• Army wants ideas from industry about autonomous, anti-drone capabilities: Army Futures Command considers modernization needs.
• Cyberattacks on DOE National Labs draw Congress’ scrutiny: The attacks, allegedly Russian-based, occurred in August and September 2022.
• Is the government’s cyber policy moving from partnership to command-and-control?: Is the White House showing a shift and toward cyber regulations, mandates and oversight?
• Tougher cybersecurity rules may be more than a year away, but get ready. Independent checks, more reporting coming for contractors.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

ICYMI Snippets

• We love this! US Army eSports team showed off its gaming skills in Las Vegas, swapping game controllers for miniatures.
• IT user experience gets low grades in Defense Business Board study.
• Big questions continue to swirl around CMMC in 2023: Cyber hygiene audits loom.
• Pentagon takes its own ‘pulse’ with internal dashboard.
• AFRL develops its hybrid work environment as it seeks to better secure data and networks through zero trust architecture.
• Sidus Space raises $5.2M for LEO constellation.

Defense Contract Awards

• Amentum wins $4.2B Air Force repair ordering system contract.
• Navy awards SNC $717M High-Band Sensor Tech Supply contract.
• DISA awards $223M EIS contract to Lumen Technologies for next gen voice services on bases.
• SIMBA Chain, which was incubated in 2017 at the University of Notre Dame through a DARPA contract, was selected for a $30M STRATFI by USAF.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Lockheed, Viasat executives named to Presidential Advisory Panel.
• Former ILS president hired as new Spaceflight CEO.
• Deloitte has hired someone to lead its gov’t and public services practice.

Defense Job Openings

• OSD is hiring an Associate Director for Air Space and Intelligence Programs.
• Pentagon is hiring a Deputy Director, Program and Financial Control.
• The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is hiring a director, Research and Development Directorate.

INTEL COMMUNITY

ARL to host Tech Assess ’23 (also: a RFI).

U.S. Army Research Lab (ARL) posted a RFI for the DEVCOM ARL Tech Assess ‘23: Evaluation of Unmanned Systems and Related Capabilities for Enhanced Mobility, Detection, and Teaming in Operational Environments. The goal if this RFI is to inform and accelerate Army modernization through innovation discovery, demonstration, and experimentation of autonomy/robotic technologies.  The intent is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter by assessing the capabilities and technologies in operationally relevant environments. RFI packages are due February 22.  Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• Leidos launches Zero Trust tool suite.

CIVILIAN

Interior CIO says outdated policymaking hampering adoption of new tech.

Interior CIO Darren Ash said that outdated policies and processes shaped by wider political forces are hampering the adoption of new technology at federal agencies such as his. Ash became Interior’s CIO in September 2022 and has been focused on adopting a hybrid cloud environment and modernizing Interior’s IT infrastructure. Read more

Rep. Mace appointed chairwoman of House Oversight and Accountability Committee Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has been appointed chairwoman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation for the 118th Congress. Say that three times fast! Read more

USCIS PACTS III $1.95B set-aside IDIQ: draft solicitation expected in late February.

Might as well start getting ready now! A senior advisory consultant said that he expects the USCIS Programmatics, Administration, Clerical & Technical Services (PACTS) III IDIQ draft solicitation to come out late this month. Following a virtual industry day in March, the final solicitation should come in early June, he wrote. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• SBA announces informational webinars for 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund competition, a $13M opportunity for STEM-related startups.
• GSA seeks a builder for the CISA headquarters.
• AFFIRM is hosting a virtual monthly speakers series, with the latest on Feb. 15 at 12 Noon on “Accelerating Acquisition in Government through Data.” Moderated by Jason Miller, executive editor of Federal New Network, the event features four federal speakers.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• GovCIO books $139M Commodity Futures Trading Commission IT infrastructure support contract.
• VHA awards $143M Office of Regulations, Appeals, and Policy Support Services task order to Aptive HTG: a JV between Aptive and ERPi (new ECS).
• NIH awards $2M OEPR Knowledge Management System Support Services IDIQ.
• VA awards $5M, one-year contract for Office of Acquisitions and Logistics support services to Echo Five Group. The contract is a SDVOSB.

Follow Civilian Leaders

Civilian Job Openings

• Veterans Benefits Administration is hiring an Executive Director, Strategic Program Management Office.
• Ready to be a peacemaker and mediate disputes? DOJ is hiring a deputy director, Community Relations Service.
• DOT is hiring a Supervisory Human Resources Specialist.

DAILY FUNNY

M&A CORNER

BlueAlly expands federal market footprint with n2grate acquisition.

BlueAlly Technology Solutions, a Source Capital portfolio company, announced that it has acquired n2grate Government Technology Solutions, an IT solutions firm specialized in delivering strategic information technology services for large commercial and government clients. Read more

Investment firm Highlander buys counter-UAS tech maker Black Sage.

 Highlander Partners, L.P. announced the acquisition of Black Sage Technologies from Acorn Growth Companies. Black Sage is a multi-mission platform provider of Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems and security solutions for military, internal security, and critical infrastructure industries. Read more