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Senators Offer Cybersecurity Recommendations for Commerce Department, NIST
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Senators Offer Cybersecurity Recommendations for Commerce Department, NIST

Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., have called on the Department of Commerce (DOC), including the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to further build up efforts to protect digital systems, connected technologies and the country from cybersecurity threats amid the recent ransomware attacks.

In a July 28th letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the two lawmakers urged the department to demonstrate new and existing cyber capabilities, develop the cybersecurity workforce and ensure resilient supply chains.

DOC should also expand research in emerging technologies, such as quantum technology, artificial intelligence, advanced communications and internet of things (IoT), to help address cybersecurity challenges, according to the letter.

Cantwell and Wicker also called on the department to update and advance the adoption of software supply chain best practices in compliance with the Biden administration’s executive order on cybersecurity.

They said DOC, including NIST, should deepen its critical cybersecurity role with “funding that matches the seriousness of the threat.”

“The President’s Budget Request to level-fund NIST cybersecurity programs, while requesting significant increases across the agency, is insufficient to meet the need,” the letter reads.

Cantwell is chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Wicker is the Senate panel's ranking member.

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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Vice Adm. Robert Sharp: US Needs ‘Steady Stream’ of Geomatics Professionals
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Vice Adm. Robert Sharp: US Needs ‘Steady Stream’ of Geomatics Professionals

Vice Adm. Robert Sharp, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and a two-time Wash100 Award recipient, said the U.S. should develop the next generation of geomatics scientists, mathematicians and engineers to maintain U.S. national security, support NGA’s Moonshot strategy and safeguard the country’s advantage in the field.

“We need people to develop and manage cutting-edge geomatics methods and technology. To do that, we need students studying in this field now at our colleges and universities, and even delving into geomatics at the high-school level,” he wrote in an opinion piece posted Sunday on C4ISRNET.

He described geomatics as the “science of determining the ‘where’ and ‘when’ — either in, on or above the ever-changing Earth’s surface.”

Sharp said the U.S. should initiate actions to “create a steady stream” of geomatics professionals in order to compete with China and other countries that are investing in geomatics technology and students’ education.

He said NGA launched a strategy to employ college graduates in science, technology, engineering and math and educate them in the field of geomatics through the agency’s distance learning program.

“This enables our graduates to increase their knowledge while serving the mission,” Sharp added.

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DOE Unveils New Carbon Reduction Initiatives; Secretary Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE Unveils New Carbon Reduction Initiatives; Secretary Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy (DOE) has launched two initiatives that aim to reduce the U.S. manufacturing and industrial sectors' carbon emissions under the larger Future of Manufacturing campaign.

DOE said Thursday it will invest $42.3 million in new projects under a funding opportunity to achieve cleaner and more efficient manufacturing.

The funding opportunity will support projects that tackle carbon footprint reduction, energy efficiency-boosting materials and energy storage, conversion and utilization systems.

The second initiative will provide technical assistance valued at $300,000 to five commercial companies for industrial technology validation projects. The companies will use this support to test the performance of clean energy technologies in industrial environments.

DOE's national laboratories will lead experts to formulate assessment plans and produce reports on technology projects under the second initiative.

“With these investments, the Department of Energy is helping reestablish U.S. manufacturing leadership while scaling up the technologies needed to reduce our collective carbon footprint and address climate change," said Jennifer Granholm, secretary of energy.

The Future of Manufacturing campaign now has a total of $130 million for technology initiatives announced over the week.

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NSF Taps Georgia Tech to Lead AI Research Institutes
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NSF Taps Georgia Tech to Lead AI Research Institutes

Georgia Institute of Technology has received $40 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish two research institutes that will drive artificial intelligence research over the next five years. The institute said Thursday that it will hire 100 new researchers and bolster its studies on machine learning through the awards.

The first institute, called the NSF AI Institute for Collaborative Assistance and Responsive Interaction for Networked Groups or AI CARING, will focus on AI systems designed to improve caregiving for the elderly. Sonia Chernova, an associate professor of interactive computing at Georgia Tech, will lead this institute.

The second one, named the NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization or AI4Opt, will combine AI with mathematics to produce intelligent systems. The institute is also intended to involve more teachers and students in AI development. Pascal Van Hentenryck, an engineering professor at Georgia Tech, will lead this institute.

“These NSF awards recognize Georgia Tech’s vast expertise in machine learning and AI and will help us further develop our resources and amplify our impact in these crucial fields," said Angel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech.

The foundation also awarded an additional $20 million grant to the Georgia Research Alliance, which Georgia Tech supports as an academic institution. GRA will lead the NSF AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education or ALOE, which will drive AI education through online learning. 

NSF leads a total of 11 new AI-focused research institutes, including the three newly established ones with Georgia Tech's involvement.

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John Plumb Nominated for Space Policy Leadership Role at DOD
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John Plumb Nominated for Space Policy Leadership Role at DOD

President Biden has nominated John Plumb, formerly the director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council (NSC), to become the assistant secretary of defense for space policy.

Plumb brings expertise in the areas of nuclear technology, missile defense and space, with more than a century’s quarter of national security experience, the White House said Thursday.

His Pentagon career includes work as the acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, a role similar to the one he is now nominated for. The defense professional is also a submarine force commanding officer for the U.S. Navy Reserve.

He currently serves as principal director and chief of government relations at the Aerospace Corporation, and prior to that, was an engineer at RAND.

