The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) has launched an effort to brief federal agencies on how to protect the government supply chains against threats from Chinese companies.

NCSC said Wednesday that the center is providing classified briefings and other forms of assistance to procurement officials, chief information security officers and chief information officers over the past weeks in compliance with the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The FY 2019 NDAA includes a provision that prohibits agencies from directly procuring telecommunications technologies and services from Huawei, ZTE,  Hanghzou Hikvision, Dahua Technology and Hytera Communications.

William Evanina, director of NCSC, said the center partnered with the National Intelligence Council (NIC) within the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to drive information-sharing efforts and protect the federal supply chain.

“These unprecedented briefings underscore NCSC’s commitment to elevate supply chain security in the federal acquisition process, in keeping with the National Counterintelligence Strategy,” Evanina noted.

Federal agencies can authorize a waiver for a blacklisted company subject to NCSC’s guidance under the FY19 NDAA, according to NCSC.

Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., have unveiled bipartisan legislation that seeks to protect telecommunications networks from cyberattacks brought by foreign suppliers.

The Ensuring Network Security Act would enable telecommunications providers to apply for federal funding to remove and replace equipment from prohibited sources, the office of Ron Johnson said Tuesday.

The bill supports the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, a law that bars telecommunications companies from installing equipment produced by untrusted suppliers including ZTE and Huawei.

“The vulnerabilities associated with the development and deployment of 5G technology, especially the threat posed by China, are one of the 'generational threats that will shape our nation’s future,' as the FBI recently put it,” said Johnson.

Unisys Corporation has received a ONE Order certification from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for Unisys AirCore, the company reported on Thursday. 

"The automation capabilities coupled with having a single access point for the order record means it is easy to collect and review passenger data, at a reduced cost for IT and operations,” said Darko Todorovic, director of Global Travel and Transportation solutions at Unisys.

Unisys AirCore is a modern Passenger Services System (PSS) that has enabled airlines to optimize their sales and customer service capabilities. The company’s offering was developed by IATA, the ONE Order standard allows airlines to modernize the order management process by creating one standardized order record. 

The company has developed a single point of access, where airlines can view the passenger's full travel experience, airlines have the data and resources necessary to provide improved customer service. 

With the certification, AirCore has expanded its ability to support comprehensive products and services ordering and delivery capabilities that will enable airlines to sell and fulfill customized offers to customers.

“AirCore creates more opportunities for revenue generation through improved airline retail capabilities, enabling airlines to provide a better customer experience and build brand loyalty," added Todorovic.

AirCore is a modern PSS with a full range of passenger services solutions that optimizes airline customer and employee experiences at all stages of the air travel journey, including inventory, order management, offer management, reservations, ticketing and departure control.

AirCore Order Manager is an omnichannel solution that will provide master order control and servicing for both New Distribution Capability (NDC) and non-NDC orders. The manager has integrated industry standard interfaces and APIs with the digital platforms for enhanced control. 

About Unisys

Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most demanding businesses and governments. 

Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing.

Intelligent Waves has been recognized for the second consecutive year on Inc.’s list of the 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in 2020, Intelligent Waves reported on Thursday.

“We have made it a top priority to invest in the best people, the most innovative technologies, and our overall strategic growth. And the best is yet to come as we intend to roll out new disruptive solutions in multiple domains of expertise,” stated Jared Shepard, CEO and founder of Intelligent Waves.

Intelligent Waves’ three-year revenue growth rate was 154.31 percent. In 2020, Intelligent Waves’ has exponentially expanded its Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and  continued to expand at a rate of 130 percent during 2019 and 2020, including over $220 million in single award contracts in 2019.

In addition, the company has been recognized for its strategic federal IT solutions that have supported solutions within Cybersecurity, Enterprise IT, Software Defined Network, Secure Mobility, Advanced Analytics, Machine-Learning (ML) and other leading-edge technology capabilities.

Intelligent Waves has also introduced its virtual mobility solution, Hypori, which has expanded the company’s presence in the Secure Mobility industry. Hypori has developed a physical and virtual separation between devices and enterprise data, leaving no data on the mobile device.

“We are honored to be recognized by the prestigious Inc. magazine, and rank among America’s most successful companies for two consecutive years in a row,” added Shepard.

