• Stricter Buy American provisions set to take effect Oct. 25: Stricter standards in billions of dollars of goods acquired by the government will take effect Oct. 25. Read more
• DOD offers relief for SAM.gov holdups. Businesses trying to register in SAM are missing proposal deadlines. DOD has issued a class deviation with gives some wiggle room for new businesses. Read more
• Modernized IT systems needed for surging RF demand: An increasing demand for Radio Frequency is straining IT systems, which need to be updated, according to a GAO report. Read more
• Everyone in your company is in business development. Do all categories of staff understand how they can all help contribute to a culture of “winning?” Read more
• Ongoing Ukraine support could trigger Russian midterm cyberattacks: Ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine could lead more Russian cyber attacks during the midterm elections. Read more

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

ICYMI Snippets

• Five WOSBs will be randomly selected to receive a CMMC Level 1 project from the 2022 Microsoft US Compliance Partner of the Year. You have to enter to win.
• Despite some progress, merging earth observation systems during a period of increased reliance on commercial systems is time consuming and messy.
• SpaceX’s fourth commercial crew (Crew-4) mission to ISS returns home.
• Space Force will be one of the first customers of a new gas station in space. Orbit Fab won a $13.3M USSF contract to gas up GEO military satellites.

Defense Contract Awards

• The TMF has awarded the Army $15M to improve operational security at 23 depots, arsenals, and plants.
• Riverside Research Institute has won a $49M contract with DOD for the Microelectronics and Embedded System Assurance (MESA) II research and development effort.
• MDA has awarded a $150M contract to System High Corp. for counterintelligence activities, testing and maintenance, and evaluations.
• NASA awarded TBP & JJ Worldwide Services a $43M contract to provide facilities operations and maintenance services at Armstrong Flight Research Center.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• POTUS has promoted a Maj. Gen. to the rank of lieutenant general and the assignment of deputy chief for Space Operations at U.S. Space Command.
• Interested in what led to Danielle Metz’ being named first CIO at OSD?
• There’s a new CTO at DSCA and he comes with experience working at Navy and DISA.

Defense Job Openings

• DISA is hiring a Transport Services Executive.
• NASA is seeking an Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate.
• Navy is looking for a Senior Advisor for Acoustic Intelligence.

INTEL COMMUNITY

Ukraine war is teaching U.S. military how to move intelligence faster.

The success of the recent Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russia is a result, in part, from the speed of U.S. intelligence from satellite collection to dissemination to ground units, in addition to the U.S. assistance with weapons and planning. Read more

Help wanted! DHS needs staff for Network Operations and Security Centers (a RFI).

DHS officials want to staff their new Network Operations and Security Center with contractors who have cybersecurity and network management skills. Responses to the DHS Network and Cyber Cloud Support RFI are due on Oct. 25. Read more

Army data collection and dissemination program in Africa could be a model for other commands.

An Army initiative for collecting and disseminating intelligence in Africa could be a model for other commands that struggle with the volume of data they have to analyze, after its use in the field for five years. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• Federal watchdog council confirms that it is investigating DHS officials.
• DOD needs to better harness emerging commercial technology to deter China in the Taiwan Strait.

IC Job Openings

CIVILIAN

NIST considers options: a “super” semiconductor institute or a series of them?

NIST officials are considering whether to launch a single semiconductor Manufacturing USA institute or a series of them, as it seeks to build a stronger domestic infrastructure for microchip fabrication. Read more

GSA signs agreement giving 82 agencies extending EIS deadline to 2024.

GSA has signed MOUs with 82 federal agencies extending its previous deadline, giving them until May 31, 2024, to transition to the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions vehicle to modernize voice, video, and data. Read more

More than half of Americans surveyed frustrated by digital government services

More than half of Americans surveyed expressed frustration with digital government services, with 46% saying they would use these features more if they were easier to use, which indicated that the survey respondents want government systems to be simple, secure, and to have a human element. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• More on POTUS’ preparing of security controls for commercial software acquisition by the federal government, working toward a Software Bill of Materials.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• Planet Labs has extended by a year its NASA contract for collecting satellite data on the climate.
• Accenture Federal Services has won a three-year, $189M contract with CDC to help the agency migrate to the cloud.
• DOI has awarded a $15M contract to ICF for envrironmental services.

Follow Civilian Leaders

Civilian Job Openings

• VA is hiring a Deputy CISO and Executive Director, Information Security Operations.
• The USDA is hiring a director for its National Finance Center.
• The NSF is seeking an Office Director, Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure.
• The National Nuclear Security Administration is seeking a Deputy Director Advanced Submarine Systems Division.

M&A CORNER

With nearly $2B sale of tactical data links business announced, what’s Viasat’s strategy moving forward?

With their sale of its tactical data links business for $1.96B to L3Harris Technologies recently announced, Viasat officials talk about focusing on their company’s core business and network strategy moving forward, ahead of a series of transformational launches. Read more

NTT Data to acquire Aspirent.

NTT Data announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Aspirent, a data, analytics, and advisory company based in Atlanta. The acquisition adds 230 data advisors and technologies to NTT Data’s digital transformation services team and bolsters the company’s data engineering qualifications. Read more

FalconTek to acquire Core Mission Solutions expanding support to the intelligence community.

FalconTek, an SDVOSB that provides technical and professional support to Federal Civilian, Defense, and Intel clients, announces the acquisition of Core Mission Solutions LLC, a provider of language analysis, cultural advisory, intelligence analysis, and training services to the intelligence community. Read more