The Insider

Deputy Defense Secretary Bill Lynn told the Senate Budget Committee this morning there are three reasons sticking with the current continuing resolution for the rest of the year would harm the Defense Department.

Lynn's said this would cut DOD's funding by $23 billion compared with the request, leaving "inadequate funding to carry out our national security commitments properly."

Second, a yearlong CR would leave the funding DOD does get in the wrong places, he noted.

And third, a yearlong CR robs DOD of the flexibility to start new weapons programs and boost production rates, he said.

Andrew Hunter, a staffer on the House Armed Services Committee, has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and will work as the special assistant to the Pentagon acquisition chief, according to a Defense Department announcement.

Hunter's new assignment was one of several Senior Executive Service announcements the Pentagon put out today, including:

James B. Lackey has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as deputy director, air warfare, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics), Washington, D.C.  Lackey previously served as supervisory program manager with the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

Philip A. Burdette is assigned as principal director, (wounded warrior care and transition policy), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Washington, D.C.  Burdette previously served as deputy federal security director, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

Darlene J. Costello is assigned as principal director, portfolio systems acquisition/director, acquisition and program management, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics), Washington, D.C.  Costello previously served as deputy director, naval warfare, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics), Washington, D.C.

Paul J. Hutter is assigned as principal deputy general counsel, Tricare Management Agency, Falls Church, Va.  Hutter previously served as chief of staff, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington D.C.

Virginia S. Penrod is assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (military personnel policy), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Washington, D.C.  Penrod previously served as principal director, military personnel policy, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness),Washington, D.C.

Lynn C. Simpson is assigned as chief of staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Washington, D.C.  Simpson previously served as director, human capital and resource management, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Washington, D.C.

Pasquale Tamburrino is assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (civilian personnel policy), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Washington, D.C.  Tamburrino previously served as assistant deputy chief of naval operations, fleet readiness and logistics, Department of Navy, Arlington, Va.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has just released its complete list of subcommittee members for the 112th Congress, which is reproduced in full below.

The lists:

Subcommittee on AirLand

Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities

Subcommittee on Personnel

Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support

Subcommittee on Seapower

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate recently concluded a two-year project that improved the way the command manages its processes "for tasking, collecting and assessing Joint Integrated Persistent Surveillance (JIPS) capabilities," according to a JFCOM statement. Further:

"The project developed standardized training and doctrine to keep pace with current battlefield needs and accurate assessment of all information collection assets," said Army Lt. Col. Stan Murphy, USJFCOM JIPS project leader.

"Regular or irregular warfare makes no difference," Murphy said. "It is all about how we integrate, manage and synchronize all of our limited resources and capabilities to be the most effective possible."

Navy Capt. Terry Morris, J9 Battle Space Awareness division chief, oversees projects such as JIPS and said that aerial unmanned surveillance assets such as the Predator and human ground-based communications intelligence need to be integrated.

"Persistent surveillance is more than just video screens and cameras," he said. "It is blending the right information at the right time for the commander so that he can make real-time decisions on the best utilizations for assets to be able to support the warfighters on the ground."

Proper training and information disbursement across a joint force can have a huge impact on increasing JIPS information collection abilities.

"This increases commander's awareness of what's happening in his battlefield, allowing him to make decisions much quicker" Morris added.

The project identified gaps dealing with surveillance operations and processes used by the joint force not adequately reflected in joint training and doctrine.

Inside the Pentagon reported last month that the planned closures of U.S. Joint Forces Command and the Business Transformation Agency -- part of Defense Secretary Robert Gates' proposed overarching efficiencies initiative -- are expected to save $1.9 billion from fiscal year 2012 to 2016. Further:

Regarding JFCOM, the disestablishment plan was signed by Gates earlier this month, with the nearly 6,000-person command being disestablished by August 2011, and all personnel moves completed by next March.

"When the transition is complete, roughly 50 percent of JFCOM personnel and budget will remain along with core missions, such as joint training, joint force provider, joint concept and doctrine development and joint integration," according to a Feb. 9 JFCOM press release. "These functions will be aligned under the Joint Staff for leadership and direction."

