May 10, 2024

QUICK HITS

• Accumulating wealth with a Thrift Savings Plan account, properly: How to not mess it up and get the most out of it in the long run.

• President's Cyber Cup Challenge names its champion: 'Artificially Intelligent’ wins the competition open to feds, military personnel.

• CBO report raises questions about possible 2% pay raise plan: Gap between federal, private sector workers nearly closed since 2015.

• Here’s what proposal management should really focus on: Hint…it’s not following the prescribed steps and providing oversight.

TRIVIA 🤔

Just click the choice you think is right & the correct answer will be shown. Scroll down to the bottom of this email for additional information.

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

New Army battlefield tech means the defense is ‘dramatically stronger than the offensive.’

A certain realization may have wide-reaching implications for how the Army trains and equips its forces: According to the head of Army Futures Command, “technology is dramatically increasing the strength of the defense, at the same time, it is dramatically complicating offense. Read more

Pentagon rolls out guidance to resolve sluggish software adaptation.

The Pentagon is rolling out new cybersecurity guidance to streamline software adaptation to resolve what the DOD CIO has characterized as sluggish, duplicative processes that hinder technology and software innovation. The plan revolves around enforcing the concept of “reciprocity,” which essentially means if one office certifies that a system is cyber secure, then all offices can accept it instead of having to redo the certification process. Read more

101st Airborne Division rethinks the use of uncrewed systems in the kill chain.

The commander of the 101st Airborne Division has said that Army units may someday soon align indirect weapons like mortars and missiles with some form of UAS. Currently, the 101st is experimenting with tech as part of an initiative to rapidly evaluate new technology by fielding it directly to certain units. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFI: USSOCOM is seeking total small businesses for its Global Special Operations Forces Synchronization Enterprise (GSSE) requirement. 

• Air Force, Boeing close to resolving pricing disagreement holding up Wedgetail deal.

• CYBERCOM's 'Four Horsemen' took a trip down memory lane at the RSA Conference.

• SOCOM tables plans to equip MC-130J airlifters with gear to land on water.

• DOD honors the recipients of the 2024 Spirit of Service Award.

Defense Contract Awards

• Lockheed books $861M Army contract mod for HIMARS production.

• Leidos bags $631M Army Sensor Integration contract.

• 6 companies got an $810M MCSC Telecommunications & Network Support IDIQ.

• Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab won a $515M DARPA contract for R&D support.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• USCYBERCOM has a new Executive Director.

• A USMC retiree was chosen to be ATI’s CEO.

• VMD’s Co-Founder was selected to be Xcelerate’s new President.

• The McLean Group welcomed a new M&A Advisory Director.

Defense Job Openings

• NAVSUP needs a Facility, Design, & Construction Director.

• USFFC is hiring an Executive Director.

• USMC is looking for a Manpower Director.

• Army National Guard is seeking an Operations Director.

CHART

User Experience: Percent of customers who gave a positive rating when asked about trust or confidence. (Source)

INTEL COMMUNITY

NROL-70 launches on final Delta IV heavy rocket.

The NRO successfully launched the NROL-70 mission, marking the end of an era as it is the final Delta IV Heavy rocket and the end of the Delta program. The NROL-70 mission puts into orbit a national security payload that will deliver critical space-based information to our nation’s warfighters, intelligence analysts, and decision-makers. It is the latest asset in the NRO’s ongoing initiative to develop the most capable, diverse, and resilient overhead constellation in its history. Read more

ICYMI:

• BAA: NGA releases Topic 3 for Boosting Innovative GEOINT Science and Technology.

• Former CIA Deputy Director for Cyber and Digital Policy founded Garret Global Consulting LLC.

• ODNI needs a Supply Chain & Cyber Directorate Deputy Assistant Director.

• ODNI Office of Engagement & Recruitment is looking for a Director.

CIVILIAN

New bill would codify recommendations to assess EPA's aging systems.

One representative is pressing the EPA to update its legacy IT systems that store air quality data; the proposed bill stems from a 2023 GAO report on the 1990s-era systems—called the Air Quality System and AirNow—that described them as “difficult to maintain, access and use.” Read more

"We will have to shrink our customer service" without more cash, says IRS chief.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel is pleading for additional funding from skeptical lawmakers, saying the recent successful tax season is still unsustainable if Congress does not provide an additional tranche of funding by FY 2026. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFP: Customs and Border Protection seek professional workforce support services.

• RFI: State Dept. is seeking information systems security support.

• RFP: NRC TTC wants small business IT companies who can develop Extended Reality.

• CISA unveils its 68-name roster of Design Pledge-takers.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• Booz Allen won a $90M VA IT Service Management deal.

• LMI will provide Tech Support Services and Data Analysis for NASA.

• TSA awards $1.3M to MITRE Corporation for technical threat analysis task.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• Former Booz Allen VP was selected to be ASRC Federal’s new CIO.

• GSA has selected new FedRAMP advisory committee members.

• SAIC has a new Senior Technology Director.

• ServiceNow has chosen a new VP.

Civilian Job Openings

• NIST needs a Standards Coordination Office Director.

• NCUA is hiring a Regional Director.

• DOS is looking for a Deputy Director.

M&A CORNER

Airbus has completed the acquisition of Aerovel.

Airbus has successfully added Aerovel in its portfolio company list. The recent acquisition will strengthen its tactical unmanned systems division and enhance its competitiveness for DOD contracts, including the Replicator Program. Read more

Tetra Tech acquires Convergence Controls & Engineering.

Tetra Tech, Inc., a leading provider of high-end consulting and engineering services, announced today that it has expanded its digital water and energy practices with the acquisition of Convergence Controls & Engineering, an industry leader in process automation and systems integration solutions. Convergence’s expertise includes customized digital controls and software solutions, advanced data analytics, cloud data integration, and cybersecurity applications. Read more

GOVBREW INSIDER

• Check out this week’s 61 opportunities from defense, civilian, and intel agencies.

• Our team uncovered 60+ upcoming IT services opportunities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 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.

• Keep track of the latest Agency Acquisition Forecasts.

Want to become a GovBrew Insider member? Join here

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

Oh no! Did Neuralink’s brain implant malfunction?

Neuralink's brain-computer interface was made to help paralyzed patients control technology with their minds. However, problems with the brain implant surfaced weeks after it was placed inside a human for the first time. What could have caused this and what did the company do to prevent further complications? Read more

Google DeepMind’s groundbreaking AI for protein structure can now model DNA. What does this mean for science?

AlphaFold, software developed by Google’s DeepMind AI unit to predict the 3D structure of proteins, has received a significant upgrade. It can now model other molecules of biological importance, including DNA, and the interactions between antibodies produced by the immune system and the molecules of disease organisms. DeepMind added those new capabilities to AlphaFold 3 in part through borrowing techniques from AI image generators. Read more

A motorcycle that uses neither gas nor electricity has been created. How did they make it work?

Sustainable mobility extends beyond cars. Let's talk about the first motorcycle that operates without gasoline or electricity. It uses an innovative solution that promises to revolutionize transportation. Can we say goodbye to EVs already? Read more

TRIVIA ANSWER ⭐️

The federal government’s CX rating has held solid between 2021 and 2022, coming at 62 out of 100. This is well below scores that are issued to auto home insurers, who came in highest at 75, credit card issuers (74), and health insurers (70). The majority of those surveyed said their experience interacting with the government was “poor” or “very poor.” The results are based on a survey of 11,208 US online customers aged 18 and older. (Source)

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