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Boeing OKC Campus Sold for $124M to California Investors; Richard Tanenbaum, Brett Price Quoted
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Boeing OKC Campus Sold for $124M to California Investors; Richard Tanenbaum, Brett Price Quoted
Boeing OKC Campus Sold for $124M to California Investors; Richard Tanenbaum, Brett Price Quoted

Richard Tanenbaum, CEO of Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings (GTH), has announced the sale of the Boeing Oklahoma City campus to OKC Aerospace 1, LLC for $124.7 million, the company reported on Thursday. 

The sale was put in effect on Jan. 7, 2020, and marks one of the largest commercial real estate transactions in Oklahoma City history. The transaction comprises the entire Boeing OKC campus, which includes three office buildings. 

"GTH has developed more than one million square feet of aerospace real estate in Oklahoma," said Tanenbaum. "I continue to anticipate a bright horizon for the Oklahoma aerospace industry. Substantial investments from the west coast, such as this transaction, show that the nation is taking notice of the aerospace industry's dynamic growth in our state."

Tanenbaum purchased the campus for Boeing in 2007, he developed the three buildings specifically for Boeing between 2007 and 2012. The investment now accommodates over 3,100 Boeing employees and contractors across its 33.25 acres.

Recently, Boeing received the potential 10-year, $14.3 billion contract in April 2019. The company has worked to modify, engineer, test and sustain the aircraft weapons to increase system lethality, responsiveness, supportability and survivability.

”With the $14.3 billion contract awarded by The Department of Defense (DoD) for Boeing to service US Air Force aircraft and the first of 14 maintenance hangars for Boeing's KC-46 Pegasus nearing completion, Boeing's Oklahoma City workforce will continue to rise," said senior vice president of Newmark Grubb Levy Strange Beffort, Brett Price. 

Additionally, Boeing has modernized weapon systems used on the U.S. Air Force’s B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bomber platforms and will continue the work on campus after the transaction. 

About Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings

Gardner Tanenbaum Holdings (GTH) a full-service real estate development, design and construction management firm based in Oklahoma City with over sixty years of development and ownership experience. 

The company is one of the largest real estate developers in the region and manages over one million square feet of multifamily properties, six million square feet of industrial and office space and has an inventory of over two hundred and fifty acres of strategically placed land holdings for development. With strong leadership and a diversified portfolio, GTH builds Class "A" properties with long-term value for their clients and the communities they serve.

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U.S. Army CCDC Progressing on Combat Vehicle Weld Automation; Lt. Col. Ryan Howell, Megan Lynch Quoted
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U.S. Army CCDC Progressing on Combat Vehicle Weld Automation; Lt. Col. Ryan Howell, Megan Lynch Quoted

U.S. Army CCDC Progressing on Combat Vehicle Weld Automation; Lt. Col. Ryan Howell, Megan Lynch Quoted

The U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Department Command (CCDC) Manufacturing Technology has announced a new manufacturing cell for welding designed to improve the quality of combat vehicle weldments, reduce fabrication time and protect manufacturing workers as well as troops in combat situations, the service branch announced on Tuesday.

The cell is equipped with an advanced welding technology called High Energy Buried Arc Welding, which enables high-quality, thick-plate welds with minimal passes. The cell also contains a high-capacity, multi-axis positioning system that can manipulate multi-ton vehicle structures into ideal welding positions.

It’s automation will lead to higher quality weldments as well as reduce the time it takes to finish welding a new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) by 80 percent, which will also shorten combat delivery times. The AMPV, by BAE Systems, is the robotic weld cell’s first customer.

Other contemporary welding technologies have reduced the number of weld passes each vehicle hull must undergo, many of them are too dangerous to be performed by hand. Once the cell is fully transitioned, it is expected to take 70 percent of the heavy welds.

“By using the robotic welding cell technology funded by the Army’s ManTech program, we were able to execute and transition the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program from the Engineering Manufacturing Development phase to Milestone C…the Army’s first new combat vehicle production program in more than 30 years.” said Lt. Col. Ryan Howell.

The next step in the project will be to optimize the use of thicker wire to continue reducing the number of weld passeswhile continuing to improve survivability with improved designs and materials.

“We are still in the learning and debugging phase. Getting to full operational capability will be a process, but we are on track to get there by FY21” said Megan Lynch, ManTech project officer.

About the CCDC

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC), formerly known as the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), has the mission to lead in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more lethal to win our Nation’s wars and come home safely.

The command collaborates across the Future Force Modernization Enterprise and its own global network of domestic and international partners in academia, industry and other government agencies to accomplish this mission. CCDC is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command.

