Feral Jundi

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Industry Talk: FBO News–USSOCOM Looking To Contract With PSC’s For Guard Services In Afghanistan

This is cool, and a hit tip to Wired’s Danger Room for finding this one. Sometimes I forget to check FBO every now and then, but I can always depend upon the the thousands of readers/bloggers/news groups  out there to find the good stuff and get the story out there.

On the flip side, I do not share the same concern as Noah does on this contract. These SF troopers will not stand by for any funny business on their compounds, and will manage these contracts in their own little way.  Meaning, many SF guys have connections within the companies already, because the companies are filled with SF types. If a company plays games, the SF network/mafia will certainly come down hard. Hell, many contractors who were SF, are still playing the military game in the National Guard.

The other reason why I am not worried about their ability to manage this stuff, is because of how small of a contract it will be, and the level of cultural expertise inherent within the SF community. They will know exactly how to properly motivate their contracted guard force–be it expats or local nationals.

If anything, that would be a cool camp to work at for all the possible networking potential and cross training. I just hope that USSOCOM does not fall into the trap of ‘lowest priced, technically acceptable’ contracting vehicle, because that is certainly a recipe for disaster. Give them the flexibility to choose the guard force that is the ‘best value’ for the money. Also put into the contract all the necessary quality control mechanisms needed to keep this stuff in line. Pretty typical really, and all the past lessons apply.

Who knows who will get the contract, but as the solicitation stated, this is a quick one.  So we should know who they picked before summer at least–hopefully. If any readers or the contracting officers of this solicitation have anything to add, feel free to do so in the comments. –Matt

Edit: 05/27/2011 Wired posted this update.

“The Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan put 10 contracts for “perimeter security“ up for bid on Friday morning. Hired guards, mostly Afghans, will keep watch over anyone who approaches the elite commandos’ remote outposts. The bases on which they’ll work range in size from tiny “village support platforms” staffed by a mere 12-man “A Team” to one near Kabul’s infamous Pol-e-Charkhi prison, but there are uniform expectations for would-be guards. Some of them read more like baseline conditions for membership in civilized humanity.”

Private Security Contract
Solicitation Number: H92237-11-R-0870
Agency: Other Defense Agencies
Office: U.S. Special Operations Command
Location: Headquarters Field Assistance Division
Notice Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Posted Date: April 6, 2011
Response Date: Apr 15, 2011 12:00 pm Eastern
Archiving Policy: Automatic, 15 days after response date
Archive Date: April 30, 2011
Original Set Aside: N/A
Set Aside: N/A
Classification Code: R — Professional, administrative, and management support services
NAICS Code: 561 — Administrative and Support Services/561612 — Security Guards and Patrol Services
Solicitation Number: H92237-11-R-0870
Notice Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Synopsis:
Added: Apr 06, 2011 12:51 pm
***ONLY CONTRACTORS THAT HOLD A CURRENT AFGHANISTAN MINISTRY OF INTERIOR PERSONAL SECURITY LICENSE AND ARE LICENSED / REGISTERED WITH THE AFGHANISTAN MINISTRY OF TRADE WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARD, OFFERORS WHO DO NOT POSSESS THESE QUALIFICATIONS ARE RESPECTFULLY ASKED TO NOT RESPOND TO THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL*** (more…)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Industry Talk: Hundreds Of Afghanistan Contractor Deaths Go Unreported

     There’s no doubt things are hotting up.  Our convoys are being hit every day by IED and ambushes – often, combined.  The bad guys seem to be moving in larger groups and, to us, it seems that they are operating with virtual impunity on certain sections of Hwy 1, in particular in the vicinity of Hawz-e Madad where we can guarantee running an ambush as the convoy passes through the gardens that border the road.  We’ve lost four KIA in that 10km stretch in the past week alone. I know this small section of highway is only a fly-spot on the map of Afghanistan, but I do wonder just what the hell ISAF is doing about it.  They know this is a hot-spot but they don’t appear to be doing anything – worse, if they are doing something it is utterly ineffective.- From the blog Kandahar Diary

*****

     In a 10-month period between June 2009 and April 2010, 260 private security contractors working for the Defense Department made the ultimate sacrifice, while over the same period, 324 U.S. troops were killed. In analyzing the numbers, the report found a private security contractor “working for DOD in Afghanistan is 4.5 times more likely to be killed than uniformed personnel.” 

*****

     These quotes up top will give you the best idea as to how intense operations are for contractors in Afghanistan right now.  And this includes all types of contractors, and not just LN’s (Expats and TCNs). The article below identifies the latest numbers that came out of the CRS and it is stunning to say the least.

     But what is worse is the lack of accountability for all of these deaths.  To depend upon some hobbyist running icasualties.org is not cool at all.  Matter of fact, the accounting of all contractor deaths (LN, TCN, Expat) should be a law that congress creates and funds.  It is the least we can do.

     Another point I would like to make, is that we should also honor these deaths by letting the families display something similar to the Gold Star flag in the windows of their homes.  Contractors from all over the world have been killed in this war, and each contractor killed had a family who mourned their loss.  How does that family memorialize their lost loved one, other than a grave marker/headstone? Do they fly a flag, do they plant a tree, or what?  I say one way to help in this area, is that some kind of globally recognized symbol should apply to the civilian contractors who have died in this war.  If a Fijian family had lost a son in Iraq, they should be able to fly a ‘Gold Star flag’ in their window. If an Iraqi family lost a family member who was a contractor, they should at least have the option to be able to fly a flag in their window.(if they choose to do so) I think any way we can honor those deaths, as well as officially count them, is the right thing to do.  Rest in peace to the fallen. –Matt

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Hundreds of Afghanistan contractor deaths go unreported

By Justin Elliott

Thursday, Jul 15, 2010

In one of the least examined aspects of President Obama’s escalation of the Afghan war, armed private security contractors are being killed in action by the hundreds — at a rate more than four times that of U.S. troops, according to a previously unreported congressional study.

At the same time, the Obama administration has drastically increased the military’s reliance on private security contractors, the vast majority of whom are Afghans who are given the dangerous job of guarding aid and military convoys, the new Congressional Research Service study found.

In a 10-month period between June 2009 and April 2010, 260 private security contractors working for the Defense Department made the ultimate sacrifice, while over the same period, 324 U.S. troops were killed. In analyzing the numbers, the report found a private security contractor “working for DOD in Afghanistan is 4.5 times more likely to be killed than uniformed personnel.”

Unlike when a soldier is killed in action and the military promptly issues a press release describing the circumstances of the death, contractor deaths go almost entirely unreported by the Pentagon, and, by extension, the media. As a result, both the level of violence and the number of people being killed as part of the U.S. effort in Afghanistan are being significantly underreported.

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Friday, July 31, 2009

Industry Talk: DoD Lacks Standards for Hiring Foreign Nationals, GAO Says

Defense was ordered to establish departmentwide standards under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 but has been hindered by bureaucratic wrangling and a lack of leadership, GAO said in a report released July 31. 

   As you have seen, I like to put the best quotes that summarizes the story, front and center.  And the two key points are bureaucratic wrangling and a lack of leadership.  Ding, ding, ding, and the GAO wins a prize!!!

   If you have been a FJ reader for a bit, you would know that leadership is a big thing here.  It is one of the dominant themes of Jundism as well, and I am glad to see that the GAO is willing to call it like it is.

     This is a total lack of leadership, plain and simple. And what kills me with this, is that they are now just talking about standards for LNs.  How many thousands of LN’s have we hired for this war, and yet no standard background check or skills assessment?  That we have depended upon the companies to pick and choose, and apply whatever standard they think is acceptable?

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