Digital News Coverage of Government Contracting and Federal Policy Landscape
2018 > September
Four Senators Approach 13 Agencies to Address Year-End Binge Spending
NASA to Conduct Final Orion Parachute Test in October
Report: DoD to End Pilot Program for NGA’s Geoint App Store in December
Gen. James McConville: Modernization Will Help Boost Logistics in Military
VA to Leverage AI to Reform Customer Service; Rosetta Lue Quoted
DoD Unveils Road Map to Boost Potential of Unmanned Systems
Study Shows Air Force Capacity Limitations in Responding to Potential Future Challenges
Patrick Shanahan: DoD Aims to Ensure Space Dominance Through ‘Right’ Technical Product, Capability
Capt. Don Harder: Navy’s NGEN Recompete Now an Outcome-Based Contract
Kirstjen Nielsen, Foreign Counterparts Issue Joint Statement on Encryption at Five Country Ministerial
GAO Recommends DoD Issue Criteria for Monitoring Utilities Contracts
NIST Unveils New Project to Advance Privacy Framework for Public Stakeholders
NDIA Study Finds That Policy Frameworks Complicate Defense Contracting
Energy Department to Perform 36 Bioenergy R&D Projects With $80M Budget
DoD’s John Rood: Space Sensor Layer Could Help US Prepare for Missile Attacks
GAO Warns of Cost, Schedule Risks to Coast Guard’s Icebreaker Shipbuilding Program
Karen Evans Takes Oath as Head of DOE Cybersecurity Office
House Passes Bill to Codify DHS Continuous Diagnostics & Mitigation
David May: Army Begins Five Design Updates to Fight Adversaries in Multidomain Operations
House OKs Motion to Kick Off Negotiations With Senate on $675B Defense Appropriations Bill
DHS S&T, USCG Hold Contest for Boater Safety Applications
Vice Adm. William Merz: Navy Eyes Force Structure Assessment in 2019
House Passes Bill to Increase DHS’ Public Transparency; Rep. John Carter Quoted
Eric Chewning: US, Allies Must Work to Safeguard Defense Industrial Base
DHS Secretary Issues Warning Against Cyber Attackers: ‘We Will Respond’
Ellen Lord: DoD to Release Defense Industrial Base Review Next Week
DOE Invests $80M in Transportation R&D
Sen. Mitch McConnell Commends Sen. Jim Inhofe’s Appointment as Armed Services Committee Chairman
Intell Community Seeks to Address Future Challenges With AI; Dawn Meyerriecks, Dan Coats Quoted
Heather Wilson: Air Force Backs White House’s Space Force Proposal
DoD Officials Highlight Global Challenges at Defense News Conference
Gen. John Murray: Army Should Extend Tenure for Procurement Personnel
State Dept. Vet Tina Kaidanow Appointed DoD International Cooperation Head
Edward Horowitz Named FirstNet Board Chair; Outgoing CEO Mike Poth to Join Private Sector
Intell Community Looks at Potential Benefits of AI, Automation to Analysts; Neil Wiley Quoted
Ken Rogers: State Dept. Eyes Cloud Optimization Approach
USAF Secretary Heather Wilson Stresses Need to Modernize Software Acquisition Process
Report: House Lawmakers Could Tie Defense Spending Bill to HHS-Labor-Education Appropriations Package
Nominee James Gfrerer Unveils Plans for Veterans Affairs Information & Technology
John Zangardi: DHS Will Modernize IT Systems Through $50B EIS Contract
State Dept’s Andrea Thompson: Dialogue Over International Norms of Behavior in Space Needed
Rep. Mike Coffman Urges Air Force to Procure Light Attack Aircraft
DoD IG Reviews Army Missile Defense System Development Plans
Vicki Hildebrand: Transportation Dept Eyes Crowdsourced Bug-Hunting Through ‘Cleansing Program’
USDA Extends Deadline of Proposals for New ERS, NIFA Headquarters; Sonny Perdue Quoted
Report: Navy Needs to Control Maintenance Costs for Weapons Systems
