March 29, 2024

Good morning. Just a heads-up: we’re taking a little hop-skip-and-jump over Easter Monday, so we won't be in your inbox on April 1st. No April Fools' joke, we promise!

—The GovBrew Crew

QUICK HITS

• T4NG2 is the subject of a new round of lawsuits: Three companies take complaints to court over how the vehicle’s awards were made.

• Pentagon: Here’s our unfunded wish list for Congress.

• Two wireless protocols are exposing mobile users to spies: The FCC wants communications service providers to help fix the issue.

• Do you know your GovCon codes? Not just NAICS, but do you know how to read the RFP/Award ID?

TRIVIA 🤔

Just click the choice you think is right & the correct answer will be shown.

Scroll down to the bottom of this email for more information about the correct answer!

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

Generative AI is helping Pentagon wargames.

Supply officers at the military’s operational combatant commands tested ChatGPT-like software to help them write logistics plans, as part of the latest Global Information Dominance Experiment, GIDE 9. “For certain use cases, it’s proving to have a lot of value,” said Col. Matt “Nomad” Strohmeyer. “It’s not this panacea, but it’s also not this Pandora’s box of evil. It’s somewhere in between.” Read more

DARPA to develop AI apps that warfighters can trust.

DARPA is aiming to develop AI and autonomy applications that can be used to help warfighters make life-or-death recommendations. As DARPA turns once again to private industry for ideas, keep an eye out for challenges, which is a great place to show off your ideas to the people making decisions. Read more

Navy to streamline DOD support for contractors' cybersecurity.

As defense contractors are battling ever more sophisticated cyber threats and baffled by ever-stricter security rules, the Pentagon wants them you to know that help is on the way, real soon. The Pentagon CISO said, “We were very disjointed” in efforts to support contractors but "want to make that more streamlined." Read more

ICYMI:

• Academia: USF opens a cutting-edge lab to provide solutions to DOD.

• The Pentagon tests out AI-written logistics plans.

• Hermeus rolls out new uncrewed aircraft, “Quarterhorse MK1.”

• Army is setting up the Digital Center of Excellence for Contracting.

Defense Contract Awards

• The DOD awarded a $5M DKET 3421 terminals, transportable satcom hubs contract to DataPath.

• $15M Army Programming, Budget Development and Analysis Support contract was awarded to Calibre Systems.

• A $276M Air Force Radar contract was given to Lockheed Martin.

• A $26M Navy MCM Production kits contract mod was awarded to Collins Aerospace.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• Former MAG Aerospace VP was selected to be Albers Aerospace’s CRO.

• Booz Allen Hamilton’s new VP was a former Navy engineering officer.

Defense Job Openings

• Office of Naval Research needs a Division Director (Kinetic Weapons).

• DCSA is looking for an Executive Officer to the Director.

• MDA is hiring a Program Director.

• Army MEDCOM is seeking a Program Manager.

FUNNY

INTEL COMMUNITY

DISA soon to unleash its new intelligence unit.

At a conference earlier this year, DISA's Director said that there will be an intelligence unit established and functional sometime this year and that there’s a need for an intelligence-gathering wing to bolster situational awareness and gauge threats. Read more

China’s WuXi AppTec shared biological data, US client data with Beijing for use in its military development.

US intelligence officials told senators working on a biotech security bill that Chinese pharmaceutical firm WuXi AppTec had transferred US intellectual property to Beijing without consent. The US government is concerned that certain Chinese biotech companies are contributing technology or research and development for use by China's military. Proposed legislation would restrict U.S. government funds going to those Chinese companies. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFI: NGA seeks feedback for UPS power redistribution support.

• Podcast: The new CIA’s Langley Files they talk AI and digital innovation with the people making it happen.

• CIA is using a “Crawl, walk, run” approach for GenAI.

• Leidos wins $81M NGA Maru acquisition program contract.

• Defense and intelligence services firm Mission Essential names new COO, Growth VP.

• ODNI’s Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence program honors colleges and universities.

CIVILIAN

White House issues "binding requirements" for feds' use of AI.