During the budget briefing Monday, Hale also noted that the money savings will not start immediately.

"There will certainly be some cost," Hale said. "We will offer some buyout incentives in cases where we need people to leave." He said costs could also be incurred by terminating contracts.

"My rule of thumb, and it doesn't relate directly to JFCOM, but having done a lot of these drawdowns in the past, is that you don't save any money in the first year," Hale said. "You do well to break even, frankly."

Northrop Grumman has submitted its final proposal revision for the Missile Defense Agency's Next Generation Aegis Missile (NGAM) concept definition and program planning procurement effort, according to a company statement:

The new interceptor is a key element of the layered intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) defense of the nation and will be designed to engage intercontinental, intermediate-range and medium-range ballistic missile threats. MDA has said it plans to make multiple contract awards in early 2011 and plans to field the interceptor in the 2020 time frame.

"Northrop Grumman offers MDA an opportunity to put fresh, experienced eyes on the early ICBM intercept design challenge," said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager, Strike and Surveillance Systems Division for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "We bring extensive design, development, testing and manufacturing experience from our ICBM and Kinetic Energy Interceptor programs. We're joined by a team of industry experts who have been at the forefront of every ballistic missile defense hit-to-kill interceptor program, including terminal high-altitude area defense, standard missile and ground-based mid-course defense systems. Together, we offer the unique combination of interceptor experience and innovation to develop the next generation of ballistic missile defense interceptors."

Inside Missile Defense reported last September that MDA had identified $1.4 billion in the Pentagon's six-year budget plan for the NGAM program:

In answers to questions submitted to MDA after a July 29 industry day with agency Director Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, which were recently posted on Federal Business Opportunities, MDA writes that the $1.4 billion "figure that LTG O'Reilly mentioned was referring to the funding within MDA's POM12 budget for the Product Development Phase (covering years FY12-16). The number is a requested amount. No funds for FY-12 have been appropriated yet."

MDA anticipates contract awards for the NGAM program "in the second quarter of FY-11," the document states. When asked about the "technology maturation contact awards time line vs. the concept definition time line," MDA responds: "We intend to award additional technology maturation contracts in FY-11."

According to MDA's fiscal year 2012 budget request submitted last month, the agency allocated $225.6 million in FY-10, nearly $94 million in FY-11 and is asking Congress for $565 million in FY-12 for its overall Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program.

The Pentagon is seeking contractors to conduct research on advanced science and technology concepts that have applications to missile defense.

According to a March 1 Federal Business Opportunities broad agency announcement, the Missile Defense Agency's advanced technology office "has instituted the Missile Defense Advanced Technology Innovation (ATI) Program to identify and develop innovative concepts, stimulate technology innovation, and exploit breakthroughs in science to offer robust technology improvements to all elements of the [Ballistic Missile Defense System]. ATI is a competitive, science and technology research program, which consists of forefront advanced research and development technology, concepts, and approaches acquired through scientific and technological investigation."

The MDA notice further states:

Technical advancement is essential to the strategy of spiral development with Block improvements in the BMDS every two years. MDA advances technology that enables near-term, evolutionary growth in current systems while adding revolutionary systems to substantially improve the BMDS in the far term. The MDA Director, Advanced Technology (DV) is responsible for developing advanced capabilities for the BMDS. This includes planning and executing a broad range of enabling and advanced technology development efforts, developing the technology base for advanced BMDS Blocks, assessing emerging technologies, innovative concepts, and leading the effort to develop advanced algorithms for improving BMDS capability. ...

The MDA contracts with private industry, qualified accredited domestic educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations for research in those areas covered in this BAA. Awards as a result of this announcement will take the form of a contract, though the government reserves the right to use other types of contractual instruments if they are deemed more appropriate for the proposed work. MDA does not have a specified amount of funding available for BAA awards, however, if MDA decides to pursue a concept the appropriate level of funding will be identified, and a final proposal will be requested by a MDA Contracting Officer in writing. Funding of research within MDA areas of interest will be determined by funding constraints and priorities set during the budget cycle. Therefore, those contemplating submission of a proposal are encouraged to contact the MDA technical point of contact, Robert Barnes, MDA/DVR; 256-955-7421, to determine the likelihood of funding prior to committing resources to preparing a concept paper or proposal in response to this BAA. Coordination with the technical point of contact prior to proposal submission allows earliest determination of the potential for funding and avoids contractor and Government time spent on efforts that may have little chance of being supported. Cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) type contracts are anticipated to be awarded for these efforts. Any awards are anticipated to occur in fiscal year (FY) 2011 through FY 2013.

