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Brillient to Deliver Digitalization Solutions for IRS EDCMO; Ed Burrows, Richard Jacik Quoted
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Brillient to Deliver Digitalization Solutions for IRS EDCMO; Ed Burrows, Richard Jacik Quoted

Brillient Corporation announced on Tuesday that the company has received a new contract to deliver digitalization solutions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Enterprise Digitalization and Case Management Office (EDCMO) for the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Solution Challenge. 

"The IRS EDCMO is at the forefront of digital transformation in the federal government. Brillient is delighted to provide a solution that uses the best technology available to extract machine-readable data from low resolution, poor quality digital images and make them compliant with IRS systems," said Ed Burrows, vice president of Intelligent Solutions. 

Brillient will provide a range of full-spectrum digital transformation solutions to assist the IRS in extracting machine-readable data from existing low-resolution digital images. The company will also deploy its AI-enabled intelligent data capture solutions to integrate digital source data into analytics-ready repositories for the Pilot IRS Solution Challenge. 

"Our solutions engineering approach is designed to identify quantifiable returns for advanced technology solutions. Our solution for IRS is built on years of experience transforming and automating federal processes with emergent technologies. We're pleased to expand our support of Treasury with this important initiative,” Richard Jacik, Brillient's Chief Digital Officer added. 

About Brillient

Brillient is an award-winning Full-Spectrum Digital Transformation company enabling clients to transform through the continuum of analog, to digital, to analytics leading to insight-driven decision making and mission execution. We help clients achieve better efficiencies and lower costs in their digital government and IT modernization initiatives enabling friction-free interaction with citizens and business.

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Octo Secures DISA Contract for Teleport Integration and Implementation; CEO Mehul Sanghani Quoted
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Octo Secures DISA Contract for Teleport Integration and Implementation; CEO Mehul Sanghani Quoted

Octo Consulting announced on Tuesday that the company has been awarded, alongside prime partner Kingfisher Systems, a potential five-year, $14 million Teleport Program Integration and Implementation (I&I), Logistics, and Configuration Management Support contract by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). 

“DISA and DoD warfighter support missions make our nation safer. That Octo can contribute to this effort by implementing the power of cutting-edge technology is a true honor that reflects our technologists’ expertise and dedication to service,” said Octo CEO Mehul Sanghani. “We look forward to working with Kingfisher to ensure access to critical satellite communication.” 

Octo combined its satellite integration expertise with Kingfisher’s leadership in Mission Information Technology to support DISA at Fort George Meade, Maryland, DISA Headquarters Campus, DISA Field Command locations, and Department of Defense (DoD) Gateways.

DISA provides critical DoD Teleport System Gateway support to deployed forces by delivering seamless access to worldwide satellite communication services. In support of this program, Kingfisher’s operational and technical subject matter experts will provide program management, configuration management, information management, life cycle logistics, and implementation and integration services.

We are excited that we can continue to serve DISA in support of this critical mission. With Kingfisher, we combine our operational and subject matter expertise to deliver state of the art modernization,” James Vant, general manager of Octo's Defense Business Unit. “We look forward to helping DISA keep up with evolving technology and provide worldwide support to the DoD Teleport System.”

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4 Space Execs Added to Slingshot Aerospace’s Advisory Board; Melanie Stricklan Quoted
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4 Space Execs Added to Slingshot Aerospace’s Advisory Board; Melanie Stricklan Quoted

Slingshot Aerospace has named four executives with industry, government and academia experience to join its advisory board as the simulation and analytics company works to deliver space domain-focused technologies to customers.

The company said Monday the new advisors are Dan Berkenstock, founder and former CEO of Skybox and former research associate at NASA; Kathleen Howell, a Hsu Lo Distinguished Professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University; Kevin O’Connell, fomer director of the Office of Space Commerce; and Mandy Vaughn, former president and CEO of Virgin Orbit subsidiary VOX Space.

Melanie Stricklan, co-founder and CEO of Slingshot Aerospace, commented that the new appointees will help the company achieve its goal of creating space sustainability. "Each person will be invaluable to our team as we build technologies that provide a full, dynamic picture of the space domain, allowing our customers to make decisions at the speed of relevance," she added.

Berkenstock will bring his over two decades of industry experience to his new role, while Howell will cotribute insight gained from serving at Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics since 1982.

O’Connell, on the other hand, is an entrepreneur and business leader who also has 35 years of government and research organization experience. As the director of the Office of Space Commerce, he led space commerce policy activities within the Department of Commerce.

Meanwhile, Vaughn was responsible for overseeing VOX Space and its delivery of satellite launch services. She has over two decades of experience in the space industry.

