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U.S. Contractors Continue Efforts to Evacuate Personnel From Afghanistan; Howard Lind Quoted
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U.S. Contractors Continue Efforts to Evacuate Personnel From Afghanistan; Howard Lind Quoted

Some government contractors continue efforts to move their staff out of Afghanistan even after the U.S. completed troop withdrawal and evacuation operations late Monday, the Washington Business Journal reported Tuesday. PAE told the publication in a statement Friday that employee safety remains a top priority for the company.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure the security of our remaining local national workforce there, working closely to support the Department of State and Department of Defense in their evacuation efforts,” PAE added.

Some Washington, D.C.-based GovCon firms, including PAE, CACI International and Amentum, have either started the process of reducing contract work or were planning to retain employees in Afghanistan in support of the former government since President Joe Biden’s troop withdrawal announcement in April.

Howard Lind, president and executive director of the International Stability Operations Association, said ISOA member companies have adopted “Plan B” operations to evacuate their staff and Afghan allies from Afghanistan.

“Now that the U.S. military has left, the means of getting out is reduced — it’s not impossible. So we are trying to provide information to them, nontraditional means of leaving through aviation or on-ground routes across the country,” Lind said.

ISOA is a trade group representing nongovernmental organizations and companies that provide military, humanitarian, construction and development support in fragile countries.

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DARPA Hands Over ACT-IV Sensor System to Air Force Research Lab; Program Manager Tom Rondeau Quoted
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DARPA Hands Over ACT-IV Sensor System to Air Force Research Lab; Program Manager Tom Rondeau Quoted

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has transitioned an active electronically scanned array (AESA) sensor system to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, to support future defense research and development initiatives. 

The AESA system developed under DARPA’s Arrays at Commercial Timescales – Integration and Validation program can simultaneously conduct radar, communications and electronic warfare functions at various modes, the agency said Tuesday.

“With the ACT-IV program, we were able to realize the vision of ACT by developing an advanced sensor system with ACT common modules,” said Tom Rondeau, ACT-IV program manager.

The ACT common module is an advanced semiconductor device from which large platforms can be developed.

“Transitioning the ACT-IV system to AFRL will enable continued exploration of digital, multifunctional RF technologies for defense needs,” added Rondeau.

Northrop Grumman served as the primary research team on the program and helped transition the technology to AFRL. DARPA said the ACT-IV program resulted in the establishment of a third-party developer community that has come up with new applications and tools.

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U.S. Agencies Partner to Expand Federal Digital Workforce; Clare Martorana Quoted
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U.S. Agencies Partner to Expand Federal Digital Workforce; Clare Martorana Quoted

The General Services Administration (GSA) partnered with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the White House to further develop the federal government's workforce of digitally skilled professionals. 

The two-year U.S. Digital Corps fellowship will gather early-career professionals in critical technology areas such as data science, cybersecurity and software engineering for opportunities to work with the federal government, GSA said Monday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, GSA and other agencies will host the fellowship's initial batch of 30 individuals in fiscal year 2022.

“To provide best-in-class service delivery, agencies must have the right combination of workforce talent in place as their existing personnel accelerate towards retirement,” said Clare Martorana, federal chief information officer, at the White House's Office of Management and Budget.

“OPM is excited to support the U.S. Digital Corps as one facet of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to rebuilding, reenergizing, and diversifying the federal workforce," said Kiran Ahuja, director at the Office of Personnel Management.

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VA Exec Neil Evans Named Department’s Acting CIO
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VA Exec Neil Evans Named Department’s Acting CIO

Neil Evans, chief officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Connected Care, has been appointed to serve as the VA’s chief information officer on an acting basis, Fedscoop reported Monday.

He will fill VA’s top information executive role, succeeding Dominic Cussatt, who has transferred to the State Department.

Evans has been with the VA for two decades, having joined the agency after graduating from Johns Hopkins University’s medical school and completing training at Osler Medical Residency.

VA’s Office of Connected Care, which Evans leads, develops and implements digital health strategies across the agency. The VA executive also provided advisory services for the Federal Electronic Health Modernization Program Office.

