LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – Amentum, St. Mary’s County’s third-largest employer, will be transitioning out of the area over the coming months after losing a contract with the U.S. Navy.
However, the impact is expected to be relatively small.
In a letter to the St. Mary’s County Commissioners on July 7, Amentum said that their company, DynCorp International (DI), “has not been awarded [a] new contract supporting aircraft maintenance and contractor logistics support services on behalf of the U.S. Department of Navy for the Naval Test Wing Atlantic.”
DynCorp has worked with the Patuxent River Naval Air Station for almost 50 years. They employ approximately 937 people in the county including approximately 549 aircraft mechanics.
The new company where the contract will be transitioning to is Vertex Aerospace LLC.
“This is not a temporary layoff. Bumping rights do not exist for any employee,” Amentum’s letter says. “We anticipate that Vertex will be communicating with the DI Naval Test Wing Atlantic workforce about employment opportunities soon, and we expect they will offer employment to DI employees to ensure a seamless transition.”
There is confidence amongst the companies that all employees will be transitioned to Vertex Aerospace but it is still an overwhelming change despite this kind of switch being common for big companies.
Chris Kaselemis, director of economic development in St. Mary’s, told TheBayNet.com that the county is looking forward to Vertex establishing their business locally.
“It is unfortunate that DynCorp is leaving the county, as they have been one of our top employers and a positive community asset. The good news, however, is that Vertex Aerospace was awarded the contract and that they will most likely be hiring all of the employees previously working for DynCorp and the employees will be performing the same jobs in the same location,” Kaselemis said.
“This is a fairly common occurrence here in the county where one defense contractor loses a contract and another picks it up and the employees just move to the new firm.”
Vertex Aerospace is a Mississippi-based company that is eager to work with Naval Test Wing Atlantic.
They were recently granted a contract with the U.S. Navy, valued at approximately $850 million.
Read the full letter below:
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Of they won the bid then I’m sure they undercut DynaCorp so the people Vertexs hires will they have to take a pay cut
…or are willing to make less (as a corporation) on the contract, to GET said contract.
You’re probably right. It’s all about the money!
Thankfully, we’re not taking a pay cut and Vertex is abiding by the existing CBA until it expires.
Ain’t the free market great!
How else would you have it?
DynCorp submitted a bid without disclosing to Navy they were acquired by Amentum. Vertex filed a complaint and the DI bid was overthrown, thereby winning the contract. Amentum shouldn’t be missed. It’s another disingenuous corporation which had joined the world economic forum for the “great reset.”