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Draft House NDAA Provisions Seek to Address Gap Between R&D, Acquisition
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Draft House NDAA Provisions Seek to Address Gap Between R&D, Acquisition

A draft of a House defense bill contains two provisions that would create a five-year pilot program to identify promising technologies and broaden Navy programs that promote innovation involving small businesses to help address the “valley of death” between research and acquisition in order to get the technology into the hands of warfighters, Defense One reported Wednesday.

The proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would direct the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) to identify Indo-Pacific Command’s “critical cross-service operational needs” and appoint a mission manager to collaborate with the military’s research agencies to build, test and deliver software and other information technology platforms.

The draft NDAA bill proposes $8.6 million in funds to expand the Navy’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs.

According to the draft measure obtained by the publication, the service has “demonstrated success” in mentoring businesses that have reached the SBIR program's Phase 2, reflecting the Navy's capability in helping non-traditional vendors better navigate the defense contracting process.

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GAO Reports on Federal Use of Facial Recognition Tech Systems
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GAO Reports on Federal Use of Facial Recognition Tech Systems

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) surveyed 24 Chief Financial Officers Act agencies on their use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in fiscal year 2020 and found that 18 of those agencies reported using FRT for one or several purposes.

GAO said in a report published Tuesday 16 agencies said they are using the technology for cybersecurity or digital access. Of those 16 agencies, the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) reported performing pilots to test FRT systems for identity verification of people accessing government websites.

Six agencies, including departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Defense, reported using FRT systems to come with leads in criminal investigations, while five agencies said they used the technology for physical security purposes. GAO also found that 10 agencies said they supported FRT-related research and development activities in FY 2020.

“Furthermore, ten agencies reported plans to expand their use of FRT through fiscal year 2023. For example, an agency plans to pilot the use of FRT to automate the identity verification process at airports for travelers,” the GAO report reads.

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Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting: Space Force Needs More Sensors to Track Satellites, Debris
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Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting: Space Force Needs More Sensors to Track Satellites, Debris

Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of Space Operations Command, said the U.S. Space Force needs additional sensors to monitor the increasing numbers of satellites and space debris but faces uncertainty when it comes to securing funds for programs like the Space Fence 2 site in Australia, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.

“We definitely want more sensors, and so Space Fence, a second site, would be outstanding,” Whiting told reporters at a symposium Wednesday. “But we still have more requirements than dollars, and so we’re having to make some some some difficult calls there.”

Space Fence is an S-band radar that is now part of the service’s Space Surveillance Network and is designed to detect satellites and debris in low-Earth orbit. He said the service is now tracking 35,000 space objects through SSN, reflecting a 22 percent increase in the last two years.

“Certainly I would say the majority of that growth has come from the mega-constellations that we now see, and a few debris causing events that have happened on orbit,” Whiting said.

He also mentioned the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability program and the Space Force’s efforts to work with allies to enhance space domain awareness.

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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10 DOE-Backed Projects Target Energy Efficiency in Microelectronic Tech Production
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10 DOE-Backed Projects Target Energy Efficiency in Microelectronic Tech Production

The Department of Energy has selected 10 projects to receive $54 million over three years to develop energy-efficiency approaches for designing and manufacturing microelectronic products.

DOE said Wednesday that national laboratories will conduct the research and development efforts with partners in the commercial and academic sectors.

The projects will focus on exploring ultralow-power electronics, computing architectures derived from the design of the human brain and low-temperature, nanoscale and quantum sensors.

With the digital revolution that saw the trend of shrinking microelectronic devices, energy R&D investments that would support such technologies are needed to sustain energy efficiency, DOE noted.

The department chose the peer-reviewed projects under its “Microelectronics Co-Design Research" announcement and plans to initially obligate fiscal year 2021 funds amounting to $18 million.

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2 Congressmen Propose Bill on Special Emergency Reimbursement for Contractors
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2 Congressmen Propose Bill on Special Emergency Reimbursement for Contractors

Reps. Anthony Brown, D-Md., and Rob Wittman, R-Va., have introduced legislation that would authorize the Department of Defense (DOD) to reimburse contractors if a disaster prevents them from performing on-site work.

The Just In Case Act would give the defense secretary authority to use discretion in making special emergency reimbursements, Brown’s office said Tuesday.

This proposed bill is similar to a Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provision that offers federal contractors an opportunity to reclaim costs of providing paid leave to employees who could not access a government facility or telework due to pandemic-related restrictions.

“When COVID-19 struck, it revealed the difficulties federal contractors face when their work is disrupted by newly imposed restrictions. After much difficulty, Section 3610 of the CARES Act solved this issue by allowing federal contractors to be reimbursed for offsite work,” said Wittman.

“Ensuring continuity and resiliency within our broader defense workforce is essential to our national security and heading off threats to our homeland and citizens,” Brown noted.

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DOD Picks Army Supercomputing Research as One of FY 2022 Frontier Projects; Luis Bravo Quoted
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DOD Picks Army Supercomputing Research as One of FY 2022 Frontier Projects; Luis Bravo Quoted

The Department of Defense (DOD) has selected a U.S. Army supercomputing project that seeks to study and demonstrate large-scale simulations of gas turbine engines as part of the High-Performance Computing Modernization Program.

