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IRS Seeks Methods to Improve Procurement via Labor Data
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IRS Seeks Methods to Improve Procurement via Labor Data

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched a $7M solicitation to help the U.S. government improve deliveries of products and services, Nextgov reported Friday. The solicitation calls for industry to propose ideas on how to gather, analyze, visualize and manage labor data relevant to procurement.

The agency launched the solicitation through the Pilot IRS experimental contract vehicle in alignment with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Frictionless Acquisition effort. OMB wants to have commercial item deliveries run at marketplace speeds.

“Maximizing the use of existing labor/wage data will result in better acquisition planning, improved contract negotiations and lower taxpayer costs," IRS said in the request for proposal notice.

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Army Opens New ARCYBER Headquarters in Georgia; Gen. Paul Nakasone Quoted
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Army Opens New ARCYBER Headquarters in Georgia; Gen. Paul Nakasone Quoted

The U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) has opened its new headquarters location at Fort Gordon in Georgia as part of the Army’s plans to consolidate the component's cyberspace, education, training and capability development operations. The new facility, dubbed Fortitude Hall, spans 336,000 square-feet and is valued at $366 million, the Army said Thursday.

Ron Pontius, deputy to the commanding general at ARCYBER, told attendees at the facility's dedication ceremony that the new location will help streamline ARCYBER’s network, defense and offense operations while driving collaboration between cyber forces and Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) trainers.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander of ARCYBER, noted that the new location will facilitate collaborative partnerships for electronic warfare, information operations and cyber initiatives.

"Due to the partnerships that ARCYBER built and nurtured to date, the Army’s operational and institutional cyber forces enjoy unprecedented synergies, operating from a single, information power projection platform," said Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient.

 ARCYBER previously partnered with Augusta-based academic and government entities including the National Security Agency’s (NSA) Georgia segment, he added. The Army first announced plans to consolidate its cyber organizations spread across three states and various facilities in 2013.

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Vice Adm. Ross Myers to Lead Navy’s Fleet Cyber; Gen. Paul Nakasone Quoted
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Vice Adm. Ross Myers to Lead Navy’s Fleet Cyber; Gen. Paul Nakasone Quoted

Vice Adm. Ross Myers, former deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command, has been assigned to lead Fleet Cyber, a command tasked to administer the U.S. Navy's information and cyber activities. 

Myers leaves his USCYBERCOM post to Maj. Gen. Charles Moore who also received a promotion to lieutenant general. , USCYBERCOM said Thursday.

“As the J5, chief of staff and then the deputy commander, Ross has demonstrated his appreciation for partnership as a foundational leadership principle,” said Gen. Paul Nakasone, USCYBERCOM's commander and director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient. 

Myers' experience includes commandership over naval aviation forces such as Carrier Air Wing Five. He also served as USCYBERCOM's chief of staff and deputy executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. Moore, Myers' successor, most recently served as USCYBERCOM's director of operations.

“To have the opportunity to continue to serve on the Cyber Command team and in close partnership with NSA is very humbling and exciting," Moore said.

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Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Steven Mnuchin Agree on Continuing Resolution Ahead of FY 2021
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Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Steven Mnuchin Agree on Continuing Resolution Ahead of FY 2021

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have entered into an agreement to introduce a short-term spending bill to prevent a government shutdown at the start of fiscal year 2021.

Mnuchin told Fox News that he and the House speaker agreed to work on a continuing resolution to extend the US government’s spending beyond Sept. 30th, The Washington Post reported Monday. He noted that he expects the resolution to secure government funding through December 2020, according to the report.

“The speaker and I have agreed we don’t want to see a government shutdown,” said Mnuchin. “The most important thing is to make sure at the end of the month, we don’t shut down the government and we get something past the election."

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Maria Roat, Deputy Federal CIO, Discusses Federal IT Modernization
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Maria Roat, Deputy Federal CIO, Discusses Federal IT Modernization

Maria Roat, deputy federal chief information officer (CIO) and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, recently discussed how developing emerging technologies, such as quantum computing, could invalidate encryption methodologies in the future. She added that federal systems must evolve to support innovation, FedScoop reported on Tuesday. 

