Trading Summary - May 19.. A significant event
Post# of 2306
A significant event occurred today with an update - as at May 15, 2020 - being uploaded to the Federal Government contracting website https://beta.sam.gov under the USN 2020 MAC reference CAS_AAR_RFI.
Key points are that:
- The competition is "Unrestricted Full and Open" - so not limited to small businesses which was the original reason for Omega protesting the award of the 2019 sole source contract to $TMPS.
- Solicitation will now be "in the coming weeks".
See also my additional reminders on the overall outlook for contracted out military AAR here: https://investorshangout.com/post/view?id=5772351
Several traders were jockeying for position outbidding each other all day.
There were also buys on walked down asks not cancelled by people who were unaware of the update.
Overall, 71,801 shares were traded today - 2.3 x the shares on May 18 and traded yesterday and 6.7 x the shares traded on May 15 - at prices as follows:
.1500: 1
.1400: 10,500
.1390: 50,000 [before update noted]
.1350: 1,300
.1201: 10,000
The Industry Day for a potential 2020 CAS AAR MAC to replace the extant contract awarded to $TMPS (but larger, multi-company and for twice as long) was held on September 12, 2019.
The latest update at the Government website beta.SAM.gov shows is that it is still the USN's intent to award a Multi (company) Award Contract (presumed to be $TMPS + Omega as the only large aircraft companies in the field available in the timescale) for AAR in 2020 with solicitation "in the coming weeks" from May 15, 2020.
Progress of the 2020 MAC staffing that is releasable to the public can be viewed here [search for reference CAS_AAR_RFI]:
https://beta.sam.gov
US TRANSCOM is now in agreement with the USAF that contracted out AAR should be considered to alleviate the shortfall in availability caused by the numerous, long delays to the KC-46A tanker program and has already held an Industry Day which was attended by 14 interested companies.
Some of these were manufacturers for new build aircraft (eg Airbus) and some may be operators of Red Air aggressor fighter aircraft considering buying ex-military tankers to expand their operation - Omega and $TMPS remain the only US companies currently owning military tanker fleets.
A 2nd Industry Day for the US TRANSOM contract opportunity was held on December 17, 2019.
30% of the US TRANSCOM requirement is for "hose-and-drogue" - the type $TMPS can provide.
On March 3, 2020, the USAF briefed the aerospace specialist press about the outcome of the 2nd Industry Day for USAF requirements. This then led to the following articles being written.
An article in Air Force Times on March 26 confirmed that US TRANSCOM / USAF Air Mobility Command was now proceeding to contract out part of the USAF tasks for both "flying boom" and "hose and drogue" methods.
Also, USAF tankers planned to be retired in FY21 may now be kept in the active inventory - which means they will not be available to be sold / passed on to contractors in the near future. This means existing owners of tankers - like $TMPS - have the immediate advantage.
A further article in Flight Global on March 27 confirmed that solicitation of bids would now be as early as June 2020 and that F/A-18 receivers were a priority at IOC within 1 year - which require the "hose and drogue" method.
Progress of the US TRANSCOM / USAF AMC contract opportunity / review staffing that is releasable to the public can be viewed here: [search for referenceTRANSCOM18R013]:
https://beta.sam.gov
The next things we should see is a solicitation for bids:
- For CAS_AAR_RFI "in the coming weeks" - as stated on May 15, 2020.
- For TRANSCOM18R013 in June 2020 - as stated on March 3, 2020 - possibly subject to COVID-19 delays.
Thereafter, announcements of DoD contracts are posted Mon-Fri after 1700 hours EST - check here:
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/
Also watch for any developments in the UK with wholly owned subsidiary Tristar Air UK Ltd and / or work on the Tristars.
Warning ! Anyone who is seen posting nonsense on iHub on any on the thinly traded stocks I'm a shareholder in - especially when small paint downs are also seen along with undercut asks - can expect to have their user ID passed to the SEC which has now started to take action against those using the exact modus operandi I have detected and commented on for the past 2 years:
https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2019-216
Tempus Applied Solutions Holdings, Inc. (TMPS) Stock Research Links
A very apposite motto for those who trade successfully in the OTC market..
All posts are my opinion - trade at your own risk.