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NIST Awards $6.3B to Natcast for Long-Term NSTC Operation
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NIST Awards $6.3B to Natcast for Long-Term NSTC Operation

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has granted Natcast a $6.3 billion contract for the long-term operation of the National Semiconductor Technology Center.

The Department of Commerce said Thursday Natcast will continue developing the NSTC enabling to operate more efficiently, particularly in streamlining the prototyping process and accelerating innovations for a more sustainable semiconductor workforce. The aim is to solidify the United States’ advantage in the semiconductor industry while aligning with the vision of the CHIPS and Science Act.

The award builds upon the commitment to invest more than $5 billion in the NSTC. In addition, it follows the previously announced $1.1 billion awarded by the CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program, or NAPMP, to Natcast for advanced packaging activities and capabilities at the CHIPS for America NSTC Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, remarked, “The NSTC represents the foundation for the next wave of technological breakthroughs, serving as the anchor institution where the future of semiconductor innovation will be shaped. This long-term agreement with Natcast will help close the gap between invention and commercialization, build a resilient semiconductor workforce, and advance both our national and economic security.”

Deirdre Hanford, Natcast CEO, added, “The NSTC represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build the shared infrastructure, resources, workforce and collaboration necessary to secure America’s global leadership position in semiconductor technology.”

In February 2024, the government invested $5 billion in the NSTC to boost domestic chip research and development.

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DLA Launches New Supplier Pathway Program Search Feature
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DLA Launches New Supplier Pathway Program Search Feature

The Defense Logistics Agency has launched a new tool for small business owners to obtain the contact details for the supply chain of the items or services they are offering.

The agency said Thursday interested businesses can now use a search function on DLA’s Small Business webpage to get in touch with specific contacts.

Supplier Pathway Program

The new search tool represents the initial phase of the Supplier Pathway program designed to guide new vendors in navigating the government’s contracting processes. It also makes it easier for these new entrants, particularly small business owners, to understand the nuances of contracting with DLA.

In utilizing the search tool, users simply enter the supply or service they are offering. This will provide them with search results related to the product or service code and the name of the managing DLA supply chain. The results will also show links to particular supply chains, giving contractors the data they need; this includes instructions about procurement processes and policies.

DLA Vice Director Brad Bunn said, “Arming small businesses with the information they need to create pathways for contracting with us is just one way we’re working to expand our industrial base partnerships. Stronger ties with small businesses will ultimately strengthen our industrial base and lead us to solutions for tough challenges like logistics in a contested environment.”

The next phase of the Supplier Pathway program will provide the detailed step-by-step process necessary to collaborate with DLA.

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Audit Tackles Agency Cyber Workforce Practice Implementation
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Audit Tackles Agency Cyber Workforce Practice Implementation

The Government Accountability Office on Thursday released a report detailing the results of a study it had conducted on five federal non-military departments to determine the extent to which they had implemented 15 key cybersecurity workforce management practices.

Study Parameters

GAO said in the report that it selected the five agencies — the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Veterans Affairs — because they had the largest number of cybersecurity employees.

In turn, the 15 workforce management practices by which the agencies were evaluated were identified via a review of IT and cybersecurity workforce practices articulated in GAO’s own Key Principles for Effective Strategic Workforce Planning and the Workforce Planning Guide of the Office of Personnel Management.

Inconsistent Implementation of Workforce Practices

GAO revealed in the report that only the DHS showed a consistent implementation of relevant workforce practices, having fully implemented 14 while partially implementing one. The other agencies showed a mix of full, partial and non-implementation, with the HHS fully implementing the fewest and not implementing the most.

According to the government watchdog, the uneven implementation was partially attributable to the agencies handling the management of their cyber workforces at the component level instead of at the departmental level.

Potential Security Issues

“Until the departments implement these practices, they will likely be challenged in having a cybersecurity workforce with the necessary skills to protect federal IT systems and enable the government’s day-to-day functions,” GAO went on to say.

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Navy Publishes Memo on Mitigating Technical Debt
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Navy Publishes Memo on Mitigating Technical Debt

The Department of the Navy has made public a new memorandum developed to reduce technical debt across installations. In a press release published Thursday, the Navy said the document aims to strengthen mission readiness and advance sustainability across the organization.

