, Ga., * is being awarded a maximum $11,171,037 fixed price with economic price adjustment for boots for Army and Air Force. The other location of performance is Lexington, Tenn. Proposals were Web-solicited and four responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is an indefinite quantity/delivery type contract exercising its 2nd term option. The performance completion date is September 22, 2006. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-03-D-0373).
Belleville Shoe Mfg. Co., Belleville, Ill., * is being awarded a maximum $8,985,231 fixed price with economic price adjustment for boots for Army and Air Force. The other location of performance is Dewitt, Alaska. Proposals were Web-solicited and four responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is an indefinite quantity/delivery type contract exercising its 2nd term option. The performance completion date is September 22, 2006. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-03-D-0374).
McRae Industries, Inc., Mr. Gilead, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $18,581,706 fixed price with economic price adjustment for boots for Army and Air Force. Proposals were Web-solicited and four responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This is an indefinite quantity/delivery type contract exercising its 2nd term option. The performance completion date is September 22, 2006. The contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0100-03-D-0371).
For all September contracts: http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/
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Additional Features
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