MSU prof receives NSF award

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Wenmeng “Meg” Tian, an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Mississippi State University’s Bagley College of Engineering, will advance her research in additive manufacturing after receiving $515,000 from a National Science Foundation CAREER award. Funding will support her project aimed at strengthening additive manufacturing processes for small and medium sized manufacturers while protecting confidential design information. Also affiliated with the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Tian’s research focus is on using machine learning and data mining to improve the quality of products made using the additive manufacturing process, which builds products layer by layer. (Source: MSU 02/22/21) MSU engineering professor receives $515K NSF CAREER award to support additive manufacturing research | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

Prez nominates Stennis COS to flag

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced Feb. 26 that the president has nominated Capt. Ronald J. Piret for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Piret is currently serving as chief of staff, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, John C. Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, Mississippi. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

Metal Shark lands 10 PBs contract

Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC, doing business as Metal Shark Boats, Jeanerette, Louisiana, is awarded a $18,629,151 firm-fixed-price delivery order to previously awarded contract N00024-17-D-2209 for construction, shipping and item unique item identification and documentation of ten 40-foot patrol boats. Work will be performed in Jeanerette and is expected to be completed by December, 2025. Fiscal 2021 overseas contingency operations funding in the amount of $13,040,406 (70%); and 2021 other Navy procurement funding in the amount of $5,588,745 (30%), are being obligated at delivery order and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

HII-Pascagoula lands 2 ship pacts

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded an $80,245,393 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract action for long lead time material (LLTM) in support of one Amphibious Assault Ship (General Purpose) Replacement (LHA(R)) Flight 1 Ship (LHA 9). This action will be the fourth increment of LLTM awarded to HII-Pascagoula under contract N00024-20-C-2437. Work to be performed is the procurement of Long Lead Time Material for LHA 9, the fourth Amphibious Assault Ship Replacement (LHA(R)) America Class and the second LHA(R) Flight 1 variant. Work will be performed in Pascagoula (53%); Cincinnati, Ohio (28%); Walpole, Massachusetts (10%); Garden Grove, California (4%); Warminster, Pennsylvania (4%); and Bellflower, California (less than 1%). Work is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2021 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding in the amount of $60,184,044 will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The obligation amount represents 75% of the not-to-exceed price, in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 217.7404-4 limitations on obligations. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procured; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

* Additionally, HII-Pascagoula is awarded a $36,947,659 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for life cycle engineering and support for the LPD-17 class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $213,922,729. Work will be performed in Pascagoula (95%); and Norfolk, Virginia (5%), and is expected to be completed by June 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through December 2025. Fiscal 2016 (46.94%); 2021 (37.46%); and 2017 (15.60%), Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding in the combined amount of $20,914,021 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. Code 2304 (c)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

$230M Austal EPF-15 mod pact

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $235,000,000 fixed-priced-incentive firm-target undefinitized contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-2227) for the detail design and construction of Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 15. Work performed is for the detail design and construction of EPF 15. The EPF class provides high speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support the intra-theater maneuver of personnel, supplies and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. Work will be performed in Mobile (63%); Fairfax, Virginia (10%); Novi, Michigan (10%); Houston, Texas (3%); Slidell, Louisiana (2%); Franklin, Massachusetts (2%); Rhinelander, Wisconsin (2%); Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); with other efforts performed at various locations throughout the U.S. (4%); and various locations outside the U.S. (3%). Work is expected to complete by March 2024.  Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $60,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

MS firm's AI-enabled sensor pact

Camgian Microsystems Corp., Starkville, Mississippi, was awarded an $8,933,496 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for artificial intelligence-enabled sensor networks. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Starkville with an estimated completion date of Jan. 25, 2023. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation Army funds in the amount of $8,933,496 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/26/21)

AF may revamp pilot curriculum

The Air Force is considering changes to its pilot-training curriculum to reduce aviation accidents across the service, Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr told attendees of AFA’s virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium on Feb. 25. There were 72 AF accidents in FY 2020 - 10 more than in FY-19, Air Force Magazine reported Feb. 23. Thirteen of those accidents caused injury or death, according to Air Force Safety Center data. Despite a rise in crashes, and other accidents, the AF noted that mishap numbers have dropped slightly in the past decade. But those stats worry Brown, who has already spoken with major command leaders about ways to address the issue. Air Education and Training Command is working with organizations that own those aircraft on a new approach to flight training, he said. “Some of the incidents (30) we’ve had have been in what I would call basic phases of flight, probably the most important phases of flight, which are takeoff and landing,” Brown said. (Source: AF Magazine 02/25/21) USAF Considering Pilot Training Changes to Curb Flight Accidents - Air Force Magazine MISSISSIPPI NOTE: Columbus (Miss.) AFB's 14th Flying Training Wing's mission is specialized undergraduate pilot training in the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft.

