• States are battling bogus requests for refunds this tax season: This tax season, states are using new strategies to combat online tax fraud.
• This isn’t the Jacobs you think you know: As recompetes for Jacobs’ recent wins approach, let’s explore how they’ve changed as a competitor.
• RFP Management Approaches: what they are, how to write ’em: Don’t settle for lame content 😴 leading to low scores and lost contracts.
• GSA FEDSIM winners and spenders: the return of the blog!: Explore some eye-opening analyses on FEDSIM spending and winners.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

ICYMI Snippets

• Accenture drops out of battle for $5.7B Air Force contract.
• USACE posts pre-solicitation notice for multiple-award DHS construction contract.
• Navy seeks to prototype solutions to automate systems across the defense enterprise.

Defense Contract Awards

• General Dynamics, Day & Zimmermann subsidiaries awarded $994M Army ammo contract.
• Seven companies awarded positions on $250M contract for Army civil works.
• Astranis wins $4.5M SBIR Phase 3 contract supporting Space Force.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Four retired Army generals, who served a total of 147 years in uniform, agree to join Valiant’s advisory board for miiltary training market strategy.

Defense Job Openings

• NAVSEA seeks Executive Director, PEO IWS.
• The DHS needs a Director, National Security Cyber Division.
• Air Force seeks a Director, AFRL Strategic Partnering.

INTEL COMMUNITY

Our top IC tech priorities are the same as our adversaries’, says CIA exec.

According to the Associate Deputy Director for Digital Innovation at the CIA, our adversaries are investing in the same intelligence community technology areas as the U.S., meaning the nation must act quickly to maintain technological dominance and its position in the global power competition. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• Register now for the 3rd Annual IC Acquisition and Technology Innovation Forum!
• Cyber and intelligence industry leader will lead SilverEdge’s national security group.
• Charles River Analytics wins adaptive cyber training contract.
• NSA veteran joins LexisNexis Special Services.

CIVILIAN

USPTO wondering if AI inventorship uncertainty requires change.

The USPTO is seeking AI-specific commentary in connection with its continued efforts to incentivize and protect innovation, including innovation enabled by AI, to ensure continued U.S. leadership in AI and other emerging technologies. Read more

Buy America, by Americans—OMB seeks input on harmonizing domestic preference regimes.

As previewed in President Biden’s State of the Union Address, the OMB has issued a proposed rule and notification of proposed guidance to improve uniformity and consistency in the implementation of Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements. Read more

DoE CIO: Delivering modernization at scale requires culture shift.

Is there a magic recipe of products and services that can allow the Federal government to deliver for customers to realize modernization at scale? According to the DOE’s CIO the answer’s no, there’s no magic recipe. However, it turns out that delivering modernization at scale is about shifting the culture. Read more

ICYMI Snippets

• NASA needs help developing a hyperspectral infrared instrument: an RFP.
• IRS systems are apparently still stuck in the 20th century.
• FAA says it will take two years to replace aging infrastructure behind NOTAMS system.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• State Department clears $250M IT services sale to Kuwait’s Military Medical Command.

Follow Civilian Leaders

Civilian Job Openings

• FSIS needs an Executive Associate for Regulatory Operations.
• Dept. of Commerce seeks Director, Office of Financial Management Systems.

M&A CORNER

Acorn Growth finalizes Black Sage sale to Highlander Partners.

Acorn Growth Companies, a middle-market defense and aerospace investor, has finalized its sale of Black Sage Technologies to private equity firm Highlander Partners. The transaction, which comes nearly four years after Acorn bought Black Sage, is part of the latter’s expansion strategy, according to Acorn Growth. Read more

LinQuest adds defense RDT&E Services through CAMO acquisition.

LinQuest has acquired Capability Analysis and Measurement Organization, in a move to provide research, development, test, and evaluation support to USSOCOM and other defense organizations. Read more

Advent-Maxar merger to proceed following completion of ‘go-shop’ period.

Private equity investment firm Advent International and Maxar Technologies are expected to continue their planned merger after Maxar, a geospatial intelligence services provider, did not receive a competing alternative offer during the go-shop period that expired. Read more