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Alion Wins $89M USAF Task Order to Support Warfighting Integration Capability; Alan Dietrich Quoted
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Alion Wins $89M USAF Task Order to Support Warfighting Integration Capability; Alan Dietrich Quoted

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Alion Science and Technology a five-year, $89 million task order to provide advanced analysis and engineering, as well as research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) with technology insertion for the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC), the company reported on Friday.

“Alion is a driving force behind machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data fusion across multi-domain environments and operations focused on moving operations forward and enabling mission success,” said Alan Dietrich, senior vice president and general manager of Alion’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Group.

Under the task order, Alion will provide RDT&E of emerging technologies, examine cross-domain and multi-domain techniques and develop innovative technical solutions in research, engineering, science, technology, rapid prototyping, technical development, integration and operational support.

The company’s efforts will help drive AFWIC’s mission and advance the AFWIC enterprise. Alion will focus on software and data integration, coordination, knowledge management, and information sharing of systems and subsystems for military sensing.

Additionally, Alion will support ISR data collection, collection management, analysis and dissemination; Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2); Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) National and Component Mission Initiatives (NMI/CMI); AI/ML; and autonomous software monitoring.

Alion will also support continuous data fusion for warfare during execution and after-action assessment, including Joint Weapon System defense systems, Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS), Air Operation Centers (AOCs) and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

“Our team has extensive experience bringing together the best technology and expertise from across industry to address challenges with advanced solutions. With a breadth of experience in rapid prototyping we can deliver these solutions at the speed and scale needed to support the warfighter,” Dietrich added.

Alion won this work under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle, and was awarded by the U.S. Air Force’s 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository.

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GSA Releases Single Sign-On Playbook for Federal Agencies
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GSA Releases Single Sign-On Playbook for Federal Agencies

The General Services Administration has issued a playbook for application architects and enterprise program managers seeking to update their government agencies' access management platforms.

The Enterprise Single Sign-on (SSO) Playbook contains five steps in applying SSO services and aims to help federal agencies centralize application access for contractors and employees, Ken Myers, chief federal identity, credential and access management architect at GSA's office of governmentwide policy identity and trusted access division, said in a blog post published Thursday.

SSO works to remove bad actors within an agency network or application through the use of consistent security controls such as multifactor authentication options. The playbook is also meant to help agencies determine if they are already federated.

GSA invites government agencies to collaborate and provide insights and practices in line with the playbook. Federation refers to the distribution and acceptance of digital attributes, credentials and identities between each agency. 

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DISA Uses Cloud-Based Tech to Optimize Teleworking; Vice Adm. Nancy Norton Quoted
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DISA Uses Cloud-Based Tech to Optimize Teleworking; Vice Adm. Nancy Norton Quoted

The Defense Information Systems Agency partnered with a cloud-focused group at the Department of Defense’s chief information office to address the demands of teleworking amid the COVID-19 pandemic. DISA said Thursday that it sought expertise from DOD CIO’s Cloud Computing Program Office (CCPO) on technologies that optimize cloud-based teleworking.

CCPO helped DISA identify a commercially available tool to deliver the Commercial Virtual Remote Environment (CVR), where users can communicate, collaborate and telework on the military’s Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network.

“CVR obliterated the myth that it requires years to deploy a capability to the entire department,” said Sharon Woods, executive director of CCPO.

Vice Adm. Nancy Norton, former DISA director and a previous Wash100 Award winner, said the collaboration exhibited success with CVR’s procurement and deployment across DOD.

“The ability of the DISA workforce and that of other DoD components to adopt CVR and use it successfully for internal and external collaboration is a stunning example of the agility our personnel possess and their commitment to our missions,” VADM Norton said.

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Leigh Method on Proposed Defense Policy Updates for Contractors, Contingency Support
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Leigh Method on Proposed Defense Policy Updates for Contractors, Contingency Support

Leigh Method, deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Defense (DOD) for Logistics, has said that her office is looking to clarify defense policies involving contracted personnel, contingency operations and DOD-contractor responsibilities. 