Meredith Berger, assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment and chief sustainability officer, collaborated with Jane Overslaugh Rathbun, chief information officer at DON and a Wash100 winner, to create the memorandum titled CSO Serial Six: Technical Debt. 

Mitigating Vulnerabilities Through Modernization

A technical debt refers to outdated systems that create cyber vulnerabilities and impact operational efficiency. The CSO Serial Six memorandum plans to remedy the issue through four actions, starting with exercises to find vulnerabilities in military systems, test responses to cyber incidents and strengthen cybersecurity. 

The CSO also recommended investing in new technologies that not only improve workforce productivity but also boost energy efficiency and overall sustainability. According to the memo, outdated systems cause various challenges such as frequent disruptions and downtime. The adoption of cloud services, for example, can eliminate downtime and facilitate collaboration, leading to more streamlined operations. 

The memo also calls for the use of innovative cooling technologies and the implementation of responsible electronic equipment practices. Both actions support the DON’s sustainability goals. 

“These actions will provide more reliable and efficient systems, which will enhance mission readiness, operational cost efficiency, and increase user productivity,” said Berger. “Through sustainability, we support an agile, resilient, and ready force equipped to meet the demands of today’s missions and stay ahead of future requirements.” 

The CSO Serial Six: Technical Debt is the sixth memorandum Berger’s office has published. The first five memoranda focused on infrastructure resilience, water security, nature-based resilience, sustainable supply and acquisition, and shore energy and decarbonization.

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NASA Assigns Mary Beth Schwartz, David Korth to Johnson Center Posts
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NASA Assigns Mary Beth Schwartz, David Korth to Johnson Center Posts

NASA has announced the appointments of Mary Beth Schwartz as head of center operations directorate at the Johnson Space Center and David Korth as deputy for Johnson’s safety and mission assurance directorate.

Schwartz, who has been working with NASA for almost 20 years after starting as an intern, was the immediate former deputy of Johnson’s center operations directorate, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her previous positions in the agency include senior chair of the payload safety review panel for the International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs.

She also worked as manager of safety and mission assurance business office and led its budget consolidation and integration functions. A graduate of bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston, Schwartz has received the NASA Exceptional Service medal the NASA Honor and Silver Snoopy awards.

Vanessa Wyche, Johnson Space Center director, cited Schwartz’s “unique perspective” in focusing center operations not only on mission and customer goals but also employee experience.

“I appreciate her vision for the organization, commitment to the mission and overall genuine respect of the workforce,” she said.

Korth’s Background

Wyche also acknowledged Korth’s track record meriting his appointment as Johnson’s safety and mission assurance directorate deputy, calling him an “outstanding leader and engineer” with a full grasp on the agency’s safety procedures.

“His leadership will ensure the center continues its safety-first ideology,” Wyche commented.

Korth has worked at NASA for over 17 years and held the role of deputy manager of the ISS Avionics and Software Office before his new appointment. He also previously served as deputy manager of the ISS Systems Engineering Office where he concurrently headed procurement for the NASA commercial destination program. 

His NASA career started in 1998 as an engineer in the ISS operations planning group, bringing with him over eight years of experience in the Houston-based aerospace company Barrios Technology. He also previously worked part-time for five years as an adjunct mathematics instructor at Lee College. 

Korth has earned several career recognitions, including a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

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NSA Publishes Recommendations to Address Software Comprehension
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NSA Publishes Recommendations to Address Software Comprehension

The National Security Agency, in partnership with other federal agencies, has released a cybersecurity information sheet, or CSI, outlining recommended actions to address software understanding gaps.

The CSI was finalized in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, NSA said Thursday. The document highlights the need for systems owners and operators to construct their software-controlled infrastructure across normal, abnormal and hostile conditions.

Software Understanding as Critical Effort

According to NSA Research Technical Director Neal Ziring, the report urges the government and private sectors to treat software understanding as a critical effort to the country’s success in the future.

“A lack of understanding of software imposes risks on many critical systems that are dependent on software to run properly and as intended,” he noted.

The new report pushes for enhanced collaboration to achieve “a more vigorous understanding of software on a national scale,” CISA said in a separate release, adding the U.S. government is already involved in activities, such as research investments and mission agency initiatives, seeking to improve software understanding.