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ECS Receives Multiple Contract Awards on ASTRO IDIQ; COO John Heneghan Quoted
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ECS Receives Multiple Contract Awards on ASTRO IDIQ; COO John Heneghan Quoted

ECS announced on Tuesday that the company has been named a prime award recipient on the recent General Services Administration's (GSA) ASTRO contract. 

The work under the potential ten-year, multi-billion dollar contract with the GSA will include the development, integration, operation, maintenance, and support of unmanned/manned/optionally manned systems, robotics, and platforms. 

“Our company has a long history of delivering cutting-edge, never-before developed AI/ML solutions to federal customers,” said John Heneghan, chief operating officer of ECS. “We look forward to working with GSA FEDSIM on this innovative contract as we strengthen our nation’s warfighters across sea, air, land, and space.”

ECS will leverage the company’s expertise in autonomous aviation, artificial intelligence, machine learning and mission solutions to develop and deploy operational AI/ML algorithms across the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) domain.

“ECS continues to be at the forefront of analytics, autonomous robotics, and AI/ML algorithm development,” said Marshall Thames, senior vice president of ECS Mission Solutions business unit. “Through the ASTRO contract vehicle, ECS will provide the DoD with innovative technologies that deliver new capabilities to the warfighter, ensuring the success of future missions.”

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GovernmentExecutive Continues Industry Consolidation Effort
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GovernmentExecutive Continues Industry Consolidation Effort

GovExec, a leading information services company for government leaders and contractors, announced on Tuesday that the company has announced the acquisition of 1105 Media Inc’s Public Sector 360 Group. The terms of the acquisition have yet to be disclosed.

“With each strategic decision we make, we look for the ability to leap us forward, build our expertise in new areas and complement our larger portfolio to expand results for our customers,” said GovExec CEO Tim Hartman.

The coming months will be a period of transition for the company to ensure seamless business continuity as the teams collaborate to best serve government executives. Troy K. Schneider, will assume the role of GM of Government Technology Brands for GovExec to focus on the collaborative efforts across all GovExec media brands.

GovExec will also focus on several key growth initiatives, including expanding its audience in government technology, supercharge the growth of its subscription platforms and develop one of the most powerful engagement platforms in the public sector. 

With the addition of Public Sector 360’s portfolio of information, events, lead generation and marketing solutions, along with its deep reach in the government technology space, GovExec now claims the largest sector database with access to nearly 70 percent of all federal technology buyers.

“Public Sector 360 is a seminal acquisition for us. With the largest database of government leaders, and the scale and breadth across the public sector technology community, we can catalyze government in an even more effective manner,” Hartman added. 

The announcement of this acquisition comes only a few weeks after GovExec acquired GovTribe to continue their progression into the next phase of their tool development. GovTribe will accelerate its growth and build more products including predictive intelligence solutions for the public sector.

Peter Goldstone, chairman of GovExec, acted as an adviser for the deal. Growth Catalyst Partners (GCP) helped finance the transaction.

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U.S. Completes Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan; Antony Blinken Quoted
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U.S. Completes Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan; Antony Blinken Quoted

Five U.S. C-17 military transport planes departed Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan late Monday, marking the completion of U.S. troop withdrawal and evacuation operations and the end of a 20-year war in the country, The New York Times reported.

As part of the evacuation, approximately 123,000 individuals have been airlifted out of Afghanistan in the last two months, including about 6,000 U.S. citizens.

Taliban forces and their supporters celebrated their victory by firing tracer rounds early Tuesday after the U.S. completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan.

Secretary of State and 2021 Wash100 Award winner Antony Blinken unveiled in a speech Monday a plan to use diplomacy as the country works to evacuate the remaining citizens and Afghan allies.

“A new chapter of America’s engagement with Afghanistan has begun,” said Blinken. “It’s one in which we will lead with our diplomacy. The military mission is over. A new diplomatic mission has begun."

The plan includes using the post in Doha, Qatar, to manage diplomacy with Afghanistan, continuing efforts to help U.S. citizens, Afghans and foreign nationals leave Afghanistan, staying focused on counterterrorism and continuing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

The Times reported that there are fewer than 300 Americans who remain in Afghanistan. Blinken reiterated the State Department’s commitment to helping Americans evacuate should they decide to leave Afghanistan.

