Feral Jundi

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Industry Talk: US Border Patrol Goes Sole Source FFP With G4S For Security Services At Border

Filed under: Arizona,California,Industry Talk,New Mexico,Texas — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 8:26 PM

According to this FBO solicitation, G4S is the only company that can provide these services in the time frame needed. It is also worth $50 million. The reason? Here is a clip from the FBO posting.

Due to the Government shutdown and migrant caravan situation on the southwest border, G4S is the only vendor that can provide these transportation and transportation guard services beginning on March 4, 2019.

I guess the other obvious point here is that government is once again turning to private industry to save the day. lol The Border Patrol is not getting paid, and that could be problematic if you have a caravan coming in that requires a lot of manpower. Or worse, the chances of CBP guys getting bribed could increase as this shutdown continues.

Another area to watch is the TSA. They are having issues with keeping folks in positions because they are not getting paid as well. Yet again, there are calls for private industry to come in and take over so airports do not have to suffer again through either poor government services, or payroll problems that stem from a divided congress and government shutdown.

Back to G4S though. They have a large security presence in the world and in the US and they have already been doing these Transportation Officer contracts with Homeland Security (that photo up top is from 2010). Just go to Indeed and read all the reviews. Also, if you go to their career website, they are offering quite a few of these positions with bonuses added.

I should note that the FBO solicitation says this about what they need G4S to do. So it is not just TO’s but actual security services. Maybe actual border patrol duties are next? Especially as the shutdown goes into uncharted territory as the longest one in US history.

Under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-2 Unusual and Compelling Urgency, CBP requires a sole source FFP type contract with G4S Secure Solutions (USA) Inc. (DUNS 001903723) for vehicle security transportation and medical/facility security guard services for the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) along the southwest border of the United States.

On the issue of the border, keep your eyes on the companies tasked with building structures, and the security they will need to accomplish the task. Back in the day, SBI Net was all the rage for border security, and EODT (which is now Janus Global) was one of the security providers.

Finally, there is a surge element to this. Basically when manpower is needed yesterday, they are using contractors to fill that need. We have this migrant caravan coming from the south that could have thousands of people in it. There have already been several of these caravans that attempted to cross last year, and this current one is about 10,000 plus people. Mostly from Honduras. –Matt

 

 Under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-2 Unusual and Compelling Urgency, CBP requires a sole source FFP type contract with G4S Secure Solutions (USA) Inc. (DUNS 001903723) for vehicle security transportation and medical/facility security guard services for the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) along the southwest border of the United States. USBP is a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP. The contract will have a base ordering period of 6 months (March 4, 2019 through September 3, 2019), with one 3-month option (September 4, 2019 through December 3, 2019). The total estimated valkue is approximately $50,000,000 for a base period of 6 months and a 3-month option period. Due to the Government shutdown and migrant caravan situation on the southwest border, G4S is the only vendor that can provide these transportation and transportation guard services beginning on March 4, 2019. This acquisition is only needed to provide CBP continuity of essential services while CBP executes the re- compete. Only G4S has the trained, certified and prepared Transport Officers (TOs) to cover all routes crossing state/sector lines. These same TOs can be used for unusual circumstances, such as surge for issues such as caravans and similar that requires crossing state/sector lines. No other vender can immediately provide the necessary transportation and facility/medical guard services that cover nine sectors which is CBP’s real and urgent need. CBP is currently planning a long term contract/BPA among GSA schedule 84 Category 246 54 holders for this requirement. That solicitation has not been released yet. As part of that process, CBP performed extensive market research to determine the current capability of GSA Schedule holders. While several large businesses have the long term capability of performing CBP’s transportation services, only G4S has the current capability to continue to provide the services effective March 4th 2019.
FBO solicitation here.

 

Friday, October 3, 2014

Disaster Response: Private Security Answers The Call For Dealing With Ebola

Filed under: Disaster Response,Liberia,Texas — Tags: , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:51 PM

I believe this is the first incident of ebola in the US where a PMSC has been called up to guard the quarantine site? I mentioned how important security is to the response to this epidemic, that is quickly moving towards a pandemic, and I think we will see more of this. The CDC gave a worst case scenario of upwards of around 1.4 million people in Africa to be infected with ebola by January of next year.

Back to the main story, and that is the PMSC response to this outbreak. The company tasked with guarding the apartment and family quarantined in this particular incident is called Heartland Patrol, and the location is Dallas, Texas. I noticed that they have some pretty nice patrol vehicles? In the photo below, the vehicle being used is a Dodge Charger, and I know some police departments would love to have that thing.

Another point to bring up with this event is preparation for a security job that deals with infectious diseases and viruses. This kind of security work is new territory for security professionals that are involved with disaster response like this. My advice for anyone getting involved with this response is to update your insurance, and check if they will cover you if you actually work in such an environment.

