Computer Sciences News

PwC US today announced the addition of John Donahue as a director in the firm’s transportation and logistics sector within the larger Industrial Products practice. With more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of the transportation and logistics industry, Donahue will be responsible for leading the freight-related segments for the firm’s transportation and logistics engagements. According to PwC, Donahue will help freight transportation companies implement new business strategies…

India continues to grow as a global center of technological excellence, accounting for 10% of research and development and home to five of the top 10 science and technology schools in Asia. Govt of India, having a network of more than 50 laboratories deeply engaged in developing a range of technologies from electronic and computer sciences, through life sciences and materials, to marine research and development, will invest in a new scientific research platform vessel to be built by Bharati Shipyard, based in Mumbai. The Class XII merchant vessel will host scientists from various Indian government scientific laboratories. It will be used to carry out multipurpose research along the coastal sea belt of India.

Vancouver Shipyards (VSY) has started design work under the Construction Engineering Contract for the Canadian Coast Guard’s Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel (OFSV). This contract will take a total of ten months to complete and lead to a build contract in early 2014. 1. Initial Design Phase – elements of the design will be matured and an initial cost model developed. 2. Functional Design Phase – design for spaces and systems will be completed, equipment identified, suppliers engaged and regulatory approval for the design obtained. 3. Production Design Phase – a detailed 3D model of the ship will be started to define final requirements for material and layout of spaces and systems.

Crowley Maritime Corp. announced today that it has named Ken Black director of product logistics and engineering. He will continue to be based in Jacksonville and report to Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager, logistics. In this new position, Black has oversight for Crowley's product logistics team, which develops a wide array of logistics solutions for customers, in addition to managing pricing and vendor relations. He will maintain his previous responsibilities for the company's supply chain operations…

MarineNews spoke with Rick Biben, Chief Executive and President of Gibbs and Cox, Inc., about his background in the industry, the state of the naval design market, how his company is investing for the future and technological and design advancements in the field. What is your background in the industry? After college (Bryant University, 1972, BS Management) I went into the U.S. Peace Corps (Ecuador, 1972 – 1975) for about three years. I left the government and entered the contractor community in 1979. I was with Syscon Corporation from 1981 through late in 1999.

Howard University College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences (CEACS) and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) signed an agreement that will potentially open doors to graduates for jobs around the world at NAVFAC. Howard University and NAVFAC have long, distinguished engineering histories individually, but they cemented their relationship with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) during the 2009 Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Conference Sept. 9 at the Washington Plaza Hotel. NAVFAC is hiring around the world at its 16 commands, which includes 64 public works departments and three Officers in Charge of Construction.

The Sao Tome and Principe (STP) Coast Guard has installed and have received training to use the latest surface surveillance program, the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) here, Jan. 28. RMAC, a U.S. Navy inspired coastal surveillance program, utilizes Automatic Identification System and ground-based radars and sensors to provide the user situational awareness in their maritime domain. This maritime domain awareness is an essential aspect of maritime safety and security in their region. STP is the first African country to have RMAC installed and integrated into the Maritime Safety and Security Information System, a global database used to track ships all across the world.

Computer Sciences Corporation has received a task order from the Navy Program Executive Officer for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) to develop shiphandling simulators and provide enhanced instructional support. The task order, which has one base year and four one-year options, has an estimated value to CSC exceeding $27 million if all options are exercised. Under the new award, CSC will provide both shore- and sea-based trainers to help naval officers improve their mariner skills under the Navy's Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling (NSS) program. CSC's Shiphandling Simulator software has been used to provide land-based training to the U.S. Navy for more than 15 years.

The team of General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin said they strongly support the U.S. Navy's plan for the next generation of surface combatant ships referred to as DD(X). The Blue Team has developed technologies relevant to the DD(X) requirement and is preparing its response to the Navy's request for proposal (RFP). DD(X) will be a technology engine that will drive a family of combatants to transform the Navy. The Navy will use the advanced technology and networking capabilities from DD(X) in the development of both the future cruiser, CG(X), and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). This strategy will provide a road map for the future Navy and a broader strategic framework within which transformation will occur.

