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DOE Awards $179M in Funding Grants for Chip Development
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DOE Awards $179M in Funding Grants for Chip Development

The Department of Energy has selected three microelectronics science research centers for funding grants of $179 million to help them enhance microelectronics’ energy efficiency and create new chips for extreme environments.

The funding will enable the MSRCs to conduct research in microelectronics materials, device and system design, and manufacturing science to transform microelectronics technologies, the DOE said Monday. The program supports the government’s vision of producing microelectronics capable of operating in high-radiation, cryogenic and high-magnetic field environments.

According to Harriet Kung, deputy director of science programs at the DOE’s Office of Science, the research centers will deliver innovations to improve U.S. lives and enable the country to maintain its science and technology leadership. 

“Advancements in microelectronics are critical to furthering scientific discovery,” she added.

Funding Recipients and Their Missions

The funding program will help the Microelectronics Energy Efficiency Research Center for Advanced Technologies explore technologies to bridge sensing, edge processing, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. MEERCAT will accelerate the deployment of scalable and sustainable systems to reimagine computing and sensing models.

Another fund recipient, the Co-design and Heterogeneous Integration in Microelectronics for Extreme Environments Center, will develop durable systems for high performance in extreme thermal and radiation environments. CHIME will turn new research into scalable capabilities that address critical societal and industrial needs.

Under the program, the Extreme Lithography and Materials Innovation Center will integrate new materials and processes into advanced microelectronic systems. ELMIC will collaborate with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to start working on a future build of extreme ultraviolet lithography.

The centers are established as networks of projects that were selected by competitive peer review under the DOE. Projects will run up to four years and access an initial $41 million, with the succeeding funding to be determined by congressional appropriations.

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Navy Establishes Software Modernization & Innovation Organization
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Navy Establishes Software Modernization & Innovation Organization

The Department of the Navy has released a memorandum directing the establishment of an Echelon I organization to help accelerate the development and deployment of mission-driven and user-focused software to warfighters and civilians.

SMIO’s Responsibilities

DON said Monday the Software Modernization and Innovation Organization, or SMIO, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, or ASN RD&A, will collaborate with the department’s software practitioners and mission owners to advance enterprise DevSecOps platforms.

According to the Dec. 6 memo, SMIO will drive the department’s collaborative customer-focused strategy to advance modernized software development and delivery efforts. The new organization will introduce operating guidance and best practices associated with a software factory ecosystem, or SwFE, including a transparent process for designating and using enterprise DevSecOps platforms, or EDPs.

Within 60 days of the memo’s release, the new organization should issue a charter outlining the mission, functions, roles, reporting structure and reported outcomes.

The department directs SMIO to design and implement automated metrics and technical data standards to track SwFE’s overall health and provide insight into performance, schedule and cost; leverage diverse pathways to innovation to ensure that the fleet’s requirements are being met and emergent technologies are integrated into SwFE; and work with the Office of the DON Chief Information Officer/Chief Technical Officer on processes, metrics and policies in software containerization, open-source software and application programming interfaces, among key areas.

Jane Rathbun, DON CIO and a 2024 Wash100 Award recipient, signed the memo with ASN RD&A Nickolas Guertin, a previous Wash100 awardee.

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Air Force Initiates Steps to Consolidate IT Functions
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Air Force Initiates Steps to Consolidate IT Functions

The Department of the Air Force has moved to streamline and consolidate IT functions by aligning the Headquarters Cyberspace Capabilities Center at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois as a field operating agency to the Office of the DAF Chief Information Officer.

“This is a significant step toward streamlining and consolidating Information Technology functions and ensuring unity of effort in IT service delivery across the Air Force and Space Force,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in a statement published Monday.

Enabling IT Enterprise to Accelerate Capability Development 

“By combining and aligning these functions to their authoritative owner, the IT enterprise will be able to produce capabilities in shorter, more rapid development cycles – ensuring requirements are expediently actioned and delivered to the Airmen and Guardians who need them,” the 2024 Wash100 awardee added.

The move took effect Friday, Dec. 20. Follow-on measures will include future administrative changes and realignment of functions from other organizations.

“I have a responsibility to the secretary, but also his staff and both services, to ensure their IT requirements are captured and developed in a way that is not only responsive but cost effective and interoperable with one another,” said Venice Goodwine, chief information officer at DAF.

“We can do this through effective governance, and alignment of the Cyberspace Capabilities Center as a Field Operating Agency to my office, will help reinforce adherence to the capability delivery process,” added Goodwine, a fellow 2024 Wash100 Award recipient.

Headquarters Cyberspace Capabilities Center is expected to achieve full operational capability by October 2025. 

According to the department, there will be no movement of personnel as a result of the changes, which seek to organize, equip and train the IT enterprise and cyberspace domain.

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VA Plans for Mid-2026 EHR System Deployment
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VA Plans for Mid-2026 EHR System Deployment

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has started planning for the deployment of the Federal Electronic Health Record system to four Michigan facilities by mid-2026.