Your best piece of equipment for a security gig like this is your mind. Get educated on everything to do with ebola, and increase your orientation on working in that environment so you can make good decisions. Work closely with the on site medical professionals and stay disciplined once you have a good plan for working around a quarantine site or treatment center. If you do not have access to that kind of resource, then seek it out. Go online, find local medical professionals who specialize in ebola, and become a student of this virus. Knowledge is your best weapon to counter it. And of course, your security mission is your primary reason for being there, so understand everything that it takes to do that job properly.

Another thing to brush up on is incident command. For large disaster responses, incident command is the primary tool for managing such things. So if your private security detail is a part of that kind of operation, then it behooves you to understand how that system works.

I have also seen jobs dealing with the medical response. Medical staff are in high demand in Africa and they are getting swamped. So if you have a medical background and a security contracting background, you would be perfect for these types of contracts. Especially in places like Africa, where the fear component is very high, which makes people act irrationally. Aid groups would be wise to have some kind of security professional tagging along, just so they can pick up on any of the signs of that type of thing. –Matt

 

The private security company called Heartland Patrol, on duty in front of the ebola patient’s apartment, which contains four members of the patient’s family who are in quarantine.

 

Ebola family under armed guard after trying to leave quarantine
October 3, 2014
A woman who has been confined to her Dallas apartment under armed guard after a man infected with Ebola stayed at her home said she never imagined this could happen to her so far from disease-ravaged West Africa.
Louise Troh said Thursday that she is tired of being locked up and wants health authorities to decontaminate her home.
Authorities say the circle of people in the US possibly exposed to Ebola widened after the man, who arrived from Liberia last month, was discharged from a hospital without being tested for the deadly virus.
The confinement order, which also bans visitors, was imposed after the family failed to comply with a request to stay home, according to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. Texas Health Commissioner David Lakey said the order would ensure that Troh, her 13-year-old son and two nephews can be closely monitored for signs of the disease.
The first Ebola diagnosis in the nation has raised concerns about whether the disease that has killed 3,300 people in West Africa could spread in the US. Federal health officials say they are confident they can keep it in check.
(more…)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Industry Talk: DOE Security Contractors List, FY 2011

Filed under: Industry Talk,Texas — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 5:08 PM

It is very interesting to me that some of the most sensitive stuff and strategically important assets of the US, are guarded by security contractors. From Nuclear Sites, to Laboratories, to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve–private security contractors are who stand guard over this stuff.

The report below is the only report I could find that actually discussed the performance of security contractors. All of the other ones are not available to the public. And most of this stuff is about safety issues.

What I was mostly drawn too is who are the players?  Well for one, Wackenhut, which is owned by G4S, has quite a few contracts with DOE. Did you know about this contract?

The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the selection of Wackenhut Services Inc., Palm Beach, Florida, to provide security services at the Savannah River Site (SRS) here.
The Cost-Plus-Award-Fee type contract has a value of $989 million over ten years, which includes a five-year base period and two option periods of three and two years.

It is also odd to me that this nation’s strategic resources are being guarded by an American company that is owned by a larger foreign company. The largest in the world. So thank you G4S….Wow.

As to jobs, I only found one that was flying and that was for a training position at Bryan Mound.

Now of course you will have to interpret the security contractors listed below. The names presented are what is listed under their organizational codes, but you get the idea. A list like this will help you to hunt down a contractor that you might want to work for, or target a region of interest. The 2005 report has a list of contractors as well, but that is not current. Check it out and if there are any security companies missing, let me know so we can make this list more accurate. –Matt

 

Private security contractors patrol the U.S. Department of Energy's Stategic Petroleum Reserve in Bryan Mound, Texas May 20, 2008.

A 2005 report on security contractors done by DOE.

————————————————–

DOE Security Contractors Fiscal Year 2011

(from injuries and illness table)

Albuquerque–Secure Transportation Div.
ABQ Sec. WSI – OST – Protective Force Tr
ABQ Sec. Innovative Tech. Partnerships
Albuquerque Security Epsilon-OST
DOE National Training Center
BWXT Sec. (Pantex) – Sec. Police Off. I
Wackenhut Services, Inc. – NV
Honeywell FM&T (Kansas) Security
LANL Security – (SOC-LA)
Wackenhut Services – Y-12 Security
Wackenhut – Y-12 Security Subs
BMPC Security Forces
NRF Security Forces–Admin
BMPC-KAPL – Kesselring Security Forces
LM-KAPL – Knolls Security Forces – Secur
Sandia Security Forces – Administration
Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab – Security
Santa Fe Protective Services (WIPP)
Argonne-East Security Force – Security P
BNL Security Forces – Security Police Of
Trinity Protection Services (Fermilab)
Paragon Tech. Serv. (HQ) – Security Offi
Jefferson Lab. Security
Ameritex (NETL) – Security Police Office
INL – BEA, LLC – Security – Security Po
Wackenhut Services – OR Security
West Valley Nuclear Services – Security
Hanford Security
Wackenhut Services, Inc. – SR
Security Subcontractor – SPR

Link to summary here.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Law Enforcement: Los Zetas Launched Mexico-style Attack In Harris County, Texas

Filed under: Law Enforcement,Texas — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 1:21 PM

Now this story is barely getting any notice out there and this is stuff we need to be watching along the border. To me, this is just another sign of the drug war in Mexico, spilling over the border into the US.

