QUICK HITS
Golden Dome opportunity: Contractors line up for high-stakes defense initiative at symposium despite the gov’t asking DOD staff not to talk about it.
Digitized doesn’t mean modernized: FedCIO says “it’s time to re-engineer how work is done, not simply recreate legacy processes in a digital format.”
The False Claims Act: The sharpest weapon against govcon time-card fraud.
Emerging tech: Experts believe that it could be a double-edged sword for government agencies.
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
MDA unveils $151B SHIELD vehicle for Golden Dome effort.
At SMD 2025, MDA unveiled SHIELD—a 10-year, $151B contract vehicle to support the Golden Dome missile defense system. With 19+ work areas from prototyping to AI, SHIELD promises speed, flexibility, and enough acronyms to keep industry busy through 2035. RFP expected before Oct. 1.
Army plans to roll out “Amazon-like” UAS marketplace in early October.
The Army's new "Amazon-like" marketplace is designed to streamline the process of acquiring small UAS for soldiers. It aims to accelerate the traditional acquisition cycle by providing a centralized, trusted storefront where systems can be vetted and then chosen based on their capabilities, cost, and performance.
Related: Army in talks to acquire commercial autonomy software for robotic initiative.
DISA plays to launch “JWCC Next” in FY26 second quarter.
DISA is currently crafting the acquisition strategy for "JWCC-Next," intended to replace the existing multi-vendor cloud contract by the second quarter of FY26, with award decisions expected in early 2027. This next generation of the JWCC aims to broaden access to a wider array of commercial cloud providers, moving beyond the four hyperscalers included in the initial $9 billion JWCC deal
ICYMI:
Team Atlanta wins DARPA’s AI challenge to boost critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Aeromedical Airmen prepare to treat sicker troops—and more of them.
The USAF’s new B-21 Raider bomber has a “hidden advantage.”
Pentagon cut staff at repository of scientific and technical data.
Defense Contract Awards
TOTE Services won a $311M Navy SBX-1 Radar Platform contract.
Ledos to support Navy’s op. readiness research under $106M contract.
Innovatus Technology won a $20M Navy contract for Business Management Corporation Remedy IT Service Management Enterprise System support.
Intellisense Systems won a $58M USAF contract for AMWS Weather Sys work.
Follow the Defense Leaders
Army PEO Enterprise taps CISO as acting APEO CTO.
Defense Job Openings
DCMA wants a Contract Administrator.
USFFC needs a Lead Contract Specialist.
FUNNY
INTEL COMMUNITY
In a pitch to hacker community, NSC cyber lead says AI is the key to the future of cyberdefense.
At DEF CON, NSC’s Alexei Bulazel highlighted that AI tools boost cybersecurity by helping developers find and fix vulnerabilities faster. While AI can also aid attackers, he believes defenders will stay ahead with continually improving AI-powered defenses.
Federal courts to ramp up filing system security after cyberattacks.
The U.S. federal judiciary is strengthening security to protect electronic case filing systems from sophisticated cyberattacks that exposed sensitive documents. It’s working with courts, Congress, and agencies like DOJ and DHS to address threats and modernize its aging infrastructure.
ICYMI:
Johns Hopkins is developing classified AI wargaming tools for the DOD and intelligence community.
Game-ifying national security—a DHS-backed study says it works.
ManTech won a $910M USSOUTHCOM Cyber IT Enterprise Services 2 deal.
USAF awarded Raft and SAIC a a TENCAP HOPE 2.0 contract.
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CIVILIAN
EPA drops union contracts: A seismic shift in federal labor.
Effective immediately, the EPA has terminated all collective bargaining agreements with its federal unions, citing compliance with recent E.O.s. The move affects over 8,000 employees and follows a similar action by the VA.
FAA proposes tougher cyber rules for drones in new flight plan.
The FAA’s proposed rules would require most drone operators and manufacturers to adopt stringent cybersecurity measures—such as restricting network access, monitoring for vulnerabilities, and reporting incidents—to guard against unauthorized access and cyberattacks. The plan, which also permits certain beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights, aims to address the heightened risks from increasingly interconnected drone technologies.
USDOT commits $6.2B to manage America’s Maritime Ready Reserve Force.
The USDOT’s MARAD has signed 20 contracts—totaling $6.2 billion—with seven private ship management firms to oversee 51 Ready Reserve Force (RRF) vessels, which play a vital role in rapid military deployment and emergency response. These decade-long agreements cover all aspects of fleet readiness—maintenance, logistics, crewing, activation, operation, and deactivation—ensuring these ships can be activated within five days and remain a cornerstone of strategic sealift capability.
ICYMI:
VA facilities faced “technology barriers” in importing medical records.
DEF CON volunteer hackers plug security holes in US water systems.
Gov’t agencies are obliterating environmental regulations on websites.
A new lunchar benchmark: NIST’s moonlight data brings satellites into focus.
Civilian Contracts Awards
Follow Civilian Leaders
USPTO has a new Acting CIO.
Allyon has a new President, CSO.
ITC Federal named its Solutions Architecture VP.
Civilian Job Openings
USCG is hiring a Contract Specialist Team Lead.
IHS is seeking a Supervisory Contract Specialist.
M&A CORNER
Voyager acquires EMSI to boost AI-powered radar capabilities.
Voyager Technologies just snapped up ElectroMagnetic Systems Inc., adding AI-driven radar tech to its ISR toolkit. With EMSI’s synthetic aperture radar and simulation software, Voyager aims to deliver “actionable intelligence at machine speed.”
Cherry Bekaert acquires Jameson CPAs to expand govcon services.
Cherry Bekaert is beefing up its government contractor consulting practice with the acquisition of Jameson & Company CPAs. The move adds deep expertise in FAR, CAS, and grant compliance—plus a “small firm feel” backed by big-firm muscle.
PartnerOne acquires Monster Government Solutions.
PartnerOne just gave Monster Government Solutions a “forever-home,” acquiring the federal hiring tech firm to boost its public sector portfolio. With 24+ years of experience and a strong foothold in workforce development, MonsterGov now gets the backing to scale faster—and hire smarter.
ICYMI:
Firefly captures $868M in IPO proceeds.
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
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