Enhancing the EHR System

The federal agency said the decision to deploy the EHR system to the facilities in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit and Saginaw follows refinement efforts to the system during the reset period, starting in April 2023, when deployments were paused. The department leveraged feedback from veterans, VA staff and clinicians to bolster the EHR system, resulting in enhanced services and elevated veteran trust.

All existing EHR sites reported an increase in veteran outpatient trust scores, ranging from 3.5 to 93 percent, during the reset period. The enhanced system also reduced outages that disrupted patient care and interruptions for clinicians that slows down service for veterans. Furthermore, the efforts resulted in a boost in clinician and staff satisfaction.

VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher said, “We paused deployments of the EHR for more than a year and a half to listen to veterans and clinicians, understand the issues and make improvements to the system. As a result of those efforts, veteran trust and system performance have improved across the board.”

Neil Evans, acting program executive director of the EHRM Integration Office, added, “VA is ready to begin planning for the next Federal EHR deployments in 2026, while at the same time remaining committed to the continuous improvement efforts that have been our focus for the past 18 months.”

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Lesley Bernys Named DC3 Executive Director
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Lesley Bernys Named DC3 Executive Director

Lesley Bernys, a cybersecurity and national security professional, has been appointed executive director of the Department of Defense’s Cyber Crime Center, or DC3, succeeding Jude Sunderbruch, who retired in June.

The department said Bernys will oversee a 500-strong workforce composed of military personnel, contractor employees and civilians. This multi-faceted team is tasked with providing direct support for the DOD’s operational requirements.

Lesley Bernys’ Career Highlights

The new DC3 executive director previously served as chief information officer and director of information technology services and solutions for the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Bernys joined the Department of the Air Force in 2003 as a special agent with the AFOSI. He then served in various leadership roles, including special agent in charge, deputy director of the Office of Special Projects and headquarters special advisor. Bernys also held multiple policy and leadership positions within the Senate and Cyber Command.

DOD Cyber Crime Center

The DC3 is a federal cybersecurity center and a field operating agency under the DAF Inspector General. Its main objective is to strengthen cybersecurity and national security through innovative capabilities such as digital and multimedia forensics, technical approaches or strategies development, advanced cyber training and cyber analytics across the DOD. These capabilities enhance cybersecurity, law enforcement and counterintelligence, boost document and media exploitation and safeguard critical infrastructure.

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FedRAMP Seeks Feedback on Plan to Establish New Funding Source
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FedRAMP Seeks Feedback on Plan to Establish New Funding Source

mThe Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program has started soliciting feedback from stakeholders on a plan to create a new funding source to support efforts to scale FedRAMP, grow the program’s authorization capacity and oversee cloud service providers, or CSPs, in a more flexible way.

More Capacity to Conduct Continuous Monitoring

FedRAMP said Friday a demand-responsive funding source could enable the continuous monitoring process to kick off before a cloud provider becomes authorized.

According to FedRAMP, such a practice could enable CSPs to continue making changes and improve their product.

With a new funding source, the program could grow the size and pace of relevant pilots, like FedRAMP’s agile delivery and digital authorization pilots; centrally oversee the ongoing security of cloud offerings in the marketplace; and scale the number of reviewers who work with CSPs through the FedRAMP authorization and continuous monitoring processes.

Questions for Stakeholders

FedRAMP is asking CSPs about factors to consider in creating a cost model, specific parts of the authorization and continuous monitoring processes that should receive the most direct investment and other compliance initiatives that charge money that could serve as good models for the program to consider.

The program also wants the public’s input on a cost model that is right for smaller businesses and other significant process options that FedRAMP could consider making with dynamic funding.

Comments are due Feb. 28.

According to FedRAMP, a decision to charge CSPs to scale the program has not been made. Public input, consultation with cloud providers and internal government coordination will inform the final plan.

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NASA, UPSTO Boost Innovation Via Tech Transfer & Commercialization
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NASA, UPSTO Boost Innovation Via Tech Transfer & Commercialization

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have partnered to promote innovation through technology transfer and commercialization opportunities.

STMD and USPTO Partnership

USPTO said on Dec. 19 the two agencies signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to collaborate and study intellectual property, or IP, management, technology transfer best practices and lessons learned. The partnership also aims to determine hindrances to technology transfer participation and ways federal agencies and academic institutions can tackle these challenges.

USPTO will leverage its understanding of IP while STMD will bring its knowledge of innovative federal technology transfer to the partnership. They intend to provide insight and best practices to the technology transfer community to accelerate innovations.

An evaluation will take place once the MOU is completed. This will be the basis if further modification or expansions are necessary.

Derrick Brent, acting under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and acting director of USPTO, said “I’m excited to continue and strengthen these efforts with our colleagues at NASA as we work together to drive more innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities for the benefit of all Americans.” 

Dan Lockney, technology transfer program executive at NASA, added, “We look forward to addressing common challenges, and this paper will offer some assurance that we are on a solid, strong path to transferring technologies effectively.” 