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GSA Grants MetTel Full Authority to Operate Under $50B EIS Contract; Diana Gowen Quoted
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GSA Grants MetTel Full Authority to Operate Under $50B EIS Contract; Diana Gowen Quoted

GSA Grants MetTel Full Authority to Operate Under $50B EIS Contract; Diana Gowen Quoted

MetTel has received full authority to operate (ATO) under the General Services Administration’s (GSA) 15-year, $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) program, the company announced on Thursday.

“Our diverse background in providing IT communications services to both private and public organizations has prepared us to service and modernize the government’s IT communications infrastructure,” said Diana Gowen, senior vice president and general manager, MetTel Federal Program.

MetTel will provide federal agencies with voice, video, data transport, hosting, and cloud services, call centers, cable and wiring, associated labor services, managed network and managed security services as part of the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions program.

The GSA announced that MetTel has successfully completed business support systems (BSS) functional and security testing, which will enhance GSA’s product management, order management, revenue management and customer management. The company completed the task on Dec. 13, 2019.

Additionally, the EIS contract will allow MetTel to accept and process tasks and service orders, provision and deliver services, and bill for services.

“We look forward to now being able to bring our experience and expertise in providing IT communications services, to the federal government,” Gowen added.

In October 2019, MetTel has received another federal indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by the Department of Defense (DoD), valued at $994 million, to update wireless devices and services for the U.S. defense and federal civilian agencies.

“Government is always looking for a smarter way to acquire goods and services,” said Gowen. “MetTel’s ability to efficiently provide the newest communication technology in packaged solutions delivered through fully managed services has caught the attention of the Federal agencies,” she added.

About MetTel

MetTel is a leader in communications and digital transformation (DX) solutions for enterprise and government customers. By converging all communications over a proprietary network, MetTel gives enterprises one, unified view and control point for all their communications and advanced network services.

MetTel’s comprehensive portfolio of customer solutions can boost enterprise productivity, reduce costs, and simplify operations. Combining customized and managed communication solutions with a powerful platform of cloud-based software, the company’s MetTel Portal® enables customers to manage their inventory, usage, spend and repairs from one simple, user friendly interface.

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Oracle Introduces Oracle Retail to Target Potential Customers; Cecilia Mao, Jeff Warren Quoted
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Oracle Introduces Oracle Retail to Target Potential Customers; Cecilia Mao, Jeff Warren Quoted
Oracle Introduces Oracle Retail to Target Potential Customers; Cecilia Mao, Jeff Warren Quoted

Oracle has announced a new feature from Oracle Retail to help retailers target potential customers based on the customers’ traits and characteristics, the company reported on Thursday. 

"When it comes to grabbing the attention of potential customers, every second and moment matters," said Jeff Warren, vice president of Oracle Retail. "Armed with intelligent data based on real customer attributes and behaviors, retailers will truly be able to put the needs and likes of shoppers at the center of their new customer acquisition strategy."

Oracle will use data science to pinpoint the characteristics of their most lucrative customers then extend those traits to the public to find similar potential customers among the petabytes of third-party consumer data in Oracle Data Cloud.

Consumer Insights will then gather the attributes and actions to identify new traits within their customer base that would be otherwise unknown. Retailers can then use this information to find similar buyers to target with offers that are highly relevant to their lifestyle and tastes.

Additionally, Consumer Insights will evaluate a "what if" analysis and will find prospects in a continuously iterative process. The process will allow retailers to use the criteria correctly to identify the most appropriate customer demographic. 

Once the customer base correctly identified, retailers will be able to act by launching campaigns, promotions, or advertising, with the option to activate using Oracle Data Cloud's industry-wide connections.

"When you know that your customers are also more likely to buy at the grocery store, brand affinity and hobbies, you can build more accurate models to find your best potential customers, then use multiple channels to reach them at scale,” said Cecilia Mao, vice president of product with Oracle Data Cloud.

About Oracle Retail

Oracle is the modern platform for retail. Oracle provides retailers with a complete, open, and integrated platform for best-of-breed business applications, cloud services, and hardware that are engineered to work together. Leading fashion, grocery, and specialty retailers use Oracle solutions to accelerate from best practice to next practice, drive operational agility, and refine the customer experience.

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UK Pursues Space Partnership With US
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UK Pursues Space Partnership With US
UK Pursues Space Partnership With US

The U.K. government is advancing space collaboration with the U.S. as it pursues new satellite launch capabilities, National Defense reported Friday.

“If the U.K. and U.S. can foster even deeper cooperations, our world-class armed and security forces can work together to withstand the threats of today and tomorrow,” Mark Sedwill, cabinet secretary and national security adviser for the U.K., said in a U.K. defense ministry document.

The U.K. is advancing space capability development efforts and one of those initiatives is Team Artemis, which is composed of U.S. and British defense personnel. The Royal Air Force is spending more than $33M on the program to bring into low-Earth orbit a network of small satellites designed to transmit data and high-resolution video to fighter aircraft.

