Good morning. This is our last newsletter of the year! 🎉 We’re taking a short break for the holidays and will return to your inbox on Friday, January 5 with all the GovCon news and insights you’ve come to expect (plus a little extra caffeine). Until then, happy holidays from all of us at GovBrew!
—The GovBrew Crew
QUICK HITS
2025 wasn’t just survival mode: Here’s how FedGov turned crisis into resilient innovation.
AI adoption in GovCon: RSVP for this webinar to learn proven strategies to drive buy-in and results.
AI security guidance: NIST releases new cyber framework.
Cyber standards: CMMC rule hits contractors hard.
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Pentagon moves to enforce ban on indirect China ties.
The Pentagon is preparing to enforce a congressionally mandated ban on contractors with indirect ties to Chinese military companies, giving firms a year’s notice to clean up their supply chains. With many primes unaware of their subs’ affiliations, DOD is bracing for a compliance scramble worthy of its own audit.
Pentagon wants a common network for its counter-drone systems.
The Pentagon wants to connect its growing array of counter-drone systems through a common network, allowing sensors and interceptors from different services to share data and respond faster to threats. The move is critical to keeping pace with rapidly evolving drone technology and avoiding today’s fragmented, stove-piped defenses.
Space policy: 2028 moon base objective announced.
The administration’s new space policy establishes a 2028 target for an initial lunar base and advances development of the Golden Dome missile‑defense prototype. The directive aligns civil, commercial, and defense space priorities, signaling a more structured—and ambitious—approach to U.S. space posture.
ICYMI:
USAF RFI: IDOS-IT
DOD RFI: SDA Geosynchronous WFOV EO Sensor.
MITRE expands D3FEND to strengthen OT cyber defense.
GAO urges U.S. to track partner feedback on legacy equipment.
USAF is sunsetting NIPRGPT GenAI platform by Dec 31.
Defense Contract Awards
SDA awards: four contracts totaling $3.5B for missile‑tracking sats.
Horizon Defense Solutions booked a $94M USN NAVSEA SEA06 Sustainment, Audit Readiness and Analytics contract.
CCA Round 2: USAF picks 9 vendors for next batch of drone wingmen.
Lockheed Martin won a $3.6B Navy contract for support related to the F-35 Lightningt II Joint Strike Fighter Air Systems.
Follow the Defense Leaders
Marine general nominated for top SOUTHCOM job.
Tyto Athene welcomed its new BD Director.
Defense Job Openings
TRADOC wants a Contract Management Support Specialist.
DFAS needs a Contract Specialist.
END OF YEAR RECAP
Top GovBrew Memes of 2025
Let’s be honest—some weeks in GovCon required more than coffee. These memes delivered the laughs, the side-eye, and the painfully accurate commentary that got us through 2025 one procurement cycle at a time. Here are the GovBrew memes that hit hardest this year. Got a favorite? Tell us which one made you laugh (or cry) over on LinkedIn! Check out our favorites here.
INTEL COMMUNITY
ICYMI:
U.S. intelligence indicates Putin’s war aims in Ukraine are unchanged.
What the NDAA means for AI and cybersecurity.
Everfox won a $7M FBI Insider Threat Management Suite contract.
Rocket Lab awarded $816M contract to build missile-defense satellite constellation for USSF.
GET SEEN
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CIVILIAN
Medicare.gov to deploy ID.me for beneficiary verification.
Medicare.gov is deploying ID.me to verify beneficiaries’ identities, adding biometric and multi-factor authentication to reduce fraud and protect personal information. Officials say the move is meant to modernize access to online services while balancing security concerns and usability for older Americans.
USPS plans to open last-mile delivery network to more shippers in a money-saving move.
The U.S. Postal Service plans to open its “last-mile” delivery network to more private shippers, allowing outside companies to use USPS infrastructure to reach customers’ doors. The move is aimed at generating new revenue and strengthening USPS’s financial position as package delivery continues to grow.
[Listen] The GAO talks about USPS’s financial condition, financial model.
GSA’s GO.gov to connect all civilian agencies within 18 months.
GSA plans to expand its GO.GOV shared network service to connect all civilian federal agencies within the next 18 months, replacing dozens of separate agency networks with a single secure backbone. Officials say the effort will improve cybersecurity, simplify IT management, and reduce costs by centralizing how agencies connect to the internet and each other.
ICYMI:
HHS RFI: Harnessing AI to deflate health care costs.
“Losers pay” rules coming despite declining bid protests.
What reforms can fix our fragile air traffic control system?
A U.S. firm has delivered 12‑kilowatt thrusters designed to boost efficiency for NASA’s Lunar Gateway.
Civilian Contracts Awards
Official awardee list of GSA Polaris GWAC SDVOSB and HUBZone awardees.
ASRC Federal inked a $28M DHS OIG Helpdesk Support services deal.
JMA Solutions won a $27M FAA NAS Defense Programs PO Support deal.
CACI awarded $1M DOC Comprizon Suite Support Services contract.
Follow Civilian Leaders
Senate confirms a nuclear nonproliferation expert as the next US CTO.
Former private equity executive named as next GSA administrator.
Parsons named a former CLO at Maximus as its newest CLO.
Civilian Job Openings
USMS is hiring a Procurement Executive.
DOJ is seeking a Correctional Program Officer.
FUNNY
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
Science says we’ve been nurturing “gifted” kids all wrong. Early bloomers aren’t always superstars later in life. Real stars evolve slowly benefit from encouragement in a variety of possible interests. SOURCE↗︎
RayNeo X3 Pro: These augmented reality glasses has been named one of the items in TIME’s 2005 best inventions list. SOURCE↗︎
U.S. retaliation: Strikes hit dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria. SOURCE↗︎
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