QUICK HITS
DOD halts $15B Advana recompete D-RFP. AAMAC program is on hold.
Proposal perfection: Contractors can craft better outlines using AI tools.
Rare earth elements: What GovCons should know about US-China negotiations.
[Event] Small Business Roundtable: Got questions about navigating the GovCon maze? Here’s your chance to get answers. Check it out August 22.
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DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Risky companies fall through the cracks as US speeds up defense procurement.
As the U.S. speeds up defense procurement to outpace global threats, the GAO warns that risky suppliers—particularly those with unclear sourcing or complex subcontracting chains—are falling through oversight gaps. This lack of visibility threatens to undermine supply chain integrity and national security, especially in the face of growing reliance on commercial tech and rapid acquisition strategies.
Cloud sprint vs. cloud plan: DOD risks gaps in visibility and control.
The DOD’s push to rapidly migrate to the cloud—dubbed a “cloud sprint”—is creating fragmentation across systems and weakening oversight, as dispersed platforms and inconsistent contracts make it difficult for leadership to see who’s using what and where infrastructure resides. Without a deliberate “cloud plan” to centralize governance, control, and transparency, the DOD risks operational blind spots that could undermine security, compliance, and efficiency.
The “Bomb Lady” shows how immigrants power national defense.
Nguyet Anh Duong, once a Vietnamese refugee, rose to become one of the U.S. military’s top weapons scientists, helping to develop the “bunker buster” bombs used in major operations. Her story highlights a broader truth: immigrant talent has long been a driving force behind American defense innovation, and tightening immigration policies could jeopardize that edge.
ICYMI:
Golden Dome program manager outlines near term goals.
Pentagon eyes broader vendor pool for next major cloud contract.
DOD advances PCS overhaul after cutting HomeSafe contract.
Defense comms hit as Starlink outage affects Starshield.
Defense Contract Awards
Toll Remote Logistics secured a $950M USN Logistical Capabilities deal.
Northrop booked a $495M USAF Engineering Support contract.
Akima subsidiary Five Rivers Analytics nabs $6M Army IT support contract.
NTS Technical Systems won a $13M Army contract for PPE ballistic testing.
Follow the Defense Leaders
USAF creates new Deputy Chief role for Cyber and Comms.
USAF Air Combat Cmmd names a new Information Warfare Division Chief.
Chugach Government Solutions named its incoming President.
Parry Labs selected a new CGO.
Defense Job Openings
Navy is hiring a Chief of Staff.
ANGU is seeking a Deputy USPFO Program Manager.
INTEL COMMUNITY
NIST needs to go “back to the basics” on standards for AI, not safety evaluation.
The director at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, cautioned that NIST should refocus on developing foundational AI measurement and standards, rather than acting as a safety evaluation agency assessing existential risk. He argued that industry-led safety evaluations would be more effective if grounded in basic, best‑in‑class standards that NIST defines and promotes
Watchdog flags shortfalls in DHS intelligence oversight.
DHS’s watchdog has identified persistent gaps in oversight of its Office of Intelligence and Analysis—highlighting incomplete implementation of training programs, unclear civil liberties protections, and leadership instability that undermine intelligence effectiveness and accountability.
ICYMI:
Open-source AI could provide “geostrategic value,” AI plan says.
Preparations are underway for Qatari jet to be used as Air Force One.
Vertosoft won a DOJ Financial and Performance Management Solution T.O.
Intellect Solutions won a $40M FBI CJIS SCOR23 - ACST suppor task.
Strider’s Strategic Advisory Board has a new member.
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CIVILIAN
AWS and Idaho National Lab to collaborate on AI for nuclear energy.
AWS has teamed up with the INL to apply AWS’s cloud-based Gen-AI tools—like Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker, and custom chips—to the development of nuclear energy technologies, including digital twins of small modular reactors. The goal is to streamline the design, licensing, and operation of advanced nuclear facilities, reducing time and cost while maintaining human oversight.
DOE announces first four AI data center sites on federal lands.
The DOE has formally selected four federal land sites—Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Reservation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and the Savannah River Site—for AI‑ready data center development alongside new energy infrastructure by private partners.
DOGE using AI tool to create a “delete list” of federal regulations.
DOGE is proposing to use the tool to cut 50% of regulations by November. The “DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool” will analyze 200,000 government regulations and select those which it deems to be no longer required by law. DOGE claims that 100,000 of those regulations can then be eliminated, following some staff feedback.
ICYMI:
DOL’s AI to-do list: Retraining, data collection, apprenticeships.
Funding reinstated for DOC’s TraCSS spacewatch effort.
House Oversight demands answers on Grok’s use in government.
Civilian Contracts Awards
Follow Civilian Leaders
GSA has a new Acting Administrator.
Empower AI welcomed its new CGO.
SAIC welcomes a former Trump advisor to its board of directors.
Civilian Job Openings
GAO, Legislative Branch needs a Chief Labor Relations Officer.
The Judicial Branch wants a Chief U.S. Probation Officer.
M&A CORNER
McNulty & Associates reacquired its GovCon advisory arm.
After a stint under Citrin Cooperman, McNulty & Associates has officially reacquired its GovCon advisory arm—including WRAP rate library and algorithms, Price to Win, and competitive analysis services.
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
NASA has a new satellite that anyone can use to zoom in to countries, states, and city blocks. Will privacy be an issue? SOURCE↗︎
Did researchers just find a way to eliminate Down syndrome? Japanese researchers use CRISPR to tackle genetic condition. SOURCE↗︎
How are airlines engineering their way around increased turbulence? Technology is trying to keep up with the changes in the air. SOURCE↗︎
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