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Select Committee Offers Recommendations for Using Cloud to Help Advance AI Research
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Select Committee Offers Recommendations for Using Cloud to Help Advance AI Research

The Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence has issued a report outlining four recommendations for how the federal government can help improve the use of cloud computing resources in support of federally funded research-and-development work on AI, Nextgov reported Thursday.

Those recommendations are launching and supporting pilot projects to explore the challenges and advantages related to the use of commercial cloud platforms in conducting AI research; improving training and education opportunities to help researchers better use cloud resources for AI research; cataloging best practices in identity management and single-sign-on strategies to facilitate effective use of commercial clouds for AI-related R&D work; and establishing and publishing best practices for the seamless use of cloud services for AI. 

For the first recommendation, the committee listed several pilot projects at federal agencies that seek to identify the challenges and benefits of using commercial clouds in performing AI research. Those include the Joint Common Foundation (JCF) of the Department of Defense’s Joint AI Center (JAIC) and the Department of Transportation’s Secure Data Commons. 

The White House created the select committee as part of the National Science and Technology Council in May 2018 to advise the administration on interagency R&D priorities related to AI and determine opportunities on how to use federal computational resources and data in support of the country’s AI R&D ecosystem, among others.

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Hon. Ellen Lord: Pentagon Eyes Trusted Capital Marketplace Launch in December
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Hon. Ellen Lord: Pentagon Eyes Trusted Capital Marketplace Launch in December

Hon. Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said she expects the Department of Defense to launch in December 2020 a marketplace project meant to protect the defense industrial base and U.S. technologies from adversarial capital, DoD News reported Wednesday.

“What we want to do is instead of driving companies, or driving people trying to sell real estate to these adversarial and nefarious kinds of actors out there, we want to be able to partner people with clean money with companies where we understand the beneficial ownership and grow that capability for the betterment of our national security and economic security,” Lord said of the Trusted Capital Marketplace during an online discussion as part of the ASCEND Summit.

The Trusted Capital Marketplace project is the Pentagon’s response to a congressional mandate in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The marketplace will work by connecting U.S. businesses with critical defense technologies to cleared investors that do not have links to adversarial countries.

“We’d like to think the capital markets are very, very efficient. But we work with the Council on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to block or undo a lot of transactions where our adversaries are coming in and buying companies that are critical for our national technology initiatives,” Lord said at the event.

Hon. Ellen Lord: Pentagon Eyes Trusted Capital Marketplace Launch in December

Join Potomac Officers Club for its 5G Summit on Jan. 7th, 2021 to learn about the impact that innovative technologies and 5G integration have on the private and public sectors, the steps the federal agencies have taken to remain up to speed with the rapid advancement of technology, and the future programs, plans and priorities as the nation aligns with emerging technology.

Hon. Ellen Lord, undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD) and four-time Wash100 Award recipient, will be featured as the keynote speaker.

Don’t miss out on this must see event! Register here for Potomac Officers Club’s 5G Summit on Jan. 7th, 2021.

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FCC Creates Unified Satellite Station Licensing Framework
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FCC Creates Unified Satellite Station Licensing Framework

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established an optional unified framework to simplify the agency's process of granting licenses for space and ground satellite stations.

FAA said Wednesday commercial providers can apply for authorization to deploy earth and ground stations built to support satellite systems that operate above the 10 gigahertz band under a single license.

The agency simplified its licensing rule in a move to help operators find certainty regarding gateway earth station locations early on in the satellite design phase and address unnecessary reporting requirements.

According to FCC, the change aligns the buildout timelines to qualify ground terminals and communicating satellites.

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Air Force Looks to Create Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare Wing in 2021
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Air Force Looks to Create Electromagnetic Spectrum Warfare Wing in 2021

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) plans to establish a new wing that will focus on warfare operations involving the electromagnetic spectrum by March 2021, C4ISRnet reported Tuesday.

The 355th Spectrum Warfare Wing will fall under the oversight of the Air Force Warfare Center. Col. William Young, former commander of the 53rd Electronic Warfare Group, will head the new Air Force component.

Lt. Gen. Christopher Weggeman, deputy commander of the  Air Combat Command (ACC), said at an AFCEA event that the new Air Force component will work to develop, test and integrate electronic-warfare hardware and software while providing assistance for EM combat operations.

Brig. Gen. Marty Reynolds, vice commander of the Air Force Warfare Center, noted that the wing will also house experts on the EM spectrum that will support the development of technologies for electronic attack jamming and electronic protection measures.

He added that securing data and edge-level computing is important so operators could aggregate the data and make predictions based on the analysis.