MSU Foundation board announced

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Mississippi State University Foundation announced its 2021 leaders and incoming members for the board of directors that guides the fund-raising arm of the nearly 143-year-old land-grant institution. Incoming officers with new one-year terms that began Jan. 1 include three alumni returning to offices held in 2019-2020. They are D. Hines Brannan of Atlanta, board chair; Anthony L. Wilson of Gulfport as vice-chair; and Mike M. McDaniel of Houston, Texas, as treasurer. (Source: Mississippi State University 02/25/21) List of returning and new members MSU Foundation announces 2021 officers, incoming members | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)

Leidos to buy Gibbs & Cox

Virginia-based Leidos has entered into an agreement to acquire the naval architecture and marine engineering firm Gibbs & Cox for $380M in cash, as the defense, engineering and IT conglomerate looks to bolster its expertise to compete for Navy unmanned systems contracts. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to closing conditions. G&C was founded in New York City in 1922, and has designed some well-known vessels, including the WWII Liberty Ships and the “Fig 7” (FFGs) for the Navy. Gibbs & Cox is HQ’d in Arlington, Va., and has two offices in New Orleans. It is the largest, full-service independent engineering and design firm specializing in naval architecture and marine engineering. (Source: Marine Link 02/25/21) Leidos To Acquire Gibbs & Cox (marinelink.com) Leidos, formerly known as Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), is an American Defense, Aviation, Information Technology (Lockheed Martin IS&GS), and Biomedical Research company that provides scientific, engineering, systems integration, and technical services. It was the fourth largest defense contractor in FY 2012.

US airstrikes target militia in Syria

President Joe Biden ordered military airstrikes in eastern Syria, along the Iraq border, targeting Iranian-backed militias in retaliation of a Feb. 15 rocket strike in Erbil, northern Iraq, that left several Americans injured, according to Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. The strike targeted structures in the town of Al Bukamal that belong to Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias that have launched rocket attacks in the past against American facilities, he continued. The Feb. 15 rocket attack against a U.S. base that killed a coalition contractor and left several American contractors and a U.S. military service member wounded. The Pentagon had not blamed Iranian-backed militias for the attack even though forensic evidence recovered pointed that a connection. “(T)he strikes destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups, including Kait’ib Hezbollah (KH) and Kait’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), Kirby is quoted via the DoD website. This “proportionate military response” was conducted together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners, said Kirby, a retired Navy flag officer. It sends “an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and Coalition personnel. At the same time, we have acted in a deliberate manner that aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both eastern Syria and Iraq.” (Sources: Yahoo & DoD 02/25/21) U.S. Conducts Defensive Precision Strike > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release

New NAVFAC boss; Okon promoted

The acting secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations announced Feb. 25 the following flag-officer assignments related to the region: 

* Rear Adm. (lower half) John A. Okon, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Warfare Integration Directorate, N2/N6F, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.  Okon is currently serving as commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. 

* Rear Adm. (lower half) Wesley R. McCall will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida. McCall is currently serving as executive assistant to the assistant secretary of the Navy (energy, installations and environment), Washington, D.C. NAVFAC Southeast oversees Navy facilities in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida. (Source: DoD 02/25/21)

Oxford firm's $37M ammo contract

Olin Winchester LLC, Oxford, Mississippi, was awarded a $37,141,981 firm-fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50 caliber ammunition. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Oxford, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of March 14, 2026. Fiscal 2019, 2020 and 2021 Army procurement of ammunition funds in the amount of $37,141,981 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/25/21)

Mess services pact for NCBC

Global Connections to Employment Inc., Pensacola, Florida, is awarded $13,868,343 for full food services and mess attendant services in support of Commander, Navy Region Southeast.  The contract includes a one-year base period and four one-year option periods, which if all options are exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $69,860,697. Work will be performed as follows: Full food services at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida (87%) and Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, Elgin Air Force Base, Niceville, Florida (5%); and mess attendant services Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi (8%).  Work is expected to be completed by February 2022; if all options are exercised, work will be completed by February 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,089,880 will be incrementally funded throughout the period of performance, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was solicited as a sole-source requirement pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 8.7 under the Ability One program with one offer received. Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 02/25/21)

