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Tarak Shah, David Huizenga to Lead Biden Administration’s DOE
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Tarak Shah, David Huizenga to Lead Biden Administration’s DOE

Tarak Shah, an experienced energy policy expert, and David Huizenga, associate principal deputy administrator for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, have been appointed to serve as DOE’s chief of staff and acting secretary, respectively.

Both Shah and Huizenga will lead DOE under the Biden-Harris Administration in support of newly inaugurated President Biden, the department said Thursday. Shah was chief of staff to DOE’s undersecretary for science from 2014 to 2017, and has supported senatorial and presidential campaigns of Barack Obama.

Huizenga, who will soon lead DOE on an acting basis, currently advises NNSA’s senior leaders on policy and programmatic matters. The experienced leader holds expertise in nuclear waste management and nuclear nonproliferation.

The Biden-Harris Administration also newly appointed nearly 20 DOE executives including Shalanda Baker, deputy director for energy justice, and Christopher Davis, senior advisor to the secretary of energy.

“These talented and diverse public servants will deliver on President Biden’s goal to tackle the climate crisis and build an equitable clean energy future,” said Shah.

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Sen. Jack Reed Poised to Lead Senate Armed Services Committee
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Sen. Jack Reed Poised to Lead Senate Armed Services Committee

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., will assume leadership of the Senate Armed Services Committee once U.S. senators hammer out a power-sharing arrangement between the Democratic and Republican members of an evenly divided Senate, FCW reported Thursday.

He will succeed Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and lead hearings the panel will hold to gather information about President Joe Biden's nominees for Department of Defense leadership positions.

Reed participated in a bipartisan working group that drove the creation of a $150 billion relief fund for state, local and tribal governments as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

He was first elected to the upper chamber in 1996 and has served as a member of the Senate Armed Services, Appropriations and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committees.

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Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris on AFLCMC’s Push for 5G, Digital Engineering Efforts
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Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris on AFLCMC’s Push for 5G, Digital Engineering Efforts

 Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris, commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), said in a recent address that the center has invested significantly in technologies like 5G to help promote efficiency across military bases.

Aside from AFLCMC’s 5G efforts over the past year, Morris noted in his “State of the Center” speech that the center is also working to promote the implementation of open-systems frameworks, digital engineering and agile development.

“As an Air Force, I think it is important to capitalize off what we’ve done and not lose sight of these investments,” said Morris.

He also emphasized the importance of combining model-based and digital engineering approaches as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence to enable responsiveness and flexibility in addressing future threats.

The AFLCMC head added that he envisions the center’s educational initiatives like the Digital University program to serve as a foundation for how the center will address needs for dynamic training.

The Air Force’s success in competitive operations will depend on initiatives launched by Will Roper, the service’s acquisition chief and a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, according to Morris. Morris was nominated to his current role in May 2020 and assumed the post in September.

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Army Senior Scientist Stephen Lee: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Leads to Innovation
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Army Senior Scientist Stephen Lee: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Leads to Innovation

Stephen Lee, senior scientist for interdisciplinary sciences at the U.S. Army Research Office, said innovation mostly stems from the combination of multiple scientific disciplines. The scientist noted that interdisciplinary collaboration opens opportunities to engage in new research areas that may support soldier performance, the Army said Thursday.

“With the different perspectives not being tied to an individual approach, we can combine ideas and provide comprehensive operationalization of the sciences in our programs,” Lee said.

He referenced the Fido explosives detector that Nomadics, now part of Flir Systems, further developed for the Army. Fido is designed to detect explosive vapors.

Lee supported Fido's development in the early 2000s based on research made by Timothy Swager with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The technology uses algorithms based on the behaviors of different animals including detection dogs. This externally led to the development of new equipment, including cameras and smart technology, to protect and support military detection dogs.

“I’m hopeful that, while we’re engaged at different levels as individuals in our own organizations, we can apply our technical expertise to new areas and really get deep down into the art of research and technology for the Soldier," Lee said.

