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- May 22, 2024
May 22, 2024
4 companies win spots on $6B NASA IDIQ, CyberArk buys Venafi, DHS official on AI use in biological threats, accelerated cyber warfare at CYBERCOM DARPA
GovBrew
May 22, 2024
QUICK HITS
CISA: Here’s the guide for high-risk non-profits.
Infographic: Ukraine Security Assistance: US commitments, acquisition action, industrial base expansion, and more.
Voices from DARPA: Watch/Listen to this deep dive into ethical, legal, and societal implications (ELSI) of new technologies and capabilities.
FAR Part 36: Learn more about “Construction & Architect-Engineer Contracts” on next Wednesday’s webinar.
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
CYBERCOM, DARPA: Let’s accelerate the cyberwarfare research.
U.S. Cyber Command and DARPA inked a binding agreement to speed up the research and development of advanced cyber technologies within the DOD. The deal sets up budgets, roles, and governance structures necessary for rapidly transitioning cyber technologies from the laboratory to the cyber battlefield. Read more
Space Force picks next mission areas for new “integrated” units.
USSF is expanding a model for its units that puts operations and sustainment under one roof and is taking it to two new missions: missile warning and space domain awareness. This prototype model puts operations, acquisition, and sustainment for certain missions under single team leaders, a model that’s different from the current structure of the service, which splits these into different commands. Read more
Moon Mapping: It is needed for military, civil, and commercial cislunar operations.
Space Force, NASA, and commercial companies are moving forward with plans for operations in cislunar space and on the Moon. Several US agencies are working to deliver the necessary scientific groundwork. Lunar maps with details on both topography and the Moon’s gravitational and magnetic fields are needed in future Military, civil, and commercial cislunar operations. Read more
ICYMI:
Northrop Grumman & NVIDIA: Their AI software agreement.
Here’s how three big defense contractors lost a $30B USAF drone deal. (General Atomics and Anduril won the contract instead.)
CIO-SP4 protests: More companies are joining in.
A new autonomous military vehicle will be made by collaborators Kodiak Robotics and Textron.
NASA has a creative approach for upgrading an essential test complex water system.
Senator wants DOD to scrutinize Frontwave Credit Union’s Marine Corps contract.
Defense Contract Awards
Lockheed Martin receives $756M Hypersonic Weapon System deal.
GDIT bagged a $185M AFCEC Cybersecurity Services task order.
Curtis-Wright said yes to a $16M contract from Iron Bow to deliver encrypted tactical networking tech to USAF.
Starfish Space inks a $37.5M USSF On-orbit Servicing Vehicle contract.
Follow the Defense Leaders
A Frank Stanton Professor was selected to be DOD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Space Policy.
DLA has selected a new Data Chief.
USCYBERCOM CIO tapped to be SAF/ CNSR PPBE Division Chief.
Special OPS Commander will now lead the Air Force Academy.
Jacobs has a new CFO.
Defense Job Openings
OSD needs a Policy, Analysis, and Transition Director.
USPACFLT is seeking a Nuclear Director.
USAF wants a Supervisory Program Manager.
NAVAIR is hiring a Program Manager.
FUNNY
INTEL COMMUNITY
DHS official: AI could exacerbate chemical and biological threats.
A DHS team dedicated to deterring the use of weapons of mass destruction is now studying how AI could exacerbate these kinds of threats. In the wake of a report announced last month, one of the top officials with that office is pointing to a series of potential strategies to confront the ways AI tools could be deployed — even inadvertently — to synthesize dangerous chemical and biological materials. Read more
OpEd: Strengthening supply chains through supplier diversification.
The United States has recognized that maintaining its strength requires more scrutiny regarding who supplies our country’s goods. Whether dealing with potentially hostile foreign governments or companies with significant market power, one key aspect to consider is diversification and minimizing reliance on single vendors. Read more
ICYMI:
US removes Cuba from the list of countries not fully cooperating on counterterrorism efforts.
