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USDA, HHS, FCC Sign Memorandum for Rural Health Program; Sonny Perdue Quoted
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USDA, HHS, FCC Sign Memorandum for Rural Health Program; Sonny Perdue Quoted

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have signed an agreement to maintain the delivery of health services to rural areas in the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The partnership will create an interagency task force and conduct regular meetings to brainstorm and explore recommendations and future guidelines for the Rural Telehealth Initiative, USDA said Tuesday.

The Rural Telehealth Initiative aims to market broadband services and address health and service provider gaps through collaboration and information sharing efforts.

Ajit Pai, chairman at FCC, said the agency adopted the $200M COVID-19 telehealth effort and approved 539 funding applications from various healthcare providers.

"USDA’s Rural Broadband ReConnect program is delivering nearly $650 million in loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations to deploy high-speed broadband internet to rural communities who do not have access," said Sonny Perdue, USDA secretary.

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DIU Selects Google Cloud to Develop AI Technology for DoD; Mike Daniels Quoted
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DIU Selects Google Cloud to Develop AI Technology for DoD; Mike Daniels Quoted

Google Cloud has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to prototype an AI-enabled digital pathology solution at Department of Defense (DoD) facilities, including the delivery of augmented reality microscopes to DoD's medical facilities and access to artificial intelligence (AI) models, the company reported on Monday. 

"To effectively treat cancer, speed and accuracy are critical," said Mike Daniels, vice president of Global Public Sector for Google Cloud. "We are partnering with DIU to provide our machine learning and artificial intelligence technology to help frontline healthcare practitioners learn about capabilities that can improve the lives of our military men and women and their families."

Google Cloud’s technology will enable doctors to more effectively treat and diagnose cancer. The early access to the digital pathology platform is for research use only. DIU is the organization exclusively focused within the DoD on scaling commercial technology across the department.

The DIU-Google Cloud partnership will improve the accuracy of diagnoses, assist physicians make diagnostic and treatment decisions and to help lower overall healthcare costs. Google Cloud will prototype the delivery of an augmented reality microscope that overlays AI-based information for doctors, providing pathology-based cancer detection tools at the point-of-care. 

Google will leverage TensorFlow, an open-source framework to help deliver machine-learning models as well as the Google Cloud Healthcare API for data ingestion and de-identification to maximize patient privacy. The AI-based models used to assist doctors as part of the prototype were developed from public and private datasets. 

The partnership will be the second contract that Google has been awarded by DIU in the past three months. In May, Google and DIU collaborated to detect, protect against, and respond to cyberthreats globally. Carahsoft serves as Google Cloud's government distributor and facilitated the contract. The Joint AI Center (JAIC) will fund the project and technical expertise. 

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud provides organizations with leading infrastructure, platform capabilities, and industry solutions. We deliver enterprise-grade cloud solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology to help companies operate more efficiently and adapt to changing needs, giving customers a foundation for the future. Customers in more than 150 countries turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to solve their most critical business problems.

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Bipartisan Legislation Pack Promotes Emerging Tech in U.S.; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Quoted
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Bipartisan Legislation Pack Promotes Emerging Tech in U.S.; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Quoted

Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Bobby Rush, D-Ill., have presented a legislation package that aims to sustain technological advancement in the U.S. economy.

The American Competitiveness on More Productive Emerging Tech Economy (COMPETE) bill would reduce barriers that hinder emerging technology development, McMorris Rodgers' office said Monday.

“To maintain our global competitive edge, win the future and beat China, it’s crucial that the U.S. lead on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, the internet of things and other emerging technologies,” McMorris Rodgers said.

The legislation package features bills, including ones that have already been introduced, that focus on various emerging technologies such as blockchain, unmanned delivery services, AI network security and 3D printing.

These bills include the SMART IoT Act, the Countering Online Harms Act and the Advancing IoT Manufacturing Act.

