NARA Drives Records Digitization, Data Management Efforts
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NARA Drives Records Digitization, Data Management Efforts

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is ramping up efforts to support massive amounts of electronic records as part of a digital archiving initiative, Federal News Network reported Tuesday.

NARA is coordinating with the Chief Data Officers Council on implementing data management practices while working to establish Electronic Records Archives 2.0, which will manage the storage, transfer and scheduling of electronic records from agencies.

Laurence Brewer, chief records officer at NARA, said at a Digital Government Institute event that ERA 2.0 is meant to support cloud-to-cloud transmission between NARA and other agencies.

NARA plans to issue an update on ERA 2.0, which serves as a joint effort with IBM, ahead of the December 2022 deadline to terminate acceptance of paper-based records.

“That has been made more evident over the past year, that we just can’t push paper around anymore,” said Brewer.

NARA also intends to implement a shared-service model to records management and is collaborating with the General Services Administration on the Federal Electronic Records Modernization Initiative (FERMI), which focuses on establishing a marketplace of digitization tools.

Other NARA initiatives that Brewer cited include the planned release of a guidance on handing web records, including agencies’ social media posts and other content within the Electronic Messaging Preservation Act’s scope.

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AT&T, Cisco Develop Highly Secure SD-WAN Capabilities; Will Eborall Quoted
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AT&T, Cisco Develop Highly Secure SD-WAN Capabilities; Will Eborall Quoted

AT&T announced on Wednesday that the company is adding new features from Cisco to its SD-WAN capabilities. AT&T SD-WAN with Cisco Teleworker solution will provide customers with fast and secure SD-WAN capabilities whose employees work from home.

“AT&T continues to adapt its offerings to align with the customer needs of today, with these enhancements to SD-WAN with Cisco. As a leader in supporting all shapes and sizes of businesses, and the largest SD-WAN provider in North America, we’re giving businesses the tools not just to manage their needs today, but prepare for the future,” commented Will Eborall, AVP of Product Marketing Management for AT&T.

AT&T SD-WAN with Cisco Teleworker solution is designed to allow businesses to quickly stand up and manage remote employees by using the employees’ home internet connection and layers on the full SD-WAN stack with one piece of hardware. It will provide enterprise-grade services without sacrificing performance.

Public sector clients of AT&T SD-WAN with Cisco Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) will enjoy managed, high-performance policy-based service while meeting the FISMA criteria for managing system security and risks.

Customers will also have a co-managed option. This will provide customers the ability to self-manage and control their business application policies. The co-managed option will still rely on AT&T for managed service support for configuration, fault and performance management.

AT&T and Cisco’s product will emphasize security and prioritize business applications over non-business traffic. It is simple to deploy and will give employees visibility into the edge, with near real-time manageability.

“Today’s distributed workforce needs superior home office connectivity that makes working at home just as fluid as being in the office with consistent connectivity, performance and enterprise-grade security. The AT&T SD-WAN with Cisco Teleworker solution meets these requirements by providing an office-like experience to workers while keeping enterprise assets highly secure,” added JL Valente, Cisco’s VP of Product Management, Enterprise Routing and SD-WAN.

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Lt. Gen. Michael Groen Says DOD Must Avoid AI Obsolescence
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Lt. Gen. Michael Groen Says DOD Must Avoid AI Obsolescence

Lt. Gen. Michael Groen, a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient and the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) director, believes that the biggest artificial intelligence (AI) threat facing the Department of Defense (DOD) is obsolescence.

“The biggest competitive threat is our own obsolescence. I could walk out into the parking lot of the Pentagon, turn on my iPhone and join a data-driven, completely integrated environment. I can get whatever services I want. I can review, I can find, I can research. I can do it all at my fingertips. I can’t do any of that on a defense network,” commented Groen. 

Groen as director for JAIC, is tasked with accelerating the DOD’s advanced AI adoption. The Center provides data readiness evaluation and has successfully launched it's Joint Common Foundation (JCF). The Foundation is providing DOD organizations with the tools and expertise to incorporate AI in their operations. 

He stressed that China is attempting to become the world leader in AI by 2030 and the DOD needs to have integrated systems to counter that threat. The seamless and rapid transfer of data to relevant persons or organizations is vital for developing AI and robust warfighting capabilities. The rapid technological advancement in warfare means “small will beat our big capabilities. Fast, faster than us, will beat slower operations,” Groen added. 

AI will be essential for data processing for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), which is a  unified warfighting concept that aims to connect the best sensor to the best shooter in all combat domains. Groen said that developing platforms with open architectures is key to creating more capabilities that can be integrated into unified warfighting concepts. “Until we have an integrated warfighting capability, data-driven that can operate at tempo, we’re vulnerable.”

