NS&D Monitor
3/13/2015
IN THE NNSA
Deputy Energy Secretary Liz Sherwood-Randall made her first trip to the Savannah River Site in her current position last week, quietly visiting a variety of facilities. Among the stops on Sherwood-Randall’s tour was the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, which is the subject of a pair of reviews while DOE officials wait to chart a path forward for the multi-billion-dollar project. Sherwood-Randall also toured the Salt Waste Processing Facility, the H Canyon Separation Facility, the K Area facilities, tritium facilities, and Savannah River National Laboratory. DOE did not respond Friday to a request for comment about Sherwood-Randall’s visit. NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator Madelyn Creedon also visited the site this week.
IN THE U.K.
The U.K. government has awarded BAE Systems a £257 million contract to cover the final phase of design work on the U.K.’s Successor-class ballistic missile submarine, the follow-on to the current Vanguard-class SSBN, according to a BAE press release. The project involves 240 suppliers, and the contract follows 2012 contracts valued at £328 million and £315 million. “The UK has been committed to a continuous at-sea deterrent for more than 45 years,” said U.K. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. “This is because it is the responsibility of the British Government to protect its citizens and provide this vital line of defence. It is therefore crucial that we continue to invest in the Successor programme to be ready for a final decision on renewal next year.”
IN THE AIR FORCE
Barksdale AFB aircrew, maintainers, and B-52s deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam on March 3 to support U.S. Pacific Command’s continuous bomber presence campaign established in 2004, according to a Global Strike Command press release. “Our mission is to provide that long strike capability to PACOM,” said Lt. Col. Wade Karren, 20th Bomb Squadron director of operations. “The objective is to deter our adversaries and to assure our allies in the region, so we provide that stability in that area of responsibility.”
AT GAO
A Government Accountability Office report on defense acquisitions released March 12 found that the B-2 Defensive Management System modernization Increment 1 showed little to no change in procurement cost and quantity each of the last four years, leaving its buying power unchanged. It was the only one of 10 observed acquisition programs that showed a similar yearly procurement quantity and cost. The Defense Department plans to start development for the $2.3 billion project in July. Twenty will be made. The report notes that since the program entered technology development in 2011, cost estimates have increased and milestones have been delayed. “Based on the latest estimate, the total acquisition cost has increased by $301.2 million since 2011 to reflect changes in software functionality, flight test plans, and the need for additional ground and test related hardware,” the report states. “The program now plans to enter development in July 2015, a delay of 15 months, and initial operational capability was delayed two years to 2021. Program officials attribute this delay to funding reductions for fiscal years 2013 to 2015.”
IN THE NAVY
Strategic Systems Programs announced on March 11 its intent to issue a Request for Proposal and begin a sole-source procurement to Northrop Grumman for an Underwater Launcher Subsystem. The procurement will fulfill the ongoing technical engineering support services, maintenance and repair support, hoist overhaul, and steel ballast closure efforts required for the SSP Underwater Launcher Subsystem. The contract will include a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.
IN THE INDUSTRY
Several major contractors in the Department of Energy marketplace were among those chosen by the Ethisphere Institute for its 2015 ‘Most Ethical Companies’ list, issued this week. Included on the list were CH2M Hill, Fluor and Parsons Corporation. “The World’s Most Ethical Companies® designation recognizes companies that truly go beyond making statements about doing business ‘ethically’ and translate those words into action. Honorees not only promote ethical business standards and practices internally, they exceed legal compliance minimums and shape future industry standards by introducing best practices today,” the institute said.
