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- October 11, 2023
October 11, 2023
TIGTA hashes out IRS decision on Login.gov, GovCon CRM, VideoRay acquires Blue Ring Imaging’s AI, NARA collaboration platforms, DOS declassified cables
QUICK HITS
U.S. helps Israel defend against Hamas terrorist attacks: More than 800 Israelis killed, with 150 taken hostage by Hamas gunmen.
Pentagon very concerned Hezbollah could widen Israel-Gaza conflict: Analysts more sanguine about potential West Bank front.
Here are the top things to know about NASA SEWP VI.
Consider adopting (digital) twins for tech modernization: Agencies can accelerate efforts and better use data to overcome challenges.
The fed civ sector advantages you may be overlooking: Using proven DOD cybersecurity tech improves capabilities over time.
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DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Nodes on a network: building the backbone for JADC2.
The backbone for JADC2 will be a mesh network of small satellites in SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. To successfully connect ground and air and build the small sets necessary for proliferated Low Earth Orbit, the DOD first needs help with doing a better job of transmitting data and synthesizing it across multiple domains. Read more
Navy discourages military generative AI, LLM usage.
While generative AI and large language models could transform Navy operations, these tools could also create operational security risks and would require human review. According to Navy’s acting CIO Jane Rathbun, LLMs present an operational security risk because they save every prompt they are given. Rathbun said users should also proofread and fact-check inputs and outputs, check source credibility, address inaccuracies and potential intellectual property issues. Read more
Pentagon efforts challenged by ‘immature’ hypersonics tech.
Despite issues with supply chains, the Army believes it can field the first Long Range Hypersonic Weapon units by the end of this calendar year. Part of the problem is that the industry base is small — “and we’re talking small,” one Army deputy director said. “So we’ve got to keep these companies that have that technology in business and in producing, and leveraging that capability.” Read more
ICYMI:
DOD offers insight into initial JWCC task orders.
Army headset’s latest version clears hurdle, but service wish list remains long.
Army launches pilot aimed at trimming excess equipment.
How the war in Ukraine is reshaping U.S. Army modernization.
Perspective: It’s time to treat satellites as critical infrastructure.
New head of smallsat supplier Blue Canyon sets sights on defense market growth.
Defense Contract Awards
Immersive Wisdom announces USAF Phase III SBIR contract.
DARPA chooses six companies for $1.25B technical & analytical support services IDIQ.
Comtech receives $544M Army contract for Communications and Engineering Support Services.
Parsons snags $53M DTRA TO to support counter WMD efforts.
Follow the Defense Leaders
NASA names a new UFO research boss.
Former Ball Aerospace exec assumes CISO role at True Anomaly.
HII Newport News Shipbuilding elevates staffer to Trades VP role.
New appointee as Program VP at Lockheed.
Defense Job Openings
HQ USAF and Support Elements needs a Foreign Affairs Specialist.
Office of Naval Research seeks a Senior Scientist For Electrochemical Systems.
INTEL COMMUNITY
DHS is going against an SBA regulation, and it'll probably spark protests if nothing changes.
The DHS is apparently ignoring a recent SBA regulation in a draft RFP by neglecting to evaluate past performance submissions from tier-one SB subs. If nothing changes soon, it's possible that one or more small businesses will protest at GAO. Read more
State Department uses AI assistant to declassify diplomatic cables.
A directive to U.S. embassies in India and Pakistan requesting an urgent evaluation of economic and financial vulnerabilities there. A report from the embassy in Sofia detailing discord in the Bulgarian Socialist Party. An internal summary, prepared by the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s meeting with President Nelson Mandela. Those messages are among dozens of newly released diplomatic cables from late 1997. Read more
ICYMI:
Staffer promoted to Civilian & Intelligence Markets VP at Cherokee Federal.
SRI wins IARPA SINTRA funding for SOTERIA project.
Pacific Defense secures U.S. Army CMOSS contract.
The NGA is looking for a new Associate Director, Capabilities.
Top travel tips from an ex-CIA agent.
