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House Reps Introduce Legislation to Counter PRC Cyber Threat Against US Critical Infrastructure
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House Reps Introduce Legislation to Counter PRC Cyber Threat Against US Critical Infrastructure

Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., has introduced legislation titled “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act,” which aims to counteract the increasing cybersecurity threat against U.S. critical infrastructure brought about by the Communist Party of China.

Under the proposed legislation, an interagency task force would be formed to address the threats posed by cyber actors linked to the People’s Republic of China, such as Volt Typhoon, according to a news article posted Tuesday on the House Committee on Homeland Security website.

The measure, which was co-sponsored by Reps. Mark Green, R-Tenn., and John Moolenaar, R-Mich., also mandates the task force to provide Congress with a classified report and briefing regarding its findings and recommendations concerning malicious cyber activity by the CCP. The report would have to be filed every year for five years.

The task force would be led by the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Commenting on the bill that she introduced, Lee said, “It is critical that the federal government implements a focused, coordinated, and whole-of-government response to all of Beijing’s cyber threats, so no other actors succeed.”

For his part, Green, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, said, “Now is the time to address the threat China poses in cyberspace,” while Moolenaar, who chairs the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said, “I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation alongside Rep. Laurel Lee that will help protect the American people.”

House Reps Introduce Legislation to Counter PRC Cyber Threat Against US Critical Infrastructure

Hear from various speakers to learn more about the various security concerns facing the U.S. and what’s being done to address them at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit, which will take place on Nov. 13. Register now to attend this important event!

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GAO Finds Inconsistencies in Contractor Performance Reporting Compliance
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GAO Finds Inconsistencies in Contractor Performance Reporting Compliance

Federal agencies are required to report contractor performance and conduct in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, or FAPIIS, but some departments were found inconsistent in complying with the reporting obligation, the Government Accountability Office said.

An assessment focused on fiscal years 2019 to 2023 revealed that some agency personnel did not know or understand their reporting requirements, which were established to inform future contract award decisions, according to a GAO report published on Wednesday.

The government watchdog found that over the five-year period, 335 contract terminations and 52 administrative agreements were reported in other sources but not in FAPIIS, a database that provides information on previous government work of contractors.

The GAO study focused on the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs and the General Services Administration.

The DOD said it had limited insight into why contractor integrity records were not reported in FAPIIS while the GSA pointed to gaps in its guidance and limited awareness of reporting requirements among personnel as reasons for underreporting.

Other agencies, meanwhile, cited various reasons for not reporting terminations and have since addressed them.

GAO made recommendations to resolve the issue, including directing the administrator of the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy to reiterate integrity reporting requirements and identify available resources to help ensure that agency personnel have the guidance needed to comprehensively report and verify the accuracy of integrity information.

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Chenega & CyberSheath Pass JVSA Validation With Perfect Score
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Chenega & CyberSheath Pass JVSA Validation With Perfect Score

Chenega Corporation has collaborated with CyberSheath to pass a Joint Surveillance Voluntary Assessment—or JSVA—validation with a perfect score of 110.

To successfully pass the JSVA, Chenega used CyberSheath’s fully managed federal enclave, which ultimately aligned with NIST 800-171 protocols needed for protecting controlled unclassified information within the defense supply chain, the Reston, Virginia-based company announced Monday.

Eric Noonan, CEO of CyberSheath Services International, said, “Our federal enclave solution is designed to take the complexity out of compliance for our clients.”

“Chenega’s perfect JSVA score demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach in ensuring CMMC readiness and maintaining ongoing compliance with the DOD. Chenega’s commitment to compliance before the rest of the DIB exemplifies why it has long been considered a leader in government contracting,” Noonan added.

The JVSA is a vital part of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 framework, which will begin in early 2025 and become a requirement for contracting with the Department of Defense.

Kevin Gustin, senior director of Information Security at Chenega Corporation, said the perfect JVSA score is a testament to the work the companies have done together over the past two years. 

“This success strengthens our position as a trusted partner in the federal contracting space and provides peace of mind with CMMC 2.0 implementation on the horizon,” Gustin said.

According to a study conducted by Merrill Research, contractors earned an average score of -15 against the 110 paradigm on last year’s JVSA.

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Army Opting for More Agile Approach to Software Procurement
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Army Opting for More Agile Approach to Software Procurement

The U.S. Army is working to apply agile principles not only to software development but also to its software acquisition process, citing the need for a contract vehicle that could enable it to procure software offerings from industry, Federal News Network reported Wednesday.

Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, highlighted the need for a contract vehicle that could help the service branch speed up the award process.

“The first goal is speed. Having a vehicle established will allow us to go faster on task orders than doing a de-novo contract in every case, which I think is better for industry,” Bush said.

“What we’ve seen without this approach is that all of our program executive offices have to do their own separate competitions for different software development, each a little bit different way, and it’s just — we hope — more efficient to have a vehicle they can use to go faster,” he added.

According to FNN, the Army is developing a request for proposals for a potential 10-year, $1 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for software procurement with contract types determined at the task order level.

“Every contract needs to be tailored to the task, and it’s not a simple world of cost-plus versus fixed-price,” Bush noted.

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DOD Seeks Feedback on Proposed Rule on Cost, Pricing Data Requirements
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DOD Seeks Feedback on Proposed Rule on Cost, Pricing Data Requirements

The Department of Defense has proposed a rule to apply sections of the National Defense Authorization Acts for fiscal years 2018, 2021 and 2022 to effectively update the cost or pricing data submission requirements for contractors.

According to a Federal Register notice published Thursday, DOD proposed the rule as an amendment to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement.

Upon the request of a contracting officer, a section in the FY 2018 NDAA requires offerors to submit data other than certified cost or pricing data.

A section of the FY 2021 NDAA sets a $2 million threshold for TINA requirements, also known as the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data statute, regarding modifications to contracts or subcontracts.

Meanwhile, a section in the FY 2022 defense authorization measure directs contracting officers to modify contracts to reflect the relevant TINA threshold as necessary.

According to DOD, the proposed rule will help foster efficiency and reduce costs related to administering contracts by implementing a uniform TINA threshold and provide government contracting officers with the ability to collect data other than certified pricing or cost data for contract modifications.

The department also noted that raising the TINA threshold for subcontracts and contract modifications could benefit small businesses by reducing the overall number of contracts to which TINA requirements apply.

Comments on the proposed rule are due Nov. 25.

Congress-Cleared CR to Extend Federal Funding for 3 Months
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Congress-Cleared CR to Extend Federal Funding for 3 Months

A stopgap funding measure is now headed to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature after Congress passed the bill to avert a government shutdown and extend federal funding through December, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.

The Senate passed the continuing resolution in a 78-18 vote two hours after the House voted 341-82 to approve the legislation.

The CR, which seeks to extend federal funding through Dec. 20, does not include the White House’s request for an additional $2 billion for the construction of Virginia-class submarines and the Presidential Drawdown Authority’s extension to provide military assistance to Ukraine.

According to the report, the president is expected to sign the bill into law ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.

“The passage of this bill gives Congress more time to pass full-year funding bills by the end of this year. My Administration will work with Congress to ensure these bills deliver for America’s national defense, veterans, seniors, children, and working families, and address urgent needs for the American people, including communities recovering from disasters,” Biden said in a statement published Wednesday.

DOD’s Travis Langster to Keynote 2024 GovCon International Summit
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DOD’s Travis Langster to Keynote 2024 GovCon International Summit

On Oct. 10, government decision makers, military leaders and industry experts will come together to discuss the future of the United States’ global collaboration at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 GovCon International Summit. Among the esteemed speakers is the Department of Defense’s Travis Langster, who will deliver the program’s closing keynote address.

Read below to learn more about Langster’s background, career history and priorities ahead of the summit — and register today to save your seat!

DOD’s Travis Langster to Keynote 2024 GovCon International Summit

Who Is Travis Langster?

Travis Langster is the acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for international and industry engagement within the DOD. In this capacity, Langster is responsible for developing and coordinating the Defense Industrial Base engagement strategy; directing the implementation of defense policies regarding international armaments cooperation; and integrating international agreements in research, development, acquisition and logistics, among other responsibilities.

Travis Langster’s Career 

Prior to taking on his current role, Langster was the principal director of DOD space policy within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Space Policy. During his time in this role, Langster played an instrumental role in the creation of the DOD’s first-ever commercial space integration strategy and the advancement of multilateral international space collaboration.

Before his time in the public sector, Langster spent two decades in industry at AGI, where he oversaw end-to-end activities for the company’s Commercial Space Operations, or COMSPOC, business unit as vice president and general manager. When AGI spun off COMSPOC as a separate company, Langster directed full-scale operations and anticipated strategic direction for business capture, research and development and product development.