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Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Vows to Focus on Mission Fulfillment
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Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Vows to Focus on Mission Fulfillment

Frank Kendall, a former acquisition chief at the Department of Defense (DOD) and a three-time Wash100 Award winner, was sworn in Wednesday as secretary of the Air Force.

“I will be totally focused on ensuring that our Air and Space Forces can fulfill their missions to defend the nation against our most challenging threats, today and into the future,” Kendall said.

He succeeds acting SecAF John Roth two days after the Senate voted in favor of his confirmation and will be working on his agenda in the coming days as the Department of the Air Force’s highest-ranking civilian leader.

A U.S. Army veteran, Kendall previously served as undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics; tactial warfare program director; and assistant deputy undersecretary for strategic defense systems at the DOD.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall Vows to Focus on Mission Fulfillment

GovCon Wire, sister site of ExecutiveGov, will hold its Space Acquisition Forum on Sept. 14th. Sign up for the virtual forum to hear from defense officials as they give their perspectives on military acquisition reform and modernization efforts.

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DOD to Develop Additive Manufacturing Tech Guide; Robert Gold Quoted
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DOD to Develop Additive Manufacturing Tech Guide; Robert Gold Quoted

Department of Defense offices have partnered with military services to develop implementation plans and technical guidelines for additive manufacturing technology used to make 3D objects from polymer and metal materials, DOD News reported Thursday.

The collaborative effort comes after the release of the Additive Manufacturing Strategy in January, aimed at laying out a common vision and five strategic approaches for AM, and the Instruction 5000.93 that presented an overarching AM guidance for the department.

Robert Gold, director of technology and manufacturing industrial base at DOD, said that AM technology allows for the production of lighter innovative designs that veer away from traditional processes like lathes and welding. 

"What we're trying to do with this highly flexible technology is to align activities across our enterprise, so that there is a sense of harmony and so that our processes work together and we can exchange lessons learned," Gold added.

Tracy Frost, director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program, noted that integrating AM technology into the department and the organic and commercial industrial bases is one of the goals outlined in the DOD AM strategy.

The agency is also looking to partner with the commercial and academic sectors, strengthen the workforce through training and ensure the cybersecurity of AM processes within the defense supply chain.

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Air Force Concludes 5th Architecture Demo, Evaluation for Increased Domain Awareness; Preston Dunlap Quoted
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Air Force Concludes 5th Architecture Demo, Evaluation for Increased Domain Awareness; Preston Dunlap Quoted

The U.S. Air Force has completed its weeks-long exercise aimed at achieving increased domain awareness and decision superiority through a mission architecture powered by commercial innovations.

The fifth Architecture Demonstration and Evaluation event saw various U.S. military organizations integrating artificial intelligence, networking technologies, classified-level mobile devices and other capabilities from the private sector, the Air Force said Wednesday.

ADE combined emerging operational concepts from USAF and the Space Force and lessons gained from the previous third Global Information Dominance Experiment and Pacific Iron 2021 Agile Combat Employment exercises.

The event's objectives were to boost domain awareness, information dominance, decision superiority and global integration with the help of AI, cross-combatant command partnerships, feasibility studies and agile combat employment at the edge.

"Our goal at Department of the Air Force Architecture Demonstration and Evaluation 5 was to move DoD towards an integrated mission architecture that achieves AI-enabled decision superiority anywhere, from combatant commands all the way down to the edge, whether in competition or conflict," explained Preston Dunlap, chief architect of both USAF and Space Force.

The Chief Architect Office performs ADEs to bring together operators and technologies to help transition the DOD from the technology design phase to informed implementation.

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Report: US Eyes Sanction Campaign Against Iran’s Precision-Strike Capabilities
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Report: US Eyes Sanction Campaign Against Iran’s Precision-Strike Capabilities

The U.S. government is planning to impose sanctions against Iran’s precision-strike capabilities using guided missiles and drones citing concerns over the threats pose by such weapon systems to the U.S. and its allies, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Officials said zeroing in on Iran’s suppliers of parts used to make unmanned aircraft systems and precision-guided missiles and others within its procurement networks could result in a disruption to the Middle Eastern country’s activities.

“It’s part of a comprehensive approach so we’re dealing with all aspects of the Iranian threat,” said a senior U.S. official. Another U.S. official said drones from Iran have become an increasing threat to U.S. allies in the Middle East.

Security officials from the West said they view Iran’s precision-strike capabilities as a larger immediate threat than ballistic missile and nuclear-enrichment initiatives to stability in the region.

The planned move comes as the White House considers scaling up enforcement of oil sanctions to prod Iran to comply again with the 2015 nuclear deal. However, some officials said the measures against Iran’s missiles and drones should be viewed as separate from the nuclear accord.

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GAO Offers Recommendation to OMB Over Contractor Paid Leave Reimbursements
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GAO Offers Recommendation to OMB Over Contractor Paid Leave Reimbursements

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gather and share lessons learned from agencies’ implementation of section 3610 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to reimburse contractors for paid leave in order to inform future federal emergency responses.

Section 3610 of the CARES Act allows agencies to reimburse contractors for paid leave offered to employees who cannot access work locations or telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, GAO said in a report published Wednesday.

GAO assessed the use of section 3610 authorities by NASA and the departments of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS) and Energy (DOE) and found that the four agencies reported $882.8 million in paid leave costs over a period of 14 months.

The report showed that the agencies implemented policies and monitored paid leave reimbursements in various ways.

The congressional watchdog interviewed 15 contractors about the effect of paid leave reimbursement on workforce retention and 12 of them said such a measure had a “great” or “moderate effect” on efforts to retain personnel.

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