Good morning. If you’ll be in Orlando for I/ITSEC, we’d love to meet you. GovBrew is hosting a casual happy hour on Monday, December 1, at 6 PM at The Still Lounge. Stop by, grab a drink, and connect with your fellow GovCon professionals. RSVP here. Interested in sponsoring this event? Reach out to Chris Riddick at [email protected] to learn more.
—The GovBrew Crew
QUICK HITS
Proposal chasing: The addictive GovCon habit that’s costing you more than you think.
Pentagon’s push for faster weapons: Industry gets 60 days to deliver.
Trust as a strategic advantage: Reimagining America’s approach to innovation.
Golden Dome: Experts warn SBIs must be defended from attack.
DEFENSE & AEROSPACE
Pentagon faces FY26 budget uncertainty after record shutdown.
The 43-day government shutdown is over, but the Pentagon’s FY26 budget still faces turbulence. Lawmakers passed a stopgap deal funding select areas, while defense committees push competing proposals. Expect delays in contract awards and acquisition programs as DOD navigates a flat base budget and heavy reliance on reconciliation funds.
Pentagon rallies agencies to tackle growing drone threat.
Pentagon leaders convened an interagency meeting at the White House to boost U.S. counter-drone cooperation. With small drones evolving faster than acquisition cycles, officials stressed integrating sensors, effectors, and mission command into a unified network.
Pentagon prioritizes speed in weapons buys—at what cost?
The Pentagon’s “Arsenal of Freedom” strategy flips the acquisition script: speed first, cost last. Officials say faster buys won’t break the bank, but analysts warn that more competition and supply chain incentives could strain a flat budget.
ICYMI:
DIU RFI: Advanced construction techniques to modernize barracks.
USSF rolls out three new jammers to disrupt Chinese and Russian satellites.
OpenAI’s GPT-OSS lands on military servers.
USAF using AI to plan storage for munitions.
Defense Contract Awards
Follow the Defense Leaders
Virtualistics named its Public Policy & Planning VP.
Kymeta welcomed a new President, CEO.
Defense Job Openings
USACE is hiring a Program Manager.
NAVSEA is seeking a Manager.
COMPLIANCE CORNER
End of year DCAA prep
As we sprint toward the end of the year, here are some things to start planning for to keep the DCAA happy. Start by finalizing indirect rates, scrubbing unallowable costs, and reconciling labor charges to SOWs and CLINs. Ensure timesheets are current, supervisors have approved all hours, and PTO and fringe costs are posted correctly. Clean up billing backlogs, resolve invoice rejects, and align provisional rates with actuals. Update written policies, timekeeping, travel, accounting, and purchasing, so they match real practices. For cost-type contractors, begin assembling ICE schedules and subcontractor documentation now. Year-end preparation reduces audit risk and strengthens pricing for 2026 opportunities. The agency has put together some tools and checklists to help you stay on target with these tasks. DCAA checklists and tools.
TRIVIA 🤔
What was the first amphibious landing in U.S. Marine Corps history?
Just click the choice you think is right & the correct answer will be shown. Scroll down to the bottom of this email for more information about the correct answer.
INTEL COMMUNITY
Half the world’s satellites are leaking unencrypted data from phones, planes, and even the military.
A new study shows that nearly half of all satellites orbiting Earth are leaking unencrypted data, allowing anyone with basic radio equipment to intercept information from phones, ships, airplanes, and even sensitive government systems. Researchers warn that this widespread lack of encryption poses a massive global privacy and security risk, especially as satellite networks continue to expand.
“Project Kuiper” no more: Amazon renames satellite internet venture “Leo” on the path to commercial service.
Amazon has rebranded its satellite-internet initiative — formerly known as Project Kuiper — to “Amazon Leo”, reflecting the venture’s focus on low-Earth-orbit (LEO) connectivity. The renamed program has already launched over 150 satellites and aims to build out a constellation of more than 3,200 craft to bring high-speed broadband to underserved regions.
