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DoD Creating New Space Advisory Group
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DoD Creating New Space Advisory Group

DoD Creating New Space Advisory Group

The Department of Defense (DoD) is establishing a space advisory committee as part of the Defense Innovation Board to provide insights and advice on space innovation, technology and strategy, SpaceNews reported Monday.

David Norquist, deputy DoD secretary and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, wrote in an April 4 memo obtained by the publication the new advisory group will help address existing and future challenges in space and implications of technology platforms being created for space. The group will also ensure that DoD leaders are current on commercial innovation in space.

Mark Sirangelo, former CEO of Sierra Nevada’s space systems business, will chair the new advisory group. Norquist asked Mike Griffin, defense undersecretary for research and engineering and a two-time Wash100 Award recipient, to form the advisory panel no later than April 30.

About The Wash100

This year represents our sixth annual Wash100 Award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, achievement, and vision.

Visit the Wash100 site to learn about the other 99 winners of the 2020 Wash100 Award. On the site, you can submit your 10 votes for the GovCon executives of consequence that you believe will have the most significant impact in 2020.

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GAO: DoD Should Fully Implement Cyber Hygiene Initiatives
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GAO: DoD Should Fully Implement Cyber Hygiene Initiatives

GAO: DoD Should Fully Implement Cyber Hygiene Initiatives

The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Defense fully implement its three cyber hygiene initiatives and designate components that would help monitor the implementation of cyber hygiene practices and related tasks.

GAO said in a report published Monday that it assessed the department’s implementation of the 2015 DOD Cybersecurity Culture and Compliance Initiative, Cyber Awareness Challenge training program and the 2015 DOD Cyber Discipline Implementation Plan and found that the Pentagon has yet to fully implement the tasks in the programs.

In addition to the initiatives, DoD has created lists of methods frequently used by cyber adversaries and determined practices to safeguard its systems and networks against such techniques. According to the report, the “department does not know the extent to which these practices have been implemented.”

The congressional watchdog called on the Pentagon to ensure that its senior leaders receive information on cybersecurity initiatives and implementation of cyber practices. “Such information would better position leaders to be aware of the cyber risks facing DOD and make more effective decisions to manage such risks,” GAO noted.

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DHS Issues New Award for Object Detection Engine Dev’t
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DHS Issues New Award for Object Detection Engine Dev’t

DHS Issues New Award for Object Detection Engine Dev't

Analytical AI, an Alabama-based business, has secured a $199,500 award to help the Department of Homeland Security bolster the Transportation Security Administration’s detection technology via artificial intelligence.

The company will use deep learning algorithms to create a new engine for object identification under DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program, the department said Friday.

The sought object identification engine would allow security personnel to detect common items within the “stream of commerce,” a concept that makes a person liable for market items that cause public harm.

DHS S&T filed the effort under the program’s Object Recognition and Adaptive Algorithms in Passenger Property Screening solicitation.

“Analytical AI has proposed to develop robust, network-ready screening tools that would meet current TSA requirements with the flexibility to adapt to future TSA mission priorities,” said Melissa Oh, managing director of SVIP.

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Army Continues Prototyping Work for Autonomous Combat Vehicles
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Army Continues Prototyping Work for Autonomous Combat Vehicles

Army Continues Prototyping Work for Autonomous Combat Vehicles

The U.S. Army plans to assess the capacity of robotic combat vehicles to operate with mission-enabling technologies demonstrator vehicles as part of a multiyear prototyping effort, National Defense Magazine reported Friday. The program’s first phase was initially slated to take place in Colorado within the March to April period.

Phase one comes after the Army announced plans to select Textron and QinetiQ’s North American arm for other transaction agreements focused on RCV development. QinetiQ will produce four light RCVs while Textron will build four of the vehicles with a medium-sized configuration.

QinetiQ also partnered with Pratt Miller to perform systems integration activities for an expeditionary modular autonomous vehicle, which has a 7,000-pound capacity and a speed of up to 30 mph.

Jon Hastie, director of unmanned systems products at QinetiQ NA, said the team intends to use government-owned autonomous technology and open-systems architectures for the EMAV effort.

