September 6, 2024

QUICK HITS

• DIU seeks commercial solutions to distribute data: The new project will streamline distribution across DOD networks.

• NGA will launch a $700M data labeling program this month: The contract will ask industry to provide AI, data labeling capabilities.

• Listen: The very first episode of NSA’s “No Such Podcast” talks all things SIGINT. How did the IC catch Osama Bin Laden?

• NSF invests $20M to develop and implement AI in geosciences: The grants will expand access to training opportunities for using AI.

GOVBREW INSIDER

• Check out this week’s 80+ opportunities from defense, civilian, and intel agencies.

• In this week's recompete report, our team uncovered 25+ upcoming IT Services opportunities for the Technology Transformation Service (TTS).

• 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.

Become a GovBrew Insider member to receive new reports weekly. Join here

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE

Congress to settle on $833B defense spending topline for FY25.

Congress will settle on a $833B defense budget—and a CR of unknown length, according to a HASC lawmaker who says “It looks like there's going to be another continuing resolution that will come up next week, probably the middle of next week. The debate has been: how long should that CR go?” Read more

ICBM's cost overruns a 'collective failure,' says USAF's chief buyer.

The competition to build the Air Force's next intercontinental ballistic missile was doomed from the start thanks to a flawed acquisition strategy that culminated in a “collective failure.” Some critics point to Northrop Grumman’s acquisition of one of just two large domestic rocket-motor producers as the doom moment in the project. Read more

DOD gears up for its next phase of JWCC.

DOD and its top IT officials are considering whether they should be adding more providers and streamlining its contracting process as it gears up for the next phase of the JWCC. Although DOD hasn’t offered clear timelines for the next phase of the contract, a senior member at DISA said his department is identifying additional requirements that need to be included in the next contract. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFP: USAF’s Finding Agile Solutions for Test (FAST) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) - Due Sept 30.

• Space Force to deploy aircraft-tracking satellites by 2030.

• SpaceX satellites with Tesat Terminals complete their first laser data exchange for military.

• The "Resilient GPS" program is encountering skepticism from Congress; USSF is defending it.

• DOD establishes policy to manage access to IT systems.

Defense Contract Awards

• Rise8 got a $75M SpaceWERX SBIR Phase 1 deal.

• Aleut Federal’s management services business won a $63M USSF Space, Intel, and Cyber Training contract.

• Raytheon inked a $405M USAF Joint Strike Fighter Program deal.

• Authorium booked a $1.2M AFWERX AI Enhancement Procurement contract.

Follow the Defense Leaders

• DOD names its new director of Cyber Academic Engagement Office.

• OUSD (A&S) has appointed a new senior technical advisor for price, cost, and finance.

Defense Job Openings

• Army Cyber Command needs an Executive Director.

• Navy needs a Deputy to the Commdr. for Resources Management.

TRIVIA 🤔

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

INTEL COMMUNITY

CIA looks to fast-track AI adoption through a cloud contract.

The CIA is pushing to adopt artificial intelligence capabilities into its cloud environment quickly but is aware of the computing power needed to support LLMs. The CIA awarded its Commercial Cloud Enterprise (C2E) contract to five cloud service providers in 2020: AWS, Microsoft, IBM, Google, and Oracle. Read more

US accuses Russia of running election disinformation campaign.

The DOJ has unsealed an indictment against Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, two Russian state media employees, on grounds that they violated the Foreign Agency Registration Act. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFP: WHS posts AI OSINT software support services opportunity.

• RFI: DARPA is seeking Microsystems Exploration. Due Sept 28.

• NGA introduced a pilot program for accrediting GEOINT AI models.

• DHS carries out maritime cybersecurity tabletop training with Japan.

• The CIA tapped a cybersecurity veteran to fill the China Specialist role.

CIVILIAN

Treasury on track to keep billions of dollars from going to fraudsters.

The Treasury Department is giving state unemployment offices access to its Do Not Pay database in a multi-pronged 'whole of government' strategy to avoid paying approximately four billion to fraudsters. Read more

Digital service migration to USA.gov: is it a step backward or long overdue?

USA.gov is changing, and the most visible representation of this transition is the shuttering of Benefits.gov, whose responsibilities will be absorbed by USA.gov. Incorporating standalone government websites into USA.gov is part of the GSA’s compliance with the E.O. on customer experience and service deliverability. Read more

ICYMI:

• RFP: NIH’s Module Announcement; Universal PatchinG and Remediation for Autonomous Defense (UPGRADE) - Due Oct 2.

• FedRAMP seeks input on automation platform configuration.

• NASA’s engineers tested the Starliner’s thrusters—and now they think the risks of equipment failure are too high to approve crew to board.

• ONCD issues guideposts to bolster internet routing security.

• White House sets off on its fall cyber hiring sprint.

Civilian Contracts Awards

• 7 companies won a spot in the $5B USAID Global Stability Support recompete.

• Accenture Federal Services inked a $75M USPTO IT & Patent Examination Modernization deal.

• SAIC bagged a $78M IRS TCloud Order contract.

• The Emmes Company booked a $51M NCI Logistics and IT Support Services.

Follow Civilian Leaders

• Maximus has a new CTO.

• IT leader named chairman, president, and CEO of Peraton.

Civilian Job Openings

• DOS needs an Executive Director.

• EPA needs a Water Division Director.

M&A CORNER

Blue Delta Capital Partners Invests in ITC Federal.

Blue Delta Capital makes a strategic move, investing in ITC Federal to enhance its government contracting portfolio. ITC Federal is a large enterprise services and solutions provider, dedicated to supporting the national security and law enforcement missions. Read more

Sovereign Capital now has the majority ownership of Advanced Technology Applications.

Cherokee Federal's new investment arm, Sovereign Capital, will primarily focus on founder-led companies, providing them with strategic guidance as part of the partnership. With that in mind, the company acquired a majority stake in Advanced Technology Applications. Read more

Redwire closes purchase of Hera Systems.

Redwire has closed its purchase of spacecraft developer Hera Systems; the company’s CEO said the acquisition marks a key milestone in the space infrastructure company’s growth strategy and enables it to provide customers with mission-critical capabilities in GEO. Read more

SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿

1. “Chinese agents” in NY. Linda Sun is the latest accused by federal prosecutors of being a secret agent. SOURCE↗︎ 

2. Acer has an AI laptop with 29 hours of battery life. Results may vary in the real world, but take your pick: Intel, Qualcomm, or AMD? SOURCE↗︎

GROW WITH GOVBREW

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help you:

1. Become a GovBrew Insider to keep your pipeline full. Weekly opportunities, recompete reports, agency forecasts, and much more. Learn more

2. Promote your brand to over 7,000 GovCon professionals by sponsoring this newsletter. Apply here

3. Follow us on LinkedIn for more GovCon coverage.

Share GovBrew, Win Cool Stuff!

Have colleagues who'd like our newsletter too? Click to share or give them your unique referral link (below) and get rewarded when they subscribe.

Or copy and paste this link to others: https://govbrew.co/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

PS: You have referred 0 people so far

TRIVIA ANSWER ⭐️

$12 billion — The U.S. government awarded contracts valued at about $12 billion to foreign-located firms, of which about $5 billion went to firms with reported locations in the other six main parties to the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and NAFTA. (source)