Method said in a Federal News Network interview aired Thursday that the DOD seeks to modify rules in the Federal Register to define DOD contractors as part of the department’s total force. 

The new rules also seek to clarify DOD and contractor requirements such as pre-deployment health assessments, she added.

Speaking on operational support for deployed personnel, Method said that her office worked to help U.S. contractors overseas as well as international contractors in the country to return home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

She noted that the recent rule changes highlight "the vital capabilities that our contractors bring to the battlefield.”

“So we really are about being good stewards of the taxpayer dollars,” said Method. “At the same time, while they’re essentially in our care or in our theater operating, we want to make sure we are doing right by them as an individual but also by the contract and the American public.”

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Ntiva Names Jim Wilson as President, COO; Steven Freidkin Quoted
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Ntiva Names Jim Wilson as President, COO; Steven Freidkin Quoted

Ntiva has appointed Jim Wilson as president and chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately, the company reported last week. Wilson has more than a decade and a half of experience in IT roles.

“At Ntiva, we have some of the best technical talent I have ever seen. They are committed to helping our clients use technology to reduce risk, achieve growth, and create more time to focus on what is most important to them,” said Wilson.

Wilson will assume responsibility for Central and Regional Operations, Sales, Marketing and Strategy. As president and COO, Wilson will be responsible for the overall performance and service delivery of the organization. He will report to the CEO, Steven Freidkin.

“Jim is a seasoned and trusted leader with a history of consistently delivering results,” said Freidkin. “We feel that Jim is uniquely qualified to drive the strategic prioritization, organizational transformation and operational excellence required for continued success as we enter the next chapter of growth.”

Before joining Ntiva, Wilson most recently served as the COO at Integration Partners, where he helped integrate multiple regional footprints and deliver world-class client service. He also improved all financial metrics, including revenue, gross profit, and EBITDA, while increasing company market share/valuation and expanding workforce productivity.

Prior to his tenure with Integration Partners, Wilson was a consulting sales executive with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), where he led all Consulting Solution Sales for Global/Enterprise Accounts in the Northeast US.

Within the Technology Services business unit, he was responsible for selling HP life-cycle consulting, integration and deployment services as well as hardware and software solutions for the complete HP portfolio.

“I’m honored to join this talented and agile team to help continue to build on the strong momentum established by Ntiva in the MSP market. Our unwavering focus on helping our clients grow with technology will continue to propel us forward,” Wilson added.

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SOSi Wins Contract to Deliver IT, Logistics Support to DINFOS; Julian Setian Quoted
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SOSi Wins Contract to Deliver IT, Logistics Support to DINFOS; Julian Setian Quoted

SOSi has been awarded a $21 million contract to provide enterprise IT and logistics support to the Defense Information School (DINFOS), a component of the Defense Media Agency (DMA), the company reported on Friday.

“This award exemplifies how we can leverage our robust service catalog to create market discriminators and grow our business organically,” said Julian Setian, president and CEO of SOSi and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient. 

Under the contract, SOSi will deliver IT services, including network management, system administration and cybersecurity. The company will also provide broadcast engineering and audiovisual services to advance in-house resident, virtual and distance training. 

In addition, SOSi will supply software and application development solutions, and maintain digital training resources, as well as manage a technology service desk for students and staff.

“We will perform a wide range of engineering and technology services to provide all DINFOS students with responsive and equitable access to the resources they need to prepare them for a variety of worldwide assignments within the Department of Defense,” said Ed Bachl, SOSi’s senior vice president for Defense IT and Intelligence Solutions.

DINFOS is responsible for training public affairs and visual information personnel in the principles, techniques, and applications of journalism, photojournalism, broadcasting, electronic imaging, broadcast systems maintenance, video production and visual information management. 

“We are excited to assist DINFOS in its training mission and look forward to supporting the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) strategy of streamlining the network infrastructure of the Pentagon’s non-service-specific agencies,” Setian added. 

About SOSi

Founded in 1989, SOSi is the largest private, family-owned and operated technology and services integrator in the aerospace, defense, and government services industry. Its global portfolio includes cybersecurity, software development, intelligence analysis, and military logistics.