Shepard recently spoke with ExecutiveBiz regarding Intelligent Waves’ company growth and evolution of its cybersecurity platforms, as well as the ways that COVID-19 will transform business moving forward.

“The advanced threat capabilities that we’re facing from the enemy right now is mind-numbing. Intelligent Waves has spent literally millions of dollars in cyber technology and defense. Yet, we could still be hit by an attack. You have to make that investment. It’s just the cost to play,” Shepard said during the interview.

Click here to read Shepard’s Executive Spotlight interview with ExecutiveBiz.

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.

Bechtel has completed the ten-year master planning and construction partnership with the Government of Gabon, which has developed key sustainable infrastructure projects to advance the economy, the company announced on Thursday.

“From the very start, we planned to employ and procure locally and build in a way that protects resources and biodiversity. Where there were skills gaps, we supported local people and supply chains to develop home-grown content. We are incredibly proud to hand over the infrastructure masterplan to a new generation of talented Gabonese engineers, project managers and construction professionals,” Bogdan Sgarcitu, Bechtel’s project director in Gabon.

The partnership began when Bechtel was commissioned to deliver a pipeline of priority infrastructure projects to serve the nation’s approximately 2.1 million people. Over the ten-year period, the proportion of ANGTI staff working across housing, education, transport and energy, rose from approximately 55 percent to more than 90 percent.

Bechtel’s efforts have provided Gabon with access to better healthcare, schools and education facilities, affordable energy and digital connectivity.

“The highest authorities of Gabon… have been impressed by Bechtel’s undivided attention to implementing the masterplan, which has delivered great benefits for the people of Gabon. These include strengthening the capacity of the Gabonese project workers; helping us accelerate and deliver our Head of State’s priority large infrastructure projects…” said Gabon’s Minister for Infrastructure, Leon Armel BOUNDA BALONZI.

About Bechtel

Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact.

Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world’s infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.

Jacobs, with the help of its subsidiary Simetrica-Jacobs, has published a thought leadership paper, "Before & Beyond the Build: A blueprint for creating enduring social value at scale through infrastructure investments," on the role of infrastructure investments to address critical societal issues, the company reported on Thursday. 

"The current pandemic has brought global societal challenges like wellbeing, equity and equality into stark focus," said Jacobs People & Places Solutions executive vice president Patrick Hill. "As governments around the world make plans to rebuild economies and livelihoods, now is the time to think about the role of infrastructure investments in building strong and vibrant communities."

Jacobs’ paper has analyzed five approaches that generate social value at scale that can be incorporated into the full project life cycle, including big data analytics, co-design, blended funding, social procurement and social value measurement.

Jacobs has partnered with organizations across public, private and not-for-profit sectors to explore each of the five components, and further revise the blueprint. The company’s tests will determine how successful the components are at generating enduring social value when embedded into infrastructure and delivered at scale. 

Additionally, Jacobs’ trials will provide the circumstances in which they are most successful as well as create positive community outcomes that can help drive economic recovery.

"Simetrica-Jacobs is delighted to have been involved in this paper," said Simetrica-Jacobs director Daniel Fujiwara. "Measuring and understanding the impact of interventions on people's lives is at the core of our business. Now, more than ever, we are committed to ensuring that social value measurement is deployed in ways that have meaningful and positive impacts on decision-making and investment."

About Jacobs

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $13 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has made major changes to a section of its Circular A-11 guidance that deals with enhancing customer experience and service delivery, Nextgov reported Wednesday.

Under the updated Section 280 guidance, OMB broadened the definitions of a federal government customer, which now includes organizations, businesses and individuals that interact with a government program or agency, “either directly or via a federal contractor or even a federally-funded program.” Customers also include federal employees and public servants.

The updated section presents a more detailed definition of service delivery and adds data and research and regulatory to last year’s five types of government services: benefits, administrative, informational, recreation and compliance.

The document suggests ways how agencies should measure customer experience and summarizes the core CX functions in the categories of governance and strategy, measurement, service design and improvement, culture and organization and customer understanding.

“OMB is meshing these concepts together, and we’re seeing crossover and a fusing together in practicing customer experience,” said Stephanie Thum, former vice president of customer experience at Export-Import Bank.

“What I sense here is that we’re moving away from guidance that acts as a compliance checklist and toward a language that is queuing us toward a business discipline. These are things that make a lot of sense,” Thum added.