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Breaking Down CBP OIT’s $1.8B Budget & Priorities
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Breaking Down CBP OIT’s $1.8B Budget & Priorities

The Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Information Technology is the largest IT organization within the Department of Homeland Security with a budget of $1.8 billion. OIT recently released a refreshed IT strategy to guide the agency’s goals and priorities for the next five years. Here’s a look at the six key IT efforts CBP is focusing on in the coming years.

Breaking Down CBP OIT’s $1.8B Budget & Priorities

Hear insights from multiple CBP decision makers — including OIT CTO Sunil Madhugiri — at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit, hosted by the Potomac Officers Club on Nov. 13. Don’t miss your opportunity to meet, learn from and network with the foremost homeland security experts and leaders at this day-long event. Register for the 2024 Homeland Security Summit to join the conversation.

Mission Infrastructure

Under the first goal in CBP’s new IT strategy, the agency will “continuously provide innovative, near-real time infrastructure capabilities to ensure a secure, reliable, and scalable IT infrastructure at the speed of CBP’s mission through collaboration with application teams and our trusted partners to accelerate and optimize delivery.”

Some of the objectives under this goal include delivering cloud services, achieving enterprise network mobility and establishing a modern integrated network with edge-to-edge security.

Mission Applications

This component of the IT strategy covers building “mission-aligned applications” and software, and it notably focuses on the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence.

OIT will “support CBP’s evolution into a more data-driven organization that rapidly accelerates the operational use of AI across the entire agency, achieving real mission outcomes guided by Responsible AI Principles,” the strategy states. 

For CBP, machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, computer vision, natural language processing, are all under the AI umbrella and are part of the agency’s broader goal to achieve enterprise AI adoption.

Operational/Information Technology

CBP wants to “bring physical equipment into the digital realm” under this goal, with a major focus on the tactical edge. 

The agency aims to define the edge, develop enterprise edge infrastructure, implement edge architecture and policies and integrate with edge mission operations.

The strategy notes that CBP has been centralizing its IT capabilities into data centers and cloud environments, which has reduced costs and increased scalability. But now, with the increasing amount of data created and consumed at the edge, new challenges have emerged, and CBP is focusing heavily on solving these challenges in mission environments.

Cybersecurity

“CBP’s strategic cybersecurity goal will close the gap between increasingly sophisticated and persistent threat actors and CBP’s adoption of the right technology, people, and processes,” the strategy states. “Shifting and competing priorities make it difficult for federal agencies to maintain state-of-the-art capabilities, but without effective cybersecurity measures, CBP’s entire mission is at risk.” 

Ransomware, supply chain threats and phishing campaigns top the list of cyber threats to CBP’s systems. To combat these threats, CBP will focus on cyber hygiene, improve threat detection and response and implement a zero trust architecture, among other initiatives.

IT/IRM Governance

For CBP, this component of the IT strategy involves “getting IT right.” This goal is all about the frameworks, policies and governance behind the IT.

The agency will strive to “improve IT governance capabilities, resources and tools to maximize enterprise-wide efficiencies and enhance customer experience through disciplined performance and business intelligence.”

CIO Business Operations

In the final focus area outlined in the IT strategy, CBP OIT plans to improve the customer experience.

The agency aims to “provide OIT customers with a common, shared user experience to deliver holistic, end-to-end services by collaborating across strategy, budget, acquisition and workforce activities.”

CBP will work to improve cost and budget transparency, procurement and acquisition support, the OIT workforce experience and workforce management. 

Breaking Down CBP OIT’s $1.8B Budget & Priorities

Learn more about CBP OIT’s upcoming initiatives, contracts and IT efforts at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13! Save your seat today. 

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Nora Christine Dillman Appointed Deputy Director at DOD CIO Office
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Nora Christine Dillman Appointed Deputy Director at DOD CIO Office

The Department of Defense has named Nora Christine Dillman the new deputy director of the Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Dillman, who announced the move in a LinkedIn post shared Sunday, brings a wealth of experience to her new role having served in various leadership roles for different government agencies.

Before her move to the CIO office, Dillman was the associate deputy assistant administrator at the Drug Enforcement Administration. In this role, her tasks included supervising data standardization, software engineering, project management and large-scale information technology initiatives.

Dillman also served as senior product manager for multiple organizations. This included the U.S. Department of Commerce, Defense Information Systems Agency and Oddball, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business devoted to the digital modernization of federal citizen-centric services.

In addition, Dillman had stints with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, DISA Mobility Program Management Office and the Department of Treasury.

Before her government career, Dillman worked as a data applications developer at Advance Business Systems.