Report: Military Cyber Orgs Work to Finalize ‘Unified Platform’ Requirements
Army Tests New Anti-Drone Stinger Missile; Nears Approval
House Passes Bill to Address State-Sponsored Cyber Threats; Rep. Ed Royce Quoted
USCYBERCOM Chief Says Innovation Key to Staying Ahead in Cyberspace ‘Great Powers Competition’
Alan Thomas: GSA Eyes Major Changes to Schedules Program in 2019
Report: DHS Names Mark Kneidinger as National Risk Mgmt Center Deputy Chief in Series of Exec Moves
Elbit Systems’ Raanan Horowitz: US Industrial Base Policy Could Help Back National Security, Foreign Investment
VA to Establish Veterans Care Research Center
Equifax Acknowledges IT Shortcomings in GAO Audit Report on 2017 Data Breach
State Dept Official Andrea Thompson: New Policies Will Increase US Weapons Sales in 2019
Robert Work: Proposed Pentagon Reorganization Won’t Disrupt Establishment of Space Force
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer Introduces New Bill to Mitigate Data Breach Damage
GAO Recommends DoD, Navy to Update Requirements for Making Weapons Sustainment Strategies
Kay Ely: Air Force, GSA Establish New Purchasing Vehicle for IT Products
Army Demonstrates UH-60V Digital Cockpits in Limited User Test
Suzette Kent: Government Tech Innovation Must Be Priority
Congressional Negotiators OK FY 2019 Appropriations Package for VA, Energy & Water, Legislative Branch
Army Tests New EW Vehicle for Brigade Combat Applications
La’Naia Jones: Intelligence Community Aims to Advance AI With New Strategy for IT Enterprise Program
Kelly Olson: GSA Plans to Offer IT Modernization Updates at USDA Under CoE Program
DoD to Hold Meeting About Performance-Based & Progress Payments
Mike Madsen: DIU Will Appoint New Managing Director in Coming Weeks
Engineer Nick Guertin: Open Systems Approach Supports DoD Procurement Efforts
Congress to Review Modified 2019 Nuclear Weapons Spending Bill in Coming Days
Trump Issues Executive Order to Deter Foreign Election Interference
Senators Ask State Dept for Update on Multifactor Authentication Implementation
Report: DoD to Wait for Latest Software Before Kicking Off F-35 Initial Operational Test
Govt IT Vet Sam Musa Appointed as GPO Chief Information Officer
NASA Wraps Up Last Evaluation for Orion Parachute System
GSA Secures 15-Year Lease for DEA’s Virginia HQ
Neil Evans: VA Aims to Ensure Veteran Health Data Security Through ATO Process
Energy Department Launches Funding Opportunity for Direct Current Circuit Breakers
OMB Hosts Symposium on Federal Workforce Reorganization Plan
GAO Notes Decline in Procurement Competition Rate at the DoD
CBO: Attack Submarine Maintenance Work Less Expensive at Private Shipyards
Air Force Creates Solar-Powered Communications System
Army Research Program Initiates Development of Moving Target Defense Tech for Information Systems
House, Senate Negotiators Reach DoD-HHS-Labor-Education Appropriations Deal With Stopgap Measure
Alan Thomas: Next Phase of Awards Under Technology Modernization Fund to Advance
Report: GSA to Name Second Host Agency for IT Modernization CoEs Soon
Patrick Shanahan Issues Memo on DoD’s ‘Space Force’ Establishment Plan
Report: Cybercom Seeks Acquisition Authority Extension
NASA Appoints Jody Singer as Marshall Space Flight Center Director
DoD Officials: Digital Engineering Strategy Will Modernize Weapons Development Processes
House Votes to Authorize DHS Office to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction
USACE Completes Nuclear Decommissioning of STURGIS Ship
Congress Awards $80M Laser Energetics Funding to University of Rochester
