/
GSA, NIST Working to Automate FedRAMP Assessments
Published on
GSA, NIST Working to Automate FedRAMP Assessments


GSA, NIST Working to Automate FedRAMP Assessments

The General Services Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology are working to implement automation in review procedures for the Federal Risk Authorization and Management Program, the Federal News Network reported Tuesday.

The two agencies aim to establish a common Open Security Controls Assessment Language to support the integration of automated technologies in vetting operations. GSA is currently seeking input on its OSCAL baseline requirements for FedRAMP compliance and is slated to release a draft of its system security plan guidance by the year’s end.

“We strongly believe this will open doors for industry to develop tooling for agencies to expedite their review and approval of the security materials, as well as fine-tune their risk management practices at their agency,” said Ashley Mahan, FedRAMP director at GSA.

According to Mahan, there has been a 30 percent increase in FedRAMP authorizations for fiscal 2019, with 45 cloud offerings achieving certification under the program.

Her comments come after the Department of Defense began issuing general provisional authorizations for the FedRAMP moderate impact level to speed up authorizations.

/
Lawmakers Seek Nat’l Strategy for 5G, Telecom Implementation
Published on
Lawmakers Seek Nat’l Strategy for 5G, Telecom Implementation


Lawmakers Seek Nat'l Strategy for 5G, Telecom Implementation

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is calling on the Trump administration to establish a national 5G strategy and spearhead efforts to develop and implement next-generation technologies.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said Tuesday that leaders of the Select Committee on Intelligence as well as the Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees are urging National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien to appoint a senior official responsible for leading the implementation of future telecommunications capabilities.

The senators wrote in a letter to O’Brien that the government is currently taking a “fractured approach” to deploying new telecom technologies and need a national strategy informed by an understanding of 5G’s technical and geopolitical impact.

“In our view, the current national level approach to 5G comprises of a dispersed coalition of common concern, rather than a coordinated, interagency activity,” the senators said.

The letter’s signatories include Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.; Jim Risch, R-Idaho; Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Mark Warner, D-Va.; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.; and Jack Reed, D-R.I.

/
KBR Awarded Hydrochloric Acid Purification Contract from Italmatch; Doug Kelly Quoted
Published on
KBR Awarded Hydrochloric Acid Purification Contract from Italmatch; Doug Kelly Quoted


KBR Awarded Hydrochloric Acid Purification Contract from Italmatch; Doug Kelly Quoted

KBR announced on Wednesday that the company has been awarded an undisclosed contract by Italmatch Deutschland GmbH for its PLINKE Hydrochloric Acid Purification technologies.

“We are proud to be selected as Italmatch’s technology partner for its new plant and contribute to Italmatch’s continued growth,” said Doug Kelly, KBR President, Technology Solutions.

KBR will provide technology license, basic and detailed engineering, proprietary equipment and related advisory services to Italmatch to help with the production of phosphorous acid as well as absorption and recovery of hydrochloric acid.

“KBR has designed, built, supplied and supported tailored plants and facilities for purifying and concentrating strong inorganic acids and metal salts for customers all over the world,” Kelly added.

KBR has more than 70 years of experience in PLINKE acid treatment and has built more than 550 plants for treatment and concentration of inorganic acids and acidic waste water worldwide.

About KBR

KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life cycle within the Government Services and Hydrocarbons sectors.

The company employs over 37,500 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 80 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses: Government Solutions, Technology Solutions and Energy Solutions.

/
DCS Awarded $93.4M Task Order to Support AFLCMC/WIH Helicopter Program Office; Larry Egbert Quoted
Published on
DCS Awarded $93.4M Task Order to Support AFLCMC/WIH Helicopter Program Office; Larry Egbert Quoted


DCS Awarded $93.4M Task Order to Support AFLCMC/WIH Helicopter Program Office; Larry Egbert Quoted

DCS Corporation has been awarded a potential five-year, $93.4 million prime task order to support the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces Directorate’s Helicopter Program Office (HPO) under the Air Force’s EPASS program, DCS announced on Wednesday. 

“This is an exciting new opportunity for DCS to grow our Wright-Patterson AFB footprint and expand our support of DoD helicopters through these ACAT 1 programs,” said Larry Egbert, executive vice president of DCS. 

