The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) should set new expected dates of completion for tasks in the third phase of its organizational plan that are past their planned completion dates and prioritize tasks that are key to mission effectiveness.

GAO made the recommendation after it found that CISA had concluded only 37 of 97 planned phase three tasks by mid-February and that 42 of those unfinished tasks were past their planned dates of completion, including the release of a memo that outlines incident management roles across CISA and finalization of mission-critical functions of divisions within the agency, according to a report published Wednesday.

“Until it establishes updated milestones and an overall deadline for its efforts, and expeditiously carries out these plans, CISA will be hindered in meeting the goals of its organizational transformation initiative. This in turn may impair the agency's ability to identify and respond to incidents, such as the cyberattack discovered in December 2020 that caused widespread damage,” the GAO report reads.

CISA’s organizational transformation initiative has three phases and the congressional watchdog found that the agency within the Department of Homeland Security completed the first two of the phases that led to the consolidation of multiple centers for incident response and creation of a new organization chart, among others. The third phase is focused on implementing CISA’s planned organizational changes.

GAO also recommended that CISA establish an overall deadline to complete its organizational plan, develop a strategy for workforce planning and devise plans to develop outcome-oriented performance measures to assess whether the agency’s efforts meet the goals of its organizational transformation initiative.

The Department of Homeland Security‘s science and technology (DHS S&T) directorate has released 23 topics for a broad agency announcement (LRBAA) that seeks to gather proposals on novel approaches that may address DHS’ operational needs.

DHS said Tuesday that it aims to build prototypes, test and mature various technologies for homeland security usage through the LRBAA.

The topics are divided into six research and development areas such as managing incidents, protecting from terrorist attacks, preventing terrorism and securing borders, aviation and cyberspace.

“Unlike a traditional acquisition solicitation or even a conventional broad agency announcement, the LRBAA covers a wide range of DHS R&D needs with broad topics to facilitate the ability to partner on unique and creative solutions,” said Dusty Lang, LRBAA program manager at DHS S&T.

The topics are:

• Advanced Computing Technologies
• Air Based Technologies
• Biometric Technologies for Extending, Augmenting, or Improving DHS Identity and Verification Capabilities
• Countering Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• Data Analytics
• Detection Canine Technologies
• Distributed Denial of Service Defense
• Enhanced Contact and Non-Contact Trace Explosives Sampling and Detection
• GMD and Nuclear EMP Critical Infrastructure Risk
• Low-Cost Tactical Communication Devices for Information Sharing in Remote Environments
• Maritime Domain Awareness Technologies
• Mobile Security & Resiliency R&D
• Non-Invasive, Minimally Disruptive Sensors and Systems
• Predictive Analytics
• Prevention, Diagnosis and Mitigation of Transboundary Agricultural Pests and Diseases
• Resilient Position, Navigation, and Timing
• Screening at Speed
• Screening of Dense Material in Air Cargo Skids
• Software Assurance
• Technology Acceptance
• Threat Prevention
• Vehicle Ramming Mitigation Technology
• X-Ray Screener Tools

NASA has prepared a clean, controlled facility where personnel would assemble an upcoming lunar rover, which will travel to the Moon's south pole in search of ice and water. 

The space agency said Wednesday that it established the Surface Segment Integration and Test Facility at Houston-based Johnson Space Center for the assembly of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER).

The cleanroom, which measures over 1,000 square feet, features new particle counters and air filtration units designed to maintain the facility's cleanliness. NASA must make sure that the rover is not contaminated with anything that would interfere with the spacecraft's solar arrays and scientific measurement tools.

The team in charge of the rover also built a full-scale VIPER replica to practice for the actual vehicle's assembly over a three-month rehearsal period. David Petri, system integration and test lead for VIPER, said his team needs to immediately address errors that might affect the rover's development timeline.

The space agency wants to build VIPER by summer 2022, before the launch scheduled for 2023. VIPER's findings would support NASA's Artemis program, an effort to revive manned space exploration.

The Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million in a new round of research projects on quantum information science. DOE said Tuesday it will finance efforts that apply QIS to address climate change and other critical matters such as national security.

Researchers may use QIS to quantify, process, analyze and present information, with applications in power outage forecasting and smart device development.

“From developing novel materials to building better batteries to moving clean electricity across the country more efficiently, the field of quantum information sciences can help us accelerate discoveries to solve complex problems in energy and beyond," said Jennifer Granholm, secretary of energy.