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GAO Says Some Requirements Under Trustworthy AI EO Have Been Achieved
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GAO Says Some Requirements Under Trustworthy AI EO Have Been Achieved

Several artificial intelligence management and talent requirements called for by Executive Order 14110 have been implemented by the agencies tasked to carry them out, according to a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office that sought to assess how far along the EO’s mandates were being met.

GAO said Monday that among the agencies that have achieved this accomplishment are the Executive Office of the President, which had been tasked by the EO to organize the AI and Technology Talent Task Force and establish the White House AI Council; and the Office of Management and Budget, which had been tasked to convene the interagency Chief AI Officer council, issue AI guidance to agencies and issue instructions regarding agency AI use cases.

For the study, the GAO picked 13 requirements to evaluate. They were chosen because their accomplishment was due 150 days after the issuance of the EO, they had government-wide implications and they had clear deliverables.

The study was carried out in light of rapid developments in AI and the technology’s potential to impact the lives of citizens.

EO 14110, which concerns the safe, secure and trustworthy development and use of AI, was released in October 2023 for these same reasons.

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USAF Building New Mexico Lab for Experimental Re-Entry Vehicles
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USAF Building New Mexico Lab for Experimental Re-Entry Vehicles

The Air Force Research Laboratory has started building the Re-Entry Vehicle Integration Laboratory in New Mexico, where experimental re-entry vehicles and components will be assembled and disassembled.

Perikin Enterprises will construct the $8.7 million REVIL under the supervision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the project to be completed in 14 months, AFRL said on Monday.

The facility will advance nuclear skills development by developing expertise for evaluating re-entry technology and designs, the laboratory noted, adding that the Air Force will build three more laboratories to enhance its nuclear science and technology system integration capability.

When REVIL becomes operational, it is expected to promote collaborative efforts with Department of Defense agencies, Department of Energy laboratories and industry partners.

At the site’s groundbreaking in July, Stephanie Eddy, head of the nuclear deterrence portfolio at AFRL, said REVIL is envisioned as a world-class laboratory to enable advanced research projects on re-entry vehicles.

Col. Jeremy Raley, the director of AFRL’s Space Vehicles Directorate, added that the facility will enable the development of nuclear-related components and technologies to maintain the United States’ nuclear deterrence capabilities.

For the Air Force, REVIL is an important facility for advanced nuclear research to ensure the United States’ technological advantage and safeguard its national security, AFRL explained.

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Fuse Integration Secures Navy Contract to Upgrade Hawkeye Aircraft’s Network Systems
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Fuse Integration Secures Navy Contract to Upgrade Hawkeye Aircraft’s Network Systems

Defense software company Fuse Integration has received a $16 million contract to supply its Fuse CORE 4.0 virtualized network systems for the software modernization of the U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. 

According to the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, Fuse Integration’s product will update the external networking systems of the aircraft’s Delta System Software Configuration-5 setup to improve security and battle management controls.

Shawn Thompson, advanced development assistant program manager for systems engineering at NAVAIR’s E-2/C-2 Airborne Command & Control Systems Program Office, said CORE adds another cybersecurity layer through new firewall applications in the Advanced Hawkeye aircraft’s beyond line-of-sight upgrade program.

Fuse Integration’s systems also provide a small and light router with power and cooling features designed to improve platform performance and replace bulky and outdated routers, Thompson added. He also said the CORE router can simultaneously host applications, enhancing the E-2D aircraft’s mission capabilities.

Other E-2D Advanced Hawkeye tooling includes Lockheed Martin’s APY-9 radar for which the company has already delivered 75 units under a contract with Northrop Grumman, the manufacturer of the early warning aircraft.

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Commerce Department Proposes Reporting Requirement for AI Model Developers
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Commerce Department Proposes Reporting Requirement for AI Model Developers

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security has proposed a rule that would require developers of artificial intelligence models and computing clusters and cloud providers to provide the federal government with detailed reports about developmental activities, results of red-teaming activities and cybersecurity measures.

BIS said Monday the proposed rule establishing reporting requirements for AI model development would amend the bureau’s Industrial Base Surveys – Data Collections regulations.

“As AI is progressing rapidly, it holds both tremendous promise and risk. This proposed rule would help us keep pace with new developments in AI technology to bolster our national defense and safeguard our national security,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

According to BIS, the proposed reporting requirement will facilitate the collection of information that is key to ensuring that AI tools can withstand cyberattacks, meet stringent reliability and safety standards and have reduced risk of misuse by foreign adversaries.

The proposed rule was introduced after the bureau conducted a pilot survey earlier this year.

State Department Seeks to Expand Global Semicon Ecosystem via Partnership With India
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State Department Seeks to Expand Global Semicon Ecosystem via Partnership With India

The U.S. Department of State intends to partner with the India Semiconductor Mission with the aim of exploring opportunities through which the global semiconductor ecosystem can grow and be diversified.