The other part that I am curious about, is if it is easier for Los Zetas to operate on the US side of the border, versus the Mexico side? Of course the cartels will play the border regions to their advantage, but will there be a point where the battlefield will expand to the US side at an increased level?  I say this, because the cartels are fighting over territory in Mexico, and it makes sense that the battle for territory would extend into the US. And will US authorities even be a deterrent to that fight over territory in the US?

I think another thing to watch is the consolidation of  power, and the taking of territory by the cartels. What I am getting at here is what happens when a cartel wins the territory they are fighting over?  If a cartel wins and consolidates the border regions on the Mexican side, then the logical battlefield that is next, would be the US side. Meaning the competitors of that cartel will have to go to the US side to get in on controlling the flow of drugs/money/people to make money. That dominate cartel will also have to win that US side of the border in order to fully exploit the territory it has won on the Mexican side. Interesting stuff and something to watch. –Matt

Edit: 11/26/2011- Dr. Bunker just wrote a Tactical Note about this incident. Check it out here.

 

 

Zetas blamed for shootout in Houston
By Dane Schiller
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
HOUSTON — The mission was supposed to be a textbook “controlled delivery” — a routine trap by law enforcement officers using a secret operative posing as a truck driver to bust drug traffickers when their narcotics are delivered to a rendezvous point.
Instead, things spun out of control. Shortly before the marijuana delivery was to be made Monday, three SUVs carrying alleged Zetas Cartel gunmen seemingly came out of nowhere and cut off the tanker truck as it rumbled through northwestern Harris County, sources told the Houston Chronicle.
They sprayed the cab with bullets, killing the civilian driver, who was secretly working with the government. An undercover sheriff’s deputy, who was driving nearby in another vehicle, was wounded, possibly by friendly fire from officers arriving at the scene.
“We are not going to tolerate these types of thugs out there using their weapons like the Wild, Wild West,” said Javier Pena, the new head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division. “We are going after them.”
“Everybody is surprised at the brazenness,” Pena continued as he stressed a full court press by the DEA, the sheriff and police. “We haven’t seen this type of violence, which concerns us.”

(more…)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Publications: Texas Border Security–A Strategic Military Assessment, 2011

Filed under: Law Enforcement,Publications,Texas — Tags: , , , , — Matt @ 12:31 PM

This is a great little publication and a big hat tip to retired Generals McCaffery and Scales for putting together such an enlightening report.

The bottom line here folks, is as the Mexican authorities become better at countering the cartels, the cartels will increasingly depend upon safe havens to continue business and operations. So strategically speaking, the cartels are looking to set up sanctuary in the US border regions and play the border like a rib bone.

I should say that they ‘are’ using the US as sanctuary, just because if you combine this report with the other report I posted, then it isn’t too hard to put two and two together. And in a war sense, this is akin to the Taliban using Pakistan as a sanctuary so they can continue operations in Afghanistan.

The other element of sanctuary is the idea that cartels are operating along the seams of the law and law enforcement agencies, both federal or state, or between two countries. These guys are playing the borders in the literal sense, and in the legal sense, and definitely taking advantage of the grey areas.

Here are some quotes from this thing that jumped out at me:

A successful sanctuary permits insurgents to move freely and operate on whichever side offers greater security. In a curious twist of irony, the more successful the Mexican military becomes in confronting the cartels, the greater likelihood that cartels will take the active fight into Texas as they compete against each other in the battle to control distribution territories and corridors….

…..This paper will be the first to conclude that the cartels are following a twofold strategic plan:
1. First, to create a “sanitary zone” inside the Texas border — one county deep — that will provide sanctuary from Mexican law enforcement and, at the same time, enable the cartels to transform Texas’ border counties into narcotics transshipment points for continued transport and distribution into the continental United States.
2. Second, to increasingly rely on organized gangs to provide expendable and unaccountable manpower to do their dirty work inside Texas and elsewhere in the country. These gangs are recruited on the streets of Texas cities and inside Texas prisons by top-tier gangs who work in conjunction with the cartels.

Check it out and let me know what you think?  Definitely pass this around and get the word out. –Matt

 

Texas Border Security: A Strategic Military Assessment, 2011

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