House Passes Bill to Support Nuclear Research Partnerships; Sen. Mike Crapo Quoted
Bill to Establish National Quantum Initiative Passed at House
Report: Congress Wants Accountable Entity to Oversee EHR Modernization at DoD, VA
Gen. John Murray: Army Futures Command to Establish Innovation Lab
House Lawmakers Urge Intelligence Community to Look Into ‘Deep Fake’ Tech
Ellen Lord: DoD to Reward Contractors Through Progress or Performance Payments
Report Predicts DoD’s Artificial Intelligence RDT&E Budget to Reach $1.9B by Fiscal 2019
FAA Completes Nationwide Implementation of Drone Tracking System
Report: Navy Seeks Bigger Surface Ships for Upgrades, Future Weapons Systems
Researchers Call Out HHS for Lack of Standardized Data Sharing Protocols
NIST Issues Draft Guidance to Reduce Risks in IoT Product Adoptions
Holly Ridings Appointed NASA’s New Chief Flight Director
GAO Recommends DoD to Apply Standard Measures for Assessing Military Health Care Providers
Gen. David Goldfein: Air Force Wants Light-Attack Aircraft With Data Sharing Capability
GSA to Include Automated Contact Center Services SIN on IT Schedule 70
Heather Wilson: Air Force Eyes 24% Rise in Squadrons by 2030
Report: Army Gets $343M Funding Boost for Weapons, Munitions R&D in FY 2019 Budget Compromise
Trump Releases Strategy to Boost US Biodefense Enterprise
NSWC Crane, Indiana University Continue R&D Collaboration on AI, Software Assurance
USAF PEO Battle Management Redesignated With More Digital Focus
DIA Director Says US, China Becoming Enemies ‘Not a Foregone Conclusion’
Kirstjen Nielsen Confirms New Homeland Security Advisory Council Members
IARPA, Lockheed Researchers Prepare to Retrain Algorithms for Government Use
Soraya Correa: DHS Aims to Streamline Procurement Process Through Innovation Lab Boot Camp
DOE to Renew Joint Center for Energy Storage Research With $120M Investment
Pentagon Launches New Cyber Strategy
Senate OKs FY 2019 Minibus Spending Measure With Over $670B for DoD
HHS Invests Over $1B in Opioid Prevention Efforts
Researcher Calls for Appointment of Chief Data Officers at Federal Agencies
Lt. Gen. James Pasquarette: G-8 Should Streamline Tech Acquisition to Achieve Modernization Goals
HHS Launches Collaborative Program to Drive Innovation in US Healthcare Sector
NIST Estimates Encryption Standard’s Economic Benefit at $250B; Walter Copan Quoted
DOE Invests in R&D on Computer-Based Chemical Process Design
Trump Nominates Rep. Darrell Issa as USTDA Director
Vice Adm. Thomas Moore: NAVSEA Plans to Modify Maintenance Contract Strategy With Private Shipyards
Air Education and Training Command Proposes Using AI to Train Pilots; Steven Kwast Quoted
Patrick Shanahan: DoD to Evaluate Defense Industry Based on Cybersecurity
Navy Sets Date for LCS 22 Christening
Sen. Wyden Seeks to Provide Cybersecurity Assistance for Senators’ Personal Devices, Accounts
Report: Navy Leverages Artificial Intelligence Data to Perform Predictive Maintenance on Naval Aircraft
GSA’s Alan Thomas on Technology Modernization Fund, EIS Contract
Bill Would Allow White House to Pursue Gov’t Reform; Rep. Jody Hice Quoted
Report: White House Seeks More Feedback on Proposed GEAR Center
Air Force to Test New Contracting Process for Startups in October; Will Roper Quoted
Trump Issues National Cyber Strategy
Charles Riddle Appointed SEC Acting CIO
GSA, Marine Corps Sign Performance-Based Agreement for Product & Service Acquisitions
Report: Air Force Should Build Bomber Fleet With New, Modernized Planes
Senators Express Concern Over Discriminatory Implications of Facial Recognition Tech
Report: Senators Urge Congress to Halt USPS Privatization Plan