Gil Klinger, vice president of space and intelligence programs at Raytheon, said the U.K. is addressing the challenges related to space warfighting.

“The U.K. made a conscious decision that it needs to engage in a renaissance of its national space capabilities and it has aggressively moved in that direction in a way that really is sort of stunning in a positive sense,” Klinger said. “It’s 360 degrees of activity and every space sector is based on collaboration."

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OPM Ceases Employee Digital Record Project
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OPM Ceases Employee Digital Record Project
OPM Ceases Employee Digital Record Project

The Office of Personnel Management has decided to drop an electronic records project meant to help facilitate transfer of federal employees to another agency and rehiring of former personnel after retirement, Government Executive reported Wednesday.

A recent update from OPM says the development of Employee Digital Record is “not an active project and that the agency’s “priorities have shifted from” the initiative.

OPM said “foundational activities” that back the Human Capital Information Model and Federal Integrated Business Framework” could help advance EDR development should the agency decide to revive the project.

The EDR project was OPM’s priority goal and was part of the President’s Management Agenda, according to the report.

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Speaker Nancy Pelosi Schedules House Vote on Measure to Restrict Trump’s War Powers Against Iran
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi Schedules House Vote on Measure to Restrict Trump’s War Powers Against Iran
Speaker Nancy Pelosi Schedules House Vote on Measure to Restrict Trump's War Powers Against Iran

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that the House will vote Thursday on a war powers resolution to limit President Trump’s ability to launch military actions against Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The resolution would ask the president to cease the use of military force against the Middle Eastern country unless Congress authorized it. Pelosi said the House may also consider a repeal of a 2002 authorization used to green-light military actions against Iraq.

Some lawmakers said the classified briefings presented by administration officials, including Defense Secretary and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to Congress lacked specific details about the threat posed by Iran.

“Our concerns were not addressed by the president’s insufficient War Powers Act notification and by the administration’s briefing today,” Pelosi said. “The administration must work with the Congress to advance an immediate, effective de-escalatory strategy that prevents further violence.”

The resolution was proposed after Trump’s order to launch an airstrike resulted in the death of Qassem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian military official.

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52 F-35s Gather in Air Force’s Elephant Walk Demonstration
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52 F-35s Gather in Air Force’s Elephant Walk Demonstration
52 F-35s Gather in Air Force's Elephant Walk Demonstration

The U.S. Air Force held a long-planned "elephant walk" exercise with 52 F-35A aircraft from Hill Air Force Base to demonstrate power, Popular Mechanics reported Tuesday.

The exercise used all combat-ready F-35A fighter bombers within the service branch's fleet, and may have incurred a total of $4.5M in operational expenses, the report noted.

Hill Air Force Base, the exercise's Utah-based venue, holds four operational F-35A squadrons across active duty and reserve wings.

USAF said it did not intend to have the elephant walk coincide with the U.S.-Iran conflict, despite the long-planned exercise's timing.

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ATARC to Launch DevOps-Focused Working Group
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ATARC to Launch DevOps-Focused Working Group

ATARC to Launch DevOps-Focused Working Group

The Advanced Technology Academic Research Center plans to launch a working group focused on promoting DevOps practices among industry and federal government entities on Jan. 23, Fedscoop reported Tuesday. The DevOps Federal Interagency Council, established by the Internal Revenue Service, will serve as a government sponsor for the nonprofit organization’s working group.

Government and private sector members of the group will meet to plan deliverables such as guidances or panel discussions that revolve around rapid software development and continuous technology deployment.

The group will also appoint leaders for a range of subcategories including Agile philosophy, emerging technology, DevSecOps, application development, containerization and human-centered design.

Annette Mitchell, initiative lead at the IRS DFIC; Nicolas Chaillan, a U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense software development leader; and  Army Maj. Gen. Garrett Yee will head the ATARC working group.

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GAO Releases Guidance for Tech Readiness Assessments
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GAO Releases Guidance for Tech Readiness Assessments
GAO Releases Guidance for Tech Readiness Assessments

The Government Accountability Office has issued a guide for agencies seeking to evaluate the readiness of acquired technologies for deployment.

GAO said Tuesday the Technology Readiness Assessment Guide aims to provide details on TRA best practices and include information that program managers, governing bodies and technology developers may use in determining a capability’s readiness as well as the efficiency of currently implemented TRAs.

According to the watchdog, a TRA serves as a systematic and evidence-based process for evaluating the maturity of hardware, software and methodologies “critical to the performance of a larger system” or fulfillment of acquisition programs.

“TRAs, which evaluate the technical maturity of a technology at a specific point in time for inclusion into a larger system, do not eliminate technology risk,” the agency noted. “But when done well, they can illuminate concerns and serve as the basis for realistic discussions on how to address potential risks as programs move from the early research and technology development to system development and beyond.”

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