QUICK HITS
GovCon Growth Guide: Your playbook for AI, technology, and processes to help drive growth.
Army CIO issues memo: AI must comply with records rules, FOIA.
Rethinking software factories: Old models delivered slide decks and DIY platforms instead of process and people. Kessel Run to the rescue!
Nuclear weapon risk analysis and procurement: Labs dive deep into AI.
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DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Army revamps acquisition playbook with AAF and AIR.
The Army’s updated acquisition procedures just got a facelift—think less red tape, more adaptive pathways. The new PAM 70-3 swaps out “virtual in sight” for the Acquisition Information Repository (AIR), embraces the Adaptive Acquisition Framework (AAF), and adds semiannual reporting. Bureaucracy, meet modernization.
Congress reviews hypersonic weapons: budget, strategy, and stability.
A new report to Congress outlines the DOD’s $3.9B FY26 budget request for hypersonic weapons development. Despite growing investment, lawmakers remain concerned about the absence of a formal acquisition strategy and the broader implications for strategic stability and arms control.
DOD contractor evaluations under review.
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are advancing legislation to reform how the DOD assesses contractor performance. The proposed shift to a “negative-only” CPARS model aims to reduce subjectivity, improve consistency, and ensure evaluations focus on critical deficiencies rather than routine praise.
ICYMI:
Army RFI: Next Generation Load Device Medium SERD 2.0.
Navy RFI: NCIS Case Management System.
USSC headquarters relocation: From Colorado to Alabama.
Second B-21 Raider flight anticipated by year-end.
Depth-perception system enhances EOD robotics.
Defense Contract Awards
Follow the Defense Leaders
Defense Job Openings
CHART
GAO. “VA Acquisitions: Leadership Accountability and Savings Goals Needed to Improve Purchasing Efficiency.” GAO-25-107398. September 2, 2025.
INTEL COMMUNITY
Building the digital C-suite: Lessons from CIA’s security integration.
The CIA found that siloed CIO, CISO, and chief data officer roles slowed digital transformation, so it created a digital C-suite that integrates security, data, and IT strategy from the start of projects. This collaborative model streamlined operations and offers a blueprint for organizations pursuing AI-driven transformation.
ODNI 2.0 launched to shrink agency by 40%.
DNI Gabbard unveiled “ODNI 2.0,” a sweeping restructuring plan to reduce the ODNI’s workforce by over 40%—saving taxpayers more than $700M annually—while eliminating redundant or politicized offices. The overhaul merges functions like the Foreign Malign Influence Center into other divisions and shifts programs such as the National Intelligence University into the National Defense University.
ICYMI:
FBI RFI: CJIS IT Professional Environment.
TSC inked a $400M USSOCOM ISR Support contract.
ECS won a $3M FBI deal.
Guardian Defense won a $9M USSOCOM contract for psychological services.
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CIVILIAN
Microsoft’s OneGov deal: big discounts, bigger AI push.
Microsoft’s latest OneGov agreement with GSA could save federal agencies up to $3.1 billion in year one. The deal bundles deep discounts on cloud, cybersecurity, and AI tools like Copilot and Azure—plus some freebies for G5 customers.
NASA, NOAA launch trio: sun science heads to Lagrange Point.
NASA and NOAA are preparing three spacecraft—IMAP, Carruthers, and SWFO-L1—for launch to Lagrange Point 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. Their goal is to improve space weather forecasting, study solar particles, and better understand the heliosphere’s impact on Earth. Liftoff is scheduled for September 23.
DOE invests $35M: boosting energy tech from lab to market.
The DOE is putting $35 million behind 42 projects to fast-track emerging tech in AI, nuclear energy, grid security, and more. With $21M in cost-share from partners, the goal is clear: turn lab breakthroughs into commercial wins—and maybe make Monte Carlo simulations cool again.
ICYMI:
NOAA RFI: Commercial Enterprise Operations and Ground System Service.
OPM RFI: Federal HRIT Modernization.
Federal government to reevaluate SouthCoast Wind project approval.
Agencies tackle “technical debt” to meet WH’s data goals.
Civilian Contracts Awards
SAIC secured a $100M TSA Operational Test, Evaluation Services recompete.
Controller Bay inked a $13M DHA Mini Neurocognitive Assessment contract.
Swish Data won a $13M VA Forescout Hardware Maintenance & Support deal.
BTC Technologies booked a $4M Census Bureau Internet Data Collection Support contract.
Follow Civilian Leaders
Precise Software Solutions has a new CIO.
Reli Group named its Health Programs VP.
Civilian Job Openings
MACPAC needs a Finance Director.
SBA wants a District Director.
M&A CORNER
Valkyrie acquires OSC: boosting missile defense and space sensors.
Valkyrie Enterprises has acquired Optical Sciences Corporation to supercharge its hardware-in-the-loop testing for missile defense and space sensor systems. The move brings OSC’s EO/IR projector tech under Valkyrie’s roof—think sharper simulations, faster integration, and broader lab support nationwide.
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
US military kills 11 people on alleged drug boat from Venezuela: Gov’t blew up the Tren de Aragua boat instead of siezing the boat, crew. SOURCE↗︎
A Canadian was deported for drone spying at a Space Force base. Investigators found nearly 2,000 images and videos of sensitive defense infrastructure. SOURCE↗︎
A former X.AI researcher allegedly took Grok’s trade secrets to OpenAI. The stolen trade secrets could save OpenAI billions in R&D and highlights the fierce competition in the race to dominate AI. SOURCE↗︎
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