Digital News Coverage of Government Contracting and Federal Policy Landscape
2017 > February
Trump Cancels Plans to Ink Cybersecurity Executive Order
White House Details Exemptions to Federal Hiring Freeze
Air Force Program Seeks to Facilitate Combat Decision-Making Process Via Cloud
Air Force Concludes T-38C Trainer Aircraft Modification Effort
GAO: GSA Should Notify Tenant Agencies of Foreign-Owned Buildings
NASA Backs Foldable Small Satellite Radiator Development
Lt. Col. Dave Sousa: Marines Look at Lasers, Kinetic Tech Platforms Against Armed Drones
VA Secretary Nominee David Shulkin Eyes Veteran Care Services in Private Sector
ACSI Report: Federal Govt Services User Satisfaction Score Rose 6.4% in 2016
James Mattis’ Memo Eyes FY 2017 Budget Amendment to Address Warfighting Readiness
House GOP Urges Trump to Clarify Federal Hiring Freeze Memo
CBO: Intell Authorization Bill’s Unclassified Provisions to Cost $454M Over 5 Years
GAO: CMS Implemented 3 of 11 Recommendations on Medicaid Program Integrity
DoD Implements Mandatory Military Retirement System Training
NASA Enlists Students to Develop Glider for Weather Research, Forecasting
GAO: Air Force, Army Should Modify Human Capital Planning Strategies to Address UAS Pilot Shortage
DoD Exempts Certain Civilian Positions From Hiring Freeze
18F Cloud Platform Gets FedRAMP Provisional Authorization
Report: US Treasury Lifts IT Product Sales Ban on Russia
IRS Offers Free Electronic Tax Preparation for Mobile Device Users
GAO: DHS Should Establish Performance Evaluation Measures for NCCIC
Senate Committees OK Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s OMB Director Nomination
Joseph Jeu to Retire as DeCA Director & CEO in June
US Firms Launch Coalition to Back House Tax Reform Bill
NASA to Perform Series of Flights to Test New Interval Mgmt Software Tech
Gina Haspel Named CIA Deputy Director; Mike Pompeo Comments
Army’s Portable Ball Seeks to Provide Ground Satcom Support to Sustainment Units
CNAS, Bard College’s Center for the Study of the Drone Launch New Database on UAS
Gen. David Goldfein: Air Force Should Act As ‘Lead Service’ for DoD’s Space Operations
Report: DISA CTO David Mihelcic to Retire Before March
Defense News: Lack of Maintenance Budget Keeps 62% of Navy’s F/A-18 Jets from Flying
Navy Removes ‘Enterprise’ Aircraft Carrier From Active Service
Brig. Gen. Kirk Smith Named Deputy Commander of Special Ops Joint Task Force-Afghanistan
House Approves US-Israel Cyber Collaboration Bill; Rep. John Ratcliffe Comments
4 Senior Staff Join White House’s National Security Council
Report: Vincent Viola Drops Out of Consideration for Army Secretary Post
GAO: NNSA Should Consistently Monitor and Document R&D Projects
Janice Haith: Navy Saved $450M Through Software Consolidation Initiative
Rep. Mac Thornberry: Trump Should Consider $18B in Omitted Funds From 2017 NDAA for Supplemental Budget Request
DARPA Seeks to Address Viral Disease Outbreaks Via Nucleic Acid-Based Platform Devt Program
Adobe’s John Landwehr: MGT Act, FedRAMP’s Integration With Acquisition Process Key to Digital Govt
Richard Ledgett to Retire as NSA Deputy Director
Defense News: Air Force to Decide on B-52 Engine Replacement Program Soon
Air Force Starts B-2 Bomber Upgrade Tests
GAO Examines Military Depot Workload Fluctuation in Fiscal Years 2012-2015
Marine Corps Eyes Rifle-Mounted Laser Range Finder for Infrantry Missions
State Dept’s Michele Markoff: UN Group Should Encourage Member States to Adopt Existing Cyber Rules
GAO: CMS Should Ensure Quality of Medicaid Data for Oversight Purposes
House Approves Email Privacy Bill in Unanimous Vote
Navy Rolls Out Enterprise-Wide Healthcare Resource App
Jason Gray: Cross-Agency Collaboration Key to FITARA Implementation
House Committee Report: Airports Lack ‘Full Employee Screening’ at Access Points
DHS to Showcase Cybersecurity Tech Platforms at RSA 2017 Conference
Air Force Tests C-130J Hardware, Software Upgrades
Australian F-35, EA-18G Jets to Debut in March
NASA Develops Silicon X-Ray Mirror Production Technique
Reports: Air Force to Operate A-10 Aircraft Through 2021
Stratcom, Belgium’s Federal Science Policy Office Enter Space Data, Service Sharing Pact