DCS will provide a broad range of acquisition, engineering, scientific, research, and administrative support for USAF aircraft research, development, production, life cycle acquisition, and sustainment. The full performance will take place from a new DCS facility near Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio in December and will grow to include work at Duke Field (Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3) in Florida.

“Our rotary wing capabilities and background are well aligned to HPO mission requirements and we look forward to supporting the AFLCMC/WIH command and mission,” Egbert quoted. 

About DCS Corporation

DCS offers advanced technology, engineering, and management solutions to Government agencies in the Department of Defense and national security sector. The transformative ideas, commitment to quality, and entrepreneurial spirit that characterize our 1,400+ employee-owners allow us to ensure the success of each customer’s mission and actively contribute to the well-being of the Nation.

/
John Kavanaugh of Perspecta Delivers Keynote Address at Baird’s 2019 Government & Defense Conference
Published on
John Kavanaugh of Perspecta Delivers Keynote Address at Baird’s 2019 Government & Defense Conference


John Kavanaugh of Perspecta Delivers Keynote Address at Baird's 2019 Government & Defense Conference
John Kavanaugh

John Kavanaugh, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Perspecta, was featured as a keynote speaker during Baird’s 2019 Government & Defense Conference on Wednesday at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va.

During his speech, Kavanaugh provided insight into the trends currently influencing the market and emphasize Perspecta’s growing presence as a leader in the government services sector after six consecutive quarters of profitable growth. “Perspecta has a balanced portfolio, diversified contract base and very strong backlog,” said Kavanaugh on Wednesday.

Kavanaugh leads all aspects of financial strategy and implementation and serves as financial counsel to senior leadership and the board of directors for Perspecta as its CFO. With extensive professional experience in financial management, operations, business development, program and general management, Kavanaugh has a long, successful track record of driving operational and financial improvements in the public sector and commercial markets.

The full-day conference will include panel discussions and corporate presentations from multiple industry leaders.

Other event speakers include:

  • Jean Stack, Managing Director at Baird and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient
  • Pierre Chao, founding partner of Renaissance Strategic Advisors and two-time Wash100 Award recipient
  • Randy Phillips, SVP of corporate development at Leidos
  • Tiffanny Gates, president and CEO Novetta and 2019 Wash100 Awardee
  • Rick Wagner, president of the mission, cyber and intelligence solutions group at Mantech International and two-time Wash100 Award winner

/
Jean Stack Speaks at Baird’s 2019 Government & Defense Conference
Published on
Jean Stack Speaks at Baird’s 2019 Government & Defense Conference


Jean Stack Speaks at Baird's 2019 Government & Defense Conference

Jean Stack, a managing director at Baird and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, offered insight into market trends during the financial services company’s annual Government and Defense Conference on Wednesday at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Va.

“There strong velocity in M&A and huge valuations,” she said in her speech at the event.

Stack serves as a managing director within the global technology and services team at Baird and as co-head of the firm’s government and defense investment banking practice. She is a board member and an executive committee member of the Northern Virginia Technology Council as well as a board member of the Association of Corporate Growth.

She joined Baird last year from Houilhan Lokey, where she served as founding member of global investment bank’s aerospace, defense and government services group and co-head of its government services practice. With more than 20 years in investment banking, Stack has deep expertise in advising companies on M&A, capital-raising and corporate matters.

The full-day conference will include panel discussions and corporate presentations from multiple industry leaders.

Other event speakers include:

  • John Kavanaugh, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Perspecta
  • Pierre Chao, founding partner of Renaissance Strategic Advisors and two-time Wash100 Award recipient
  • Randy Phillips, SVP of corporate development at Leidos
  • Tiffanny Gates, president and CEO Novetta and 2019 Wash100 Awardee
  • Rick Wagner, president of the mission, cyber and intelligence solutions group at Mantech International and two-time Wash100 Award winner.

//
Senators Call on DHS to Address Funding Gap Facing Two Cyber Threat Data Sharing Centers
Published on
Senators Call on DHS to Address Funding Gap Facing Two Cyber Threat Data Sharing Centers


Senators Call on DHS to Address Funding Gap Facing Two Cyber Threat Data Sharing Centers

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, have asked the Department of Homeland Security to address a possible funding shortfall facing the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

The Senate Democrats said in a statement Tuesday the New York-based Center for Internet Security runs both centers. MS-ISAC helps prevent, identify and respond to cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, while EI-ISAC offers cyber defense platforms to election systems professionals to help them counter foreign interference-related threats.

