A bipartisan group of lawmakers are calling on the Small Business Administration to address data breach issues that compromised the privacy of applicants for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., wrote in a letter to SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza last week seeking details on an incident that resulted in the exposure of small business owners’ personally identifiable information used fro EIDL applications.

They said the SBA must submit a complete account of the incident, the number of applicants affected and steps taken to notify impacted entities and secure future loan applications.

Cardin, Rubio and Velazquez noted that they appreciate SBA taking “an unprecedented role” in federal COVID-19 response which has helped Congress and providing funding for relief and recovery efforts, including $675 million for the CARES Act and $2.1 billion in interim supplemental funds.

Rubio is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, where Cardin serves as a ranking member. Velazquez is the chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service will award $1.5 million in total to seven rural communities through a new Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation grant program, the department reported on Monday.

“The Forest Service is taking advantage of this new program to invest in rural communities motivated to convert leftovers from their local sawmills or forestry operations into renewable wood energy,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen.

USDA’s new program will help to fund the costs of installing wood energy systems and building innovative wood product facilities in rural communities nationwide, which has been granted through the 2018 Farm Bill. The awardees have been selected from five states and will use locally sourced wood to reduce energy costs and fossil fuel use while supporting local forest management.

In addition to the funds awarded through the new grant program, awardees will leverage an additional $3.4 million in matching funds. Together the seven communities are projected to save more than $250 thousand a year by using locally supplied, renewable wood energy. 

The program will also fund wood energy facilities, typically manufacturing or processing plants, including sawmills, that make products like building components, such as mass timber and other innovative offerings made from low-value or low-quality wood.

“The communities will save on energy costs and enhance energy resilience while sustainably managing their forests. These infrastructure investments immediately create permanent jobs for rural Americans determined to keep their communities vibrant and self-sufficient,” added Christiansen. 

About USDA

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management.

We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve our Nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.

Boeing has completed another COVID-19 transport mission, using a Boeing Dreamlifter to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) from Hong Kong to the United States, the company reported on Monday.

Boeing has partnered with Prisma Health, Atlas Air Worldwide and Discommon founder Neil Ferrier to transport 1.5 million medical-grade face masks bound for healthcare professionals at Prisma Health in South Carolina.

“Boeing is making another significant investment in our state by partnering with other South Carolina businesses to help combat this deadly virus. South Carolinians are unique in their compassion and care for one another. The businesses that have collaborated to make this delivery possible are an embodiment of those qualities, and we owe a debt of gratitude to each of them,” said South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

Discommon, the importer of record for the delivery, secured production of the PPE from trusted manufacturers in China and turned to Boeing to facilitate their transport to Prisma Health, the Boeing has donated the cost of the mission transport.

The Dreamlifter, a converted Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter, flew from Hong Kong to Greenville, South Carolina, with the face masks in its lower lobe. Following the delivery, the Dreamlifter will return to its home base in North Charleston, South Carolina and deliver 787 Dreamliner parts in support of the global aerospace supply chain.

Boeing will continue to support local communities and healthcare professionals working to stop the spread of COVID-19. Additional airlift transport missions with the Boeing Dreamlifter and ecoDemonstrator are planned in the future.

“Boeing is proud to be part of this historic flight to bring vital PPE to healthcare workers across South Carolina. I want to offer my personal thanks to the Boeing team and our Atlas Air partners for what they’ve done to support this essential mission and ensure our frontline healthcare workers have the equipment they critically need,” said Dave Calhoun, president and CEO, Boeing.

About Boeing

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries.

Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

IBM has  announced IBM Rapid Supplier Connect, a blockchain-based network designed to help government agencies and healthcare organizations identify new, non-traditional suppliers who have pivoted to address the shortage of equipment, devices and supplies needed for COVID-19 relief efforts, the company reported on Monday.

“Northwell Health has had adequate supplies to protect patients and our staff during the increase in New York COVID-19 patient cases,” said Phyllis McCready, vice president and chief procurement officer at Northwell Health. “It is through creating our own GPOs and supply chain, and joining forces with non-traditional suppliers that we have maintained an adequate stockpile of PPE and other equipment and supplies, so we are pleased to join IBM Rapid Supplier Connect.”

IBM Rapid Supplier Connect will enable suppliers and buyers currently joining the network, including hospitals and other organizations such as Northwell Health and The Worldwide Supply Chain Federation, expedite the procurement system.