OUSD A&S Industrial Base Policy Priorities

As DASD for international and industry engagement, Langster is part of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Industrial Base Policy. The Industrial Base Policy office is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment in the following areas:

  • Developing DOD policies for the maintenance of the U.S. defense industrial base, or DIB
  • Executing small business programs and policy
  • Conducting geo-economic analysis and assessments
  • Providing recommendations on budget matters related to the DIB
  • Anticipating and closing gaps in manufacturing capabilities for defense systems
  • Assessing impacts related to mergers, acquisitions and divestitures
  • Monitoring and assessing impact of foreign investments in the U.S.

International & Industry Engagement Team

The international and industry engagement team that Langster leads acts as a liaison between OUSD A&S and DOD senior leadership, as well as international allies and partners. The team also engages with industry, academia, foreign partners and think tanks, among other collaborators.  

Hear From DASD Travis Langster at the 2024 GovCon International Summit

If you’re curious about how the DOD partners with international allies and with industry, you’ll want to be part of the conversation at the 2024 GovCon International Summit. Join the Potomac Officers Club on Oct. 10 to hear from leaders like Travis Langster and other government officials such as:

  • CENTCOM CTO Schuyler Moore
  • NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center Director Kristina Walter
  • DSCA Director Michael Miller
  • And more!

Register for the GovCon International Summit today to save your seat.

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Senate Bill Seeks to Prevent AI Bias, Discrimination
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Senate Bill Seeks to Prevent AI Bias, Discrimination

Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., has introduced a bill that would establish guardrails on companies’ use of artificial intelligence tools and related algorithms in decisions impacting people’s civil rights, liberties and livelihoods and prevent and eliminate AI bias and discrimination.

The senator’s office said Tuesday the proposed AI Civil Rights Act would prohibit AI developers and deployers from using, licensing or offering covered algorithms that discriminate based on protected characteristics.

The legislation would direct developers and deployers of such algorithms to complete independently audited pre- and post-deployment impact assessments to mitigate any potential bias and promote transparency regarding the use of covered algorithms in consequential decisions.

“I am introducing the Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act to ensure that the AI Age does not replicate and supercharge the bias and discrimination already prevalent in society today,” Markey said.

“Make no mistake: we can have an AI revolution in this country while also protecting the civil rights and liberties of everyday Americans, we can support innovation without supercharging bias and discrimination, and we can promote competition while safeguarding people’s rights,” added the member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, is a co-sponsor of the measure, which would authorize the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general and private individuals to implement the bill’s provisions.

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Labor Dept Develops Framework for Integrating AI Into Hiring Tech
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Labor Dept Develops Framework for Integrating AI Into Hiring Tech

The Department of Labor has unveiled a new framework designed to guide employers in integrating artificial intelligence into hiring technologies to reduce employment discrimination and barriers faced by disabled job seekers.

The AI & Inclusive Hiring Framework, developed by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology, is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework and includes NIST’s best practices for inclusive hiring, the Labor Department said Tuesday.

The document, formed with input from disability advocates, AI experts, government and industry leaders, and the public, offers information on managing AI risks and recommends practices, goals and sample activities that can be worked into the employers’ AI governance and disability-inclusive hiring initiatives. 

According to Taryn Williams, assistant secretary for disability employment policy, the framework was published with the knowledge of how AI can improve the recruitment process but impact workplace culture and inclusion of disabled employees. 

The publication aligns with the White House’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, which promotes more equitable and inclusive digital hiring practices.

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SPACECOM Commercial Operations Cell Tasked to Handle Tac-SRT Missions
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SPACECOM Commercial Operations Cell Tasked to Handle Tac-SRT Missions

According to Barbara Golf, strategic adviser for space domain awareness at the Space Systems Command, the Joint Commercial Operations cell, which she also leads, will take on tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking, or Tac-SRT, missions beginning Oct. 1, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.

Tac-SRT data will be collected by the JCO from commercial remote sensing satellite operators, Golf said at the recent Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies conference.

The head of the JCO explained that the Tac-SRT work will be carried out in coordination with the intelligence community, especially the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, to avoid duplication of effort. The NGA collects remote sensing imagery from the National Reconnaissance Office as well as imagery analysis from commercial providers.

“We are actually collaborating with the IC. We don’t double buy. We check NGA imagery libraries first to make sure we don’t already have information. We take everything we purchase and put it back in those libraries,” Golf said.

A part of the U.S. Space Command, the JCO cell was previously called Joint Task Force-Space Defense Commercial Operations until it was renamed in December 2023. Its purpose is to provide space domain awareness. It works with NATO and 14 other countries.

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