Slingshot Aerospace also appointed Belinda Marchand as director of astrodynamics and research and development, and Alonso Segura as senior director of space systems accounts. Marchand has almost three decades of industry and academia experience while Segura is the former deputy chief of Rapid Development Division for the U.S. Space Force.

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Victoria Coleman: USAF Must Adopt Zero-Trust Approach for Microchip Security
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Victoria Coleman: USAF Must Adopt Zero-Trust Approach for Microchip Security

Victoria Coleman, chief scientist of the U.S. Air Force, has urged the service branch to adopt a zero-trust approach for securing microprocessor chips in military computing and weapon systems, FedScoop reported Monday.

The former Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency director noted that a zero-trust architecture has the potential to avert the domino effect that a compromised part could have on a whole system.

“You don’t have to wait too long before another news story comes out about another vulnerability that was just discovered,” Coleman said at a Hudson Institute-hosted virtual event Monday.

USAF began migrating some mission-critical applications to a zero-trust environment in January as part of its push for tighter network security amid remote work arrangements.

Separately, the Defense Information Systems Agency released DOD’s initial zero-trust reference architecture in May to help military branches prevent unauthorized access to mission-critical assets.

The Hanscom AF Base in Massachusetts recently teamed up with the Air Combat Command’s cyberspace and information dominance unit to develop a software-based perimeter with zero-trust tools.

Victoria Coleman: USAF Must Adopt Zero-Trust Approach for Microchip Security

ExecutiveBiz, sister site of ExecutiveGov, will host the “Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations” forum on Oct. 26. Join the virtual event to hear from experts in industry as they share insights on the security challenges facing both the public and private sectors.

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Planet Lab’s Federal Arm to Integrate Basemaps Into NASS Agricultural Monitoring Process
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Planet Lab’s Federal Arm to Integrate Basemaps Into NASS Agricultural Monitoring Process

The federal business of Planet Labs has secured a contract to provide satellite imagery products to the Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service for use in crop production assessments at the state and country level. 

NASS will incorporate basemaps into its data collection and analysis workflows as the agency is seeking spatial and temporal granularities for this year's domestic farming season, Planet said Monday.

The company intends for its satellite data to help NASS analyze observations of disaster response scenarios that are hard to do with a medium-resolution optical system.

Rick Mueller, head of the spatial analysis research section at NASS, said using datasets from Planet will allow the agency to "understand and quantify trends in upcoming growing seasons, identify regions prone to drought stress and natural disasters, and provide high resolution assessments of crop production.”

“It’s encouraging to see this group integrate commercial datasets and products into their workflows, and we’re eager to see how accurate and timely Planet data contributes to their 2021 growing season assessment," said Vince Hurley, the company's federal civilian account executive.

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OIG Calls for USAID to Implement Additional Privacy Controls to Protect Personal Data
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OIG Calls for USAID to Implement Additional Privacy Controls to Protect Personal Data

The office of inspector general at the U.S. Agency for International Development has issued an audit report saying USAID has implemented key components of an effective privacy program but needs to carry out additional controls to safeguard personally identifiable information and mitigate the risk of a privacy breach.

OIG offered five recommendations for USAID’s chief information officer to enhance the effectiveness of the agency’s privacy program, including developing and implementing written procedures to periodically assess the effectiveness of the rules for its data loss prevention tool, according to the report published Aug. 11.

USAID should also offer role-based privacy training to staff by revising the “Information Technology Security Training – Policy, Standards, Guidelines, and Plan” and update and implement the agency's Social Security number reduction plan and system of records notice standard operating procedure to align with current requirements for assessing and updating SORNs.

The IG called on the director of web management within the agency’s bureau of legislative and public affairs to create and implement a plan to keep a complete inventory of third-party websites.

“These key elements of a privacy program are needed to protect PII and provide the public with sufficient information about records containing their information so that they know how their PII is safeguarded against misuse. Acting now would also guard against loss, unauthorized use, and lack of trust in the organization and limit risks related to litigation and compensation to the victims,” the report reads.

Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations

ExecutiveBiz, sister site of GovConDaily and part of the Executive Mosaic digital media umbrella, will host a virtual event about securing the supply chain on Oct. 26. Visit ExecutiveBiz.com to sign up for the “Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations” event.

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IG Offers Recommendations for State Dept’s Office of Science and Technology Adviser
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IG Offers Recommendations for State Dept’s Office of Science and Technology Adviser

The State Department’s office of inspector general has recommended that the office of the science and technology adviser to the secretary come up and communicate to personnel a plan to implement its functional bureau strategy and develop and train staff on clearance procedures in compliance with the department’s guidelines.

STAS should create procedures that delineate the responsibilities and roles of regional technology and regional environmental, science, technology and health officers, submit a statement of policy areas of responsibilities and nominate a contracting officer’s representative to help manage contracts associated with American Association for the Advancement of Science and Jefferson Science Fellowship programs, according to an IG report published in August.

