A reader commented this morning:
"Sorry this is Off subject but what is your take on what is going on with KBOSSS? 1 year extension on top of the other extensions? (This probably comes as an official DOD notification of extension was just posted on FedBizOpps SEE HERE.)
Nine month plus three month option extension for K-BOSSS Extension Synopsis under FAR 6.302-1 of Base operations support and security support services throughout the Kuwait area of responsibility (AOR)
Solicitation Number: W52P1J10C0062
Agency: Department of the Army
Office: Army Contracting Command
Location: ACC - RI (W52P1J)"
 |
| Official Announcement of Extensions |
Here is my DG personal synopsis in a nutshell. There have been extensions followed by extensions. If you read some parts of the RFP, it has been cut/paste from 10+ years ago. Procurement/contracting people change. The situation on the ground in Kuwait/the Region changes. The people actually writing the RFPs either don't have accurate information or aren't being given it.
I further think the delays on awarding the contract are because :
#1 they are waiting for results of the US presidential erections. If that A-hole gets into office, everything in this part of the world is going to be blown into the stone ages just because he's a racist pig and hates all Moslems. Therefore, it would require a lot more fire power and logistics and the RFP workload levels would have to be adjusted. Republicans are going to fund for more military spending. Democrats are going to fund for more domestic spending (like edumacation, healthcare, etc.) I'm a democrat. I hope that a democrat gets in and takes a serious look at educating the illiterate bigots and intolerant racists that are out there procreating as I write this. But hey - that's just me.
#2 those DAESH A-holes: What are those characters up to and how much stuff are we going to need to eradicate them? That political scene changes all the time and it is really for a lot of different factors. The US Government has to work with regional governments to find out what their plans are, create military agreements (which is like coraling cats). That political circle could possibly change the RFP entirely.
Right now, it is "wait and see". I've heard from multiple sources that the incumbent prime contract holder, Vectrus, looks like the fore runner in the race to win. I could be wrong about that - as could the sources I've talked to.
10 comments:
DG as always Great insight. You should be a government analyst sitting on a panel in DC (if you aren't already). In that case I may have said too much and blown your cover for which I now fear for my life! Dayum!
Since you are on a roll Senora "Analyst" what's your take on this:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1230376
Easy tax free Uncle Sam money? Hey the waitress I dated from Applebee's is now the Manager at TMP! LoL! Wait...that's true.
DG I'm going to have to join in on this given all the local hires I see driving around on their off time and weekends in a Vectrus (gov't funded) leased vehicle!
Yeah it's a touchy subject but it's the elephant in the room which even Uncle Sam has failed to properly address. Well folks You can thank the former CSA for starting that whole phenomenon. DG I must opine and call a spade a spade and chime in on this one. i recall CSA Managers meeting women of certain "persuasion" downtown and then promising them jobs on base. Those "favors" turned into CSA creating the local hire category. Which is in fact a glorified TCN position earning much higher wages then a KRH TCN. Local hires do not necessarily possess any special skills that aren't currently found in the KRH TCN labor category. Which baffles the mind as to why Uncle Sam would pay extra for a job position performing the exact same job duties? Does anyone else see a problem with this or is it just me? DG so you endorse your tax dollars being spent like this? I just filed my taxes so I'm interested in why this subject was never formally addressed? Perhaps a contracting officer needs to read DG for some real damn info! At least she provides a forum.
Anonymous 11:09 -
I totally hear you and I've known about most of the cases/issues you've talked about it.
Vectrus leased vehicles: Here is an issue that I know something about. I believe (and I believe that Vectrus thinks the same way now) that providing lease vehicles to Vectrus employees was a mistake. However, it was the way that CSA handled the contract, so they just continued the methodology. I think that should Vectrus win KBOSSS 2.0, they will probably provide employees with a transportation allowance and an accommodation allowance instead of dealing with all the BS issues generated by providing both.
"Special Skills not Found in the TCN Labor Cateogry"
There was an entire contracting company here that was built by supplying Asian prostitutes to contracting officials, for example. (That company has since branched out into other contracts...) Some of those ladies got legal jobs later. Others were hired from places like hotels and anywhere that a girl could throw a smile at a prime contractor....