 Potomac Officers Club (POC) hosted its latest virtual event, Secure IT Modernization in Today’s Environment, featuring a keynote address from Michael Mestrovich, principal deputy chief information officer (CIO) for the U.S. Department of State, and a full expert panel to discuss how federal agencies can adapt and evolve quickly in a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure global accessibility and connectivity of our information technology capabilities are available.

If you missed the event, you can still register to watch the footage in Potomac Officers Club’s Event Archive.

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Jim Reuter on NASA’s $1.6B Request for FY 2021 Space Tech Programs
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Jim Reuter on NASA’s $1.6B Request for FY 2021 Space Tech Programs

Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, has said the agency is preparing for budget uncertainties ahead of the new fiscal year which would begin on Oct. 1st, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.

Reuter told attendees at a NASA Advisory Council meeting that the House’s appropriations bill for fiscal year 2021 includes $227 million for on-orbit satellite servicing, assembly and manufacturing operations. The House’s version of the bill also allocates $110 million to support nuclear thermal propulsion development efforts.

NASA’s FY 2021 budget request earmarks $1.58 billion for space technology, including $100 million to support the development of a nuclear technology program that covers projects such as a fission reactor for lunar missions.

According to Reuter, the increase in allocations for space technology in the FY 2021 request reflects additional spending for the Artemis moon mission. He added that NASA has met virtually with House and Senate committees to “try to ask for a little relief in the congressional direction to give us a little bit of flexibility.”

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Telework Increases Productivity within Defense Department; Gen. Arnold Bunch Quoted
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Telework Increases Productivity within Defense Department; Gen. Arnold Bunch Quoted

Gen. Arnold Bunch, the commander of U.S. Air Force Materiel Command, recently noted that productivity of the service branch’s workforce has increased in almost-all telework environments, Federal News Network reported on Monday.

Bunch noted that he has directed a review of position descriptions across his 80,000-person command to decide if they’re more telework-compatible than what was imagined when those descriptions were written, to continue the virtual workforce after the pandemic is over. 

“I’m also going to look at how we set up our facilities. Do I need all those cubes? Can we create an environment where we have hot desks where people come into, they clean, and then then leave,” Bunch said.” That may save us money as to how we go out and build facilities. It may create areas where we don’t need to lease as much space.”

While the productivity since the pandemic began has diminished skepticism, Bunch also noted areas of caution, such as the ability for telework to operate sustainably, and at scale. The emergency IT capabilities that Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the Air Force created within a few weeks' time frame, so the federal government would have to continue to develop short term solutions to continue to  support a large-scale remote workforce.

“We also have to continue to focus on resiliency and connectedness. We can be physically distanced, but we have to be socially connected. This is a very trying time, and as we continue in telework status, we’ve got to have that linkage into the team,” Bunch added. “Our airmen have done a great job … but we have to continue to keep a focus on that as we go forward.”

Potomac Officers Club recently hosted its Secure IT Modernization in Today’s Environment Virtual Event on Wednesday, August 26th. During the event, Michael Mestrovich, principal deputy chief information officer for the U.S. Department of State, addressed the integration and expansion of 5G and other emerging technologies; adaptation to a “new normal,” such as teleworking and reentry; and how leaders and businesses can use mission software factories to their advantage.  

“Collaborative platforms have been the key enabler as the world has transitioned to telework. As we adopt telework, utilizing sharing platforms, I’ve personally seen productivity increase, but that comes at the expense of the individuals. They no longer take breaks because it’s so easy to transition from meeting to meeting through these platforms,” Mestrovich said during his keynote address. 

If you missed the event, you can still register to watch the footage in Potomac Officers Club’s Event Archive.

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Voyager Subsidiary Wins SBIR, STTR Contract to Develop Space Technology; Jonathan Goff, Matthew Kuta Quoted
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Voyager Subsidiary Wins SBIR, STTR Contract to Develop Space Technology; Jonathan Goff, Matthew Kuta Quoted

Altius Space Machines, subsidiary of Voyager Space Holdings, has been selected to participate in a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs to develop space servicing capabilities using its patented electropermanent magnet (EPM) technology, Voyager reported on Monday. 