Lt. Gen. Michael Groen Says DOD Must Avoid AI Obsolescence

Lt. Gen. Groen gave a keynote address during Potomac Officers Club's recent 3rd Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 30th. He addressed the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) for the Department of Defense (DOD) and national security as a whole. In addition, he spoke about how the DOD needs to integrate AI technology into all of its services and agencies to coordinate warfighting and communication capabilities.

If you missed the 3rd Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit, you can still access the OnDemand footage by visiting Potomac Officers Club’s Event Archive.

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Army’s Enterprise Cloud Management Office Transitions Into Field Operating Agency; Raj Iyer Quoted
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Army’s Enterprise Cloud Management Office Transitions Into Field Operating Agency; Raj Iyer Quoted

The U.S. Army’s Enterprise Cloud Management Office has transitioned away from its former name and is now operating as the Enterprise Cloud Management Agency (ECMA), the Army Chief Information Officer said in a tweet Monday. ECMA will act as a field operating agency of the Army CIO’s office and continue under the leadership of Paul Puckett.

Puckett, who was named ECMO director in 2019, will continue reporting to Raj Iyer, the Army CIO and a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient. Iyer told FedScoop in a statement that the operational change brings “new responsibilities and authorities” on enterprisewide cloud efforts, the publication reported Tuesday.

ECMA previously launched initiatives like the cARMY enterprise cloud which was meant to support programs such as the multidomain operations-focused Project Convergence.

“The formation of the ECMA as a new [FOA] represents the Army’s commitment to centralized acceleration to the cloud and adopting new digital technologies to implement the Army’s Digital Modernization Strategy,” Iyer noted.

Army's Enterprise Cloud Management Office Transitions Into Field Operating Agency; Raj Iyer Quoted

During GovConWire’s Army: IT Management and Transformation Forum, notable federal and industry leaders will discuss The service branch’s IT reform, strategies and priorities, as well as technology management and transformation.

Featuring Raj Iyer, chief information officer with the U.S. Army, as the keynote speaker, join our event to learn more about the Army’s digital transformation, modernization and cybersecurity initiatives, in addition to how industry can help meet critical missions in 2021 and beyond. Click the banner above or visit GovConWire Events to register for this can’t miss event on April 15th.

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NIST Publishes Guide to Enhance Hotel Cybersecurity; Bill Newhouse Quoted
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NIST Publishes Guide to Enhance Hotel Cybersecurity; Bill Newhouse Quoted

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a three-part guide designed to help hotels boost the protection of customer data and other contents of their property management systems against cyber threats.

Titled “Securing Property Management Systems,” the guide advises hotel owners on how to cybersecure the systems that hold credit card data and other personal information of guests, NIST said Tuesday.

“Our practice guide documents show we enabled cybersecurity concepts such as zero trust architecture, moving target defense, tokenization of credit card data and role-based authentication in a reference design that addresses cybersecurity and privacy risk,” said Bill Newhouse, a cybersecurity engineer at the agency’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE).

The guide’s first part is an executive summary while the second one features guidance on the approach, architecture and security characteristics hotels should be aware of to reduce risks. The third and final part educates information technology practitioners on how to implement the security recommendations.

Cybersecurity technology providers helped NCCoE and the hospitality business community develop a design that could safeguard information within the PMS and connected IT infrastructure of hotels. The “PMS reference design” could also stop users from accessing various systems and services.

Hospitality is the third among industries that experienced cybersecurity breaches in 2019, according to an industry report. Thirteen percent of the total incidents compromised hotel chains.

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NASA Promotes Robyn Gatens to Full-Time ISS Director
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NASA Promotes Robyn Gatens to Full-Time ISS Director

Robyn Gatens, who served as NASA's acting director for the International Space Station (ISS) for seven months, has been named to the post permanently.

She will work closely with ISS Program Manager Joel Montalbano in overseeing agency-level policy, stakeholder engagement and technology integration functions for the orbital laboratory, NASA said Wednesday. Gatens will also have risk management, program execution and technical advisory responsibilities in her new position.

The 35-year NASA veteran previously worked as ISS deputy director and helped the agency plan its strategy to drive an economic environment for low-Earth orbit missions. As systems capability leader, Gatens oversaw platforms for managing space station crew health and performance, environment and life support.

NASA added that she drove a strategic direction for the ISS U.S. National Laboratory following an independent review of lab management and operations. Her career at the space agency began at the Marshall Space Flight Center in 1985.

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Bipartisan Bill to Establish Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy; Sen. Rob Portman Quoted
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Bipartisan Bill to Establish Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy; Sen. Rob Portman Quoted

A group of six lawmakers has proposed a bipartisan bill that would establish a new office to help strengthen the U.S. manufacturing industry and its workforce and improve the country’s economic competitiveness.

The proposed Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy Act seeks to create a new office led by a chief manufacturing officer to conduct studies and develop a national plan to help ensure U.S. edge in manufacturing, according to a new release published Monday.