The lawmakers sent a letter to Christopher Krebs, director of DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and a 2019 Wash100 award winner, saying that CIS helps state, local, territorial and tribal entities defend their systems from cyber threats through its two centers.

The senators said they found that the department’s fiscal year 2020 budget proposal covers less than 70 percent of the required funding to operate the two ISACs at current levels.

“With the recent surge of ransomware attacks and 2020 elections fast approaching, we cannot afford to curtail support to SLTT entities and election administrators when they need it most,” the senators wrote. “We hope that you will work with us to address this urgent concern and ensure that DHS provides MS-ISAC and EI-ISAC the resources necessary to continue their important mission.”

/
ARPA-E to Fund AI, Machine Learning Projects for Energy Tech Design Use
Published on
ARPA-E to Fund AI, Machine Learning Projects for Energy Tech Design Use


ARPA-E to Fund AI, Machine Learning Projects for Energy Tech Design Use

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has earmarked $15M to support 23 projects that aim to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning tools in the design of energy systems.

Selected projects will receive Phase I funds through ARPA-E’s Design Intelligence Fostering Formidable Energy Reduction and Enabling Novel Totally Impactful Advanced Technology Enhancements initiative, DOE said Tuesday.

The DIFFERENTIATE program seeks to address three mathematical problems that hinder the optimization of design processes.

“Incorporation of AI and machine learning into our energy technology design and engineering processes has great potential to increase the productivity of our nation’s engineers and scientists,” said Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

Iowa State University will use a $607,138 award from the agency in efforts to create ML tools that would support the design of new photovoltaic microstructures.

University of Michigan-Dearborn will get $658,321 to build an ML-supported tool that would automatically configure and evaluate electrical power converters.

The full list of awardees and projects can be found here.

ARPA-E could offer additional funds to qualifying awardees following the conclusion of DIFFERENTIATE’s first round.

/
Eight Firms Selected to Design Wind Turbine Systems Through DOE Project
Published on
Eight Firms Selected to Design Wind Turbine Systems Through DOE Project


Eight Firms Selected to Design Wind Turbine Systems Through DOE Project

A Department of Energy laboratory has awarded cost-sharing subcontracts to eight companies as part of an initiative to build and certify wind power generation systems.

DOE said Tuesday its National Renewable Energy Laboratory will provide funding support and technical assistance to the awardees through the Competitiveness Improvement Project.

The department aims to increase interoperability of wind systems with other distributed energy resources, the number of turbine designs that meet national testing requirements and cost competitiveness of wind energy.

2019 CIP awardees will also test the safety and performance of systems.

The awardees are:

  • Bergey Windpower
  • Ducted Turbines
  • Primus Wind Power
  • QED Wind Power
  • Sonsight Wind
  • Westergaard Solutions
  • Windward Engineering
  • Xflow Energy

NREL has issued 36 subcontracts worth $8.4M combined to 20 businesses since 2013, the department noted.

A workshop is scheduled to take place on Dec. 17 at the laboratory’s Flatirons Campus in Colorado and will cover CIP-related topics such as previous solicitations, design assessment requirements, merit criteria and testing and certification standards.

/
Grant Schneider: Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Council Eyes Guidance for Agencies in 2020
Published on
Grant Schneider: Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Council Eyes Guidance for Agencies in 2020


Grant Schneider
Grant Schneider

Grant Schneider, federal chief information security officer, said the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Council will prioritize the development of guidance in 2020 to help agencies address security threats to the supply chain, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

The council, which Schneider chairs, was established in 2018 in accordance with the SECURE Technologies Act to collect data on supply chain threats and help agencies counter such threats through guidance.

“The law says each agency needs a program and we need to give them guidance,” Schneider said Tuesday at an event. “We need to figure out what information we need to collect around supply chain risk management and where to have that information shared from.”

He noted that the council has initiated efforts to find an agency that will be in charge of leading data sharing efforts with the private sector and other agencies.

1 … 1,613 1,614 1,615 1,616 1,617 … 2,605