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News/Press Releases
USDA Forest Service Awards $4M to Support Community Forest Projects; Vicki Christiansen Quoted
by Sarah Sybert
Published on May 11, 2020
USDA Forest Service Awards $4M to Support Community Forest Projects; Vicki Christiansen Quoted
USDA Forest Service Awards $4M to Support Community Forest Projects; Vicki Christiansen Quoted

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service has announced it will award $4 million to fund 10 community forest projects across eight states to support the creation, expansion and enhancement of community spaces, the agency reported on Monday.

“The program offers a unique opportunity for communities to increase public access, recreational opportunities, and other multiple uses,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “These investments will also help protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products.”

USDA’s Forest Service will deliver the funding in the form of grants to local governments, tribes and qualified nonprofit organizations through its Community Forest Program. The funds will support working forests through sustainable management and timber and non-timber production.

In addition to the funds awarded through the grant program, awardees will collectively leverage an additional $8 million in matching funds. Since the Community Forest Program issued its first grants in 2012, the program has supported 66 community-driven projects across 23 states and territories and permanently conserved over 17,000 acres. 

The program has developed strong partnerships between the Forest Service, tribes, local governments and nonprofits. Of the funded projects, Hall Mountain Community Forest has received an award to expand access for land and water-based recreation.

Lakeville Community Forest was also awarded funds to support jobs in forest products, outdoor recreation, and guiding industries and maintains the values of the regions’ forest, wildlife and water resources. Quigg Island Community Forest was also among the awardees. 

The company provides local product to the mill, supporting jobs in the region, as well as allowing the town to enhance its outdoor recreation-based economy. Birch Ridge Community Forest works with forestland that protects water resources and expands trails for snowmobiling, hiking, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, trail-running and mountain biking.

Additionally, Mink Brook Community Forest was awarded under the Forest Service funds.  The company establishes connectivity for recreation trails, including the Appalachian Trail, and wildlife passage around downtown Hanover. Oak Hill Community Forest creates opportunities for agriculture and forestry, public recreation and outdoor education.

The Butte Falls Community Forest, Huntington Community Forest, Bear Ridge Community Forest and Rocky Branch Community Forest have also received support from the USDA Forest Service. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service announced additional funding, the agency reported in April 2020. The department stated that it will award $1.5 million in total to seven rural communities through a new Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation grant program.

“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 Christiansen.

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.

Contract Awards/DoD/News
Hexagon US Federal Completes $500K DoD CTTSO Laser Scanner Contract; Tammer Olibah Quoted
by Sarah Sybert
Published on May 11, 2020
Hexagon US Federal Completes $500K DoD CTTSO Laser Scanner Contract; Tammer Olibah Quoted
Hexagon US Federal Completes $500K DoD CTTSO Laser Scanner Contract; Tammer Olibah Quoted

Hexagon US Federal has been selected as the single award prime contractor for a Department of Defense (DoD) Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) laser scanner contract, a four-month contract for over $500,000, the company reported on Monday.

"We're proud to support CTTSO," said Tammer Olibah, Hexagon US Federal CEO. "This is an exciting moment for Hexagon, as our growing portfolio of solutions and capabilities, including Leica and Sigma Space, allows us to better serve government agencies in realizing critical missions."

Hexagon, as the prime contractor for the CTTSO contract, has provided testing, installation, training, documentation and assistance on selected robotic platforms. Hexagon's Sigma Space and Leica Geosystems teams have led the work under the contract.

The team has utilized Leica Geosystems technology. Hexagon combined its high-performance reality capture scanners with remotely operated robots to permit the CTTSO to rapidly gain situational awareness while also mitigating hazard exposure to personnel.

The contract work began in fall 2019 and was completed January 2020. Work took place primarily in Lanham, Maryland. Hexagon has a long history with geosystems and geospatial technology, which has been expanded upon with the CTTSO contract.