DHS Secretary John Kelly Backs ‘Critical’ Designation for US Election Infrastructure
Former Transportation CIO Richard Mckinney Details Agency’s Network Security Mgmt Effort
Report: White House Eyes Approval of Missile, F-16 Sale to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain
Profile: Lt. Gen. Wendy Masiello, Defense Contract Management Agency Director
GAO: DHS Needs to Work With Partners to Coordinate Critical infrastructure Access Control Efforts
CBO: Federal Budget Deficit at $159B After 4 Months of FY 2017
GAO: Public Debt-to-GDP Ratio to Surpass Historical High Within 15 Years
Lawmakers Request CBO Cost Estimates for 355-Ship Navy Plan
GAO: VA Personnel Should Modernize Current IT Systems
FDA Clears Army-Backed Hemorrhagic Shock Detection Tech
Senate Confirms Jeff Sessions as US Attorney General
IARPA Program Seeks to Build Up Analytic Reasoning Through Crowdsourcing-Based Platforms
Air Force Gen. David Goldfein Looks to Incorporate Space Into Joint Warfighting Domain
DHS S&T Directorate Unveils New Bluetooth Access Control Capacity for Virtual Mobile Infrastructure
Profile: John Brennan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Resources in Bureau of Consular Affairs
Stratcom Begins 2017 Professional Devt Program for Civilian Employees
GAO: CBP Should Standardize Info Tracking Guidance for Supply Chain Security Program
Navy to Merge Drone Programs With Other Directorates Under Reorganization
Gen. Daniel Allyn: Army Needs Funds to Equip, Train Soldiers
Navy Tests Updated Helmet Mounted Display Tech for F-35C Pilots
Army Seeks Cyber Strategic Force Integration in Tactical Missions
Reuters: DHS Report Pegs US-Mexico Border Wall Cost at $22B
Rep. Tom Price Confirmed as HHS Secretary
Lawmakers Ask House Committee to Investigate Trump Administration’s Cyber Practices
Air Force Conducts Minuteman III Missile Flight Test
US Remains Vigilant as North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile
NASA Transition Team Member’s Email Suggests Internal ‘Old Space’ Vs ‘New Space’ Competition
Sen. John McCain: Full-Year CR More Likely If Trump’s Budget Deal Lacks Enough Domestic Spending
NIST, GSA Launch Nationwide Cybersecurity Survey
Report: Israel’s Defense Contractors Have Pulled In $1.03B in F-35 Contracts Since 2010
Air Force, NASA Fund Research to Improve Wind Predictions at Space Launch Complexes
Sen. James Lankford Talks General Schedule System, Federal Hiring Process at Senate Hearing
Sen. Ron Wyden Asks FBI to Address Limitations of Bureau’s Updated FOIA Request Policy
NASA, University of Miami Researchers Partner to Develop Solid-State Battery for Microsatellites
Mitre Study Suggests Navy Needs 414 Ship-Fleet
Republican Senators Urge White House to Consider ‘Principled’ Approach Toward Russia
GAO: DoD, DHS, HHS Need to Adopt Existing Tools to Coordinate Pandemic Response Efforts
Army’s Cyber Team Launches Career Management Program for Civilians
David Shulkin Confirmed as Veterans Affairs Secretary
GAO: DHS, FBI Should Formally Conduct Bioforensics Capability Gap Analysis
Inspector General: NASA Should Coordinate Physical & Cyber Security Efforts
Steven Mnuchin Confirmed, Sworn In as Treasury Secretary
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn Resigns
Army Achieves 38% Reduction in Enterprise Data Centers Under Consolidation Plan
Upper Atmosphere Emission Radiometer on TIMED Spacecraft Marks 15 Years in Orbit
Rear Adm. David Lewis: SPAWAR’s 2017 Strategic Plan Aims to Streamline C4ISR, IT Service Delivery
CBO: US Nuclear Weapon Programs to Cost $400B Through 2026
36-Year Army Vet Keith Kellogg to Serve as Acting Natl Security Adviser
Report: Air Force’s X-37B Space Plane to Conduct Exercise in Orbit
Marines Test New Small Unmanned Aerial ISR Platform
Jens Stoltenberg: Defense Ministers to Tackle Security Challenges at NATO Meeting in Brussels
Joseph Clancy to Retire as Secret Service Director
GAO Recommends Strategies to Boost Federal IT System Security
James Mattis Urges NATO Allies to Increase Defense Spending
Naval Station Mayport to Be MQ-4C Triton’s East Coast Base
GAO Adds Federal Indian Programs, Environmental Liabilities, 2020 Census to High-Risk List