STAS, which advises the department’s leadership on artificial intelligence, 5G, quantum computing and other emerging technologies, agreed with all five recommendations and noted that it expects to address them before the end of 2021.

OIG examined STAS’ policy implementation, executive direction, resource management and operational effectiveness and found that frequent leadership turnover resulted in challenges for the office. The inspector general also found that STAS did not use its FBS to facilitate and enhance office performance.

The report also noted accomplishments to meet U.S. data integrity goals, such as STAS' efforts to work with other government agencies, academia and nongovernmental institutions “to advance the candidacy of the United States as the new host of the World Data System’s International Program Office.”

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US, Singapore Strengthen Cybersecurity Cooperation; Jen Easterly Quoted
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US, Singapore Strengthen Cybersecurity Cooperation; Jen Easterly Quoted

The U.S. and Singapore will expand cybersecurity cooperation under a memorandum of understanding.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and David Koh, CEO of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, signed the MOU that seeks to promote information sharing, facilitate collaboration through joint exercises, advance cyber exchanges between the two countries and expand research and development efforts, CISA said Monday.

“The MOU allows us to strengthen our existing partnership with Singapore so that we can more effectively work together to collectively defend against the threats of today and secure against the risks of tomorrow,” said Easterly.

“Singapore and the United States share deep mutual interests in enhancing cybersecurity cooperation, particularly as cybersecurity has become a key enabler for both countries to leverage the benefits of digitalization to grow our economies and improve the lives of our people,” Koh said.

CISA said the MOU on cybersecurity is one of the agreements announced during Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Singapore.

Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations

ExecutiveBiz, sister site of GovConDaily and part of the Executive Mosaic digital media umbrella, will host a virtual event about securing the supply chain on Oct. 26. Visit ExecutiveBiz.com to sign up for the “Supply Chain Cybersecurity: Revelations and Innovations” event.

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STARCOM Launches as Space Force’s Final Field Command; Gen. John Raymond Quoted
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STARCOM Launches as Space Force’s Final Field Command; Gen. John Raymond Quoted

The Department of the Air Force officially launched the U.S. Space Force’s final field command during a ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Monday.

Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Shawn Bratton assumed leadership of Space Training and Readiness Command after Frank Kendall, secretary of the Air Force and a three-time Wash100 awardee, approved STARCOM’s organizational structure on Aug. 13, the Space Force said Monday.

“The stand-up of STARCOM is a critical step in aligning education, training, and test and evaluation units under one command, in support of the nation’s newest military Service,” said Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, chief of space operations and a 2021 Wash100 Award winner.

“With our three field commands and commanders now in place, we continue to transition from inventing the force to integrating it, with a targeted focus on developing combat-ready space forces and delivering critical space warfighting capabilities to joint and coalition forces,” added Raymond.

Col. Todd Moore will elevate to the rank of brigadier general in September and serve as deputy commander of STARCOM. Chief Master Sgt. James Seballes will serve as the new field command’s senior enlisted leader.

STARCOM will be composed of five subordinate deltas. Space Delta 1 will focus on training, Delta 10 on doctrine and wargaming, Delta 11 on range and aggressor, Delta 12 on test and evaluation and Delta 13 on education.

Delta 1 will operate at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The locations of the new command’s headquarters and the other four deltas have yet to be determined.

Space Acquisition Forum

GovCon Wire will hold its Space Acquisition Forum on Sept. 14. Click here to register for the virtual forum to hear from defense officials as they share their insights on military acquisition reform and modernization efforts.

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DHS Taps Oceanit to Develop Sensor Spoofing Detection Tech; Kathryn Coulter Mitchell Quoted
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DHS Taps Oceanit to Develop Sensor Spoofing Detection Tech; Kathryn Coulter Mitchell Quoted

Oceanit Laboratories has received a $949,999 grant from the Department of Homeland Security to develop spoof-resistant sensor technology as part of the Small Business Innovation Research Program.

Under the 24-month contract, Oceanit will aim to create a prototype for the second phase of its remote sensor spoofing detection and correction project with the department, DHS said Monday.

The goal of the project is to address the physical and security limitations that make networked sensors spoof-vulnerable in austere environments.

"The development of an advanced system that not only provides valuable data but also protects it from manipulation will allow law enforcement to accurately and efficiently monitor operational situations," said Kathryn Coulter Mitchell, senior official performing the duties of the DHS undersecretary for science and technology.

DHS asked Oceanit to continue research and development work after the company demonstrated the feasibility of its Remote Sensor Data Protection and Anti-Spoofing concept during the SBIR Program's first phase.

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