The WH is urging federal agencies to increase their utilization of artificial intelligence tools, while ensuring the prevention of its misuse. The OMB will mandate agencies to disclose their usage of AI, the associated risks, and their strategies for mitigating those risks. Read more

Help wanted: Regulators worldwide need tech expertise.

Competition and consumer agencies in governments worldwide say they need to integrate more tech expertise into their enforcement work to detect consumer harms; the FCC has released a joint statement on the matter with 24 international partners. Read more

NTIA calls for improvements to AI accountability.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has called for independent audits of high-risk AI system; its AI Accountability Policy Report recommends that the federal government take action to establish guidance, support, and regulations for AI systems. Read more

ICYMI:

• VA RFI: CFM project mgmt information systems solution.

• NASA RFI: Contract for organizing spaceflight mission operations and systems (COSMOS).

• USDOT is investigating data security and privacy practices of the top US airline.

• Cybercriminals attack US water infrastructure.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• DOE awards 14 spots on $900M 5th energy information administration contract vehicle.

• M2 Technology secures $1.8M HPE support & maintenance task for OPM OCIO.

• Treasury IRS awards Bowhead Cybersecurity Solutions & Services 508 support task.

• DKW Communications Inc. wins $10.5M DOI ONRR Information & Digital Services IT Contractor Support contract.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• FCC recruits former DHA Infrastructure Chief to serve as Assoc. CIO.

• Company Veteran named as Intel’s new Channel Chief.

Civilian Job Openings

• The USDA Forest Service division is hiring a Director.

• CDC needs a Principal Deputy Director.

• FEMA is looking for an Executive Director.

• USCG is seeking a Program Manager.

M&A CORNER

Park Place Technologies buys SDV Solutions.

Park Place Technologies has acquired SDV Solutions to expand its portfolio of managed services, professional services, hardware maintenance, and other information technology services for federal clients. Read more

Synergy ECP acquires SoftTech Solutions.

Synergy ECP has acquired SoftTech Solutions, a provider of software products and services to the intelligence community, in a transaction aimed at expanding the former’s technical capabilities in cloud engineering and data analytics. Read more

GOVBREW INSIDER

• Check out this week’s 60+ opportunities from defense, civilian, and intel agencies.

• Our team uncovered 80+ upcoming IT services opportunities at the Department of Labor (DOL) in this week's recompete report.

• See if your company qualifies for any of the latest grants & competitions.

• Stay up to date on the upcoming events. Also, check out the GovBrew Insider discount on the upcoming GovCIO Women Tech Leaders Summit. 

• Keep track of the latest Agency Acquisition Forecasts.

Want to become a GovBrew Insider member? Join here

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

Are banks moving too slowly to address AI-powered cybercrime?

The Treasury Department has warned in a report that many financial institutions are moving too slowly to stay protected from AI-powered cyberthreats; the agency’s findings will be distributed to Capitol Hill to drum up legislation or other initiatives to study the risks. Read more

What's next for the Pentagon's GIDE series?

The Pentagon's Global Information Dominance Experiments (GIDE) are set to unfold this year. Pentagon personnel plan to expand data-sharing and integration among U.S. allies and continue to develop a new “methodology of rapid learning” to inform how the military adopts emerging and advanced technologies. Read more

What makes work-life balance such a big issue in collective bargaining?

Tensions over federal telework and return-to-office at agencies have made for impasses in collective bargaining; an independent entity within the Federal Labor Relations Authority has found that recent cases of collective bargaining impasses between agencies and unions derive from disagreements over not only federal telework policies but work-life balance — the two of which often go hand-in-hand. Read more

TRIVIA ANSWER ⭐️

5 - The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program — Lockheed Martin nabbed this $1.7 trillion DOD contract. Initially finalized in 1996, the JSF program aims to revolutionize the aerospace capabilities of the US Air Force and its allies.

The B-21 Raider Long-Range Strike Bomber Program is the next most expensive contract at $203 billion. Northrop Grumman nabbed that contract around 2015. (SOURCE)

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