/
FTC, FCC to Enter Agreement on Online Consumer Protection
Published on
FTC, FCC to Enter Agreement on Online Consumer Protection


FTC, FCC to Enter Agreement on Online Consumer ProtectionThe Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission plan to enter a memorandum of understanding to coordinate efforts to protect internet consumers in line with the adoption of FCC’s proposed Restoring Internet Freedom Order.

FTC said Monday the draft MoU directs FCC to review informal protests on the compliance of internet service providers with disclosure obligations set by the proposed rule.

The transparency requirements include the public release of information on an ISP’s practices regarding content blocking, throttling, paid prioritization, and congestion management.

Under the draft agreement, FTC will investigate and take appropriate action against ISPs that carry out deceptive or unfair practices involving their broadband services.

FTC and FCC will also work together on consumer and industry outreach and education as well as exchange legal and technical expertise, including the sharing of informal complaints on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order.

FCC will hold a meeting on Dec. 14 to vote on the proposed order, which would repeal internet regulations implemented in 2015 in an effort to give FTC the authority to protect consumers and promote ISP competition.

//
GSA TTS Lead Rob Cook Appointed to Chief Innovation Adviser Role
Published on
GSA TTS Lead Rob Cook Appointed to Chief Innovation Adviser Role


GSA TTS Lead Rob Cook Appointed to Chief Innovation Adviser RoleRob Cook, director of the General Services Administration‘s Technology Transformation Service, will vacate his current role to serve as chief innovation adviser within GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy, FedScoop reported Monday.

Alan Thomas, commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service at GSA, said in an e-mail to staff that Cook will be succeeded by Joanne Collins Smee, executive director of the IT Modernization Centers of Excellence at the agency.

Cook joined TTS in October from animation studio Pixar, where he most recently served as vice president of software development.

TTS Assistant Commissioner Crystal Philcox will also leave her current post to become the director of information technology services in GSA’s Office of IT Category.

Philcox assumed her current post in January after serving chief of staff in the Internal Revenue Service.

Thomas said the leadership changes would “align FAS to best support the modernization of federal IT.”

/
Federal News Radio: Jose Arrieta to Become HHS Acquisition Official in January
Published on
Federal News Radio: Jose Arrieta to Become HHS Acquisition Official in January


Federal News Radio: Jose Arrieta to Become HHS Acquisition Official in January
Jose Arrieta

Jose Arietta, current director of the General Services Administration‘s Office of Information Technology 70 Schedule Contract Operations, will join the Department of Health and Human Services in January as deputy assistant secretary for acquisition and senior procurement executive, Federal News Radio reported Monday.

The station noted Arietta will succeed Angela Billups, who now serves as Education Department deputy chief acquisition officer and senior procurement executive.

Arrieta led an initiative to implement blockchain technolog at GSA in a push to help the agency automate contracting process for Schedule 70 IT vendors.

He previously served as director of the Treasury Department‘s Office of Small Disadvantage Business Utilization and industry liaison at the Department of Homeland Security.

/
Report: White House Report on Industrial Base Review Could Be Ready by April
Published on
Report: White House Report on Industrial Base Review Could Be Ready by April


Report: White House Report on Industrial Base Review Could Be Ready by AprilThe Defense Department is halfway through a cross-government review of the national security industrial base and expects working groups to come up with draft recommendations this month, Breaking Defense reported Monday.

An administration official said Peter Navarro, a White House adviser, and his staff will analyze, synthesize and assemble those recommendations into a report that is slated for submission to the president by April.

DoD’s office of manufacturing and industrial base policy led by deputy assistant secretary Eric Chewning and principal deputy chief Jerry McGinn oversees the review in collaboration with the departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior and other federal agencies.

The official noted that the industrial base review will cover vaccine production, shipbuilding, strategic minerals, microchips and the U.S. workforce.

The review is part of an executive order Trump signed in July that seeks to evaluate the U.S. manufacturers’ capacity to support the defense industrial base and assess the availability of skilled labor to keep factories running.

/
Report: Navy to Deploy Littoral Combat Ships, Expeditionary Fast Transports to Support Southcom Operations
Published on
Report: Navy to Deploy Littoral Combat Ships, Expeditionary Fast Transports to Support Southcom Operations


Report: Navy to Deploy Littoral Combat Ships, Expeditionary Fast Transports to Support Southcom Operations

The U.S. Navy has decided to deploy Littoral Combat Ships and Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessels instead of reactivating Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates to support U.S. Southern Command operations, USNI News reported Monday.

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer asked Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, to send at least four LCS and T-EPF units to aid anti-trafficking missions of Southcom’s Joint Interagency Task Force South in 2018.

Spencer wrote the request in an internal memo obtained by USNI News.

“We discussed the idea of reactivating FFG-7 ships, but the process of evaluating alternatives identified better solutions using LCS and T-EPF ships,” Spencer noted.