Rob Mott, vice president at Hexagon US Federal, has commented on how artificial intelligence could help defense and intelligence agencies collect and transmit geospatial intelligence data to soldiers on the battlefield amid challenging conditions. 

He discussed how AI could deliver situational awareness to soldiers in real time and help troops improve the generation of courses of action as well as augment monitoring and surveillance activities.

“By improving the ability to predict a target’s behavior based on analysis of historical patterns, current trends and dynamic factors (such as weather and adversarial behavior), AI can help determine the most suitable method and location for the deployment of assets for performing surveillance,” Mott wrote.

About Hexagon US Federal

Hexagon US Federal is part of Hexagon serving the U.S. federal market. Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications. Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Government Technology/News
Kakao Selects Rimini Street to Support Oracle Database Software; Tonny Yi, Hyung-wook Kim Quoted
by Sarah Sybert
Published on May 11, 2020
Kakao Selects Rimini Street to Support Oracle Database Software; Tonny Yi, Hyung-wook Kim Quoted

Kakao Selects Rimini Street to Support Oracle Database Software; Tonny Yi, Hyung-wook Kim Quoted

Rimini Street has announced that Kakao, a leading internet and mobile messaging company in South Korea, has switched to Rimini Street support for its Oracle Database, Rimini Street reported on Monday.

“Our strategy is to eventually move Kakao’s existing Oracle Database to an open source database such as MySQL, Maria, or PostgreSQL. Since switching to Rimini Street, we have reduced our database maintenance costs significantly, and my team is now free to focus on other initiatives to improve our business, like this database migration,” said Tonny Yi, head of Kakao’s data platform team.

Rimini Street will provide Kakao with premium, ultra-responsive support for its mission-critical Oracle Database instances for a minimum of 15 years from the time the company transitioned to Rimini Street support with no required upgrades.

Kakao has also reported savings of 50 percent in annual support fees. Kakao will also receive an improved level of support for its databases and control of its IT roadmap. The roadmap has more flexibility with its limited resources, enabling them to divert resource savings to more strategic initiatives across the company.

Kakao currently runs a brand and service portfolio, including mobile messaging with Kakao Talk, gaming, music, e-mail, search and news, providing services to thousands of people daily. Rimini Street, as Kakao’s thrid-party support service, will reduce the overall spend for their database support.

“We receive responsive service and expert support from our assigned Primary Support engineer and the team of Rimini Street specialists,” continued Yi.

Rimini Street has provided Kakao a Primary Support Engineer (PSE) who is supported by a team of technical experts with an average of 15 years’ experience in the client’s software environment. Rimini Street engineers will provide support for issues, including support for performance and interoperability issues.

The team will also deliver industry-leading service level agreement of 15-minute response times for critical Priority 1 cases. Rimini Street has provided its clients with uninterrupted support and business continuity, enabled by the company’s globally distributed workforce and its proprietary suite of systems and processes.

“It’s exciting to see Kakao, a company that drives innovation in the mobile internet and messaging space, choose Rimini Street’s support services. By switching to Rimini Street, the Kakao data platform team receives ultra-responsive support for its databases, is no longer reliant on a forced upgrade to retain full support and can execute on its open source transition strategy,” said Hyung-wook Kim, regional general manager, Korea, Rimini Street.

About Rimini Street, Inc.

Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI) is a global provider of enterprise software products and services, the leading third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP software products and a Salesforce partner. The Company offers premium, ultra-responsive and integrated application management and support services that enable enterprise software licensees to save significant costs, free up resources for innovation and achieve better business outcomes.

Over 2,000 global Fortune 500, midmarket, public sector and other organizations from a broad range of industries rely on Rimini Street as their trusted application enterprise software products and services provider.