DOE will divide the $30 million funding opportunity among five Nanoscale Science Research Centers:

• Center for Functional Nanomaterials
• Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies
• Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
• Center for Nanoscale Materials
• Molecular Foundry

The U.S. Army teamed up with Clemson University to develop an artificial intelligence-based digital life cycle system that will design, study and fabricate parts for various applications. The platform is intended to produce 3D-printed components including air and ground vehicle structures, the Army said Tuesday.

"As part of the new project, we will develop a database of raw materials, including metals, plastics and composite materials, that could then be used to train artificial intelligence and create digital models of potential new feedstock materials," Srikanth Pilla, a Robert Patrick Jenkins-endowed professor at Clemson University's college of engineering, computing and applied sciences and director of Clemson Composites Center.

Pilla added the center is using thermophysical testing equipment, high-speed cameras, spectroscopic gear, quasi-static and dynamic drop-tower test infrastructure, optical metrology and 3D printers to build the platform.

A team of researchers will print and test samples dubbed as coupons to validate the components' thermophysical, chemical and mechanical traits. The Army Research Laboratory also teamed up with 3D systems to assemble a composite printer for the project.

ARL and Clemson University are set to hold a symposium to tackle their collaborative programs and discuss topics such as manufacturing sciences and engineering.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a commission aimed at selecting a new undersecretary that will lead the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

The VA said Tuesday that the commission will work to assess candidates for undersecretary of health, which will be responsible for VHA’s $61 billion annual budget and health services delivery to over 9 million veterans.

Other duties include oversight of over 1,200 VA health institutions such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, domiciliaries, nursing homes and other centers for veteran care.

Candidates for the role must have substantial experience in programs related to VHA initiatives in addition to “a demonstrated ability to conceptualize and implement a vision”, according to the VA.

A new congressional task force on defense supply chain vulnerabilities has been created to prepare legislative solutions to include in the annual defense policy bill. The task force’s co-chairs Reps. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. announced the formation of the task force on Wednesday in response to President Biden’s recent order for detailed supply chain analysis.

The co-chairs reported they would work closely with the Department of Defense and defense officials to evaluate defense supply chains' weaknesses. “This is built to be [ready] in the three months leading up to the real meat and potatoes of (drafting the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act), so that we aren’t waiting another year,” commented Slotkin. 

The coronavirus pandemic illustrated fragilities in America’s defense, commercial, and especially medical supply chains. This greatly worried many defense officials and government leaders. Slotkin was particularly concerned when Chinese authorities delayed a shipment of medical supplies last year. 

The task force has made no recommendations yet. However, lawmakers stressed the need to evaluate U.S. dependencies on foreign imports such as semiconductors, rare-earth minerals and battery technology with uses in the defense and commercial sectors. Also, lawmakers will study any medical supply chains that might be vulnerable.

Possible solutions to supply chain problems might involve reshoring critical U.S. manufacturing through competitive incentives for businesses. Another possibility is to make future vital supply chain purchases from historically strong U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom. 

“The trick is really just finding that right balance between what capabilities we absolutely must be able to make in the USA, what we can buy from our close allies and what we can afford to source from broader networks of partners,” added Gallagher. 

The task force will operate for three months and has the option to continue for another three months. Apart from the co-chairs, the members are Reps. Donald Norcross, D-N.J.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Michael Waltz, R-Fla. and Stephanie Bice, R-Okla.

Joseph Evans, a principal director at the Department of Defense (DOD), has said the department is continuing 5G prototyping efforts and that there are plenty of partnership opportunities for industry, DOD News reported Tuesday.

Evans, who serves as principal director for 5G at the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) within the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for R&E (USD R&E), said at a National Defense Industrial Association conference that international allies can also benefit from 5G partnerships with the DOD.

"This is the same technology that's going to connect our warfighters and our weapons systems," he noted.

5G has transformational benefits in areas such as internet of things, unmanned vehicles and sensors, according to Evans.

James Trebes, principal director for directed energy under the USD R&E, said at the same event that the DOD is funding a multiphase effort to produce 300-kilowatt lasers with industry partners.

The DOD will begin manufacturing 500-kW lasers for up to 36 months following the 300-kW weapons’ delivery within two years, he noted. He added that the DOD is also closely tracking offensive strike technologies and adversaries' missile capabilites.

Paul Lopata, principal director for quantum science, said the DOD is also conducting basic research on quantum computing. The department has been researching the subject over the past two to three decades, he noted.