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Air Force Research Lab Selected for 2019 Defense Innovation Award
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Air Force Research Lab Selected for 2019 Defense Innovation Award


Jeff Brody

A group within Air Force Research Laboratory has been recognized for a portable technology that allows users to secure doors during gunfights. The team, consisting of members from AFRL’s 711th Human Performance Wing, is the recipient of a 2019 Defense Innovation Award, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said Monday.

“We’ve been hard at work to mature this technology so it can transition out of the labs and into the real world where it can hopefully help people and maybe even save lives,” said John McIntire, team lead and research psychologist.

The portable, quickly deployable locks work to fit most common door types without the need for permanent installation, McIntire noted. Security workers at Wright-Patterson AFB have received their own door locks. Schools have also used the technology for tests at active shooter drills.

“We’ve worked closely with a local elementary and middle school as we developed and tested our systems,” the team lead said.

McIntire’s team will physically receive the award at the Defense TechConnect Fall Summit and Expo that will take place Oct. 8 to 10 in National Harbor, Md.

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University of Georgia Lands Potential $130M NIH Influenza Vaccine Dev’t Contract
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University of Georgia Lands Potential $130M NIH Influenza Vaccine Dev’t Contract


Jeff Brody

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Georgia a potential seven-year, $130 million contract to develop and test an influenza vaccine that can protect against multiple virus strains. UGA said Tuesday that NIH allocated $8 million for the first year of the project slated to begin this month.

As part of the agreement, UGA will manage operations at an NIH Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Center and lead a team of academics that will work to create vaccines intended to protect against various strains in a single dose. 

According to UGA, the project is aimed at discovering influenza vaccines that may replace annually-administered seasonal vaccines in the future.

“The main goal of our project is to identify vaccines that are broadly protective, meaning that they will protect people against most of the versions of the influenza virus that infect humans,” said Ted Ross, director of the UGA Center for Vaccines and Immunology. “But we are particularly interested in developing a vaccine that protects the most vulnerable people in our population, including children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.”

Work under the contract wil run through 2026 if all options are exercised.

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Rachel Mondl to Serve as Labor Dept Chief of Staff
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Rachel Mondl to Serve as Labor Dept Chief of Staff


Jeff Brody
Rachel Mondl

Rachel Mondl, deputy solicitor at the Department of Labor, has received appointment to serve as DOL’s next chief of staff. Eugene Scalia, secretary of labor, said Mondl will help the department offer family-sustaining career opportunities to the country’s workforce, DOL said Monday.

In her current role, Mondl functions as principal deputy to the department’s solicitor who performs chief legal duties in support of employment initiatives.

She formerly served under Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., as staff member and counsel at the House Education and Workforce Committee. This work covered policy on a range of labor issues such as discrimination, pensions and workplace safety. Mondl’s experience in the private sector includes legal work on employment and labor cases.

GAO Inspector General Adam Trzeciak Releases DATA Act Compliance Report
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GAO Inspector General Adam Trzeciak Releases DATA Act Compliance Report


Jeff Brody
Adam Trzeciak

The Government Accountability Office’s inspector general has released audit results on the agency’s compliance with a law that imposes data reporting requirements. The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act or DATA directs agencies to follow the Office of Management and Budget’s standards on data reporting, Adam Trzeciak, GAO inspector general, said in a statement posted Friday.

Williams Adley, a public accounting firm, conducted an audit on GAO’s compliance with the DATA Act and reported that the agency has met timeliness, completion and quality standards in fiscal year 2019.

The firm also noted aspects where the government watchdog can improve with regard to accuracy and continued compliance. The audit follows the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards.

Rep. Mac Thornberry Announces Plans to Retire in 2020
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Rep. Mac Thornberry Announces Plans to Retire in 2020


Jeff Brody
Mac Thornberry

Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, announced on Monday that he intends to leave Congress and not seek reelection next year.

Thornberry is a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and was its chairman for four years. Throughout his 25-year congressional career, he served on various House committees including the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Select Committee on Homeland Security.

He also headed the Task Force on Cybersecurity for a year prior to his current capacity.

“With over a year to go, I will continue to represent the people of the 13th District to the best of my ability,” he said. “Our nation faces many difficult challenges, and none of us can relax our efforts to meet and overcome them, whether at home or around the world.”

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Gen. Mark Milley Assumes Leadership of Joint Staff; Mark Esper Quoted
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Gen. Mark Milley Assumes Leadership of Joint Staff; Mark Esper Quoted


Jeff Brody
Gen. Mark Milley

Gen. Mark Milley has assumed the role of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.

The Department of Defense said Monday that Milley, a 2019 Wash100 Award winner, serves as the Joint Staff’s 20th chairman responsible for overseeing the defense component’s more than 3 million service members. He succeeds Gen. Joseph Dunford in his new role.

Mark Esper, defense secretary and a fellow 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, said during the ceremony that Dunford helped rebuild Army readiness following “years of insufficient defense budgets.” “At the same time, he advanced the Army’s ability to prepare for future warfare by standing up Army Futures Command, the largest organizational change within the service in 45 years,” Esper added.

Milley, previously the U.S. Army’s chief of staff, was nominated for his current role in December 2018. 

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ViON Named to Washington Business Journal’s List of Largest Private Companies; Tom Frana Quoted
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ViON Named to Washington Business Journal’s List of Largest Private Companies; Tom Frana Quoted


Jeff Brody

ViON a cloud service provider and market leader in the design, delivery and maintenance of IT infrastructure solutions, announced on Tuesday that the company has been recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the largest private companies in the D.C. area. The list is based on 2018 data and ranks ViON 64 among top companies featured.