"We are incredibly proud of the hard work our team at Altius has done to get us to this point," said Jonathan Goff, CEO and founder of Altius Space Machines. "The industry is changing at a rapid rate and it's up to us to provide the innovative solutions that can help our customers accelerate both their businesses and the larger industry as a whole."

Altius submitted proposals for the SBIR and STTR programs alongside other partners to explore the potential of its EPM technology and provide existing satellite and space launch companies with solutions that support the space economy.

These recent wins build upon other EPM related NASA efforts and continue to demonstrate the broad range of EPM technology in space servicing capabilities. The company was recently awarded a phase I STTR with JPL and partner, Virginia Tech, to develop a universal interface that enables the in-space construction, maintenance and servicing of modular structures by a team of specialized robots. 

Altius will develop a universal interface using their patented EPM technology, referred to as the Experimental Swarm Construction Hardware EPM based Robotic (ESCHER) interface.

Under a phase I SBIR with Ames, Altius will leverage its "DogTag" grapple fixture and develop passive robotic magnetic interface (IVR DogTags) that can be attached to various habitat structures and objects. Altius envisions using its patented EPM based gripper for interfacing with the IVR DogTags.

"As Voyager continues to grow, so too do our portfolio companies. Altius is the first company we acquired and we couldn't be more excited as both companies generate such momentum," said Matthew Kuta, president and COO of Voyager. "Altius is making major waves in the industry and we can't wait to see how their innovations continue to move the needle forward for the space industry."

About Voyager Space Holdings

Voyager Space Holdings, Inc. is a global leader in space exploration. Voyager's long-term mission is to create a vertically integrated publicly traded NewSpace company capable of delivering any mission humans can conceive. By centralizing shared services functions at the parent company level, Voyager enables engineer founded and led subsidiaries to focus more on development of innovative products and services.

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Lockheed Martin Wins $187.5M Contract to Build Small Satellite Mesh Network; Kay Sears Quoted
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Lockheed Martin Wins $187.5M Contract to Build Small Satellite Mesh Network; Kay Sears Quoted

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a  $187.5 million Tranche 0 contract of the Space Transport Layer from the Space Development Agency (SDA). Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will develop a mesh network of 10 small satellites that links terrestrial warfighting domains to space sensors by 2022.

“We see a world across all warfighting domains where fourth and fifth-generation fighters and tactical forces on the ground can connect seamlessly with holistic situational awareness,” said Kay Sears, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Military Space, as well as a 2016 Wash100 Award recipient, “Interoperability and battlespace connectivity are critical to staying ahead of our adversaries.”

The contract award is an initial test and demonstration phase, with two prime contractors who will develop a total of 20 satellites. Lockheed Martin’s satellite network will support Joint All-Domain Operations, allowing warfighters to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Lockheed Martin’s network will link nodes together to support a seamless connectivity between all domains. The 10 satellites, operating in Low Earth Orbit, will provide secure high-bandwidth, low-latency data links. The Link 16 network connectivity will be introduced to space.

The company will connect to systems that include fighter aircraft like F-16, F-22, and F-35, missile defense networks like PAC-3 and THAAD, weapons systems and Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) networks, as well as provide sensor-to-shooter targeting and situational awareness for tactical land and maritime warfighters.

Lockheed Martin will develop the communication system to extend U.S. warfighting options and allow additional coalition and allied partners to merge their capabilities into the network. The satellites will also be fully cyber-hardened from day one using Lockheed Martin’s Cyber Resiliency Level model to identify cyber strengths and weaknesses so we can address those early in the design process.

Join Potomac Officers Club for its 5G Summit on Oct. 27, 2020 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.

Don’t miss out on this must see event! Click here to register for the 5G Summit on October 27th.

