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Ivo Djoubrailov Returns to Chief Data Officer Role at Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Ivo Djoubrailov was appointed as chief data officer at HUD, a role he previously held for a brief couple of months 2020-2021.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has named Ivo Djoubrailov as its chief data officer.

Djoubrailov confirmed his appointment in a LinkedIn post.

“Honored to (re)enter the Chief Data Officer role —leading data strategy to deliver value across the department and proud to support our [chief information officer], Mr. Eric Sidle, whose high-octane brilliance is powering HUD’s transformation to serve the public better,” he wrote.

Djoubrailov briefly held the data chief role at HUD from December 2020 to January 2021.

Who Is Ivo Djoubrailov?

Before his recent appointment, he served as the department’s chief digital services officer and led as deputy chief technology officer for over two years.

Djoubrailov’s career also includes positions at Perun Business Group, which delivered enterprise IT and analytics services, and MicroStrategy, where he shared his expertise in data modeling, stress testing, cluster optimization and schema design as a technical adviser.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business IT from Virginia Tech and a mater’s degree in applied analytics from Columbia University.

What Are the Responsibilities of HUD’s Chief Data Officer?

As data chief, Djoubrailov will be in charge of developing and implementing the department’s data strategy and governance. He will also oversee efforts to harness data to advance the HUD mission.

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Shyam Sunder Appointed NIST Associate Director for Laboratory Programs
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Shyam Sunder has been named NIST's associate director for laboratory programs

Sivaraj Shyam Sunder has been elevated to associate director for laboratory programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

NIST said Friday Sunder, whose appointment became official on June 1, will oversee the agency’s six science and technology laboratories and lead efforts to achieve its mission of delivering critical measurement and research services to advance technology innovation.

S. Shyam Sunder’s Career Achievements 

Sunder, who’s been with NIST for nearly three decades, was most recently the director of the special programs office for over five years. In this role, he led programs for research and innovation in critical and emerging technologies. He was also the chief data officer, acting director of the standards coordination office and a senior science adviser to both NIST and the deputy secretary of Commerce at different points. Sunder was instrumental in establishing the NIST Safety Commission, which enhanced the agency’s safety protocols, and the Standardization Center of Excellence.

The senior executive was the founding director of the Engineering Laboratory, where he led a team of over 400 personnel in developing innovation and fostering industrial competitiveness for advanced manufacturing and construction. He also served as director of the Building and Fire Research Laboratory from 2006 to 2010. Before that, he was the BFRL deputy director, chief of materials and structural systems, and manager of high-performance construction materials and systems program. He started his NIST career in 1996 as a senior program analyst.

Sunder was an associate professor and senior research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 13 years.

“Shyam will play a crucial role in helping NIST accelerate advances at the forefront of measurement science, which is the foundation for unleashing technological innovation and U.S. economic competitiveness,” said Acting NIST Director Craig Burkhard.

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USACE Seeks Offers for $99M Design-Build Multiple-Award Task Order Contract
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The USACE Los Angeles District issued a solicitation for a design-build multiple award task order contract

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District has begun seeking proposals for a potential five-year, $99 million multiple-award task order contract, or MATOC, for construction services.

According to a solicitation notice published on SAM.gov, offers for the design-build contract are due July 21.

Design-Build Multiple Award Task Order Contract

The proposed USACE procurement is a total small business set-aside program that covers sustainment, restoration and modernization projects, minor military construction projects and support for military installations, Veterans Affairs, Customs and Border Patrol, and other civil works projects within the South Pacific Division and the Los Angeles District boundaries for Arizona and Nevada.

Up to six indefinite-delivery contracts are expected to be awarded under the vehicle.

USACE will use a two-phase acquisition strategy under a single solicitation.

Phase I involves a preselection process in which the government will shortlist up to 10 of the most highly qualified vendors.

Offerors selected during the first phase will be invited to participate in Phase II, which will be initiated through an amendment to the original solicitation.

USACE said the project will be a negotiated procurement using the best value trade-off process to ensure a competitive firm-fixed-price contract.

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NSF Requests Info on Key Technology Focus Areas
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The National Science Foundation issued an RFI on artificial intelligence and nine other key technology focus areas

The National Science Foundation has started seeking input from the private sector, state and local government agencies, academia and other interested stakeholders to inform NSF’s assessment and potential update of key technology focus areas listed in the Research and Development, Competition and Innovation Act.

According to a notice published Friday in the Federal Register, NSF will accept responses to the request for information through July 21.

NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation & Partnerships

The Research and Development, Competition and Innovation Act, also known as Public Law 117-167 authorized the establishment of a Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, or TIP, within NSF to accelerate the development of key technologies and support use-inspired and translational research, among others.

Congress identified 10 initial key tech focus areas upon which TIP investments should focus to drive U.S. competitiveness.

Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Other Key Tech Focus Areas

The RFI lists 10 key technology focus areas. These are:

  • Advanced communications technology and immersive technology
  • Advanced energy and industrial efficiency technologies, such as batteries and advanced nuclear technologies
  • Advanced materials science, including composites 2D materials, other next-generation materials and related manufacturing technologies
  • Artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy and related advances
  • Biotechnology, medical technology, genomics and synthetic biology
  • Data storage, data management, distributed ledger technologies and cybersecurity, including biometrics
  • High performance computing, semiconductors and advanced computer hardware and software
  • Natural and anthropogenic disaster prevention or mitigation
  • Quantum information science and technology
  • Robotics, automation and advanced manufacturing

NSF is seeking insights on how each of the technology focus areas contributes to U.S. technological leadership, supports national security and drives economic growth.

The agency is also asking interested stakeholders to identify the three most important tech focus areas based on several considerations: geopolitical technology competition; potential to power significant economic growth; ability to advance national security capabilities; likelihood to experience significant talent gaps or workforce availability risks; and the need for use-inspired and translational research to mature the technology.

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NASA Arcstone Mission Aims to Improve Remote Sensing Data Accuracy
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NASA will launch the Arcstone mission to test technology for high-accuracy lunar reflectance calibration.

NASA is expected to launch a six-month mission in the coming days to measure sunlight reflected off the moon using the Arcstone instrument to establish a high-accuracy, universal calibration standard for Earth-observing satellites.

The Arcstone mission, which will be deployed as a rideshare payload on a cubesat, will be the first mission dedicated solely to measuring lunar reflectance from space to calibrate and improve the quality of scientific data collected by remote sensors, NASA said Friday.

Universal Standard for Lunar Reflectance Calibration

Researchers have already been using the sun and moon to calibrate spaceborne instruments, but the current method lacks precision and accuracy. Arcstone’s goal is to increase calibration accuracy by using a spectrometer and getting above the atmosphere to measure reflected solar wavelengths in a way that provides a stable and universal calibration source. An internationally accepted standard calibration for lunar reflectance from space has yet to exist. According to NASA, if the technology demonstration is successful, a longer Arcstone mission could allow scientists to make the moon the preferred reference standard for many other satellites.

“The light reflected off the Moon is extremely stable and measurable at a very high level of detail,” said Constantine Lukashin, the mission’s principal investigator at NASA’s Langley Research Center. By improving lunar calibration accuracy, Arcstone will enhance the quality of remote sensing data for generations to come, he added.

The Arcstone demonstration is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office and led by NASA’s Langley Research Center, in collaboration with several institutions, including the U.S. Geological Survey and Colorado University Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

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Director Chris Scolese Says NRO Focused on Speed, Innovation & Partnerships
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NRO Director Chris Scolese discussed the agency's strategy in a contested space environment.

Chris Scolese, director of the National Reconnaissance Office and a five-time Wash100 Award winner, outlined the agency’s strategy, with an emphasis on speed, innovation and partnerships, at the Maryland Space Business Roundtable on June 18.

NRO Focuses on Partnership, Rapid Development

The NRO said Wednesday Scolese said the agency is fostering and expanding strategic collaborations with government, academia and industry partners in developing innovations addressing challenges in a contested space environment. He stressed that the agency will focus on rapid advancements in research and development, design, manufacturing, acquisition, launch, data collection and operations to meet the demands of warfighters, policymakers, first responders and other stakeholders for innovations enhancing data delivery in customized formats.

Director Chris Scolese Says NRO Focused on Speed, Innovation & Partnerships

Discover the latest intelligence community initiatives centered on innovations intended for national security at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Intel Summit.

Scolese added that the agency’s recently launched Space Reconnaissance Lab has greatly contributed to encouraging collaboration between public and private industries and accelerating the development and deployment of new innovations related to space architecture, national security and scientific advancements. He added that the collaborations have bolstered capability, resilience and opportunities for new concepts to develop. The NRO director also noted the need for automation and artificial intelligence-driven tools to enhance its systems.

“Our commercial collaborations are flourishing because we have broken down barriers to doing business with the NRO to take advantage of commercially available data as well as commercially available products,” Scolese said. “This is enhancing the viability of the commercial sector even as it delivers greater efficiency and effectiveness for the government,” he added.