NASA, University of Alabama Plan Follow-On Earth Lightning Study from Space Station
DoD Implements Updated Military EHR System at Fairchild AF Base
Senate Bill Seeks Cyber Skills Database for National Guard, Reserve Units
Report: Alma Cole Returns to CBP as Chief Info Security Officer
NASA Eyes Potential Astronaut Deployment on 1st SLS-Orion Flight; Lockheed’s Allison Miller Comments
Rear Adm. Hugh Wetherald Named Warfare Integration Director at CNO Office
Federal News Radio: White House Eyes New Executive Order on Govt Reorganization
Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan Talks F-35 Production, Price Reduction Efforts at House Hearing
Navy Scientists Will Launch Space Experiments to ISS
Rep. Mick Mulvaney Gets Senate Approval to Head OMB
FIU Law School Dean R. Alexander Acosta to Be Nominated Labor Secretary
Army Cyber Mission Force to Utilize Virtual Effects in Fight Against Militant Groups
GAO: NASA Needs Contingency Plan Amid Commercial Crew Program Delay
Gen. Joseph Dunford Talks US-Russia Military Relations With Russian Counterpart
NGA Seeks New CIO, Assistant Director
Lt. Gen. HR McMaster Named National Security Adviser
NASA Selects 34 CubeSats for Space Tech Demonstration Missions
FedRAMP Seeks Comments on ‘Tailored’ Baseline for Low-Risk Cloud Services
Report: Trump Eyes Boeing Super Hornet Combat Jet Order
Brig. Gen. Mark Baird Named Air Force Space Program Director
GAO Recommends DHS to Build on Mgmt Function Efforts
GSA to Hold Acquisition Training Forum in Alabama
Air Force Tests Lockheed-Built F-35A Capacity Against Aggressor Aircraft & Simulated Threats
GSA IG: Agency’s TTS & IT Office Should Address 18F Compliance with IT Security Policy
James Mattis Instructs Pentagon to Create AT&L Reform Implementation Plan, Review Military Dept Functions
Brookings Institution: Federal Govt Has Created 7 New Cabinet Agencies Since 1960
Senate Approves 2017 NASA Authorization Bill
Army Fields Cloud-Based System for Ammo Management
Air Mobility Command Deploys Helicopters to Support Operation Atlantic Resolve
GAO: CBP Should Update Guidance on UAS, Aerostat Mission Data Collection
Navy, Air Force Research Labs Collaborate on UAV Guidance Software Development
NCCA Approves NGA’s GEOINT Fundamentals, Imagery Analysis Certification Programs
Federal News Radio: Aaron Snow to Leave GSA by Feb. 28
CBO: Bill to Discontinue Printed Federal Register Notices Would Save GPO $1M Annually
Brig. Gen. Christopher Azzano Named AFMC Air, Space, Cyberspace Operations Director
Gen. Joseph Dunford: DoD’s Counter-Threat Strategies to Support Joint Force Readiness
Gen. David Goldfein: Air Force to Seek Funds in Supplemental Budget for Light Attack Aircraft Flight Demo
DoD Seeks to Speed Up Software Devt Via Open Source Initiative
Vice Adm. Jan Tighe: Navy Creates Digital Warfare Office to Promote Data Use
NGA Holds Hackathon to Encourage Devt of Emergency Response Tech Platforms
CBO: Navy’s Ship Procurement in 2017 Plan to Cost $566B Over 30 Years
Navy to Provide Info Warfare Training Via New Center
FAA Issues Updated List of Potential UAS Sighting Reports
Adm. Michael Rogers Unveils Strategic Goals for Cybercom
Commerce Dept Seeks Comments on Revised Confidentiality Pledge in BEA Surveys
Former Army Reserve Intell Officer Philip Bilden Drops Out of Navy Secretary Nomination
Bill Gerstenmaier: NASA Examines Pros, Cons of Crewed SLS/Orion Mission
NY Guardsmen to Help Test Orion Spacecraft Recovery Gear Under Joint NASA-DoD Mission
Lt. Gen. William Bender Issues Endpoint Visibility Platform Deployment Directive for Air Force
Trump Orders Federal Agencies to Implement Regulatory Reform Initiatives
Air Force to Transition to General Atomics-Built MQ-9 Reapers
GAO: DOE, DHS, FERC Implement 27 Federal Efforts to Increase Power Grid Resiliency
Reports: Trump’s Budget Proposal to Include 10% Defense Spending Boost
CBO: House’s Social Security Fraud Prevention Bill Would Not Have Significant Cost Over 5 Years
VA Seeks New Deputy CIO for Info Security
Gen. Hawk Carlisle: F-35 to Join Fight Against ISIS Group in Near Future
Gen. David Goldfein Highlights Air Force’s Readiness Priorities, Warfare Approaches
DOE: ARPA-E Projects Obtained Nearly $2B in Private Sector Funds Since 2009