“Even as I’m modernizing some of our old systems, our legacy systems, I have to make sure that our current systems as well are keeping up,” Roat said.

Roat noted that investing in modern zero-trust security architectures and flexible, scalable cloud-solutions is essential to agencies, as they configure a variety of platforms to capitalize on emerging technologies. 

In addition, the shift to telework has tested federal systems, which have seen a “huge escalation” in cyberattacks across the public and private sectors the pandemic began. Federal agencies have invested in defenses for blocking unwanted traffic and phishing emails to prevent cyberattacks. 

“How the federal government operated around cybersecurity is really a testament to the maturity of the federal government around networking and its modernization over the last several years,” Roat said.

To combat insider threat, Roat stated that agency CIOs must invest in training their workforce to avoid mistakes and recognize phishing emails, so that the workforce can adapt to an evolving threat landscape. The CIO Council has assisted in training federal employees to identify cyberthreats first through its Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy and the Federal Data Science Training Program.

Potomac Officers Club recently hosted its Secure IT Modernization in Today’s Environment Virtual Event on Wednesday, August 26th. If you missed the event, you can still register to watch the footage in Potomac Officers Club’s Event Archive.

Michael Mestrovich, principal deputy chief information officer (CIO) for the U.S. Department of State, served as a keynote speaker at the event. Mestrovich 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. 

Mestrovich then discussed which applications were already completed prior to the pandemic, and those that were in transition. Mestrovich said that the department’s cloud migration prior to COVID-19 was a “lynchpin” to the successful migration to telework.

To learn more on federal IT modernization, watch POC’s Secure IT Modernization in Today’s Environment Virtual Event.

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CRA Acquires Security Weekly to Advance Cybersecurity; Doug Manoni Quoted
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CRA Acquires Security Weekly to Advance Cybersecurity; Doug Manoni Quoted

CyberRisk Alliance (CRA) has acquired Security Weekly, an authoritative podcast network serving the cybersecurity community, CRA reported on Tuesday. CRA purchased the company from Defensive Intuition. 

“Security Weekly expands CRA’s domain expertise and a suite of mobile optimized delivery formats to better serve our audiences and marketing partners. Paul, Matt and their team have built an influential and unique franchise in cybersecurity,” CyberRisk Alliance CEO and founder, Doug Manoni said. 

With the acquisition, CRA will consolidate its best-in-class services that advance collaboration throughout the cybersecurity sector. Security Weekly has produced podcast programs presenting insider’s views on how to develop effective cybersecurity strategies. 

Security Weekly has also provided tools and solutions as well as functioned successfully in a variety of business environments. The company’s programs have covered issues in cybersecurity, featuring security experts and high-profile industry leaders. The platform has provided credible information and has validated products and services across the sector. 

Security Weekly’s founder, Paul Asadoorian, and CEO, Matt Alderman, will continue in their roles leading the company, and as program hosts. “They are trusted experts and their content is highly technical and authoritative, yet they deliver it in an entertaining manner,” added Manoni.

“We set out to help and educate the security community every day, and have fun delivering a wide variety of information security topics… We’re excited to work with the CRA management team to accelerate the growth of the business. It’s a terrific fit as they understand our mission, our culture, and how we help the security community,” said Asadoorian. 

The transaction marks the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions for CRA. The company’s earlier acquisitions include SC Media, Infosec World Conference and Expo, Cybersecurity Collaboration Forums and Cybersecurity Collaborative. The company also recently announced the launch of the CRA Business Intelligence Unit.

“Security Weekly’s programming will enrich our platform and enhance our digital offerings, with their mobile-friendly podcast and video capabilities. We’re excited to partner with the Security Weekly team, and we welcome them into our growing family of companies,” concluded Manoni. 

About CyberRisk Alliance

CyberRisk Alliance (CRA) is a business intelligence company serving the cybersecurity community. Our mission is to provide the knowledge and insight needed to navigate today’s complex security landscape, and to support and empower the industry’s leaders. 

