• SBA considers increased oversight of Native or Tribal-owned 8(a) entities: SBA considers this move in a proposed rule change. Read more.
• Student Loan Forgiveness website debuts: Over 8 million applied for loan forgiveness over the weekend, on the beta version of the site. Read more.
• Paper-based processes cost government $38.7B annually: Agencies process 9,858 unique forms and shuffle 106 billion forms. Yikes. Read more.
• Deadly sin in proposals: Staff with super skills. When key personnel experience exceeds the basic requirements in a proposal, is that a strength? It scores more points, right? Read more.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

ICYMI Snippets

• AUSA show features future tactical offerings to replace the Shadow UAS system.
• Seeking to emulate commercial best practices, DISA is trying to improve their customer service experience.
• Army announced an Electronic Warfare Planning Management Tool (EWPMT) Industry Day, to be held at Aberdeen Proving Ground on November 10.
• DARPA announced its AI Reinforcements proposers day will take place on Nov. 14.

Defense Contract Awards

• The Army’s PEO, Enterprise Information Systems has awarded a $29.9M contract for support for its Cyberspace Analytics program
• NASA awarded two contractors Space Communications and Navigation Services contracts.
• Six companies are sharing a $181M BPA for DLA’s Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness Support Services.
• USAF awarded a $76.7M task order to HII’s Mission Technologies Division for Electronic Warfare Research and Analysis.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Red Cell added a former Northrop Grumman CEO as an advisor.
• The DOD announced seven new members to its Defense Innovation Board.
• OSD appoints new Information Management & Technology Director.

Defense Job Openings

• The DOD is seeking an Organizational Transformation and Operations Specialist.

PARTICIPATE IN THIS WEEK’S SURVEY —> (( START SURVEY NOW ))

(If you have a question you’d like to see pitched to the GovBrew Crew, just let us know!)

INTEL COMMUNITY

Foreign Affairs Cybersecurity Center working against time.

Staffed with 95 employees and contractors, the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Cybersecurity Center protects 270 embassies and consulates around the world, and knowing quickly about intrusions and cyberattacks helps them to mitigate any damage. Read more

State Department increasing its outreach to Silicon Valley to assist with cybersecurity.

The Secretary of State is recruiting Silicon Valley companies to become more involved in national security, ranging from the war in Ukraine to the challenges posed by China, highlighting the higher urgency given to cybersecurity. Read more

Intelligence agencies must transform acquisition.

The IC spends about 70% of its budget ($56B in FY2022) on contracts with private companies, but IC acquisition is slow, process-oriented, and understaffed. Here are a few ideas of how the government can speed the process up. How about more security clearances? Remote work for classified tasks? Construction of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities? Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• In the last 12 months, more than 769,000 cyber job postings went up in the USA.
• Why companies under FOCI can’t automatically get facility security clearances.
• Registration for NGA’s Oct. 25th 2022 Industry Strategy Summit is now live.
• Two new immigration policies were not achieved this year due to poor preparation and operational challenges.

IC Contract Awards

• DARPA names participants for its HARDEN program to protect computers from exploits.

Follow IC Leaders

IC Job Openings

CIVILIAN

Protests! Polaris protests raise questions about mentor-protégé JVs.

Bidder protests of the $15B GSA Polaris raise more questions about mentor-protégé joint ventures in the technology acquisition. VCH Partners LLC and SH Synergy are arguing the GSA is wrong to limit the amount of relevant experience projects the team can submit.  Read more

USPS on November election mail-in ballots: We got this.

USPS officials say that enhanced communications with state and local election officials and extra measures the services is taking, including extra deliveries and collections, special pickups, expanded hours at processing plants, and mail sorting plans to expedite ballot deliveries will lead to a quicker delivery of mail-in ballots for the November election  Read more

IRS readies $2B enterprise program, project and integration services BPA (RFP to drop soon).

The IRS has briefed more than 150 vendors through a virtual industry day on a multiple-award BPA covering enterprise program, project and integration services that could be worth as much as $2.1B.  Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• A federal judge has approved a $63M settlement to settle a class action lawsuit brought as a result of hacks of OPM systems in 2015.
• GAO threw out a protest issued by ManTech regarding systems engineering & integration services where ManTech claimed GSA conducted discussions in a manner that is “unequal and not meaningful.”

Civilian Contracts Awards

• EPA has awarded three contracting teams spots on its five-year, Information Management Services Center IDIQ procurement.
• Accenture Federal Services wins $189M CDC cloud modernization contract.
• i3 Federal, LLC awarded 4-year, $23M FDA task supporting Palantir food supply chain.

Follow Civilian Leaders

Civilian Job Openings

• ONES needs a Deputy Director of the Office of National Examinations and Supervision.
• The DOA needs a Director, National Finance Center.
• VA seeks Deputy Chief CIO and Executive Director, Information Security Operations.

 On this day: In 1781, Britain’s Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, VA, effectively ending the American Revolution and assuring America’s independence.

🎙 Podcast: Listen to our co-founder, Shane Prosser’s “govcon and media” interview on the govmates NextGen podcast with host Meg O’Hara.

🖊 How to: Four tips for writing winning proposal resumes.

🔋 That’s Interesting: Water batteries used as secondary reservoirs to supplement other renewable energy sources.

After District Judge Catherine Blake refused a DOJ request for a preliminary injunction, Booz Allen Hamilton closed its acquisition of EverWatch. Read more

Oliver Wyman to buy Avascent.

Oliver Wyman, a Marsh McLennan subsidiary, has agreed to acquire Avascent, a strategy consulting firm supporting clients across aerospace, defense and government markets. Avascent supports clients by providing them advice and insights in the areas of strategic growth, mergers and acquisitions and value capture. Read more