Phase two of the RCV program is slated to take place in 2022 ahead of manufacturing and development activities scheduled for fiscal years 2023 through 2024.

The Army may also opt to solicit purpose-built vehicles from industry for the program’s third phase if the service decides to move forward with maturation work.

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NASA Engages With Academe Again for Aviation Research
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NASA Engages With Academe Again for Aviation Research

NASA Engages With Academe Again for Aviation Research

Five university-led teams will help NASA address aviation technology challenges under a four-year, $32.8M project.

This year’s University Leadership Initiative will tackle multiple topics such as autonomy, weather forecasting, machine learning and composite manufacturing in support of NASA’s goals, the space agency said Saturday.

The 2020 ULI follows previous iterations in 2017 and 2019. Five teams took part in the first ULI, then three teams in last year’s iteration.

“Each of these teams is working on important problems that definitely will help break down barriers in ways that will benefit the U.S. aviation industry,” said John Cavolowsky, director of NASA’s Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program in Washington, D.C.

The following universities will lead teams with industry and academia partners:

  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Stanford University
  • University of Delaware
  • University of South Carolina

Stanford University’s team will explore the use of machine learning to determine in real-time whether an autonomous system would function as designed.

The other teams will study other applications such as weather forecasting.

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NIST Issues Draft Guidance for Cloud Access Mgmt
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NIST Issues Draft Guidance for Cloud Access Mgmt

NIST Issues Draft Guidance for Cloud Access Mgmt

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is looking for input on its draft guidance for managing user access to cloud infrastructure including commercial “as a service” models.

NIST said that the draft document covers cloud access control procedures in line with federal requirements for protecting sensitive information and critical computing resources.

The agency noted that while AC procedures encompass infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service environments as well as software-as-a-service frameworks, each model has a set of requirements specific to their respective cloud architectures.

According to NIST, previous cloud-focused AC standards did not cover comprehensive user access assessments and primarily served as ad hoc guidelines. However, the agency noted that the draft guidance does not include organization-specific standards for internal cloud AC functionalities.

NIST will accept stakeholder feedback through May 15.

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FAA Picks Virginia Tech, Griffiss Airport for UAS Traffic Mgmt Program Phase 2
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FAA Picks Virginia Tech, Griffiss Airport for UAS Traffic Mgmt Program Phase 2

FAA Picks Virginia Tech, Griffiss Airport for UAS Traffic Mgmt Program Phase 2

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and Griffiss International Airport to demonstrate traffic management concepts for unmanned aircraft systems.

FAA said Friday that as part of the unmanned aircraft traffic management pilot program’s second phase, the two participants will perform test-site assessments of their respective technologies focused on high-density UAS operations, remote identification and public safety.

Data collated from testing activities will be used to develop FAA’s Unmanned Traffic Management Implementation Plan.

FAA, in partnership with NASA and other industry entities, concluded phase one of the UPP effort in August 2019. Virginia Tech MAAP and Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems took part in a demonstration of low-altitude drone traffic management capabilities as part of the first phase.

FAA and NASA conducted an industry workshop for UPP phase two in December and received bids for the demonstration effort earlier this year.

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Karen Brazell to Lead VA Office of Enterprise Integration on Acting Basis
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Karen Brazell to Lead VA Office of Enterprise Integration on Acting Basis
Karen Brazell
Karen Brazell

Karen Brazell, a U.S. Army veteran, has been appointed to serve as acting assistant secretary of the Office of Enterprise Integration within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

She will concurrently perform duties under her new acting position and her existing role as VA’s principal executive director and chief acquisition officer, a job she has held since 2018, the department said Thursday.

Brazell works to oversee the sufficiency of medical supplies across the department’s clinics and health care centers in her current role. Her career includes leadership work with the White House Military Office and the Naval Facilities Command.

“Karen is an excellent choice to lead OEI, which is charged with integrating the operations,” said Robert Wilkie, VA secretary.

