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- June 24, 2024
June 24, 2024
Honeywell buys CAES for $1.9B, IRS website navigation, Prohibition gangsters, IARPA RFP, ARL wins $1.4B Navy contract, Navy eyes unmanned surface vessels
GovBrew
June 24, 2024
QUICK HITS
Federal buyers’ new way to get good deals from gov’t: The new Procurement Co-Pilot brings data together from across agencies.
Core values & challenges for GovCon contractors: Oracle cloud exec offers insights on innovation challenges that often go overlooked.
Agencies update climate adaptation plans for 2024-27: The plan is to make federal facilities more resilient to climate change impacts.
Houthi attacks are causing more damage in the Red Sea: Merchant traffic through the Suez Canal is down more than 50%.
Army’s 5 SBIR contract opps: For AI and manufacturing solutions.
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
New solicitation shows Navy once again eyeing industry for commercially ready tech.
The US Navy is seeking industry info on imminently available medium unmanned surface vessels it can use for test and evaluation of certain payloads within a year of a contract being awarded. The new solicitation is another instance where the Navy seems to be opting for commercially ready tech. Read more
DIU lays out its plans to spend nearly $1 billion this year.
The DIU laid out its plans to spend the $938M Congress gave it for FY24. The budget will be allocated to four categories: Speed up ongoing projects; initiate new lines of effort, help bolster other DOD partners, and break down systemic barriers to capability adoption at scale. Read more
Meet the twin startup force that's making self-flying tankers.
One startup has Air Force contracts to rig a KC-135 tanker and C-130 airlifter for autonomous flight; the other created the AI pilot moving on in a DARPA dogfighting program. Now they’re joining forces. Read more
ICYMI:
RFP: SDA is looking for Advanced Fire Control Ground Infrastructure.
USAF secretary says “resources are my biggest concern for FY26.”
Pentagon: AUKUS shines spotlight on the power of partnerships.
Coast Guard takes delivery of its 57th sentinel-class fast response cutter.
Lockheed Martin subsidiaries reach $70 million settlement for claims they overcharged Navy for parts.
Defense Contract Awards
ARL wins $1.4 billion Navy contract for R&D, Engineering, and Testing.
Data Link Solutions snags $999M award for MIDS radio terminals.
Northrop awarded $189M USAF contract for distributed mission operations support.
HP won a $26M Army contract for high-performance computing modernization.
Follow the Defense Leaders
NATO names Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
Retired vice admiral named VP and general manager at Lockheed's MFC division.
Executive director of DOD's cybercrime center retires.
Defense Job Openings
Apply to become the Assoc. Deputy Assistant Secretary of USAF.
SECNAV needs a new Artificial Intelligence Officer and CISO.
FUNNY
INTEL COMMUNITY
ICYMI:
RFI: IARPA seeks information on End-Gen Waveforms.
DCSA urged to enhance cybersecurity of background investigation systems.
Spy stories: How the hollow nickel led to Soviet spy Abel’s arrest.
Simply cute: First day on the job, new CBP Beagle Brigadier makes a prohibited food nab at Atlanta airport.
DIA seeks Assistant Inspector General, Inspections and Evaluations.
CIVILIAN
New CHIPS bill would block winners from buying Chinese tech.
Bipartisan groups of lawmakers in the House and Senate have introduced legislation that would prevent winners of CHIPS and Science Act funding from using that money to buy equipment and specialized manufacturing tools from companies based in China or other countries judged to be our adversaries, including Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Read more
Acquisition officials highlight the need for AI transparency.
Officials from the GSA and NASA have underscored that transparency about what AI technologies actually can do is key to conversations about the government potentially purchasing the technology. Additionally, officials said it’s important to re-assess how agencies buy AI or ML tech because times have really changed in the last 10-15 years. Read more
‘We have to serve everyone.’ IRS is helping taxpayers navigate its 37,000-page website.
The IRS is using billions of dollars in multi-year modernization funds to provide a higher level of customer service because, as of right now, only two percent of its 37,000 web pages get most of its website traffic. Other facts: About 51% of the IRS’ web traffic comes from mobile devices, and 59% of users access IRS web pages through online searches. Read more
ICYMI:
NASA, MagniX conduct altitude tests for a battery-powered engine.
New DOE principles to ensure cybersecurity of energy supply chains.
DHS secretary unveils strategic guidance on critical infrastructure security.
Civilian Contracts Awards
DOT selects nine vendors to provide complementary PNT technologies for field testing.
NSF invests nearly $20M in quantum nanofabrication infrastructure.
Chainbridge Solutions (WOSB) wins $4M PBGC SIS IT services award.
Softrams wins $23M CMS web accounts and apply services (WAAS).
CASK NX wins $103M USDA IROC OME contract.
Follow Civilian Leaders
Former director of growth at Fearless appointed sales VP.
Air Force veteran joins Rancher Government as federal account leader.
USPTO names its new deputy general counsel, solicitor.
Civilian Job Openings
USDA Agricultural Research Service needs a new Director.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center seeks new Chief Counsel.
DOE is looking for Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactors.
M&A CORNER
Honeywell strikes all-cash deal to acquire CAES.
Honeywell is set to buy CAES from private equity firm Advent International in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $1.9B to expand its portfolio of defense technology platforms across ground, maritime, air, and space domains. Read more
Virtual Technologies Group purchases Quotient.
Virtual Technologies Group has purchased information technology services provider Quotient to expand its suite of IT-managed services for its client base and broaden its presence in the government contracting market. Read more
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
Should the US invest in cheaper long-range drones for a Taiwan scenario?
To counter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the US military needs to buy a diverse fleet of uncrewed aircraft that spans the gamut from sophisticated long-range stealth aircraft to cheap commercial drones, according to a report from the Center for a New American Security. Read more
Is it time for DOD, Congress to walk away from CMMC?
In this opinion piece, one member of the American Enterprise Institute lays out the reasons why DOD and Congress should move away from Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0. From the financial burden it imposes on industry to the ever-changing style of threats, it’s highly unlikely the CMMC can keep pace with the cyber landscape. Read more
How did another war start on the streets of America after the "water to end all wars" was over?
After the First World War came to an end, another one was already beginning on the streets of America that put the FBI against the original American gangster. It wasn’t much of a fight—at least at the start. Read more
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