Proposed Bill Intends to Protect Consumer Privacy; Suzan Delbene Quoted
FAA Reauthorization Bill Includes Counter-Drone Provision
Army Telemedicine Research Center Showcases Modern Innovations for Medical Care
Report: Navy’s Amphibious Shipbuilding Efforts Get Funding Boost in FY 2019 Minibus Spending Bill
DoD Office Seeks to Integrate AI Into Military Programs; Chris Shank Quoted
Trump OKs FY 2019 Appropriations Minibus for VA, Military Construction, Energy & Water
Report: NASA Releases Space Exploration Roadmap
GSA Aims to Update Cloud Special Item Number on IT Schedule 70
NSTC Releases Document on National Quantum Information Science Strategy
Michael Brown Appointed Defense Innovation Unit Lead; Mike Griffin Quoted
Air Force to Slow Down Purchases of Hypersonic Weapons; Will Roper Quoted
Navy to Assess Force Composition for Possible Restructuring
Report: DHS to Set DevSecOps Requirements Before Managing Policies for Cloud Migration Operations
OMB Seeks Public Comments on Draft ‘Cloud Smart’ Strategy; Suzette Kent Quoted
Report: Army Eyes $31.6B Funding Shift to Armored Vehicles, Helicopters in FY 2020 Budget Request
Energy Department Awards 85 Contracts Worth $218M for Quantum Computing Research
DOE to Provide Funding for National Grid Management Efforts
Jim Evangelos: Modular Open Systems Will Help Modernize Military Tactical Radios
DoD, U.K. Select Academic Team for Bilateral Research Effort
Report: Marines to Launch F-35B for Initial Combat Mission Soon
Rep. Mac Thornberry, Sen. Jim Inhofe Raise Concern Over DoD’s Contractor Payment Proposal
Air Force Tests Conditions-Based Maintenance Approach on Aging Aircraft
GSA Picks Dept of Housing and Urban Dev’t for IT Centers of Excellence Program; Emily Murphy Quoted
James Geurts: Navy Needs Fleet Software Updates Within Days to Have Competitive Edge in the Battlefield
Congressional Lawmakers Underscore Need for US Leadership in AI in New Report
LaVerne Council: Agency CIOs Should Build ‘Digital Trust’ Through Employee Engagement
David Chow: Housing and Urban Development Dept Eyes Cybersecurity for Sixth Center of Excellence
GAO: Information Sharing Could Help Keep Competitive Edge in Synthetic Biology, Quantum Computing
Gen. Joseph Dunford Plans Tabletop Exercises for Proposed Space Command
FCC Issues Directives to Facilitate 5G Network Deployment
NIST Seeks Comments on Current Draft for IoT Guide
Rep. Jim Langevin, Former Congressman Patrick Murphy Named to Cyberspace Solarium Commission
Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Augment Federal CIO Role; Will Hurd Quoted
Report: Navy System Commands Can Now Give Up To $100M OTAs; James Geurts Quoted
Military Personnel, Senators Discuss DoD’s Cyber Operational Challenges at Senate Hearing
Senate Bill Seeks to Establish National AI Initiative
Heather Wilson: Air Force Should Encourage Competition for Procurement Efforts
Senate Homeland Security Committee OKs Two Bipartisan Bills on Cybersecurity
Navy Announces Commissioning Ceremony for Future USS Indiana
GAO: Small Business Administration’s Procurement Scorecard Needs to Inspire More Spending Confidence
NITRD Seeks Public Feedback on AI R&D Strategic Plan Revision
House Approves Proposed Legislation for Transparent Grant-Making Processes
JHU APL Demonstrates Light-Based Communications Technology in Navy Experiment
NASA Releases Roadmap for Future Space Exploration
Senate Panel OKs Government Reorganization Measure
Report: Jim Faist, Milan Nikolich Named Directors at DoD’s Research & Engineering Org
DoD, NASA, GSA Issue Final Rule on System for Award Management Registration