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Orlando Figueredo Named VP of Business Development for Perspecta
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Orlando Figueredo Named VP of Business Development for Perspecta

Orlando Figueredo Named VP of Business Development for Perspecta

Orlando Figueredo, formerly vice president of Operations for Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), has joined Perspecta as the vice president of Business Development for its Intelligence group, the company announced on Monday.

Figueredo will be responsible for all business development activities for the group, including developing a robust pipeline that aligns to the full breadth of Perspecta’s abilities, defending its competitive recompetes and driving growth opportunities.

For SAIC, Figueredo was responsible for operational excellence of the company’s national security group which provided technology and mission solutions to intelligence, space and defense agency customers.

In addition, he’s served as the vice president of National Security for DXC Technology and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Figueredo is also an elected member of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance Advisory Committee.

“Perspecta is excited to have Orlando as part of our business development team,” said Sean Mullen, senior vice president, business development and sales at Perspecta. “He has had great success leading high performing growth teams and brings valuable experience to Perspecta. I look forward to working closely with Orlando in positioning Perspecta’s capabilities and solutions to meet our customers’ mission and enterprise IT objectives.”

About Perspecta

At Perspecta (NYSE: PRSP), we question, we seek and we solve. Perspecta brings a diverse set of capabilities to our U.S. government customers in defense, intelligence, civilian, health care and state and local markets. Our 270+ issued, licensed and pending patents are more than just pieces of paper, they tell the story of our innovation.

With offerings in mission services, digital transformation and enterprise operations, our team of 14,000 engineers, analysts, investigators and architects work tirelessly to not only execute the mission, but build and support the backbone that enables it. Perspecta was formed to take on big challenges. We are an engine for growth and success and we enable our customers to build a better nation.

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CTI, Alion Subsidiary, Secures $12M Task Order for NRL Engineering Research, Maintenance Support; Greg Yadzinski Quoted
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CTI, Alion Subsidiary, Secures $12M Task Order for NRL Engineering Research, Maintenance Support; Greg Yadzinski Quoted

CTI, Alion Subsidiary, Secures $12M Task Order for NRL Engineering Research, Maintenance Support; Greg Yadzinski Quoted

Alion Science and Technology announces today that its subsidiary Commonwealth Technology Innovation (CTI) has been awarded a $12M task order for Engineering Research and Maintenance Support for the Plasma Physics Division of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the company announced on Monday.

“The Laser Plasma Branch was looking for a partner who can complement the Government research team in their specialized laser-plasma areas,” said Greg Yadzinski, Vice President of Operations for CTI. “We believe we were chosen based on a combination of our value and experience as CTI has delivered on-site expertise and specialized engineering support to NRL for more than four decades.”

Under the task order, CTI will provide support to the Laser Plasma Branch Programs at NRL and related work in the Plasma Physics Division in the areas of experimental and theoretical physics, numerical simulations and the design and development of advanced high-energy lasers.

CTI will additionally support research related to laser fusion and high energy density plasmas. The company will provide research and development support to the NIKE and ELECTRA high energy excimer laser systems and to other smaller laser systems used in the Laser Plasma Branch research.

This task order was awarded under the Navy Seaport NxG contract and has a 60-month period of performance. The multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract holds a total value of $5 billion, and includes a five-year base period with one five-year option. The contract will allow ActioNet to compete for individual task orders for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Seaport-NxG will provide direct support to the Navy. The scope will include a variety of engineering and program management support services. It uses a web-based electronic procurement system to facilitate performance-based service acquisition. All task orders issued under the contract are competitively solicited, awarded, and managed using the SeaPort-NxG system.

About Alion Science and Technology Corp. 

Solving our nation’s most complex national security challenges, Alion works side-by-side with our defense and intelligence communities as we design and deliver advanced engineering solutions to meet current and future demands.  We go beyond the superficial and dive deep into the root of the engineering complexities, and bring innovation to reality.

With global industry expertise in Big Data, Analytics, and Cyber Security; Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Live, Virtual, and Constructive Training; Electronic Warfare and C5ISR; and Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Alion delivers mission success where and when it matters most.

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