January 3, 2024

Good morning and Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2024 with more puns, fewer typos (fingers crossed), and the unspoken resolution to finally understand what our cat has been trying to tell us. To our seasoned subscribers, welcome back to the circus! And to our new recruits, buckle up – it's gonna be a wild ride full of laughs and questionable GovCon advice.

—The GovBrew Crew

QUICK HITS

• Hot off the Supreme Court shelves: The legal field may soon be ‘significantly affected by AI’.

• Start the year diving into the good stuff: Attend a free Alliant 3 webinar that's dedicated to Q&A.

• From the Moon’s south pole to an ice-covered ocean world: Several exciting space missions are slated for launch in 2024.

• Navy sailors show off their rad rhymes: In the first watch of the new year, it’s acceptable to record the deck log in rhyming verse.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

New in 2024: Air Force plans autonomous flight tests for drone wingmen.

“Wingbros” (our term, not theirs) are set to be the F-35s partners in crime. Picture this: piloted jets and their trusty drone buddies pulling off missions like striking enemy targets, spying on bad guys, jamming signals, and maybe even throwing in some decoy drama for good measure. Read more

For INDOPACOM, adopting zero trust is becoming complex.

The US’s INDOPACOM faced the Herculean task of adopting a zero-trust cybersecurity approach, not just for themselves but also for a bunch of buddies in the ally club – some of whom were lagging behind in the tech race. It’s like INDOPACOM, the IT superhero, is trying to herd not-so-tech-savvy sheep into the zero-trust digital pasture. Read more

NASA pushes ahead with Earth System Observatory despite uncertain budgets.

NASA is making progress on a multibillion-dollar series of Earth science missions amid uncertainty about their funding for the next year. NASA officials recently discussed work on the Earth System Observatory, a series of missions intended to implement the five “designated observables” recommended by the Earth science decadal survey in 2018. Read more

ICYMI:

• Army PM UAS issues Launched Effects industry day invite, RFI. Industry Day is Jan 17-19 in Huntsville, AL.

• DOD employees get union representation in Germany.

• DOD releases training, resources to combat human trafficking.

Defense Contract Awards

• Strategic Alliance was awarded a $115M US Space Force Chief Operations Office Advisory and Assistance Services task order.

• RTX to produce lot 10 StormBreaker weapons under $345M USAF award.

• Lockheed Martin wins $68M contract mod for F-35 repair capabilities.

• J&J Worldwide Services to operate, and maintain military medical education training campus.

• Crew Training was awarded a $15M Air Force contract mod for their MQ-9 Aircrew Training and Courseware Development contract.

Follow the Defense Leaders 

• Former VP and GM for RMS New Zealand and Australia is now Lockheed Martin’s VP for Advanced Concepts.

• NetCentrics welcomes former ASRC Federal CAO as CFO and Board Member.

Defense Job Openings

• The AF Air National Guard is seeking a Program Manager.

• Air Force is looking for a Contracting Specialist.

• The AF Air National Guardis looking for a Director of Force Support.

FUNNY

INTEL COMMUNITY

ICYMI:

• York Space System’s new VP of Operations was a former DIA, NGA official and staff member of the SSCI.

• NGA, DHS S&T’s unique approaches to zero trust, cybersecurity.

CIVILIAN

OPM authorizes direct hire authority, excepted service appointments to support White House AI order.

Federal agencies can now use direct hire authority and temporary excepted service appointments to support POTUS’s executive order on AI. Read more

Kemba Walden talks advancing cyber — and becoming a role model.

The former acting national cyber director goes in-depth about her federal enterprise cybersecurity, cyber workforce issues, her experience as a leader, and what it was like being the first Black person and first woman to helm the White House office. Read more

How USPTO built a culture of trust in its automation efforts.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has proven successful in using automation to quickly remediate identified system glitches and potential security vulnerabilities. Speedy and effective uses of automation across the agency’s systems have helped create a culture of trust that allows the director’s team to take the lead in addressing problems without significant pushback from higher-up officials.  Read more

ICYMI:

• D-RFP: A first look at the $8.4B PACTS III Third Draft RFP.

• RFP: $50M+ DHS USCIS Data Strategy Support Services (DSSS) RFP.

• RFP: VA releases RFP for $2.4B Secure, Performant, Reliable, and User-Centered Experiences IDIQ.

• RFP: DHS CISA to set-aside $100M+ Mission Engineering (ME) Program Support Services RFP.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• Accenture wins $457M VBA Digital GI Bill (DGIB) support services contract.

• General Dynamics wins $386M DHS OBIM Infrastructure and Applications O&M support.

• Savantage Financial Services wins $91M DHS ICE OCIO Federal Financial Management System (FFMS) O&M support.

• Decision Lens selected by DHS Science & Technology.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• Raventek appoints EVP as CGO.

• ARPA-H names a new CIO.

• Federal IT Industry Veteran is now Riva Solutions’ VP of Delivery.

• Janus International Group has new Board Members.

• DHS Program Manager becomes USCIS Division Chief.

Civilian Job Openings

• VHA needs a Deputy Associate Chief of Staff.

• USDOT/FHWA is seeking a Deputy Division Administrator.

• VHA is looking for an Associate Director.

M&A CORNER

Dexis Consulting, Shield AI fetch new capital.

Dexis Consulting, a professional services provider, will receive what is called a “growth capital infusion” from CM Equity Partners, an investor in a handful of other companies across the public sector market. Read more

Palo Alto acquires Talon Cyber Security.

Palo Alto Networks had completed its acquisition of Talon Cyber Security, an enterprise browser technology company. Read more

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

Have government dress codes finally become old hat?

As the White House faces calls to bring federal employees back to government office buildings, many are wondering if the old rules about how to dress for the office still apply, or if the rise in casual attire that came with working from home will continue to rule. Read more

How many ways can generative AI transform critical human services?

Generative AI can help government workers complete time-consuming administrative tasks, address gaps in agency operations, reduce wait times, and improve language translation services are some of the biggest ways that come to mind. Read more

If you were president, would you go to a war zone to escape office-seekers?

In 1865 a determined President Lincoln decided to visit the front lines in Virginia, much to the horror of his advisors. Even after Secretary of War Stanton warned him about the dangers of touring recently captured Richmond, Lincoln brushed off concerns, declaring, "I will take care of myself." Little did anyone know, Lincoln saw the trip not as a risky battlefield adventure but as a presidential vacation – a much-needed break from a capital drowning in job seekers. Exhausted by endless office-seekers and a flood of responsibilities, Lincoln turned his presidential tour into the ultimate getaway, proving that even during a war, a leader needs some "me time." Read more

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