Computer Sciences Corporation has won a contract with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport to provide software engineering support for the Navy Training Management and Planning System (NTMPS). The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is valued at more than $30 million if all options are exercised over an eight-year period. Under the agreement, the company will continue to provide data and applications research, analysis, operation and maintenance for the system, which supports the Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET). CSC has supported NTMPS since 1986. NTMPS will be converted to a web-based system as part of the contract.

Chevron has formed Silicon Valley Oil Co., (SVOC), an online marketplace that plans to enable sales of fuels and lubricants to commercial and industrial customers through the Internet. Various large petroleum marketers, such as Hasco Oil and Thomas Petroleum, have joined in on the site from its commencement - providing feedback during live testing. Chevron collaborated on this project with Computer Sciences Corp. during the initial strategy formulation, market research and creation of SVOC, which is scheduled to be launched during the third quarter. The site will allow transactions such as placing orders for diesel fuel and bidding to fill these orders - leveraging current business practices with the convenience and efficiency of the Internet.

Art Anderson Associates recently hired six new employees in order to keep pace with an increasing project workload. The new employees are Bill Higgins, Ed Cuaron, Greg Jennings, Todd Allen, Tinisha Rockiett, and Zach Wonderly. Bill Higgins is an Electrical Engineer with over forty years of industry experience. A former employee of Art Anderson Associates from 1980-1997, Higgins returns to the company in order to fill the need for a new professionally-licensed electrical engineer. He will be providing his expertise for both facilities and marine projects, including the firm’s ongoing work to provide engineering support for vessel and terminal security improvements for Washington State Ferries. Ed Cuaron joins the firm as a Technical Assistant to the company’s facilities division.

Computer Sciences Corporation has won a task order from the U.S. Navy to continue its support of the Navy's Strategic Sealift program, including support for the completion and delivery of two new Large Medium-Speed Roll-On/Roll-Off (LMSR) supply ships. The task order, awarded under a contract CSC initially won with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in 1991, is valued at $25 million if all options are exercised over a three-year period. The company will provide engineering and design facilities as well as professional and engineering services to support the culmination of the decade-long acquisition program for Strategic Sealift supply ships.

Computer Sciences Corp., Falls Church, Va., is being awarded a $20,595,223 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for information technology services for the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC). This contract includes options that, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $90,727,730. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Fla. (61 percent); Great Lakes, Ill. (11 percent); Norfolk, Va. (8 percent); Ingleside, Texas (1 percent); Meridian, Miss. (2 percent); Bremerton, Wash. (2 percent); Athens, Ga. (1 percent); Kings Bay, Ga. (1 percent); Groton, Conn. (2 percent); Newport, R.I. (3 percent); San Diego, Calif. (5 percent); Jacksonville, Fla.

Internet shipbrokerage Levelseas is seeking to recoup payments from a sacked software developer, a move that illustrates the frustration many Internet start-ups have suffered in targeting the complex shipping industry. "The key to the issue is that they say the product works and we say it doesn't," Levelseas COO Kevin O'Connor said. "At the end of February we realized that CSC was unusable and we haven't used a single line of specification... or a single code," he added. CSC was unavailable to comment on Tuesday. Levelseas took the development of the world's first Internet ship-brokerage in-house in February and launched the finished product at the start of last month.

Computer Sciences Corporation won a contract with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport to provide software engineering support for the Navy Training Management and Planning System (NTMPS). The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is valued at more than $30 million if all options are exercised over an eight-year period. Under the agreement, the company will continue to provide data and applications research, analysis, operation and maintenance for the system, which supports the Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET). CSC has supported NTMPS since 1986. NTMPS will be converted to a web-based system as part of the contract. CSC also will provide support for users in development of special studies and reports.