Ala., La., firms' fuels contract

BPPNA GOT/IST, Chicago, Illinois (SPE602-21-D-0475, $223,310,230); Petromax Refining Co.,* Houston, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0474, $211,806,891); ExxonMobil Corp., Spring, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0472, $114,876,540); Valero Marketing & Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0473, $95,190,177); Phillips 66 Co., Houston, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0463, $71,492,582); Placid Refining Co. LP,* Port Allen, Louisiana (SPE602-21-D-0468, $60,344,016); Calumet Shreveport Fuels LLC,* Indianapolis, Indiana (SPE602-21-D-0470, $30,297,760); Wynnewood Energy Co. LLC, Sugar Land, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0462, $29,720,458); Alon USA LP, Dallas, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0459, $27,802,354); Husky Marketing & Supply Co., Dublin, Ohio (SPE602-21-D-0465, $26,701,080); Hunt Refining Co., Tuscaloosa, Alabama (SPE602-21-D-0466, $25,394,700); BP Products North America Inc., Chicago, Illinois (SPE602-21-D-0476, $13,729,650); Tesoro Refining & Marketing Co. LLC, San Antonio, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0471, $11,648,060); Hermes Consolidated LLC, doing business as Wyoming Refining Co., Rapid City, South Dakota (SPE602-21-D-0464, $11,374,500); Epic Aviation LLC, Salem, Oregon (SPE602-21-D-0469, $10,324,202); Marathon Petroleum Co. LP, Findlay, Ohio (SPE602-21-D-0460, $8,926,717); and Lazarus Energy Holdings LLC,* Houston, Texas (SPE602-21-D-0467, $8,239,759), have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPE602-20-R-0714 for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 28 responses received.  These are one-year contracts with a 30-day carryover. Locations of performance are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming, with an April 30, 2022, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds.  The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va. (Source: DoD 02/25/21)

Nicholson earns MSU nat'l alumna

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University is honoring Janice I. Nicholson of Florence, Ala., a long-time educator and administrator as 2021 National Alumna, the university’s highest alumni honor. At the awards event May 13, Nicholson will become the first female to receive the university’s highest alumni honor; and a host of other outstanding alumni are to be recognized by the MSU Alumni Association. Nicholson received her master’s and doctoral degrees in elementary education from MSU in 1967 and 1977, respectively. Over a 50-year career, she was with the University of North Alabama for 37 years, and retired from Blue Mountain College. At MSU, she was recognized as the College of Education’s Alumnus of the Year in 2018. From 2015-2017, the Booneville, Miss., native also served as interim head of the MSU Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education. Individual academic college selections for alumni of the year (by residence) are: 

*College of Arts and Sciences - Robert L. Barnes Jr. of Byram, Miss. A 1972 sociology graduate, Barnes is a retired logistics and human resources executive and retired Army colonel. 

*College of Forest Resources - Russell W. “Rusty” Booker Jr. Of Grove Hill, Ala. The 1991 forestry graduate is president of Scotch Land Management. 

*College of Veterinary Medicine - Ruth Francis-Floyd of Gainesville, Fla. The 1985 veterinary medicine graduate is a professor and extension specialist for aquatic medicine at the University of Florida.

*Bagley College of Engineering - Joffrey R. “Jay” Pryor of Houston, Texas. A 1979 petroleum engineering graduate, he is VP for business development for Chevron Corp. 

*College of Business - J. Michael “Mike” McIlwain of Kildeer, Ill. The 1987 accounting graduate recently retired as president/CEO from PSAV, a global event technology company. 

*College of Education - Margaret Dodd Taylor of Louisville, Miss. The former special education teacher is a three-time MSU graduate, earning bachelor’s, master’s and education specialist degrees in 1982, 1983 and 1985, respectively. 

*College of Architecture, Art and Design - Daria F. Pizzetta of NYC. A 1983 architecture graduate, she is a principal at the architecture firm, H3, the cultural design studio of Arquitectonica. 

*College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - John R. Lundy of Ridgeland, Miss. Partner for Capitol Resources  LLC, he is a 1983 agricultural economics graduate. 

The association also salutes the university’s Outstanding Young Alumnus/Alumna. Receiving this honor is Paul M. Minor of Houston, Texas. Senior energy management consultant at The Carnrite Group, he earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from MSU in 2011. Additionally, three alumni will be presented awards for their distinguished service to the MSU Alumni Association. (Source: MSU 02/24/21) Nicholson honored as MSU’s National Alumna of the Year | Mississippi State University (msstate.edu)