CIVILIAN
TIGTA hashes out IRS decision path on Login.gov.
The Treasury Inspector General For Tax Administration (TIGTA) has released a report shedding light on the reasons behind the IRS' decision to scrap plans to use Login.gov as an alternative for taxpayers to identify themselves for IRS tools and services. The IRS initially planned to give taxpayers the option to use facial recognition technology prior to the report's release. Read more
CISA-issued cybersecurity advisory identifies a ‘trend of systemic weaknesses’ in digital configurations.
A joint cybersecurity advisory issued by CISA and the NSA is warning organizations that the ten most common software misconfigurations that leave digital networks vulnerable to outside attacks showcase the need for secure-by-design approaches. Read more
The money’s out the door in nationwide unemployment insurance modernization push.
DOL awarded the last $204 million of grant money for unemployment insurance modernization late last month to 18 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands to move to the cloud and more modular technology that’s adaptable to change. Of the $2 billion initially allocated for the department’s jobless aid modernization and fraud prevention under the 2021 ARPA, about $800 million was set aside for grants. Congress clawed back $1 billion from the effort as part of the debt ceiling deal. Read more
ICYMI:
VA to share data with 13 community health systems to improve veteran care.
NARA targets collaboration platforms, records management for improved records management.
CISA collaborative weighs in on open source software security.
GAO: Federal financial agencies need to improve fintech skills.
Civilian Contracts Awards
Accenture awarded $200M+ in tasks on State Dept. sole-source BPA.
VA awards $331M cyber center task order to Maveris.
HumanIT Solutions leverages SBIR Phase III program to score $50M NASA IDIQ.
Innosoft Corp awarded a National Endowment for the Arts IT Services IDIQ.
Follow Civilian Leaders
Nina Albert, Commissioner of GSA’s Public Building Services, is leaving the agency.
AWS appoints a new VP of US Federal.
Millennium Corporation names a new BD VP.
LMI taps Chief Medical Informatics Officer.
Bridge Core adds Chief Information Officer.
FTI board of directors names a new memember.
Civilian Job Openings
NASA's Ames Research Center needs a new Deputy Center Director.
OPM is looking for a new Chief Technology Officer.
M&A CORNER
VideoRay acquires Blue Ring Imaging's AI capabilities to vastly improve the efficiency of unmanned systems.
VideoRay, the producer of the Mission Specialist Defender robot recently selected by the Navy for underwater mine detection and disposal, announced today that it has successfully acquired Blue Ring Imaging, an innovator in 3D visualization, multi-view perception, and simulation for unmanned systems. Read more
SMX acquires Creoal to add more cloud migration skills.
SMX, formerly Smartronix, has acquired Creoal Consulting to expand its digital transformation offerings. Creoal focuses on migrating Oracle-centric enterprise applications to a cloud-based offering, including ERP, human capital management, supply chain management. and enterprise performance management applications. Read more.
Bridge Core acquires teKnoluxion.
Bridge Core Federal has acquired teKnoluxion, appointed two industry veterans to its board of directors, and named the former chairman and CEO of Avantus as executive chairman. Bridge Core's acquisition reinforces its commitment to building a dominant mission-informed intelligence company. Read more
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
What happens if you take up a shoplifting habit that results in a felony?
If you've got a security clearance, incurring an arrest - or worse, a conviction - can jeopardize your chances of keeping that clearance. So what can you do to avoid letting a shoplifting slip up lead to a career implosion? (You know, other than “stop stealing stuff?”) Read more
One threat facing the world’s fastest supercomputer? Raccoons.
At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, an unlikely threat faces two of the world’s fastest supercomputers: raccoons and possums. The national lab's computers play a critical role in helping scientists build advanced models and process large datasets. But nearby nature also means that wildlife is able to access infrastructure that supports the lab’s science operations. Read more
Which American sports will return for 2028 Olympics in LA?
A few American sports could return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Baseball and flag football are among those that may be added by the International Olympic Committee, along with cricket, lacrosse, and squash. What sport do you think should be voted in? Read more
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