Weggeman and Reynolds' comments come after the Air Force realigned ACC's EM spectrum management component to the Headquarters Air Force.

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CNSI Forms Board of Advisors; Todd Stottlemyer Quoted
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CNSI Forms Board of Advisors; Todd Stottlemyer Quoted

CNSI has formed a Board of Advisors, featuring healthcare and technology experts that will advise the company on industry trends, policy initiatives, the company reported on Wednesday. The advisors will also provide innovative ways to support clients’ goals to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

“I am grateful that this diverse group of healthcare and technology experts and thought leaders have agreed to serve on CNSI’s Board of Advisors,” said Todd Stottlemyer, CEO of CNSI and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient. “Their deep policy, technology, clinical, Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial health knowledge and experience will be invaluable to CNSI’s future strategic growth.”

The members of the CNSI Board of Advisors include Ryan Howells, Ryan Bosch, Aneesh Chopra, Charlene Frizzera,  MG Elder Granger (ret. U.S. Army), Bobbie Kilberg, Charles Milligan and Penny Thompson. 

“They will also advise us on better ways to support our clients through innovative solutions that provide access to high quality care, empower individuals with actionable information to improve overall health outcomes, and utilize technology to drive down healthcare costs,” Stottlemyer added. 

Howells is the principal at Leavitt Partners. He has worked with the White House, Congress, HHS and VHA on health care policy and interoperability issues. Howells currently helps lead the CARIN Alliance, giving consumers digital access to their health information.

“It is an honor to work with this diverse and experienced Board of Advisors to provide the CNSI team with greater insight into the future of healthcare policy and the role technology plays in helping to lower costs, expand access, and improve quality,” said Howells Board of Advisors chair.

Bosch, MD, operates the Socially Determined business, supervising core corporate functions and workforce. He is responsible for corporate strategy, supporting sales on key partnerships and delivering strategic support to clients. 

Chopra is the president of CareJourney, an open data membership service building a trusted, transparent rating system for physicians, networks, facilities and markets on the move to value. He served as the first U.S. chief technology officer from 2009 to 2012. 

Frizzera is the president and CEO of CF Health Advisors, which she co-founded after her retirement from 30 years of federal service as the acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Granger, MD, is president and CEO of THE 5Ps. He is also the former deputy director and program executive officer of the TRICARE Management Activity, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs).

Kilberg is president and CEO Emeritus of the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC).  She also served in President George H.W. Bush’s administration as deputy assistant to the President for Public Liaison and as director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Milligan, JD, MPH, is the chief operating officer of Health Management Associates. He is a healthcare leader who has made contributions across the public and private sectors. He previously served as a Medicaid and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (DSNPs) consultant for states, foundations and associations.

Thompson is a nationally recognized expert on the Medicaid and CHIP programs and a proven innovator and leader. She works with organizations committed to delivering high quality business solutions for the healthcare market, focusing on the nation’s most vulnerable populations. 

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DoD Joint Hypersonics Transition Office, NSWC Crane Partner to Accelerate Weapons Deployment; Gillian Bussey Quoted
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DoD Joint Hypersonics Transition Office, NSWC Crane Partner to Accelerate Weapons Deployment; Gillian Bussey Quoted

The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division has partnered with a Department of Defense (DoD) technology transition office to speed up the fielding of hypersonic weapons, National Defense Magazine reported Tuesday.

The DoD Joint Hypersonics Transition Office's (JHTO) partnership with NSWC Crane comes as part of efforts to establish a strategy for identifying milestones and deadlines for programs focused on integrating new capabilities into hypersonic technologies.

Gillian Bussey, director of JHTO, told the publication in a prior interview that her office seeks to implement “an integrated, collaborative, enterprise-wide plan” for addressing issues such as moving hypersonic capabilities from research and development to manufacturing.

She noted that JHTO is working to identify contract requirements from the start to help improve the transition of technologies like the Lockheed Martin-developed air-launched rapid response weapon.

“One thing that we kind of thought it was missing was a rigorous systems engineering approach,” she said. “We’ll go through the list of projects and identify the priority ones and the ones that we can fund."

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HHS Needs Info on Technologies to Improve Health Care in Underserved Areas; Brett Giroir Quoted
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HHS Needs Info on Technologies to Improve Health Care in Underserved Areas; Brett Giroir Quoted

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeks input on how to better address chronic diseases and improve the U.S. health care system in underserved communities via innovative technologies. 

HHS said on Tuesday that its Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) released a request for information in search of ways to apply artificial intelligence, apps, biosensors and other modern technologies to health care.