The proposal from Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL) and the Naval Air Warfare Center is one of the four Frontier Projects that DOD picked in the Foundational Research and Engineering Category for fiscal year 2022, the service said Tuesday.

Luis Bravo from DEVCOM ARL and Russell Powers from the Naval Air Warfare Center will lead the project as primary investigators.

Researchers intend to build a digital twin of a gas turbine engine, which Bravo said could help reduce cost, provide real-time awareness of engine health and demonstrate use of predictive simulation and modeling tools.

“This award will provide the supercomputing resources to make possible our collaboration between our laboratory, NAVAIR, Pratt & Whitney, the University of Cincinnati and Cascade Tech on digital twin models in propulsion,” Bravo said.

The project is expected to run for up to four years and the Pentagon will begin providing resources to awardees on Oct. 1.

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Gen. James Dickinson: Space Command Reaches Initial Operational Capability
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Gen. James Dickinson: Space Command Reaches Initial Operational Capability

Army Gen. James Dickinson, head of U.S. Space Command, said Spacecom has achieved initial operational capability, which marks an inflection point for the Department of Defense’s 11th combatant command, DOD News reported Tuesday.

"United States Space Command has matured to the point where we have strategic effects,” Dickinson said Tuesday at a symposium in Colorado. "It's where we can credibly claim to be organized and effective for employing our enduring, no-fail supporting functions to the joint force," he added.

The general said the new command has over 100 data-sharing agreements with intergovernmental and commercial partners and allies to facilitate information exchange, ensure the safety of spaceflight operations, further advance collaboration and improve space domain awareness.

Dickinson noted that Spacecom has taken part in 24 tier-one war games and exercises and developed command and control capabilities. "Our participation helps test and refine space warfighting command and control relationships," he added.

Space Acquisition Forum

GovCon Wire will hold its Space Acquisition Forum on Sept. 14th. 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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CGI Secures $34.4M Contract at CMS’ Center for Program Integrity; Steve Sousa Quoted
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CGI Secures $34.4M Contract at CMS’ Center for Program Integrity; Steve Sousa Quoted

CGI reported on Wednesday that the company has been awarded a five-year, $34.4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Program Integrity (CPI) to implement API Gateway.

API Gateway is an application programming interface that will aggregate data from multiple source systems that seeks to improve CPI’s ability to securely share Medicare provider data and achieve data liberation with openness and collaboration, using full lifecycle management and governance.

“Implementing the API Gateway will enable real-time data sharing between Medicare and state Medicaid, while reducing redundant screening checks and operational costs,” stated Steve Sousa, senior vice president of Consulting Services for CGI Federal.

The first implementation of this scale and type for CMS, it will create a streamlined, data-sharing solution that advances CPI’s mission of detecting and combating fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

“We are pleased to provide this solution and continue our long-standing partnership with CMS. CGI is proud to contribute to the HHS/CMS team for API Lifecycle Management,” said Sousa.

This major evolution from the previous “pay and chase” practice will potentially save CMS and taxpayers millions of dollars and unnecessary resources.

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FedRAMP Revises Cloud Security Package Training Materials
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FedRAMP Revises Cloud Security Package Training Materials

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) office has updated materials that educate companies about the requirements for developing a cloud security package.

A FedRAMP blog post published Tuesday says the revision of the System Security Plan Required Documentation training program aimed to equip and prepare stakeholders in handling package access requests.

The 200A course offers the CSPs with “a deeper understanding of the detail and rigor” needed to accomplish SSP, the primary document of a security package where the company’s information system security controls are outlined. 

The program management office also seeks to acquaint providers with the documentation needed for the submission of the initial package, and provide an overview of FedRAMP’s SSP template.

FedRAMP PMO noted that the update follows the program’s mission of developing a training initiative under the Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.

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Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Details Reorg Plans for Space Development Agency, Acquisition Office
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Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Details Reorg Plans for Space Development Agency, Acquisition Office

Frank Kendall, secretary of the Air Force and a three-time Wash100 winner, aims to complete the integration of the Space Development Agency into a new space acquisition office before the deadline mandated by the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.

“By statute, this is scheduled to occur on 1 October 2022, but there is no need to wait until then,” Kendall said Tuesday at the Space Foundation’s annual symposium.

He worked with Heidi Shyu, undersecretary for research and engineering at the Defense Department and previous Wash100 awardee, to organize a working group that will facilitate the SDA transition process.

Kendall also noted at the 36th Space Symposium that he is actively looking for potential candidates to fill the position of the assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, which will be subject to Senate confirmation.

“Hopefully there will be an announcement in the not too distant future,” he said.

Under the 2020 NDAA, the Air Force must have a Senate-confirmed service acquisition executive to oversee its space enterprise that will also house SDA by the start of fiscal year 2023. Shyu’s office currently oversees the activities of SDA.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Details Reorg Plans for Space Development Agency, Acquisition Office

 

GovCon Wire, sister site of ExecutiveGov, will host its Space Acquisition Forum on Jan. 19. Visit the GCW Events page to register for this timely forum and view other upcoming GovCon events.

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