MDA is looking to work on advanced technology research "in technologies for each missile defense phase encompassing the entire engagement sequence to include Surveillance, Acquisition and Tracking, Discrimination, Communications, Engagement Planning, Threat Engagement, Evolving Threats and Countermeasures, and Kill Assessment," the notice reads. Research topic areas include:

(1) Radar Systems

(2) Lasers and Electro-optical Systems

(3) Integrated Active/Passive IR Sensor Systems

(4) Computer, Signal and Data Processing

(5) Materials and Electronics

(6) Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

(7) Battle Management/Command and Control

(8) Propulsion and Powersystems

(9) International BMDS Cooperation: Proposals for area (9) must contain direct work relating to a foreign company or university that is either a partner or major subcontract under the proposal. This is the only area that we will entertain accepting basic research proposals.

Interested companies and research institutions need to submit the following to MDA, according to the notice:

(1) A summary concept white paper (no more than ten pages) which succinctly illustrates the proposed technical approach, as well as its rationale and objectives, methodology, expected results, and potential contribution to the MDA program using the attached Proposal Instructions (Attachment 1).

(2) White Paper Rough Order of Cost Magnitude (ROCM), using the attached Cost Proposal Instructions paragraph (5).

(3) A suggested program plan using the attached Proposal Instructions paragraph (4)(d).

(4) A description of the offeror's capabilities, relevant experience, and facilities using the attached Proposal Instructions paragraph (4)(e).

Note: Evaluations may take up to six months from receipt of White Paper to complete. If selected for award MDA will request a full technical volume and detailed cost proposal as requested in the attached proposal instructions paragraphs (6) (7) and (8). DO NOT SUBMIT THE TECHNICAL AND COST PROPOSALS UNTIL YOU RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM THE CONTRACTING OFFICER FOR THIS INFORMATION.

The agency will evaluate the responses based upon five equally weighted technical factors, according to the notice:

(1) Scientific and technical excellence of the research and its relevance to MDA goals with special emphasis on innovation, originality, and uniqueness;

(2) The offeror's capabilities, relevant experience, and facilities; techniques, or unique combinations of these are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives;

(3) Qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed principal investigator, team leader, and/or key personnel which are critical in achieving the proposal objectives;

(4) Ability of the proposed effort to make progress toward demonstrating the feasibility of the concept in accordance with MDA programmatic needs; and

(5) Demonstrated ability or clear plan to deliver results from research projects on schedule and under cost.

Cost will be evaluated against the government's estimate of the cost of completing the contract using the technical and management approaches proposed; total evaluated probable cost consists of the government's estimate of the realistic cost of completing the offeror's proposals, to include the government's assessment of program risk, and additional costs to the government such as government-furnished property, government-furnished information, transportation, the duplication of previously awarded contracts submitted by the offeror, similar technology efforts pursued elsewhere and other cost related factors.

For each of those technical factors, MDA will apply the following criteria:

(1) The scientific excellence and innovative quality of the proposed technology or application;

(2) The offerors' capabilities, relevant experience, and facilities;

(3) The relevance of the technology or application to the MDA program, to include maturity and level of risk; and

(4) Demonstrated ability or clear plan to deliver results from research projects on schedule and under cost.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA), head of the House Armed Services readiness subcommittee, announced yesterday that he would hold a two-part hearing series on ensuring military readiness.

"When it comes to our military," Forbes said, "Congress must be able to answer one simple question: 'Are we ready?'" The U.S. government must "avert the impending 'train wreck' that defense experts have said is coming," he said, adding:

The first step is assessing the long term strategic capabilities of our armed forces in a two-part hearing series, which will include a candid dialogue with independent experts and an open discussion with Department of Defense officials.