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Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler Selected as Army Contracting Command’s Next Leader
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Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler Selected as Army Contracting Command’s Next Leader

Brig. Gen. Christine Beeler, commanding general of the U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, has been appointed to succeed Maj. Gen. Paul Pardew as commanding general of Army Contracting Command (ACC).

Beeler, who assumed her current position in July 2019, has led MICC’s efforts to standardize its acquisition process and deliver contingency contracting support to the service branch amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Army said Tuesday.

She previously served as deputy to the ACC commanding general for operations outside the continental U.S. The branch commissioned her in 1991 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Boston University.

Brig. Gen. Douglas Lowrey, commanding general of Army Security Assistance Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, will assume leadership of MICC when Beeler officially transfers to ACC.

He is responsible for implementing Army-authorized security programs such as the sale of defense platforms and services to foreign military customers.

Lowrey was appointed to his current role at USASAC in August of last year after service as director of contracting in the branch’s acquisition, logistics and technology office in Washington.

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Alejandro Mayorkas: DHS to Increase Minimum Cyber Spending to 7.5% Via FEMA Grant Awards
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Alejandro Mayorkas: DHS to Increase Minimum Cyber Spending to 7.5% Via FEMA Grant Awards

Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient, said DHS will raise the required minimum cybersecurity spending through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant awards from 5 percent to 7.5 percent, reflecting a $25 million increase across the country.

Mayorkas announced the move on Thursday during the final round of the second annual President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition, DHS said Thursday.

He said DHS has started to assess and implement additional capabilities, including potential new grant initiatives, through the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in support of state and local government agencies' cyber efforts.

Mayorkas mentioned during the event the department’s efforts to address ransomware and build a “more diverse, equitable, and inclusive cybersecurity workforce.” He said DHS also plans to announce a series of “cybersecurity sprints” to advance action in key priority areas.

“To start, we will be developing an initial set of sprints dedicated to combatting ransomware, building a deep and diverse cyber workforce, and urgently improving the security of our nation’s industrial control systems,” he noted.

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VA Issues RFI for Enterprise IT Strategic Planning Support Services
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VA Issues RFI for Enterprise IT Strategic Planning Support Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking information on potential industry sources that could support the requirements of the enterprise strategic planning and governance directorate within VA’s office of information and technology.

Interested contractors should state their capabilities in providing support for enterprise IT strategic planning, IT strategic planning ecosystem, development of the IT information resource management strategic plan, annual integrated planning guidance, IT enterprise roadmap and facilitation of quarterly Senior Executive Service IT strategic planning offsites, according to a request for information published Wednesday on beta SAM website.

Vendors should describe any planning experience with the multiyear cycle regarding the planning, programming, budgeting and execution framework and state the specific skillset they can provide to implement the planning process of the PPBE framework.

The enterprise strategic planning effort will have a three-year performance period, including two one-year options.  Responses to the RFI are due March 3rd.

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Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach Calls for Rapid Procurement of E-7 Wedgetail Aircraft
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Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach Calls for Rapid Procurement of E-7 Wedgetail Aircraft

Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of Pacific Air Forces, said the U.S. Air Force should push for the rapid procurement of the Boeing-built E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft to replace the service’s aging E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system fleet and meet the demand for such capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, The War Zone reported Thursday.

E-7 is equipped with the Northrop Grumman-made multirole electronically scanned array radar, air and sea-search modes, data sharing and communications capabilities.

Wilsbach recommended buying new E-7s as China continues to modernize its military and develop strategies that integrate long-range surface-to-air missiles, cruise and ballistic missiles and manned interceptors, posing a threat U.S. superiority.

“Air superiority is foundational to most other things that we would want to be able to do in our theater,” he said Wednesday during the Air Force Association’s virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium. "Because if you don’t have air superiority, then most everything else that you want to do is really held at risk.”

Wilsbach said the future Pacific Air Forces should be equipped with E-7 Wedgetails and the Next Generation Air Dominance combat aircraft to help counter threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region.

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