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Senator Proposes Bill to Address Deepfake Use in Scams
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Sen. Jon Husted's proposed bill aims to address scams that use artificial intelligence-generated content called deepfakes

Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, has introduced a new bill that seeks to mitigate the use of artificial intelligence to steal information or money from Americans. 

The Preventing Deep Fake Scams Act would establish a task force that would identify measures to safeguard financial institutions from AI-powered fraud and create best practices to protect consumers, Husted’s office said Wednesday. 

Senate Wants to Establish Anti-Financial Crimes Task Force 

The proposed legislation assigns the head of the Department of the Treasury to lead the task force. Members will include representatives from the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, reported CyberScoop.

The group will submit its findings to Congress within a year of the bill’s enactment.. 

AI Use in Fraud

Husted’s office warned that scammers are using AI to generate realistic emails, phone calls and text messages designed to deceive and financially exploit consumers.

“Scammers are using deep fakes to impersonate victims’ family members in order to steal their money. As fraudsters continue to scheme, we need to make sure we utilize AI so that we can better protect innocent Americans and prevent these scams from happening in the first place,” the legislator said in a statement. “My bill would protect Ohio’s seniors, families and small business owners from malicious actors who take advantage of their compassion.”

A companion bill was also introduced in the House of Representatives in February.

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Gen. Christopher Mahoney Nominated as Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman
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Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney emerged as President Trump's nominee for the Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman role

President Donald Trump has nominated Marine Corps Gen. Christopher Mahoney to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to a congressional notice, the Senate on Tuesday received and referred Mahoney’s nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Navy Adm. Christopher W. Grady currently serves as the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

The JCS vice chairman is the country’s second-highest-ranking military officer who oversees joint military requirements and represents the U.S. military in National Security Council deputies meetings.

Who Is the Nominee for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Role?

Mahoney is the 37th assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, a position he has held since November 2023.

He previously served as deputy commander of the U.S. Marine Forces Pacific; director of strategy and plans at Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, or HQMC; deputy commander of U.S. Forces, Japan; commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing; and deputy commandant for programs and resources at HQMC.

The Top Gun graduate has logged over 5,000 flight hours in the A-6, F-5, F-18 and F-35 fighter aircraft.

Mahoney is a qualified forward air controller and parachutist and has held command at the wing, group and squadron levels.

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Kristen Alexander Named Director of Assessments at Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for R&E
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Kristen Alexander has been appointed director of assessments at OUSD(R&E)

Kristen Alexander shared on LinkedIn Thursday that she has been appointed director of assessments at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

The executive brings 20 years of proven expertise in Department of Defense acquisition, test and evaluation, experimentation, and prototyping. She is well-versed in assessing advanced technology programs and providing technical insights on technical maturity and programmatic risks.

Alexander’s Career Highlights

Alexander joined OUSD(R&E) in March 2024 as deputy director, leading a team composed of government civilians, systems engineering and technical assistance contractors, and personnel from university-affiliated research centers and federally funded research and development centers. She oversaw the experimentation and military utility assessments of emerging technologies.

The director previously served at the Office of the Secretary of Defense for over eight years. She was the chief learning and artificial intelligence officer and director of operational test and evaluation. In her dual role, Alexander spearheaded comprehensive testing efforts for AI-powered systems across academia, industry, and the test and evaluation enterprise. She also pioneered a continuous learning program for enhancing test and evaluation workforce readiness.

Alexander was also the technical adviser to the deputy director of operational test and evaluation, land and expeditionary warfare from 2015 to 2023.

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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Mandates 5-Day Review for Contracts, Grants Over $100,000
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Kristi Noem, DHS secretary, has ordered all contracts and grants over $100,000 be reviewed and approved

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has issued a directive requiring the DHS to review and approve all contracts and grants exceeding $100,000, the Federal News Network reported Wednesday.

Details of Kristi Noem’s Memo

According to the memo released by Noem, winner of the 2025 Wash100 Award, proposals submitted for her consideration should have all the significant details, such as “mission impact, dollar values, description of the supplies or services, any timeliness issues and a description of the proposed action.” She also asked that submissions for obligations over $100,000 be submitted in memo form through the Executive Secretary process. Noem emphasized that there is a minimum five-day period for reviewing all contracts and grant awards. The memo also mentioned that the new directive replaces the earlier one requiring her to approve expenditures over $25 million.

DHS Directive’s Anticipated Workload

The DHS secretary’s office should expect to handle over 5,100 contract actions during the federal quarter. This figure is based on data from the last three fiscal years.

“Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is rooting out waste, fraud, abuse and is reprioritizing appropriated dollars,” said a spokesperson for the DHS.

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