SOUTHCOM conducts monitoring and armed support operations to stop illegal trade in Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

//
House OKs Bill to Revamp DHS Cyber Mission
Published on
House OKs Bill to Revamp DHS Cyber Mission


House OKs Bill to Revamp DHS Cyber MissionHouse lawmakers have approved through a voice vote a bill that would reorganize the Department of Homeland Security‘s cybersecurity functions, The Hill reported Monday.

The legislation would elevate DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate into a standalone agency from its current status as a component within department headquarters.

NPPD would be renamed as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and would oversee cyber and critical infrastructure protection under the bill.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, is spearheading the NPPD reorganization push in Congress.

//
Trump Signs New Directive to Facilitate Manned Lunar, Mars Exploration Missions
Published on
Trump Signs New Directive to Facilitate Manned Lunar, Mars Exploration Missions


Trump Signs New Directive to Facilitate Manned Lunar, Mars Exploration MissionsPresident Donald Trump has signed a new directive that would direct the NASA administrator to oversee an exploration program with the private sector and international partners to facilitate the return of humans to the Moon.

The Space Policy Directive 1 signed at the White House Monday aims to establish a framework to advance human exploration missions to Mars and seeks to end a planned mission to an asteroid, NASA said Tuesday.

The new policy emerged from an Oct. 5 meeting held by the National Space Council led by Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump signed an executive order in July to relaunch the council in order to help execute his administration’s space policy.

“NASA looks forward to supporting the president’s directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the Moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond,” said Robert Lightfoot, acting NASA administrator.

NASA said it plans to include work on the new directive in its fiscal 2019 budget proposal next year.

Personalities who were present at the signing ceremony include NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Peggy Whitson as well as retired astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt.

//
NASA Issues New Policy to Advance High-Risk Space Missions
Published on
NASA Issues New Policy to Advance High-Risk Space Missions


NASA Issues New Policy to Advance High-Risk Space MissionsNASA has released a new policy that seeks to streamline management and development processes for research teams that seek to offer investigation proposals for high-risk space projects that cost less than $150 million.

The agency said Friday the new policy for Class D missions will take effect on Jan. 1, and aims to leverage research activities involving small satellites.

The new policy includes amendments to the Class D regulation NASA issued in 2010 such as reduction in documentation requirements and modifications to process approvals and reviews.

The regulation also seeks to encourage proposers to take risks, concentrate on mission design and implementation and reduce management overhead.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, said the policy could help advance technological innovation and commercial partnerships.

“This new strategy should increase the cadence and invention potential for future low cost missions,” he added.

Class D missions under NASA’s portfolio include the Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats or TROPICS and other instruments and spacecraft that work to study neutron stars, pulsars, hurricanes and clouds.

/
USAF to Deliver Final Upgraded F-16 Batch to Indonesia
Published on
USAF to Deliver Final Upgraded F-16 Batch to Indonesia


USAF to Deliver Final Upgraded F-16 Batch to IndonesiaThe U.S. Air Force‘s Ogden Air Logistics Complex has completed a five-year effort to refurbish 24 Lockheed Martin-built F-16 Fighting Falcon jets for the Indonesian air force under an aircraft acquisition and refurbishment agreement between the two service branches.

The Air Force said Wednesday it will deliver the last six of 24 Block-25 C and D variants of the upgraded F-16s to Indonesia via a trans-Pacific flight.

The jets warehoused by the Ogden ALC’s 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group were previously part of the Air Force and Air National Guard fleets.

Ogden ALC offered to modernize 19 single-seat F-16Cs and five two-seater F16-Ds for Indonesia in 2011 as part of the U.S. Excess Defense Articles program, Defense News reported Saturday.

The report said the $750 million upgrade package includes new AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser systems from BAE Systems, AN/APG-68 radar systems from Northrop Grumman, AN/ALR-69 radar warning receivers from Raytheon and AN/ALQ-213 electronic warfare management systems from Terma.

/
Army Announces Second Security Force Assistance Brigade Deployment in Fort Bragg
Published on
Army Announces Second Security Force Assistance Brigade Deployment in Fort Bragg


Army Announces Second Security Force Assistance Brigade Deployment in Fort BraggThe U.S. Army has announced the deployment of the second Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina scheduled for January 2018.

The particular SFAB is the second out of six specialized units trained to take part in advise-and-assist operations with allied forces and nations, the Army said Friday.

“It is my assessment, and the assessment of the secretary and the assessment of the Army staff, that we are likely to be involved in train, advise, and assist operations for many years to come,” said Gen. Mark Milley, chief of staff of the Army.

Fort Bragg was selected as the SFAB’s location due to the area’s open schedule for training, composition of qualified personnel and facility costs.

SFABs consist of 800 Army officers who are experienced in training and advising foreign military and security forces; and are trained to operate through the brigade combat team model.

SFAB soldiers undergo Military Advisor Training Academy programs to polish skills and knowledge in language, foreign weapons and joint fire observation; and will be armed with the most advanced military equipment available.

Army officials have begun developing policies for SFAB soldiers to receive promotion rates and boards, selection boards and special pay.

1 … 2,095 2,096 2,097 2,098 2,099 … 2,595