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Intelligent Waves Partners with Wire to Advance Government Solutions; Tony Lam, John Hammes Quoted
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Intelligent Waves Partners with Wire to Advance Government Solutions; Tony Lam, John Hammes Quoted

Intelligent Waves has entered into a value-added reseller (VAR) partnership with Wire to customize Intelligent Waves’ IT solutions with Wire’s platform, including end-to-end encrypted messenger, voice, video conference calls and file sharing for federal government agencies with mission-critical security requirements. 

“Intelligent Waves has a proven track record in providing robust and secure communications – particularly to the federal sector,” said Tony Lam, VP, Global Systems Integrators and Partnerships at Wire. “This partnership ensures we deliver a customized, comprehensive and security-first solution for even the most complex IT environments.”

Wire has assured that all agency intelligence, sensitive files and other information remain solely in the hands of the government departments. Intelligent Waves will integrate Wire alongside Hypori, its military-grade security, zero-footprint technology, to enhance its secure mobile solutions suite that will support 100 percent separation of personal and corporate data and scalable, security-first infrastructure.

Intelligent Waves’ Federal Solutions Group has consolidated system integration expertise with trusted value-added reseller (VAR) partnerships to offer customized hardware and software-based services to meet the government’s complex IT requirements. 

“Wire will allow us further to leverage our Research and Integration Division (RaID), to rapidly deploy Intelligent Waves’ dedicated team of highly-skilled expert engineers to solve the most complex mobility problems and collaborate with clients at our Innovation Center (IWIC),” John Hammes, senior director of Innovation R&D at Intelligent Waves, LLC, said.

Intelligent Waves’ technical expertise in deployed environments has enabled it to provide cost-effective, turnkey solutions that organizations cannot get from a traditional IT company or equipment reseller.

Hypori will enable secure “bring your own device” (BYOD) an offering for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community (IC). Hypori, an agentless virtual mobile infrastructure (VMI) solution, will leave no data at rest on an end-user physical device. 

By combining BYOD with “company owned/personally enabled” (COPE) capability, Hypori has been established as CSfC certified for classified usage, as well as addressed security gaps associated with MDM solutions.

“We are excited to add Wire to our highly-secure collaboration solutions portfolio. Our federal agency clients will benefit from our new capability to integrate Wire along with Hypori, to meet the mission-critical security requirements,” added Hammes

About Intelligent Waves LLC

Intelligent Waves LLC is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB). The business provides enterprise systems engineering, cloud computing and managed services, cyber and security architecture, mobility, and operations and intelligence analytics.

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GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service Seeks Input on Section 876 Authority Implementation
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GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service Seeks Input on Section 876 Authority Implementation

The General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) is requesting feedback to inform how it will implement an authority in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that will evaluate price only at the task order level to improve competition.

Mark Lee, assistant commissioner of the office of policy and compliance at FAS, wrote in a blog posted Tuesday the ASTRO contract vehicle will be the first procurement effort to use the Section 876 authority and “an assisted acquisition on behalf of the Department of Defense.”

GSA issued in late August a solicitation for the ASTRO contract to research, develop, maintain and support manned, optionally manned and unmanned systems and robotics.

Comments on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking for the implementation of Section 876 are due Sept. 19.

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OMB Opens Interim IT Supply Chain Risk Evaluation Rule for Public Comments
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OMB Opens Interim IT Supply Chain Risk Evaluation Rule for Public Comments

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published in the Federal Register Tuesday an interim final rule outlining how the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) will assess risk information and recommend the issuance of exclusion or removal orders for information technology products that pose supply chain security risks.

The rule states that FASC should carry out “due diligence” to determine if the data is credible and consult with the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to ensure that recommended orders are aligned with federal guidelines and standards.

The secretaries of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the director of National Intelligence (DNI) will assess the recommendation and risk information to determine if issuing an exclusion or removal order is warranted.

The document also designates DHS as the agency for information sharing tasked with establishing a supply chain risk management and information sharing task force as part of the council.

Comments on the interim rule are due Nov. 2.

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