“We are honored to be recognized for the third time in this category,” said Tom Frana, Chairman and CEO of ViON Corporation. “We attribute our sustained growth to the increasing demand for our broad portfolio of cloud, infrastructure and AI solutions delivered as-a-Service – particularly our ViON Enterprise Cloud, which is helping IT organizations simplify multi-cloud operations with a single cloud management platform.”

ViON’s recognition is based on 2018 revenue and 144 employees dedicated to helping customers across the commercial and government sectors solve technology challenges to improve business and mission outcomes.

About ViON Corporation

ViON Corporation is a cloud service provider with over 38 years’ experience designing and delivering enterprise data center solutions for government agencies and commercial businesses. The company provides a large portfolio of IT as-a-Service, including infrastructure, multi-cloud and Artificial Intelligence solutions. Focused on supporting the customer’s IT modernization requirements, ViON’s Enterprise Cloud is changing cloud management for the market, providing a streamlined platform to audit and control technology in an evolving multi-cloud world.

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Serco Awarded Contract to Provide Psychological Health Services for U.S. Navy; Dave Dacquino Quoted
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Serco Awarded Contract to Provide Psychological Health Services for U.S. Navy; Dave Dacquino Quoted


Jeff Brody

Serco has received a potential five-year, $32 million contract to continue its support to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Psychological Health Outreach Program (PHOP), Serco announced on Tuesday. Serco has supported this program since its inception in 2008.

“Serco is honored to continue delivering psychological health support services to members of our U.S. Navy and Marine Reserves,” said Dave Dacquino, Serco Inc.’s chairman and CEO. “As part of our Defense Personnel Readiness business, the PHOP contract is one of the many important programs that Serco carries out to provide essential support to the men and women who are defending our country.”

The company will provide Psychological Health outreach support within Navy Reserve Force Commands and Marine Forces Reserve at 26 military installations across the U.S.  The Serco team will conduct approximately 15,000 clinical assessments annually with Service Members and Family Members to determine any psychological health issues that may require mental healthcare services or other psychological health intervention, and then assist the Reservists with obtaining necessary support either from military or civilian resource providers.

About Serco Inc.

Serco Inc. is a leading provider of professional, technology and management services. We advise, design, integrate, and deliver solutions that transform how clients achieve their missions. Our customer-first approach, robust portfolio of services, and global experience enables us to respond with solutions that achieve outcomes with value.

Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Serco Inc. has approximately 8,000 employees and annual revenue of $1.2 billion. Serco Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Serco Group plc, a $4 billion international business that helps transform government and public services around the world.

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FireEye Launches Centralized Public Resource for Election Security; Ron Bushar Quoted
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FireEye Launches Centralized Public Resource for Election Security; Ron Bushar Quoted


Jeff Brody

FireEye, Inc. has announced a free new election security public resource to include the latest cyber security recommendations and informational materials to help governments enforce free and fair elections, FireEye announced on Tuesday. 

“Election security has become a growing priority on a global scale. While elections are a massive topic in need of heightened exposure, one of the most concerning threats is voter confidence in the system,” said Ron Bushar, CTO of Government Services at FireEye. “Our goal at FireEye is to help shore up defenses to ensure the integrity of the vote and restore confidence in the system, both in the United States and around the world.”

Building on existing FireEye materials and programs, the new resource will host free webinars, event information, threat intelligence and solutions in one easily accessible place to tackle the issue of election security from a technology perspective, as well as one of emergency management and response preparedness.

As a trusted partner to many government organizations, FireEye remains committed to helping government entities, federal agencies, states and counties stay informed on today’s cyber threats and what steps they can take regarding free and fair elections.

About FireEye, Inc.

FireEye is the intelligence-led security company. Working as a seamless, scalable extension of customer security operations, FireEye offers a single platform that blends innovative security technologies, nation-state grade threat intelligence, and world-renowned Mandiant consulting. 

With this approach, FireEye eliminates the complexity and burden of cyber security for organizations struggling to prepare for, prevent, and respond to cyber attacks. FireEye has over 8,200 customers across 103 countries, including more than 50 percent of the Forbes Global 2000.

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Chad Sehlke Named Finalist for Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award
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Chad Sehlke Named Finalist for Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award


Jeff Brody

Sehlke Consulting, LLC announced on Tuesday that Chad Sehlke, the company’s CEO, has been named a Finalist for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award during the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards. 

The 2019 finalists were announced during the Finalists Reception on September 12. The 2019 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards gala will be held on November 6, to announce awardees.

The Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards honors the leaders and legends of the government contracting community. A prestigious panel of industry and government professionals select finalists and winners from a large pool of nominees. 

Sehlke established Sehlke Consulting in 2011. Since then, he has grown the company into a 200-person, Financial Management, Acquisition Management, Logistics Management and Intelligence Programs offering. 

Prior to forming Sehlke Consulting, Sehlke served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Financial Management Resource Analyst and brings over 14 years of federal experience. He is an avid supporter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, George Mason’s GovCon School of Business, and Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness.

About Sehlke Consulting, LLC

Sehlke Consulting LLC (“Sehlke”) is a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Professional Services and Management Consulting Firm based in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 2011, our continuous growth and superior performance has earned us numerous accolades including: Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies in America (2017, #319 & 2018, #435), Inc. 500’s Top Virginia Companies 5000 List (2017), Inc. 500’s Top Washington, D.C. Companies 5000 List (2017), Washington Business Journal’s 75 Fastest Growing Companies (2019), Inc. 500 Vet50’s Fastest Growing Veteran-Owned Business (2018, #18 & 2019, #28), Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Fantastic 50 (2019, #5), and Washington Business Journal’s Best Places to Work (2016).

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