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CBP Named Authorized Economic Operator Under US-UK Supply Chain Agreement; William Ferrara Quoted
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CBP Named Authorized Economic Operator Under US-UK Supply Chain Agreement; William Ferrara Quoted

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has entered into an agreement with its U.K. counterpart to certify both countries’ economic operator programs in a push to accelerate supply-chain security.

CBP said Thursday that the agreement validates the agency under the U.K.'s Authorized Economic Operators initiative and approves CBP participation in the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT). 

The CTPAT public-private organization includes members of the trade community that work to fortify supply-chain security while identifying key vulnerabilities and best practices in supply-chain management.

CBP’s AEO status certifies its capacity for secure customs control across the international supply chain in line with the U.K. government’s criteria. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) component will also have benefits in trade facilitation as part of the designation.

The authorization comes a month after the U.S. and U.K. concluded their Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement that seeks to establish legal guidelines for information sharing in law enforcement operations.

William Ferrara, executive assistant commissioner at CBP's Office of Field Operations, said the recent arrangement serves as a “mutual recognition” of the two countries’ AEO programs with the aim of eliminating red tape while mitigating risks in the trade activities. CTPAT has expanded to over 11,400 trade-community partners since its inception in 2001.

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DOD’s Alka Patel: AI Ethics Must Apply to All Military AI Systems
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DOD’s Alka Patel: AI Ethics Must Apply to All Military AI Systems

Alka Patel, who leads artificial intelligence ethics policy at the Joint AI Center (JAIC), said Department of Defense (DOD) officials believe ethical concerns must be applied to the technology's design and use, DOD News reported Thursday.

The Defense Innovation Board developed five principles to implement AI ethics: a personnel's own careful judgment, efforts to reduce unintended bias in AI, expertise requirements in AI development, mandatory use testing and the ability to prevent or stop unintended consequences, Patel said at the Defense One Genius Machines 2021 virtual summit.

The board created the principles with the help of AI experts, U.S. citizens and military leaders. DOD will move forward to implement the principles across the military's AI applications, she said.

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Senate Confirms Gen. Lloyd Austin as Defense Secretary
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Senate Confirms Gen. Lloyd Austin as Defense Secretary

The Senate has confirmed Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense in a 93-2 vote on Friday. President Biden said that Austin has “intimate knowledge of the Department of Defense,” which will support Biden's defense initiatives. His confirmation follows Congress' approval of the waiver to facilitate Austin’s confirmation on Thursday. 

The House voted 326-78 and the Senate passed in a 69-27 vote a congressional waiver that would exempt Austin from a law that requires former military officials to wait seven years after retirement from active duty to serve in the top civilian job at the DOD. 

Austin spent four decades in military service and retired in 2016 as head of U.S. Central Command. He previously discussed his top priorities once confirmed, including plans to address the COVID-19 pandemic and reaffirm military alliances with countries in the Indo-Pacific.

“[Austin] and I share a commitment to empowering our diplomats and development experts to lead our foreign policy, using force only as our last resort,” Biden said. Austin addressed DOD innovation and technology priorities, during his confirmation hearing Tuesday. “We will have to employ the use of space-based platforms, we have to use [artificial intelligence],” Austin said. “This is not a choice, in my view.” 

During his hearing, Austin spoke of his awareness of the DOD’s emphasis on technology and innovation programs. He noted that China was the largest threat to U.S. strategic security, adding that he will work to enable DOD’s competitive tech advantage.

Austin will collaborate with technology leaders to accelerate modernization across DOD’s platforms and networks, including Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), leveraging emerging technologies to increase interoperability and efficiency. 

He added that the department needs to ensure the right operational concepts to meet future threats. Austin added that connected battlefield networks would be a priority and that AI was vital to the future of warfare. 

In addition, Austin discussed working with senators on technology issues, such as acquisition reform, to increase innovative, solution-driven methods, reducing rigid requirements. 

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Biden Administration Names Steve Jurczyk as Acting NASA Administrator
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Biden Administration Names Steve Jurczyk as Acting NASA Administrator

President Biden’s administration has appointed Steve Jurczyk, NASA’s associate administrator, to serve as the agency’s acting administrator until the role is permanently filled. Jurczyk has served with NASA since May 2018.