The State Department said Monday that under the initial phase of the partnership, the India Semiconductor Mission will steer a comprehensive assessment of the South Asian country’s semiconductor ecosystem and regulatory framework and the needs of its workforce and infrastructure.

Future joint initiatives will be based on the outcomes of the assessment, which the State Department expects to be joined by various stakeholders from India, including government, private sector and educational organizations.

The partnership will be carried out under the International Technology Security and Innovation Fund. Established by the CHIPS Act of 2022, the ITSI Fund provides the State Department with $500 million for the development and adoption of various initiatives with U.S. allies and partners.

State Department Seeks to Expand Global Semicon Ecosystem via Partnership With India

The GovCon International Summit will feature government and industry speakers to discuss how international partnerships, coalition warfare and emerging technologies are reshaping the defense landscape and how the U.S. can stay ahead of the curve. Register now to attend this important event!

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ORNL Solicits Proposals to Advance High-Performance Computing
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ORNL Solicits Proposals to Advance High-Performance Computing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking industry proposals to research and develop hardware, software and related technologies that could make high-performance computing energy efficient.

The R&D work will be performed under the $23 million New Frontiers program, which aims to produce the technologies within five to 10 years to enable faster and energy-efficient computing needed to build future generations of computers for addressing challenges in science, energy, health and security, the Department of Energy said Friday.

HPC and data-driven modeling and simulation are essential to advancing DOE’s science missions and are key investment areas for the Office of Science, which employs three of the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world for open scientific research.

However, ORNL’s Christopher Zimmer, New Frontiers project director, said current HPC technology trends “threaten to have a disruptive and costly impact on the development of DOE applications and potentially a negative impact on the productivity of DOE scientists.”

The entities selected through the request for proposals will be awarded two-year contracts to advance HPC.

The RFP, managed by UT-Battelle, provides interested parties until Oct. 21 to submit their responses.

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Systecon North America Enters New Predictive Model Partnership Phase With SAOC
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Systecon North America Enters New Predictive Model Partnership Phase With SAOC

Systecon North America will continue working with the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, or SAOC, to produce predictive models and data analytic services.

In the new partnership phase, Systecon North America aims to enhance software models, including the company’s Opus Suite system, that uncover data gaps and support operational preparedness, the company told ExecutiveGov.

Justin Woulfe, co-founder and chief technology officer of Systecon North America, said, “Our partnership with SAOC is a testament to Systecon’s expertise in predictive logistics and operational readiness.”

Systecon North America and SAOC will look to expand on the work done during the first stage of the partnership in 2022 and 2023. An example of this prior work is a pre-acquisition reliability, availability, maintainability and cost, or RAM-C, analysis model, which improved mission readiness, built operational resilience and instilled defense re-optimization.

“We are excited to build upon the foundational work we’ve done and continue to provide innovative solutions that enhance mission readiness and operational efficiency,” Woulfe stated.

Together, Systecon North America and SAOC will further develop the notional/analogous models created by Systecon and continue working under a collaboration endorsed by the Secretary of Defense and flight training programs.

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ODNI Budget Raises Questions in GovCon Community
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ODNI Budget Raises Questions in GovCon Community

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence — the star around which the U.S. Intelligence Community orbits — has released the figure for its budget request in the fiscal year 2025 National Intelligence Program, a.k.a. NIP. But with the target budget comes many questions.

ODNI said the agency is asking for $73.4 billion in appropriations, nearly $2.5 billion more than the sum it asked for in the previous year. Without any accompanying details, those in the government contracting industry are waiting with bated breath to know the breakdown in terms of how the agency plans to spend the money.

Many of these questions will be answered at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Intel Summit on Sept. 19. For a decade now, the event has solidified as the must-attend IC-focused GovCon hub for networking, deal-making and education. The IC is famously tight-lipped, but the Intel Summit is one place they feel comfortable disclosing details and hard-to-find information. Don’t miss out — register now!

One possible usage of the budget could apply to ODNI’s collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit, which reflects a commitment to up and coming technologies and embracing cutting edge tools.

At the Intel Summit, multiple panels will train their eye on the most prominent of all of the emerging technologies: artificial intelligence. One panel early in the day will discuss how data — and the AI it feeds — crucially plays a role in furthering the IC’s mission and another, a little later on, will explore the intersection of open-source intelligence collection and AI.

The day will conclude with remarks from Dana Madsen, deputy director of ODNI’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center. He will break down the cyber defense aspects of ODNI’s outlook and may have insights on the agency’s budget and how much of it he can share with the industrial base.

Join all of your friends and competitors at the 2024 Intel Summit on Sept. 19!

ODNI Budget Raises Questions in GovCon Community
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