These organizations have reconfigured to mass produce masks, gowns and other essential supplies. In order to begin purchasing from them at scale, buyers such as hospitals, state procurement divisions and pharmacies, will be able to identify new suppliers, efficiently vet and on-board them, and understand their real-time inventory availability with Rapid Supplier Connect.

The network will also identify existing supplies and excess inventory going unused, allowing hospitals to make it available to others and redirect supplies where they are needed most. Buyers who access the network can benefit from a range of suppliers outside of the traditional supply chain.

In addition, suppliers will benefit from a portable online identity, access to user feedback and the ability to post and manage inventory availability. IBM has harnessed the Trust Your Supplier blockchain-based identity platform built by Chainyard for qualification and identification, in conjunction with Sterling Supply Chain Suite and highly scalable Inventory Visibility microservice to deliver this increased visibility.

Viasat has announced that the company has shipped 200 production units of its advanced Move Out / Jump Off (MOJO) Link 16 expeditionary tactical gateway system, Viasat reported on Monday. 

"Our MOJO system is designed for easy adoption into specialized units like the U.S. Army's Security Force Assistance Brigades and modernization efforts like the U.S. Army's Integrated Tactical Network, which gives military users access to mobile, secure, high-speed connectivity for enhanced communications and cloud-enabled applications across the battlespace," said Ken Peterman, president, Government Systems, Viasat. 

Viasat’s MOJO system will enable platforms with size, weight and power restrictions to communicate on a Link 16 network and exchange near real-time tactical situational awareness data and secure voice with other, high-valued Link 16 platforms.

MOJO systems are currently in use by all U.S. military services, the U.S. National Guard and coalition partners. The systems are deployed throughout the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) Combatant Commands. Viasat has planned to steadily increase its production run rate and establish a surge capacity to meet customer demand.

MOJO has been a large contributor to Viasat's portfolio of Non-Developmental Item (NDI) offerings, leveraging Link 16 communications for the U.S. and international defense markets. The company’s NDI offerings are designed to quickly deliver next-generation technology solutions ahead of the traditional government procurement model through Viasat's agile development process and flexible business model.

The MOJO system has been equipped with Viasat's Small Tactical Terminal to enable mobile warfighters to have a rapidly-deployable solution that delivers access to critical air/ground situational awareness data. 

In addition, the MOJO is a complete, compact and ruggedized line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications system that will translate incompatible messages from disparate satellite communications networks in remote locations where network extensions are critical to execute a mission.

"The number of MOJO production units shipped-to-date in fiscal year 2020 demonstrates the value of our NDI offerings for military customers who require access to the most advanced technology solutions to assist in immediate mission needs," added Peterman. 

About Viasat

Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea.

Advanced Concepts and Technologies International, LLC (ACT I) has announced a series of charitable contributions to organizations across the United States in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the company announced on Monday.

“This is ACT I in Action,” said ACT I CEO Michael Niggel.  “We are proud to call Albany, Arlington, Colorado Springs, Okaloosa County, Patuxent River, and Waco our home.  These communities support us every day, and during this important time in our history, it is our humbling opportunity to do what we can to support them.”

Through the new initiative, ACT I employees have recommended charitable organizations in communities across the nation to deliver mission-essential services to government customers. The contributions have been made on behalf of the ACT I workforce in six communities across the country with ACT I operating locations to directly assist community needs in response to the crisis.

Among the company’s selection include the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, GA to assist the Phoebe Foundation and USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore and Capital Area Food Bank located in Arlington, VA, from ACT I Corporate Headquarters; Support to government agencies throughout the National Capital Region)

ACT I will deliver relief support to Care and Share: Food Bank for Southern Colorado and Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, located Colorado Springs, CO, by Peterson Air Force Base as well as Air Force Enlisted Village in Okaloosa County, FL from Hurlburt Field.

In addition, the company will support Feed St. Mary’s, located in St. Mary’s County, MD and supported by the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and Central Texas Food Bank and United Way of Waco – McLennan County in Waco, TX by ACT I Support Headquarters.

The company has also delivered meals to the Arlington County Fire Department ordered from local Arlington restaurants to additionally bolster community businesses.  ACT I has also partnered with the Virginia Hospital Center to provide meals for healthcare professionals in the weeks ahead.

ACT I will remain active in local communities to support vital community organizations as part of its charitable fund, including Wreaths Across America, the Air Force Aid Society, the Coast Guard Foundation, the Urban Alliance of Northern Virginia and the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.

“I am proud of the rich cross-section of organizations we are supporting as part of our COVID-19 contributions,” said Niggel. “We know these communities, and our Nation, will emerge united from this pandemic, and we will continue to stand with them.”