NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka Awards Contract for F/A-18 Induction to Iwakuni
Navy News Service
Story Number: NNS171004-03
Release Date: 10/4/2017 9:47:00 AM
By Tina C. Stillions, Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka Director of Corporate Communications
YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Yokosuka awarded a contract to NIPPI Corporation Sept. 20 for planned maintenance interval (PMI) requirements of F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft inducted at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni.
With a maximum potential award amount of $6,025,202, the new contract marks the culmination of the transition of PMI inspections and repairs of the aircraft, also referred to as Hornets, Super Hornets and Growlers, to MCAS Iwakuni.
It is part of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan's efforts to transfer Carrier Air Wing FIVE from Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi to Iwakuni and a larger realignment of U.S. forces.
The overall transition of the PMI line required two separate contract actions. The first action modified N62649-14-D-0001, the previous contract for PMI work performed at NAF Atsugi in the amount of $860,782. The modification required NIPPI to assist in the move and set up of the PMI line at MCAS Iwakuni in time for the first F/A-18 induction.
In addition to the modification, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka awarded a new indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with NIPPI, N62649-17-D-0008, to continue support for PMI work performed in Iwakuni from September 2017 until January 2019.
The new contract was necessary to ensure continued, uninterrupted contractor support of PMI requirements. NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka worked closely with the Fleet Readiness Center - Western Pacific (FRCWP) to award the contract less than three months following the solicitation. The aggressive award schedule was completed in time for the induction ceremony held on September 22.
FRCWP's new facility in Iwakuni will enable depot-level maintenance to be performed more efficiently and facilitate greater interaction with the squadrons.
Aircraft must undergo inspections and repairs to prevent excessive damage and to correct problems before they make an aircraft non-flyable. PMI involves in-depth inspection of an aircraft's various systems.
"PMI inspections and repairs are the primary function of depot-level maintenance teams and are required by the integrated maintenance plan (IMP) that each Naval Air System Command's program office is responsible for implementing. These important maintenance requirements ensure the Navy and Marine Corps' aircraft are available and ready to support operations," said Kurt Dronenburg, contracting officer and aircraft maintenance team lead at NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka. "The best analogy I can make is to compare the IMP to the recommended maintenance schedule for your personal vehicle. Obviously, aircraft are more complex than your personal vehicle and require a more comprehensive maintenance program."
According to Dronenburg, the most complex inspections and repairs require specialized equipment not readily accessible in the field; therefore, the squadron must send the aircraft to the depot. PMI work supports depot-level maintenance under the IMP and includes such things as removing the panels and doors from the aircraft; inspecting areas of the aircraft that are difficult to access in the field; identifying discrepancies like corrosion and repairing those discrepancies as required.
"Often times, some organizational-level and intermediate-level maintenance requirements are also performed concurrent with depot-level work," said Dronenburg. "This work is critically important to ensuring aircraft safety and it directly impacts the operational readiness of our forward-deployed naval forces."
The transition of the F/A-18 PMI line from NIPPI's facility in Yamato to MCAS Iwakuni involved relocating people, including NIPPI employees, FRCWP civilian and military personnel, as well as future moves for Defense Contract Management Agency personnel. In addition to the relocation of personnel, it also included moving a significant portion of the FRCWP organization to Iwakuni, including tooling, equipment, parts and material.
The transition fundamentally changes where the PMI work is performed. F/A-18 aircraft will no longer be inducted for PMI inspection and repair work at NAF Atsugi. As of last month, PMI work in support of the Hornets, Super Hornets and Growlers that fall under FRCWP's cognizance will be performed at MCAS Iwakuni.
NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka is one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS). Headquartered just 26 miles south of Tokyo, it is the western Pacific region's largest U.S. Navy logistics command, networking more than 14 sites with a mission to deliver supply and logistics solutions that enable deployed maritime warfighter-readiness in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
NAVSUP GLS provides global logistics for a global Navy. The organization is made up of approximately 6,300 military and civilian logistics professionals operating from 105 locations worldwide, providing an extensive array of integrated global logistics and contracting services to Navy, Marine Corps, joint operational units, and allied forces across all warfare enterprises.
NAVSUP provides U.S. naval forces with quality supplies and services. With headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP oversees logistics programs in the areas of supply operations, conventional ordnance, contracting, resale, fuel, transportation, and security assistance. In addition, NAVSUP is responsible for quality-of-life issues for naval forces including food service, postal services, Navy Exchanges, and movement of household goods.
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