Quick Hits

Regulators regulating: FTC looking into new rules on company data collection

You know those annoying templates you have to agree to when you sign up for a new service? Well, FTC officials are considering creating new rules for companies that go beyond merely obtaining user consent for how their data is used. FTC plans to ask for public feedback on creating new rules that accentuate baseline privacy, data security and corporate accountability,
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VA Oracle-Cerner electronic health records system hit with nearly 500 major incidents, 45 days of downtime in less than two years

Is there a silver lining here? Through a FOIA request, FedScoop is reporting that internal department documents show that VA Oracle-Cerner electronic records system has been hit with nearly 500 major incidents since its Fall 2020 rollout, with at least 45 days of downtime.
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New SBA rule on past performance for subs and JVs is official TODAY.

Alright small businesses, we all know the feeling when you submit an A1 proposal, but your past performance volume is sub or JV past performance so you are unsure or unclear how the government will rate it. Welp that all stops today! The SBA’s new Final Rule will expand past performance ratings for small government contractors is effective as of 12am and will allow small businesses to use a past performance rating for work performed as a member of a joint venture or for work performed as a first-tier subcontractor with offers on prime contracts. This rule also updates small business subcontracting plans to require prime contractors to provide past performance to a first-tier small business subcontractor when requested by the small business.
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ICYMI Snippets:

• GovCon compliance in the world of cybersecurity.
• $7.1B in planes, trucks, and weapons seized by the taliban in Afghanistan. DODIG report.

Top Defense & Aerospace

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Top Intel Community

NASIC awards five companies a spot on $4.8B NOVASTAR IDIQ.

The U.S. Air Force selected five companies for a $4.8 billion multi-award contract to provide research, development and software services over 10 years in support of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC). The 5 companies are:

• Altamira Technologies
• Epsilon Systems Solutions
• Modern Technology Solutions
• Radiance Technologies
• Xandar

The NASIC is the DOD’s primary source of intelligence on threats that affect air and space operations. The awarded vendors will compete for task orders under the National Air and Space Intelligence Center Scientific and Technical Intelligence Capability Support Services (NOVASTAR) IDIQ, the contract was an effort to consolidate 20 previous intelligence analysis service contracts under fewer vendors.
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X ICYMI Snippets:

• DOJ watchdog publishes data dashboard to track COVID-19 vaccinations of prison inmates.
• USCENTCOM to host classified airborne ISR summit

Top Civilian

CISA’s cyber threat information sharing program is flawed, according to GAO

Turns out it’s not so easy to provide 300 partners with real-time unclassified cyber threat information, DHS is finding. A DHS OIG report has found that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has at times failed to provide participants with the information required to address threats.
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DHS is crushing small business procurement goals and is expected to award up to $9B more to small biz before the end of the FY.   

DHS Chief Procurement Officer, Paul Courtney, stated that DHS is “knocking it out of the park” when it comes to awarding contracts to small businesses while the agency moves forward with its strategy to increase industry collaboration and improve the procurement experience. Last fiscal year, DHS awarded 38.25% of total eligible contracting dollars to small businesses, sailing past the government-wide goal of 23% and the department’s own goal of 33.25%. For consecutive 10 fiscal years. With 33 business days left in this fiscal year, as of Wednesday, Courtney said DHS has obligated between $16B and $17B total, and is on track to hit $23 billion to $25 billion.
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OPM to federal unions: here’s our employee directory: have at it.

Through FedScope, OPM’s online federal employee location tool, the agency is giving federal unions tools to help them locate unrepresented federal employees who are eligible to join a union.
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ICYMI Snippets:

• Which federal agencies have the most potential for union growth?

GovCon M&A Corner

Jacobs implements a new holding company structure

Jacobs is doing a little end of the summer clean up and announced that it intends to adopt a new holding company structure on Aug. 29, 2022. The name of the new parent company, Jacobs Solutions Inc., more closely aligns with Jacobs’ public identity as a global technology-forward solutions company. The internal transaction is intended to be tax-free for Jacobs and its stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Jacobs’ current stockholders will automatically become stockholders of Jacobs Solutions Inc.
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ICYMI Snippets:

• Voyager Labs signs distribution partnership with Credence Security to bring its AI investigation solution to the middle east in Africa.
• Astrobotic makes formal bid for assets of lunar lander company Masten.

Follow the Leaders

• David Duncan promoted to Redpoint’s cyber ops VP
• Client Solutions Architecture, an enterprise IT and mission-centric training company, added Tim Spadafore as chief operating officer
• Ronald “Fog” Hahn has become chief growth officer of Client Solutions Architecture.
• Jack Sears moves over to Aquia, Inc as Cheif Growth Officer.
• Rami Dillon is FDIC’s new Deputy Director for the Office of CISO.
• DOD OLDCC taps new Deputy CIO Robert Henry.
• Former DOJ IT leader takes CISO role with Credence

Follow the Job Openings

• GSA seeking a new Deputy Director of Technology Transformation Services
• U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command looking for a Director of it’s Software Engineering Center
• DHS CBP is looking for an Executive Director of Software Development

Contract Awards

U.S. Space Force awards Orion Space Solutions spacecraft contract

Orion Space Solutions has nabbed a contract with the U.S. Space Force to build three spacecraft to support USSF in advancing and launching new technologies in space, the company announced on Aug. 16. Louisville, Co.- based Orion is working with subcontractors Hera Systems, Inc., Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., and SCOUT Space Inc.
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Reducing iscilators to the size of a quarter: BAE Systems wins DARPA contract

BAE Systems has nabbed a $17.5 million DARPA contract to advance airborne sensing and communications capabilities by way of generating radio frequency through the Photonic Oscillators for Low Noise (GRYPHON) program. BAE will seek to reduce the size of oscilators to the size of a quarter.. .
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