ICYMI:
Secret Service RFI: ATTLA Certification.
SOCOM seeks industry partners to train commandos in building, piloting FPV drones.
ArL3Harris Interstate Electronics Corp won a $41M mod from SSC for Military GPS User Equipment.
GOVBREW INSIDER
Check out this week’s 35+ opportunities from defense, civilian, and intel agencies.
Our team uncovered 50+ upcoming IT services opportunities at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (PRISONS) 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.
Become a GovBrew Insider member to receive new reports weekly. Join here
CIVILIAN
Congress ties VA EHR funding to proof of success.
Congress has approved $3.4 billion for the VA’s EHRM program, but will withhold 30% of the funds until the agency provides accurate cost estimates, deployment timelines, and completes four site implementations.
DOE and NRC leaders advocate for accelerated nuclear licensing.
At the ANS Winter Conference, DOE and NRC officials emphasized the urgency of streamlining nuclear licensing processes, particularly for advanced and small modular reactors. They want to reduce regulatory delays to enable faster deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies.
SBA clears VetCert backlog, speeds up veteran business certifications.
The SBA wiped out a 2,700-case backlog in its Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) program, cutting average processing time to just 12 days. With staffing and funding restored, veteran-owned businesses can now compete for federal contracts without delay.
ICYMI:
CBP RFI: Facilities and Asset Management.
USCG RFI: Enterprise Physical Access Control System.
Lockheed Martin’s lunar inflatable habitat clears crucial burst test.
Immigration courts are understaffed, overwhelmed.
Civilian Contracts Awards
Follow Civilian Leaders
Axiom Space welcomed its new CLO, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary.
Maximus has a new CGO.
FDA welcomed its CDER Director.
Civilian Job Openings
FRTIB wants a Chief Privacy Officer.
CBP needs a Program Manager.
GET SEEN
Elevate your brand and expand your reach with GovBrew, the industry’s most reliable source for GovCon pros. Reach top figures and decision-makers across the government contracting industry. When you advertise with GovBrew, you can really make an impact. Get started here.
M&A CORNER
Armada expands naval capabilities through Poseidon Industrial acquisition.
Armada has acquired Poseidon Industrial LLC to strengthen its ship repair, modernization, and systems integration services for the U.S. Navy. This strategic move enhances Armada’s ability to deliver comprehensive lifecycle support and defense solutions.
Firefly buys Scitec, rockets deeper into the defense market.
Firefly Aerospace just strapped a booster to its defense ambitions by acquiring Scitec. The deal strengthens Firefly’s responsive space capabilities and positions it as a go-to player for national security missions.
ICYMI:
Forterra secures $238M to expand autonomous defense systems.
CHAOS Industries raises $510M led by Valor Equity Partners.
SHOWER THOUGHTS 🚿
Imagine talking to holograms of your deceased loved ones. A new AI company allows you to create avatars of your dead family members. SOURCE↗︎
Renaming the DOD could cost $2B. An E.O. in September renamed the agency as the Department of War, though the change remains subject to congressional approval. SOURCE↗︎
No more pennies? The U.S. Mint made the last one. 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 10,000+ GovCon professionals by sponsoring this newsletter. Apply here
3. Follow us on LinkedIn for more GovCon coverage.
SHARE GOVBREW
Share GovBrew with your GovCon colleagues, acquire free swag, and then tell them where you got it.
We’re saying we’ll give you free stuff and bragging rights if you share a link. One link.
Your referral count: {{ rp_num_referrals }}
Or copy and paste your referral link to others:
{{ rp_refer_url }}
TRIVIA ANSWER ⭐️
A) The Battle of New Providence (1776) — In March 1776, Continental Marines carried out the first U.S. amphibious landing in the Bahamas, seizing British gunpowder stores on New Providence Island. It's considered the Corps' first successful expeditionary assault.