Our trusted information leverages a unique network of journalists, analysts and influencers, policymakers and practitioners, and is delivered through events, research, media, and virtual learning. Our brands include SC Media and InfoSec World, our research unit CRA Business Intelligence, peer-to-peer CISO networks Cybersecurity Collaborative and Cybersecurity Collaboration Forum, and now Security Weekly. CRA’s integrated services offer industry technology and service providers uniquely high value marketing solutions.

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Noblis Acquires Cloud, Analytics Capabilities of Inductive Minds; Amr ElSawy, John Walker Quoted
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Noblis Acquires Cloud, Analytics Capabilities of Inductive Minds; Amr ElSawy, John Walker Quoted

Noblis has acquired the cloud and analytics capabilities of Inductive Minds, an expert provider of cloud hosting, systems engineering and analytic services to federal government clients, to enhance Noblis’ portfolio of Department of Defense (DoD) and national security expertise, Noblis reported on Tuesday. 

“We are delighted to welcome this highly skilled group of management and technology consultants to the Noblis family,” said Amr ElSawy, Noblis president and CEO and two-time Wash100 Award winner. “Inductive Minds will accelerate our ability to meet the growing demands of our national security clients.”

Noblis’ purchase will advance its support of intelligence and law enforcement communities by helping agencies identify potential threats, evaluate risks and rapidly respond to unforeseen events. Noblis has technical expertise in providing rapid innovation and applied solutions to address threats. 

The acquisition of Inductive Minds’ cloud and analytics further serve Noblis’ clients critical missions. Inductive Minds has helped solve the government's complex challenges and will add highly skilled technical expertise and advanced technology solutions to Noblis’ portfolio. 

“We bring a deep understanding of the technology challenges faced by national security clients – in particular cloud hosting and analytics,” said John Walker, principal, Inductive Minds. “We’re incredibly excited about joining Noblis.  Their capability depth and scale in the market opens up some amazing opportunities to tackle larger and more complex challenges.”

About Noblis

Noblis is a dynamic science, technology, and strategy organization dedicated to creating forward-thinking technical and advisory solutions in the public interest. We bring the best of scientific thought, management, and engineering expertise together in an environment of independence and objectivity to deliver enduring impact on federal missions. 

Noblis works with a wide range of government clients in the defense, intelligence and federal civil sectors. Together with our wholly owned subsidiary, Noblis ESI, we tackle the nation's toughest problems and apply advanced solutions to our clients' most critical missions.

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Robotic Research Wins Grant to Support DoT FTA AIM Project; Alberto Lacaze Quoted
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Robotic Research Wins Grant to Support DoT FTA AIM Project; Alberto Lacaze Quoted

Robotic Research has been awarded a share of the $14 million Department of Transportation (DoT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Accelerating Innovative Mobility (AIM) grant to develop an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that will support Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant precision docking, the company reported on Tuesday. 

“We are honored to partner with KCATA to deliver an innovative and cost-effective precision docking solution that can assist drivers in maintaining ADA-compliant gaps at all stops,” said Alberto Lacaze, president of Robotic Research.

Robotic Research will create the system for Kansas City Area Transportation Authority’s (KCATA) Prospect MAX Bus Rapid Transit line. “We look forward to working with the KCATA team to provide a novel solution that improves the rider experience and makes driver tasks easier, safer and less complicated,” added Lacaze. 

Under the project, Robotic Research will equip three heavy-duty buses with an ADAS that will leverage sensors to provide precision guidance to drivers, without requiring drive-by-wire or mechanical retrofits. The buses will operate in revenue service to allow for data collection on performance.

Robotic Research’s technology will help operators overcome ADA-compliant gaps between platforms, which will improve accessibility, reduce dwell time and ensure a better transportation experience. The award is one of 25 projects announced by the FTA to advance innovation within the U.S. public transit system.

About Robotic Research

Robotic Research, LLC, is a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technology driving the transformation of commercial and government autonomous operations through innovative and intelligent systems. 

Whether providing autonomous vehicles to the military to keep the warfighter safe; delivering unmanned, transformable robots to extend the reach of Special Forces units; or making commercial transportation safer and more efficient, Robotic Research is leading this dynamic revolution in technology.