The bill would also form the Federal Strategy and Coordinating Council on Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation and establish a National Medal of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation to acknowledge contributions to the field.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, introduced the measure with Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Chris Coons, D-Del., and Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

"The Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation will work to coordinate existing federal programs and resources for manufacturers, while providing the President with analysis and perspective," said Portman. "Much like the National Security Advisor, the Chief Manufacturing Officer will create a strategic plan to ensure our nation’s manufacturing and industrial sector remains world-class."

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Report: Biden’s $2T Infrastructure Plan to Include Funding for Electric Vehicles, Broadband
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Report: Biden’s $2T Infrastructure Plan to Include Funding for Electric Vehicles, Broadband

White House officials on Tuesday briefed lawmakers on a potential $2 trillion infrastructure plan that would fund electric vehicles, public transit, highways, electrical grid and water systems upgrades, broadband internet expansion and semiconductor research efforts, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

President Biden is scheduled to discuss his administration’s infrastructure package during his speech on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. The package will be the first of a two-part program that seeks to reshape U.S. economic policy and compete with China.

WSJ cited sources that say the infrastructure package would be covered by tax increases, including a rise in corporate tax rate and overseas earnings of companies.

Senior White House aides said they expect Congress to pass the infrastructure bill by summer. The Biden administration plans to release a second proposal focused on child care, education and health care in April as part of the two-part program.

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Guidehouse Obtains ISO 9001:2015 Certification; Scott McIntyre Quoted
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Guidehouse Obtains ISO 9001:2015 Certification; Scott McIntyre Quoted

Guidehouse announced on Tuesday that it has successfully obtained the ISO 9001:2015 certification of its quality management systems (QMS) for the design and delivery of advisory services to U.S. government clients. The company also received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (BNQA) for performance excellence. 

“We are honored to achieve this prestigious certification, which speaks to our culture of collaboration, high-performance, and commitment to serving our clients at the highest standard of excellence,” said 2021 Wash100 Award recipient and Guidehouse CEO Scott McIntyre.

The ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a QMS. The certification is used by companies that want to provide consistent products and services for their customers while following applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. 

Guidehouse was the first large professional service company to receive the BNQA. This award is the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence and is awarded to U.S. organizations for world-class results and superior quality.

The ISO 9001:2015 certification and BNQA demonstrate Guidehouse’s high-quality standards with a commitment to excellence and innovation. “This is a true testament to the hard work of our team, our people who continue to deliver this recognized level of excellence every day,” concluded McIntyre.

ISO standards are regularly reviewed to ensure its requirements reflect best practices for organizations, as well as the needs of customers, in the evolving marketplace. 

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is a leading global consulting services provider to the public and commercial markets with general management, technology, and risk consulting capabilities. The company helps clients address their toughest challenges and navigate significant regulatory pressures focusing on transformational change, business resiliency, and technology-driven innovation. 

Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and digital services, we create scalable, innovative solutions that prepare our clients for future growth and success. The company has more than 9,000 professionals in over 50 locations globally. 

Guidehouse is a Veritas Capital portfolio company led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies.

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Octo Consulting Awarded Spot On $12.6B DIA SITE III Contract; Mehul Sanghani Quoted
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Octo Consulting Awarded Spot On $12.6B DIA SITE III Contract; Mehul Sanghani Quoted

Octo Consulting announced on Tuesday it has been awarded a spot on the Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA’s) $12.6 billion Solutions for Information Technology Enterprise III (SITE III)  indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contract will require Octo to provide modernization services of the DIA’s information technology (IT) infrastructure, systems, and applications. 

“This is an exciting time for Octo as we continue to demonstrate our commitment and capabilities to the intelligence community and their defense counterparts while putting our growing teams to work on projects that directly impact our operatives, warfighters, and country. We are honored to be part of DIA’s mission and support them in executing their role in helping protect our nation,” concluded Octo CEO Mehul Sanghani. 

The contract will run for 10-years and presents new opportunities for Octo to expand its business expertise. It also stipulates that Octo will provide additional IT support to DIA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Those services may include planning and project management, application modernization and development, cybersecurity and cloud support. 

The DIA is a Department of Defense (DOD) combat support agency. Its mission is to produce, analyze and then disseminate military intelligence to military missions. The agency is the primary producer and manager of foreign military intelligence for the Unified Combatant Command, joint chiefs of staff and 2021 Wash100 Award recipient Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"Octo is elated to be awarded the SITE III contract with DIA and to continue supporting the modernization of critical military intelligence IT systems. This represents the culmination of over nine years leading IT engagements with DIA, NGA, and military service intelligence components where Octo's 1,100+ employees have helped speed the delivery of cloud-native, platform-enabled mission systems," Sam Stollar, Octo's senior vice president of Intelligence and Air Force, commented.

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