“Additionally, we’ve worked intensely to evacuate and relocate Afghans who worked alongside us and are at particular risk of reprisal,” he said. “We’ve gotten many out, but many are still there. We will keep working to help them. Our commitment to them has no deadline."

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Leidos Invests in Facility Construction of Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering
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Leidos Invests in Facility Construction of Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering

Leidos has made a $1 million donation to support the construction of an academic and residential facility in Huntsville, Alabama, in an effort to help the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE) pursue advancements in technology.

The investment is also meant to underscore the company's commitment to the state students' science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, Leidos said Monday.

"This donation is our commitment to the future," said Roger Krone, chairman and CEO of Leidos and a previous Wash100 Award recipient. "It also addresses the ongoing need for a 21st century workforce of skilled science and engineering professionals."

According to the company, ASCTE is the only U.S. public high school whose academic disciplines were integrated with cyber technology and engineering. Its active promotion of STEM education for a diverse student population is also noted.

"Support from Leidos and other industry partners helps us provide a robust program to educate future industry professionals and leaders," commented Matt Massey, president of ASCTE.

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White House Cites Climate Change, Emerging Tech as R&D Priorities for FY23 Budget
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White House Cites Climate Change, Emerging Tech as R&D Priorities for FY23 Budget

The White House has issued a memorandum outlining the administration’s research and development priorities that federal agencies should include in their budget proposals for fiscal year 2023, Government Executive reported Monday.

The multiagency R&D priorities listed in the memo are pandemic readiness and prevention; tackling climate change; research and innovation in emerging and critical technologies; innovation for equity; and national security and economic resilience.

For addressing climate change, priorities are climate science, innovation in clean energy technologies and infrastructure, climate adaptation and resilience, monitoring and measurement and nature-based climate solutions for mitigation and adaptation.

The document also calls on agencies to collaborate to advance public-private partnerships and foster research and innovation in support of U.S. industries and jobs in the areas of artificial intelligence, quantum information science, microelectronics, advanced communications technologies, robotics, high-performance computing, biotechnology and space technologies.

“Agencies should coordinate to leverage these technologies to ensure the sharing and use of the vast troves of Federal Government datasets to enable large-scale data analysis, and high-fidelity, high-resolution modeling and simulation to address critical challenges in public health, climate science, and disaster resilience,” the document reads.

Shalanda Young, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Eric Lander, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, issued the memo to executive departments and agencies Friday.

POC - Bolstering Climate Resilience for National Security

If you're interested to know about the national security implications of climate change and how data analytics can inform agencies’ climate adaptation strategies, then check out the Potomac Officers Club's Bolstering Climate Resilience for National Security Forum coming up on Sept. 14.

To register for this forum and view other upcoming GovCon events, visit the POC Events page.

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Lt. Col. Kristin Saling: Army Employs AI, Automation in Talent Management Efforts
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Lt. Col. Kristin Saling: Army Employs AI, Automation in Talent Management Efforts

Lt. Col. Kristin Saling, chief analytics officer and acting director of the Army People Analytics, said the service uses artificial intelligence in a number of ways and one is using natural language processing and optical character recognition to process large volumes of paper documents to collect data and further develop algorithms.

She told Forbes in an interview published Saturday how the Army uses AI to support its talent management efforts.

“We’re also reading in and batching tons of occupational survey information to develop robust job competency models we can use to make recommendations in our marketplace,” Saling said. “On the other end, we’re leveraging machine learning models to predict attrition and performance for targeted retention incentives.”

Saling discussed how the Army uses robotic process automation in talent management and personnel processes and how it works to identify problem areas through process and data mapping before kicking off cognitive technology and automation projects.

She cited the “availability of good data” as one of the challenges when it comes to advancing AI and machine learning in the public sector.

Saling also talked about the Studies to Assess Readiness and Resilience in Service members or the STARRS program and the AI Scholars education initiative established by the Army AI Integration Center.

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