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KBR Signs Alliance Agreement with Johnson Matthey to License Ammonia-Methanol Process; Doug Kelly, John Gordon Quoted
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KBR Signs Alliance Agreement with Johnson Matthey to License Ammonia-Methanol Process; Doug Kelly, John Gordon Quoted

KBR and Johnson Matthey (JM) have signed an alliance agreement to license an ammonia-methanol co-production process that will merge the companies’ ammonia and methanol technologies, KBR reported on Tuesday.

"I am excited to announce the alliance agreement combining market leading technologies from KBR and JM into a new offering for our clients," said Doug Kelly, KBR president, Technology Solutions. "KBR's ammonia technology is known for its lowest energy consumption resulting in reduced carbon footprint, highest reliability and safety and outstanding financial performance."

KBR will integrate its proprietary PURIFIER ammonia process with JM's methanol process. KBR's ammonia technology and JM's methanol technology are rooted in a long history, deep experience, continuous improvements and leading-edge performance. 

The co-production of methanol and ammonia in a single plant will offer reduced capital expenditures (CAPEX) and lower operating expenses (OPEX). The KBR and JM co-production process will foster synergies between the two processes, maximizing the savings in CAPEX and OPEX while offering the highest levels of safety, flexibility and reliability.

"This strategic agreement is a powerful combination that provides our customers a comprehensive solution for enhanced asset optimization, cost savings and reduced environmental impact," said John Gordon, managing director for Johnson Matthey. "Our partnership with KBR takes ammonia-methanol production to the next step with a single point license that delivers innovative operational agility to meet ever changing market demand."

JM has supplied the methanol industry with leading technology and catalysts for over 45 years and has licensed over 100 grassroots methanol plants during the current period.

KBR recently announced that Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (CFCL), Gadepan, India has successfully commissioned a new plant using KBR's PURIFIER ammonia technology, the world's most energy efficient plant per ton of ammonia produced, the company reported in April 2020. 

KBR's innovative ammonia technology is valued for its low energy usage, higher reliability and lower capital costs. Since the 1960s, KBR has licensed, engineered or constructed more than 244 ammonia plants worldwide making it the world's leading ammonia technology licensor. 

About KBR

KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and solutions across the asset and program life cycle within the government services and technology sectors. KBR employs approximately 28,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries.

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long- term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

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White House Seeks Help for Navy’s Advance Columbia-Class Submarine Program
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White House Seeks Help for Navy’s Advance Columbia-Class Submarine Program

The White House has asked Congress to exempt the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program and other initiatives from restrictions in a continuing resolution that could block funding for “new start” programs, Defense News reported Thursday.

The Senate and House have begun discussions to pass a stopgap funding bill before the end of September to avert a government shutdown. Without the exemption, the Navy would not have the budget or authorization to kick off work on the Columbia program, which is considered a new start.

The service awarded General Dynamics’ Electric Boat subsidiary in June a contract modification to complete design work on two Columbia-class submarines with an option to build the two vessels, which could bring the contract’s ceiling to $9.5 billion if the option is exercised.

“The intent would be to award that option as soon as possible after the FY21 appropriation to ensure we keep this No. 1 priority on track,” James Geurts, assistant secretary for research, development and acquisition at the Navy and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said in June. 

“That will allow us to begin full-rate construction of the first ship, begin advanced construction on the second ship, with the intent of beginning construction of the second ship in 2024."

Potomac Officers Club will host its 2020 Navy Forum on September 30th. Click here to register for the event. James Geurts, Assistant Secretary for Research, Development, and Acquisition with the U.S. Navy and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient will serve as a keynote speaker during the event.

Geurts will discuss how the U.S. Navy has continually worked to decentralize, differentialize and digitize the service branch’s work as well as develop its talent in the field.

The Navy has also accelerated acquisition channels, modernized emerging technologies and increased research and development to become more effective in warfare. As the Navy continues to evolve to meet the growing demands, challenges still remain.

Join Potomac Officers Club’s 2020 Navy Forum to hear notable industry and federal leaders discuss the initiatives, efficiencies and challenges the service branch faces as well as how to join together to improve the future of warfare.

Click here to register for the 2020 Navy Forum.

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