Government Technology/News
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Uses Additive Manufacturing Tech to Make PPE
by Matthew Nelson
Published on May 11, 2020
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Uses Additive Manufacturing Tech to Make PPE
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Uses Additive Manufacturing Tech to Make PPE

An additive manufacturing facility at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center-Division Keyport in Washington has remained operational during the COVID-19 pandemic and created personal protective equipment for local civilian medical workers.

NUWC Keyport said Friday its rapid prototyping team used the 3D printing process in efforts to accelerate the development and production of PPE as well as ship and submarine components.

"Each day the team is able to prototype new designs, develop new manufacturing processes, and deliver PPE hardware," said Bryce Weber, division technology manager at NUWC Keyport's rapid prototyping and fabrication technology division.

Weber added that the work center offers a lot of space between additive manufacturing printers, allowing workers to practice social distancing, and requires team communication to ensure compliance with cleaning protocols.

Executive Moves/News
NOAA Official Karen St. Germain Tapped to Lead NASA Earth Science Division
by Matthew Nelson
Published on May 11, 2020
NOAA Official Karen St. Germain Tapped to Lead NASA Earth Science Division
Karen St. Germain
Karen St. Germain

Karen St. Germain, deputy assistant administrator for systems at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) satellite and information service, will formally join NASA on June 8 as director of the Earth science division within the space agency's science mission directorate.

She will help oversee the division's portfolio and its integration with interagency, commercial and international efforts, according to a NASA blog post published Tuesday.

In her current role, St. Germain works for NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service and leads the development of systems meant to support the Joint Polar Satellite System, Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite-R series, COSMIC-2 and Space Weather Follow-On programs.

Before NESDIS, St. Germain previously directed the NOAA Office of Systems Architecture and Advanced Planning. She also led the agency's work on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership system from 2006 through 2011.

She also worked in the Department of Defense's Space, Strategic and Intelligence Systems Office, where she oversaw the space portfolio review in 2014 and helped DoD craft a framework to address evolving space domain challenges.

Government Technology/News
DIU Chief Michael Brown: US Should Incentivize Companies to Focus on Research
by Jane Edwards
Published on May 11, 2020
DIU Chief Michael Brown: US Should Incentivize Companies to Focus on Research
Michael Brown
Michael Brown

Michael Brown, director of the Defense Innovation Unit, said focusing more on stock prices and quarterly earnings than research and development could result in the U.S. losing its technological edge over China, FCW reported Friday.

"You're never going to win in a technology race with defense,” Brown said Friday at a Brookings Institution virtual event. “What do we do to reform our business thinking and our capital markets to move away from short-term thinking to be more long-term oriented.”

He said the U.S. government should provide incentives to U.S. firms to encourage them to focus on R&D efforts and long-term investments and such incentives could be in the form of tax advantages.

News/Press Releases
Three Commissions Ask Congress to Consider Workforce Recommendations for FY 2021 Defense Policy Bill
by Jane Edwards
Published on May 11, 2020
Three Commissions Ask Congress to Consider Workforce Recommendations for FY 2021 Defense Policy Bill

Three Commissions Ask Congress to Consider Workforce Recommendations for FY 2021 Defense Policy Bill

The Cyberspace Solarium Commission, National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence and the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service have called on Senate and House Armed Services Committees to consider including in the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act their proposed workforce recommendations to attract technical talent and maintain the country’s competitive edge.

The three commissions called on congressional committees to use existing authorities to promote flexibility in hiring personnel, facilitate data collection and advance research on workforce dynamics. “The Federal government needs to increase the public’s awareness of opportunities for public service, particularly for those with digital talent,” the top leaders of the commissions wrote in a Thursday letter to the committees.

“Congress should direct the Secretary of Defense, through the secretaries of the military services, to increase the public’s understanding of opportunities with the military and in national security departments and agencies by reinforcing programs that target digital talent, especially those with proven success.”

NSCAI proposes the expansion of the Cyber Excepted Service to include AI positions, establishment of AI literacy course for human resource professionals and acceleration of security clearance reviews for AI practitioners, among others.

