February 26, 2024

QUICK HITS

• US shared AI security info with “every country around the world:” Breaking down the US diplomatic approach to regulatory approaches.

• VA Drops VA IHT 2.0 Draft RFP: VA VHA released the Draft RFP for its $14B Integrated Healthcare Transformation (IHT) 2.0 IDIQ

• Mixing the secret ingredients of digital transformation: Federal tech experts are whipping up their recipes: bytes! bytes! bytes!

• Rebuilding the American Arsenal: Why we need to rehab our national defense stockpile for a stylish makeover.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

Without a full-year budget, USN sounds FY24 budget alarm bells.

With no full-year budget, the Navy is now facing a shortfall amounting to $40 billion. Despite massive budget cuts, the USN Secretary has emphasized that the department's readiness will not suffer. “By 2026, we want to shut off [the legacy system] SABERS for the Department of the Navy and be out of that and into our big ERP.” Read more

CJADC2's minimum viability is "real and ready now".

The Pentagon's connect-everything effort has a minimum viable product: an initial version of CJADC2 is “low latency and extremely reliable,” according to Deputy Defense Secretary Hicks, who noted that "the minimum viable capability for CJADC2 is real and ready now." Read more

USSF's acquisition shop surprisingly bullish on fixed-price work.

The Space Force’s acquisition shop has been bullish about its pursuit of fixed-price development contracts amid rising concern from defense companies that the approach puts too much risk on the industry. Firing back, SF’s aquisition chief said that he’s only using fixed-price for small footprints using existing technology. “I’m haven’t said I’m going to build the next-gen Battlestar Galactica [using fixed-price].” Read more

ICYMI:

• As Ukraine war turns 2, what lessons have we learned?

• Shakeup: Pentagon's deputy CIO is moving to a new position.

• Navy is forming a council to counter “adversarial” economic activities.

• Armored vehicles, Patriots sent to Ukraine lacked a sustainment plan.

• US, UK carry out joint strikes on multiple Houthi targets over the weekend. This is our third coordinated strike.

Defense Contract Awards

• Marine Hydraulics International books $147M Navy ship repair, modernization contract.

• Army awards 5 spots on $99M weapons assessment contract.

• Pacific Defense wins $17M Navy EW sensor platform contract.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Boeing VP, general counsel to assume top HR role.

• General Dynamics hires new supply chain & quality VP.

Defense Job Openings

• SECNAV needs a new Principal Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

• The Office of Naval Research needs a Superintendent, Acoustics Division.

FUNNY

INTEL COMMUNITY

NGA Acquisition and Information Technology (AIT) consulting services RFI.

NGA’s Open IT Solutions Office (TEI) is seeking information from vendors that could provide executive and specialized consulting services to assist with developing the common framework and implementation of the PEO construct for the existing and future programs within the TEI organization. Read more

ICYMI:

• Make sure to sign up for NGA's Maven Industry Day.

• RFI: DISA seeks airborne intelligence surveillance reconnaissance.

• IARPA launches program to detect, identify potentially harmful aerosolized chemicals.

• National security, intelligence leader joins JinetiQ Group as VP of BD.

CIVILIAN

OPM’s AI survey to determine who’s winning the battle of the bots in gov’t offices.

OPM has announced the latest step in a years-long effort to prepare federal agencies for AI: surveying federal employees who're dealing with AI. The move marks the second step in a years-long process to prep federal agencies for working with AI-related tech. Read more

VA publishes AI use cases, enters “operational phase.”

The VA has pledged to integrate AI technologies in accordance with EO 13960, emphasizing adherence to nine principles delineated for government AI use. In compliance, the VA has released a series of AI use cases to outline its commitment to responsible and beneficial AI deployment within its operations. Read more

FAA commercial human spaceflight regulatory learning period nears expiration.

Congress is on the brink of deciding whether to extend restrictions on regulating the safety of commercial human spaceflight occupants, with negotiations ongoing for a long-term FAA reauthorization bill. The proposed bill includes an extension of the "learning period" for the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, allowing the industry more time to build up experience before safety regulations are imposed. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFP: Bureau of Indian Affairs posts solicitation for ~$500M IT Support IDIQ.

• Sources Sought: GSA seeks input to flesh out its Next Generation Network Infrastructure strategy.

• The accelerated VA PACT Act deadline: The VA is launching the biggest expansions of VA health care in its history.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• Sierra Lobo lands NASA’s $282M contract to support Glenn Research Center.

• NOAA’s $8B ProTech 2.0 Fisheries Domain IDIQ are being named. A few include: FedWriters, Ocean Assoc., RPI-CSS JV, Saildrone, Saltwater, and more.

• HUBZone StrategyGen won a $52M CMS insurance market reform enforcement contract.

• 8(a) STARS III Prime TriplePoint DSG JV won an $8M NIH Info Security Program Support contract.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• Blue Delta Capital Partners associate promoted to Principal.

• Former Peraton director joins DMI as VP, chief architect of technical solutions.

• DOJ taps its new AI chief, science, and tech advisor.

Civilian Job Openings

• USDA looking for a new Associate Chief Financial Officer.

• DOE's OIG seeks a Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services.

• NASA HQ seeks a new Director, Resources and Performance Management.

M&A CORNER

Tetra Tech acquires LS Technologies.

Tetra Tech is set on expanding its federal digital transformation in the wake of its acquisition of federal enterprise technology services contractor LS Technologies, which was carried out for an undisclosed sum. Read more

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

Does interoperability benefit troops as well as civilians?

In this op-ed, explore how interoperability - whether applied to military, commercial, or consumer domains - can benefit every step of the supply chain by reducing overall costs and enabling rapid integration. Read more

Why's this physicist-turned-congressman so worried about artificial general intelligence?

Congress is just starting to ramp up its efforts to regulate artificial intelligence, but one member says he first encountered the technology in the 1990s when he used neural networks to study physics; he's worried that threats such as deepfakes, for example, can't be solved with conventional detection methods. Read more

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