Quick Hits

GSA has a new BPA to simplify government-wide cloud acquisitions.

The GSA is primed to standardize government-wide cloud acquisitions with its new ‘Ascend’ multiple award BPA. ‘Ascend’ is the result of many months of research on behalf of federal and industry agencies. According to the draft PWS, the GSA wants to set requirements for  “the acquisition, business, operations, reporting, and technology capabilities provided by commercial Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and cloud-focused labor service providers that are not currently accessible under other GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) or Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs).”
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The time is near to add IT workforce ratings to the FITARA scorecard.

The ACT-IAC has released a report recommending new changes to the biannual FITARA scorecard. The report urges Congress to include a technology workforce category to the biannual Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act report cards issued by the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
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GovBrew Emerging Technology Forum: Driving Innovation in the Public Sector.

GovBrew is hosting a virtual forum on innovative emerging technologies. It will be an action-packed two-hour event where top Federal agency leaders will discuss their experience deploying cutting-edge technologies in the public sector and how they use them to drive real change and meet their agency’s mission. Sign up now to reserve your spot.

Government Speakers

• Cindy Good – Dept of Treasury – Senior Analyst, Office of Financial Innovation and Transformation (confirmed)
• Brett Smith – Dept of Treasury – Director – Payment Strategy & Innovation (confirmed)
• Kathryn Wetherby – CMS – Deputy Director Marketplace IT Group, Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) (confirmed)
• Sanja Bararic – HHS – Artificial Intelligence Program Lead (pending approval)
• Robert Whetsel – FDA – Associate Director for Data Architecture, Senior Advisor for Data Architecture (pending approval)
• Ron Williams – GSA – Director, Cloud Adoption & Infrastructure Optimization (pending approval)

Register Now (early bird pricing ends Oct 1st!)

ICYMI Snippets:

• Former HUD Assistant Inspector General convicted of falsifying financial disclosure forms.
• Learn the basics behind the frequently misunderstood limitations on subcontracting.

Top Defense & Aerospace

ICYMI Snippets

• Space Force kicks off ‘Black Skies’ training exercise to focus on electronic warfare.
• Boeing leaves staff hanging as more jobs head to India.
• Elementum 3D progresses Army and Navy STTR projects…3D printing on the go.
• USAF has chosen Northrop Grumman to join its Advanced Battle Management System Digital Infrastructure Consortium.

Defense Contract Awards

• MetroStar Systems Inc. awarded a $155M, five-year IDIQ.
• Noblis Inc. awarded $47.4M contract with Army for program support services.
• Carahsoft won a $138M contract with the DSCA.
• Ideas, Commitment, Results won a $532M IDIQ contract with AF for accelerated special programs for emergent needs.
• CACI awarded $54.6M AFC contract to provide mission expertise to the AFC.

Follow the Defense Job Openings

• NASA/NOAA is looking for an Associate Director, Business Development.
• The Defense Health Agency is looking for a Chief of Staff.
• Air Force is seeking a Director of Acquisition and Cybersecurity Directorate.

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Top Intel Community

NSA, CISA share ways to combat threat actors compromising OT/ICS.

NSA and CISA have published a cybersecurity advisory that shares ways to defend against cyber actors who compromise operational technology/industrial control system assets. The advisory notes that threats are on the rise against OT/ICS assets essential to day-to-day critical infrastructure and processes.
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DHS spending $700,000 to research counterterrorism in video games.

A DHS-funded grant is going toward research covering multiplayer games as avenues of white supremacist radicalization. The DHS is devoting nearly $700,000 to a joint research program working toward the “development of a set of best practices and centralized resources for monitoring and evaluation of extremist activities.”
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ICYMI Snippets

• IARPA posts cyber psychology RFI.
• NGA, SLU to host Geo-Resolution 2022 conference.
• CISA industry expanding effort to secure operational technology.

Follow the Job Openings

• CISA has an executive opening for an Associate Director, Capability Delivery.

IC Contract Awards

• Maxar Technologies awarded a $44M Option Year 3 contract renewal.
• GD awarded $22.9M contract to design, develop and deliver a Classified Data at Rest high assurance Inline Media Encryptor (IME).
• GDMS wins AF Crypto & Cyber Division $22.9M contract to design, develop and deliver a Classified Data at Rest high assurance Inline Media Encryptor (IME).

Top Civilian

The cost to implement cyber mandates for water infrastructure is too damn high!

Experts are saying that the cost of implementing federal cyber mandates for water infrastructure are getting out of hand. A Congressional hearing saw lawmakers and experts characterizing recent instances of hacking as urgent threats to public security — particularly in rural regions and underserved communities.
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$1.2T IIJA is under fire from state highway officials.

State transportation officials are less than thrilled that the DOT is setting goals to curb greenhouse gas emissions on roads. State officials are putting pressure on federal agencies to give their departments more flexibility when it comes to what they can spend under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
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ICYMI Snippets

• New VA acquisition challenges are afoot, and Congress is in search of solutions.
• FAA shoots down regional airline request to hire less-experienced pilots.
• Why one GovCon veteran wants to shake up the way agencies manage service delivery.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• T&T Consulting one of 15 awardees of 10-year, $1.5B DOC’s CATTS contract.
• Leidos awarded five-year, $60M BPA with FHWA.
• AttainX awarded $24M contract in conjunction with 22nd Century Technologies Inc for networking and IT R&D with the NSF.

Follow the Civilian Leaders

• A new Vice President, VA Account Manager is joining SAIC.
• Google Public Sector is getting a new CEO this October.
• There’s a new Science & Tech advisor in the White House…and she’s a woman!

Follow the Civilian Job Openings

• The GSA is seeking a Deputy Director for its Facilities Management & Services Programs.
• TSA is looking for a new Deputy Assistant Administrator/Deputy Chief Information Officer.
• FEMA is looking for an Associate Administrator for Mission Support.

GovCon M&A Corner

Kaman wraps up purchase of Parker Hannifin’s Aircraft Wheel, Brake Division.

Aerospace components maker Kaman is finalizing its buyout of Parker Hannifin‘s business division offering aircraft braking products, systems, and services. The new Kaman subsidiary generates around $70M annually and serves military aircraft, general, and business aviation and rotorcraft operators.
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WSP Closes Purchase of Wood’s Environment & Infrastructure Business

Canada’s engineering services provider WSP Global has acquired John Wood Group’s environment and infrastructure business for ~$1.81 billion as part of a push to accelerate its environmental service offerings. Alexandre L’Heureux, president and CEO of WSP, has said the company will welcome 6,000 E&I employees, and that the acquisition will enable WSP to pursue opportunities in the environmental and water sectors while still providing multidisciplinary services.
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