CSC’s recommendations include the assessment of personal security clearances for cyber roles, expansion of the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program and establishment of a pilot program to offer cyber-specific up-skilling resources for veterans and transitioning service personnel.

NCMNPS’ proposals include the establishment of an interagency council on military, national and public service, creation of an internet-based service platform to link U.S. citizens to service opportunities and optimization of cross-service marketing and recruitment.

Government Technology/News
Suzette Kent on CISA’s Designation as Cyber Shared Services Center
by Jane Edwards
Published on May 11, 2020
Suzette Kent on CISA’s Designation as Cyber Shared Services Center
Suzette Kent
Suzette Kent

Suzette Kent, federal chief information officer and a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient, told Federal News Network in an interview published Friday that the designation of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as a center for cyber shared services recognizes DHS’ role in overseeing the marketplace for new security offerings.

“It formalizes their role to ensure that the products and services that we use across the entire federal government in this space not only meet standards, but they are part of a customer-centric dialogue,” Kent told the network’s Ask the CIO program. “So it’s important for both clarity and pace. We expect we will be able to bring new services to the marketplace faster and have more visibility to meeting standards.”

The move is part of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) updated shared services strategy, which directs the government to come up with interagency standards and priorities for shared services and designate agencies to serve as quality service management offices.

DHS will start offering vulnerability management standardization, security operations center standardization, domain name service resolver service as a QSMO. Kent said the QSMO could help agencies gain access to industry or federal shared services or implement tools that could help them comply with the standards.

“This construct will actually help ensure when we do offer something in the marketplace, it has been fully vetted against those standards and agencies can move quickly and with confidence for that reason,” she added.

DoD/News
Lisa Hershman Talks DoD’s Potential Restructuring Efforts
by Brenda Marie Rivers
Published on May 8, 2020
Lisa Hershman Talks DoD’s Potential Restructuring Efforts
Lisa Hershman
Lisa Hershman

Lisa Hershman, chief management officer (CMO) of the Department of Defense (DoD), said she is “very intrigued” with the DoD’s reorganization plans and that there should be clarifications on the CMO’s responsibilities, Defense News reported Thursday.

Hersman told the publication in an interview that she is open to restructuring ideas such as splitting the deputy secretary of defense role into two separate DSDs for strategies and policy as well as resources and management.

“Strengthening responsibilities and authorities and expectations and goals and targets — that’s always a good thing, we should be doing that, always,” she said. “I think the worst-case scenario is reform slows down or starts to slide backwards.”

According to Hershman, her office is working to complete its financial reviews in efforts to reach a goal of $7.7 billion savings this year.

Hershman’s comments come after Mark Esper, the defense secretary and 2020 Wash100 Award winner, expanded CMO authorities to cover budget request development for “fourth estate” agencies.

Government Technology/News
National Space Council Addresses FCC’s Proposed Orbital Debris Policy; Scott Pace Quoted
by Nichols Martin
Published on May 8, 2020
National Space Council Addresses FCC’s Proposed Orbital Debris Policy; Scott Pace Quoted
Scott Pace
Scott Pace

The National Space Council, an office handling space-related policy, is talking with various agencies on policy to mitigate orbital debris, Space News reported Thursday.

This engagement responds to the Federal Communications Commission's proposal of requirements that include large fees satellite operators would have to pay for potential damages and failure to appropriately dispose of decommissioned satellites.

FCC now considers putting off and reviewing majority of these proposed regulations.

Michael O’Rielly, FCC commissioner, said in an April 23 meeting that U.S. regulations must not impose more expenses compared to those of other countries.

Scott Pace, the space council's executive secretary, said he accepts FCC's move to reconsider the regulations of concern.

“I think the commission is interested in trying to make sure that we don’t place undue burdens, but that at the same time we provide incentives for ensuring that the space environment remains sustainable for the long term,” Pace stated.

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