Carnegie Mellon wins $60M R&D Army contract for Edge Intelligence.
CACI receives $54M contract extension for the satellite control network.
Sophos announced a new CEO.
ODNI needs a Function and Collections Group Deputy Chief.
ODNI is hiring a Deputy Assistant Director for Policy and Strategy.
DHS is hiring a Deputy Associate Director.
CIVILIAN
Equity & usability: It’s the aim of login.gov’s biometrics pilot.
In preparation for login.gov’s upcoming biometric validation pilot, GSA officials and internal technology equity experts are collaborating to address algorithmic bias concerns raised by advocacy groups. Read more
NASA has 4 mission proposals: It aims to target climate change from space.
NASA has chosen four proposals for concept studies. This has been done with the goal of further understanding crucial Earth science domains. The topics include ice and glacier dynamics, greenhouse gases, the ozone layer and ocean surface currents. After the study period, two will be chosen by the agency for further development, with expected launch dates in 2030 and 2032. Read more
NOAA's Data Assimilation Consortium: It will be led by OU.
The University of Oklahoma’s "CADRE will work collaboratively to perform innovative data assimilation research and development to improve weather forecast from short range to subseasonal to seasonal scales. It will promote transitioning advanced data assimilation research into NOAA's operational weather forecast systems." Read more
ICYMI:
NIST has 3 goals in their AI safety work vision.
SpaceX rival? Blue Origin has released a rocket to compete with Musk’s company.
Regulators want to weigh in on paused network modernization plans. USPS says “NO”.
Civilian Contracts Awards
4 lucky companies bagged a $6B NASA IDIQ under On-Ramp III.
IBM gets $279M USCIS Verification Information System Software Development & Support deal.
Direct Enterprise Solutions was awarded a $4.5M ED CIO Cybersecurity Policy Services contract.
Delviom LLC inked a $3.8M TREAS Security Engineering and Operations Consolidated Support Services BPA.
Follow Civilian Leaders
The Coast Guard’s CDAO was selected to be DHS’ new PTO Deputy Director.
Death has entered Export-Import bank. A new CISO has been chosen.
IT Concepts has a new Human Capital Services SVP.
CRDF Global has chosen a new General Counsel.
Civilian Job Openings
HHS needs a Director.
NASA is seeking a Human Resources Director.
HUD wants a CIO.
M&A CORNER
Accenture has acquired Cognosante.
Accenture Federal Services has completed the acquisition of Cognosante. This new portfolio aims to provide solutions to enhance health results and create fair, accessible healthcare experiences. Read more
Valkyrie Enterprises bought S2S.
Valkyrie Enterprises has strategically acquired Ship2Shore Corrosion Preventive Solutions (S2S) to supply industrial corrosion-inhibiting products to the Defense department and other markets. Read more
CyberArk to buy Venafi from Thoma Bravo.
Cyberark has agreed to acquire Venafi from Thoma Bravo for approximately $1 billion dollars and $540 million shares. The company is planning to make a unified platform for end-to-end machine identity security by merging its identity security capabilities with Venafi's identity management offerings. Read more
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
Slack is utilizing our messages for machine learning. How do we stop it?
Slack has been using customer data to train and enhance its machine learning functions—particularly in search result relevance and ranking. Is there a way to prevent the company from using our chat information to power their models? Read more
Microsoft has entered an AI PC era. How revolutionary are their new machines?
Microsoft has unveiled its new Copilot PCs. These next generation AI machines have a "photographic memory" that will deliver a different kind of experience to its users. How will this innovation usher in a dramatic change to the computer industry? Watch here
Proton promised users zero-access mail encryption—but does it guarantee privacy?
Proton has been great in effectively restricting access to metadata. Their system allows for providing only an optional recovery email, which deserves recognition. But the email service provider has been in hot water recently. What could have happened for the company to face such online scrutiny? Read more
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