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DARPA Tests USV Autonomous Refueling Capability
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DARPA Tests USV Autonomous Refueling Capability

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has conducted a test to evaluate the performance of its new unmanned surface vessel, or USV.

The agency said Thursday DARPA’s No Manning Required Ship, or NOMARS, program completed the first at-sea test of the USV Defiant. The U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office, or PMS-406, and USV Squadron 1 collaborated to conduct the demonstration.

USV Defiant Test Process

The Navy’s experimental USVs, Ranger and Mariner, were used for the at-sea test. The Ranger acted as the receiving station of the Defiant, while the Mariner carried a customized refueling mini-station from Serco Inc., the NOMARS prime contractor.

The test showed that all parts of the refueling operation worked as expected. The team was able to pass the lead line to the refueling side, connect the refueling probe and pump water.

The USV Defiant

The USV Defiant is an unmanned 240-metric-ton lightship being developed for extended autonomous operations at sea. It is expected to be completed and deployed for an extended sea demonstration by spring 2025.

Current fueling at sea, or FAS, methods require people to manage the lines and hose which is quite challenging. NOMARS is working on an unmanned refueling concept of operations to keep personnel safe.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces New CHIPS Incentives Awards
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces New CHIPS Incentives Awards

Samsung Electronics, Amkor Technology and Texas Instruments have secured new funding to increase semiconductor production in the United States. The grants are part of the CHIPS Incentives Program’s funding opportunity for commercial fabrication facilities, the Department of Commerce said Dec. 20. 

The companies previously signed non-binding preliminary memoranda of terms to secure the funding. 

US Awards Funding to Samsung

According to the Commerce Department, Samsung, which was first to sign a preliminary memorandum of terms, will receive up to $4.74 billion in direct funding. The incentive supports Samsung’s pledge to invest over $37 billion in the coming years to create a comprehensive ecosystem that will include research and development facilities and logic fabricators. 

Samsung will also expand its current semiconductor facilities in Austin, Texas. 

Gina Raimondo, secretary of commerce, commented that the government’s recent investment in Samsung makes the United States the “only country on the planet that is home to all five leading-edge semiconductor manufacturers.” Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, SK Hynix and Micron also previously committed to increasing microelectronics production in the U.S. 

“Thanks to the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, we are unleashing the next generation of innovation, protecting our national security, and enhancing our global economic competitiveness,” Raimondo said.

Amkor Receives CHIPS Investment

Meanwhile, Amkor Technology was awarded up to $407 million in support of the company’s approximately $2 billion investment in a new advanced packaging and test facility located in Peoria, Arizona. 

Amkor is the largest U.S.-based outsourced semiconductor assembly and test company. Its advanced packaging technology is critical to meeting the global demand for artificial intelligence chips. 

According to Raimondo, the U.S. investment in Amkor ensures access to leading-edge packaging technologies and reinforces the nation’s position as a global technology leader for years to come. She added that Amkor’s Arizona activity will support critical industries, such as AI and high-performance compute. 

TI to Build New Semiconductor Factories

Texas Instruments was granted $1.61 billion in direct funding for the construction of three new state-of-the-art facilities in Texas and Utah. The company already pledged $18 billion through the end of the decade for the upcoming manufacturing sites. 

TI specializes in the production of mature-node chips, also called foundational chips, which are used in a wide range of electronic systems, including sensors, amplifiers and integrated circuits. 

Highlighting the importance of the government’s incentive award to TI, Raimondo explained that mature-node semiconductor shortage during the pandemic led to supply chain disruptions. 

“With this major investment in TI to expand U.S. capacity of these foundational semiconductors, we are strengthening our economic security, making our country safer, and creating thousands of jobs in Texas and Utah.” commented the official.

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David McKeown Named CIO Special Assistant for Cybersecurity Innovation
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David McKeown Named CIO Special Assistant for Cybersecurity Innovation

David McKeown, a former Wash100 Award winner, has been appointed special assistant for cybersecurity innovation at the Chief Information Office of the Department of Defense, effective Dec. 16.

The DOD CIO announced on LinkedIn Saturday McKeown will be responsible for developing and overseeing the Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, with a focus on handling complex challenges of innovation. He will bring years of expertise in cybersecurity, telecommunications, application development, project management and policy development to his new role.

David McKeown Career Summary

McKeown most recently served as the deputy CIO for Cybersecurity and the chief information security officer. In this dual role, he provided oversight in the area of cybersecurity and oversaw the development and maintenance of the cybersecurity program across the DOD. Gurpreet Bhatia will succeed McKeown in both roles albeit in an acting capacity.

The executive previously worked at the Department of Justice as director of Enterprise Services where he supervised the department’s information technology strategy. He also held leadership roles with the Joint Service Provider, particularly as chief of both the Enterprise Services Center and Cyber Security Center. The IT professional also spent almost two years as director of Enterprise Information and Mission Assurance for the Army Information Technology Agency.

McKeown was also part of the Air Force for 15 years. He last served as chief of the Information Assurance Division where he managed the AF IA Program. He was also the division chief of the Current Operations and Network Operations and commanded various communication units and squadrons.

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