“Identifying how technologies can be used at home and in communities will help our aging populations access care, monitor and maintain healthy activities, and enable as much independent living as possible, especially in underserved areas of our nation,” said Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health.

The RFI also tackles public-private partnerships, technology-driven health promotion and data resources for chronic disease management.

OASH asks community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, academic institutions, local and state agencies and other health care stakeholders to submit responses through Dec. 22th. 

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Boeing Responds to FAA Approval to Resume 737 MAX Operations; CEO David Calhoun Quoted
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Boeing Responds to FAA Approval to Resume 737 MAX Operations; CEO David Calhoun Quoted

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has rescinded the order that paused commercial operations of Boeing 737-8s and 737-9s, which will enable airlines under the agency’s jurisdiction to resume service, as well as allow Boeing to deliver offerings.

"The lessons we have learned… have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity," said David Calhoun, chief executive officer of Boeing.

Boeing has worked with airlines to provide recommendations regarding long-term storage and ensure their input was part of the effort to safely return the airplanes to service.

An Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA has outlined the requirements that must be met before U.S. carriers can resume service, including installing software enhancements, completing wire separation modifications, conducting pilot training and accomplishing thorough de-preservation activities that will ensure the airplanes are ready for service.

Boeing has strengthened its organizational alignment, with more than 50 thousand engineers, a new Product & Services Safety unit and advanced safety responsibilities. The company is also identifying, diagnosing and resolving issues with a higher level of transparency and immediacy.

In addition, Boeing has made process enhancements by adopting next-generation design processes to enable greater levels of first-time quality.

"The FAA's directive is an important milestone," said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We will continue to work with regulators around the world and our customers to return the airplane back into service worldwide."

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SPA Wins Contract to Support Navy Analytics Office; Dr. William Vantine Quoted
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SPA Wins Contract to Support Navy Analytics Office; Dr. William Vantine Quoted

Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA) has been awarded a five-year Multiple Award Contract (MAC) to support the Navy Analytics Office (NAO) and other offices across the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, the company reported on Wednesday. 

“We recognize how crucial it is for the Navy to have a strategy-aligned analytic environment in which they can learn and adapt faster than our adversaries,” said Dr. William Vantine, SPA president and CEO. 

Under the contract, SPA will provide assessments to support Program Objective Memorandum (POM) budgeting decisions, campaign-related scenario and warfare modeling and simulation-based analytic services, and Level 3 Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) software design, development and integration support.

“SPA’s highly educated and innovative technical experts along with our team of industry partners are ready to bring our mission focused analytic capabilities to the Navy’s Analytic Office.  We look forward to a successful partnership and helping the NAO solve their most challenging problems,” Vantine added.

About SPA

SPA provides innovative, leading edge solutions integrating technical, operational, programmatic, policy, and business factors in support of important national security objectives. Our capabilities include: Advanced Analytics; Software Tool Development; System Engineering and Safety Analysis; Strategy, Policy and Compliance; Program and Acquisition Management. 

Our employees have expertise in many domains, including: Land, Undersea, Surface and Air Warfare Operations; Radar and Sensor Systems; Unmanned Systems and Counter Systems; Nuclear Deterrence Policy, Safety and Security; Defense Industrial Base; Space Systems; Ballistic Missile Systems; and Hypersonics.

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Red River Launches Managed SD-WAN Solution; Kevin Steeprow Quoted
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Red River Launches Managed SD-WAN Solution; Kevin Steeprow Quoted

Red River has launched a fully managed software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solution, integrating the company’s Managed Services and Cisco SD-WAN technology to provide advanced enterprise networking capabilities to the public sector and enterprise markets, Red River reported on Wednesday.

“Our managed solution enables anyone to leverage software-defined technologies so that they can optimize productivity while reducing cost and complexity yet continue to address security needs; regardless of their IT capabilities,” said Kevin Steeprow, Red River VP of Engineering. 

Red River’s Managed SD-WAN will deliver enhanced flexibility, control and network management. The offering will also enable wide area network management over dispersed geographical locations.

The company’s Managed Services team will provide operational support and technical expertise to support clients’ return on investment. Red River has partnered with Cisco for the development and launch of Managed SD-WAN. 

Cisco SD-WAN technology will deliver a comprehensive networking solution that focuses on advanced Cisco hardware and software with Red River managed services support. 

“SD-WAN is a core component in the future of networking, and organizations recognize the advantages of adopting it into their environment; however, without continued operational support, it’s difficult to realize its full value,” Steeprow added. 

About Red River

Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. 

Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in security, networking, analytics, collaboration, mobility and cloud solutions.

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