“We also could not be prouder of how every civil servant and contractor has stepped up to move the NASA mission forward while looking out for the health, safety, and well-being of the entire team,” Jurczyk and White House appointee Bhavya Lal wrote in the joint message.

Prior to his position as associate administrator with NASA, Jurczyk served as the associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate, where he created and executed the agency’s space technology programs.

With the Space Technology Mission Directorate, he focused on developing and demonstrating transformative technologies for human and robotic exploration of the solar system in partnership with industry and academia.

He previously was director of NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he headed NASA’s first field Center, which plays a critical role in NASA’s aeronautics research, exploration and science missions. Jurczyk began his NASA career in 1988 at Langley in the Electronic Systems Branch as a design, integration and test engineer.

“NASA represents the best of America, and the best of American values: hard work, determination, and ingenuity. And this agency has proven, time and again, that anything is possible when we come together, break down barriers, create opportunities, and imagine a new tomorrow,” Jurczyk and Lal added.

“I am thankful for their willingness to step up to lead during these difficult times and help us make sure the government continues to operate and serve the American people,” Biden said in a statement announcing the acting leads of dozens of government agencies.

Biden has not yet announced a nominee to lead the NASA permanently.

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GDIT Wins Spot on State Department’s $3.3B Global Support Strategy Contract
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GDIT Wins Spot on State Department’s $3.3B Global Support Strategy Contract

General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) has been awarded a position on the U.S. Department of State's ten-year, $3.3 billion Global Support Strategy (GSS) 2.0 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle, the company reported on Friday. 

"We have been providing visa-related services to the U.S. Department of State for more than 20 years and look forward to building on this legacy with innovative technical and process solutions to improve service efficiency and customer experience," said Paul Nedzbala, GDIT senior vice president for the federal civilian division.

As one of three prime contractors, GDIT will deliver overseas consulate support services to the Bureau of Consular Affairs. The company’s efforts will support visa application and issuance at U.S. embassies and consulates. 

"The Bureau of Consular Affairs is the department's public face for the global community, and this contract will provide responsive and efficient consular services to facilitate travel to the United States for millions of people," Nedzbala added. 

With the company’s spot on the contract, GDIT will build on its history with the Department of State. The company previously supported the GSS 1.0 contract, delivering services including fee collection, document delivery and mission-focused enterprise IT tailored to the complex global environment.

About General Dynamics 

General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions; IT services; C4ISR solutions; and shipbuilding and ship repair. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $39.4 billion in revenue in 2019. 

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Stuart McGuigan: State Department Increases Agility, Centralized Tech Infrastructure
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Stuart McGuigan: State Department Increases Agility, Centralized Tech Infrastructure

Stuart McGuigan, former chief information officer at the Department of State, stated that the department has become more agile today than when he arrived in 2018. Since joining the State Department, McGuigan has worked to streamline the Authorization to Operate (ATO) process to increase efficiency. 

“Cloud solves a lot of problems — access, availability. But the heart is an infrastructure play if you are just thinking about cloud. So what we have been pushing for is software-as-a-service,” McGuigan said. 

McGuigan noted that the State Department has driven software-as-a-service, leveraging low-code, no-code configuration capabilities to provide process support for users. Since they operate within a safe and secure platform, there is no overhead and delay, increasing speed to market by using SaaS cloud based capabilities.

He added that fundamental principles of agile, continuous feedback, deep engagement with the user and rapid iteration became the operating model for the State Department. “We didn’t spend a lot of time having philosophical debates on what agile is. We just did the work,” McGuigan said. 

“We will benefit from the innovations that could occur anywhere in the department and everyone would get access to the very best the department can do, or they can contribute something new and innovative and get rewarded for that,” McGuigan said.

He also urged the Department of State to build on the technology foundation the department has established, especially around collaboration and mobility, and to create more secure mobile platforms. McGuigan added that the incoming CIO should analyze critical success factors to reach policy goals, then leverage the basic capabilities to accelerate growth. 

“Analytical modeling and data analytics will be a big play. But more and more having the access to the same information and same tools across a variety of devices in a variety of environments where traditionally we have been hardwired,” McGuigan stated. 

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