Yes, I have a problem with that. But...
The US decision-makers are not here. Unless they hear from the people actually witnessing the misuse of funds, nothing can be done. Why? Because no one hears about it, no one cares about it.
Personally, I wish that more people would write to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense (Web: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/subcommittees/defense) that funds all these overseas military contracts and tell them what's on your mind.
Pissed off about the TCN issue? Start a petition. Write to one of the senators.
Pissed off about the overspending on lease vehicles? Write to one of the senators.
Each of us are in a position to make change, but it has to be channeled to the right people. I'm not that person, unfortunately.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/american-arrested-possessing-trading-drugs/
Meanwhile another American in Kuwait arrested for selling drugs again.
If he were a local hire on KFLOSS he would be Ridin dirty in a TMP vehicle and certainly wouldn't have to sell yayo to supplement his income.
You just brought back a lot of memories about the wild Wild West contracting days. Contracting command officers and civilians getting paid and laid. Duffle bags of cash payoffs in the px parking lot. COR's going to jail. DFAC sergeants going to jail. Suicides. "Cook outs" in zone 7. Bogus Water contracts. Bogus contract extensions. Parties at the Safir or at the "farm".
I guess a few overpaid Filipinos on Kboss getting a housing and transportation stipend plus a vehicle with free gas from kboss is par for the course. Nothing has changed. Just rebranded. Contracting command has been asleep at the wheel since the wild Wild West days. Don't expect that to change.
DG the Contract extension is to support sufficient time period needed for contract award to include a 90 day transition period. Contract award expected late this year with incoming performance contractor given 90 days to conduct joint inventory with Vectrus. Slim chance for a Vectrus re-award. Too many interested vendors (over 25) with many of them heavy hitters like Fluor, Honeywell, Mantech, and KBR. Election year has absolutely nothing to do with the contract award process. If that were the case hundreds of other DOD contracts would be "on-hold" based on your theory. Not realistic to factor that in. The main thing here is to adjust the RFP, award the contract, and transition before March 2017. Advantage KBR. Perhaps...ACC would be playing with fire to award incumbent. There have been too many DOD Inspector General inquiries and "Post office money order theft investigations" and "material theft convictions" all while under the Vectrus watch. Too much at stake plus expect submissions to be LPTA standard with personnel cuts especially in cost savings from the whole local hire funding manning fiasco to only include 2 labor categories (U.S. And TCN). If I'm KBR all I have to do is price my submission with 2 labor categories (US and TCN) and I'm already have a more attractive submission than Vectrus paying out 3 labor categories. Following the KBR business model. Clear to see that KBOSSS will go to another contractor. Which is why they factored in the 3 option months. To cover joint transition period.
One thing is clear here given all the replies. Most are of the same opinion but just needed a place to air out the dirty laundry. DG you may as well make this post a permanent forum and track it all the way up until it's awarded and all. I myself have already forwarded this to several people.
Anonymous 9:47 - thanks for your take.
I might agree with some of it. Maybe.
As for the IG inquiries - there were about the same number under the former contract holder - plus questionable "suicides" and a multitude of other issues like disappearing trucks, hookers, bribes, etc etc. I doubt that anything that Vectrus has going on even holds a candle to the days of the wild wild west.
Labor categories do actually change and OCN makes sense if you are hiring Westerners locally and not having to pay all the overseas recruitment and relocation costs. It would be a cost savings if done properly.
KBR has it's own set of issues right now and some are similar to the incumbents.
KBR won the contract. Let the games begin. See you at the job fair. Bring lots of tissue for the tears about to be shed. Btw, KBR does hire OCN's. They're called TCN's. Save money if done right? Really? I work there dude. Vectrus has OCN's doing the same jobs as TCN's so why pay them more than a TCN? Literally doing the same job. For example: Admin is TCN and another Admin is OCN. Both doing same Wishful thinking though. Nice try.
How ya like me NOW?
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