Policy Actions, Innovations and Investment

Titled “Closing the Software Understanding Gap,” the CSI says software understanding gaps can be addressed by implementing policies that require characterizing software behavior before it is deployed into critical systems. The document also calls for the introduction of technical innovations, such as artificial intelligence, to develop reliable and affordable capabilities. Additionally, stakeholders are encouraged to invest in research, development and engineering for a unified set of software understanding capabilities.

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OMB Moves to Reestablish Chief Data Officer Council
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OMB Moves to Reestablish Chief Data Officer Council

The Office of Management and Budget has issued a memorandum to reestablish the Chief Data Officer, or CDO, Council to continue its efforts to enhance the management, protection, dissemination, generation and use of data in government decision-making and operations.

The memo dated Wednesday was signed by OMB Director Shalanda Young.

What Are the Functions of the CDO Council?

According to the document, the council should establish governmentwide best practices for the protection, dissemination, generation and use of data; promote data sharing agreements between agencies; and identify ways in which agencies can improve upon the production of evidence for use in policymaking.

The CDO Council should identify and assess new technologies to improve data collection and use and consult with the public and other stakeholders on how to improve access to the federal government’s data assets.

The council’s executive committee should submit to the OMB director an implementation plan for the re-established organization, including revisions to the June 2020 charter.

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Steven Hernandez Named New CISO, Deputy CIO at USAID
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Steven Hernandez Named New CISO, Deputy CIO at USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development has appointed Steven Hernandez as its new chief information security officer and deputy chief information officer, bringing over two decades of IT security experience to the post.

In a LinkedIn on Tuesday, Hernandez announced his new government role, serving under current USAID CIO Jason Gray.

Federal IT and Cybersecurity Expertise

Before his new assignment, the new appointee held the same job at the Department of Education, where he managed a billion-dollar IT portfolio for more than seven years. Hernandez has also served as co-chair of the Federal Chief Information Security Officer Council since October 2018.

While serving at the Education Department, the new CISO played a key role in increasing the agency’s Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act rating and achieving cyber excellence. Earlier, Hernandez was the Office of Inspector General CISO at the Department of Health and Human Services, occupying the post for over seven years.

Academic Credentials

Hernandez earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a focus on information security, from Idaho State University. In December 2019, he completed a certificate in national and international security, international relations and national security studies offered by the Harvard Business School’s Executive Education wing.

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Comments Sought on Proposed Rule on Controlled Unclassified Info
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Comments Sought on Proposed Rule on Controlled Unclassified Info

The Department of Defense, NASA and the General Services Administration have begun soliciting comments on a proposed rule to implement the National Archives and Records Administration’s final rule on the Federal Controlled Unclassified Information Program as it relates to performance under federal contracts.

According to a notice published in Federal Register, public comments on the proposed rule, which was introduced as an amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, are due March 17.

What Is the Purpose of the Proposed Rule?

The proposed policy seeks to introduce a new standard form to establish a uniform process for communicating the information contractors must manage and protect.

The rule identifies responsibilities and roles for agencies and contractors when controlled unclassified information, or CUI, is located on federal information systems within a government facility or resides on or transits through vendors’ data systems.

It also includes two new clauses and a provision to facilitate contractor reporting and compliance responsibilities in federal solicitations and contracts.

Questions for Respondents

DOD, NASA, and GSA are asking commenters about specific situations in which their organizations will be required to report on different timelines to comply with the CUI incident reporting requirements outlined in the proposed rule.

Responders can also provide additional guidance or information they view as necessary to effectively comply with the rule.

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DOE Announces $625M Funding Opportunity for QIS Research Centers
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DOE Announces $625M Funding Opportunity for QIS Research Centers

The Department of Energy’s Office of Science has announced the availability of $625 million in funding to establish national research centers to help accelerate advances in new quantum-based technology platforms to support the development of capabilities in quantum information science, or QIS.

DOE said Tuesday the funding opportunity is open only to the department’s national laboratories.

Pre-proposals are required and are due March 12.

DOE set a June 4 deadline for final proposals.

What Is the Purpose of the National QIS Research Centers?

The proposed National QIS Research Centers will deliver tech prototypes, capabilities, and other breakthroughs that can be further developed into new resources or capabilities in support of the QIS research and development community.

The centers will integrate basic research, engineering, technical development and other innovations in a co-design framework.

Technical Areas of Interest

The centers will focus on several technical areas, including quantum computing and simulation, quantum communications, quantum devices and sensors, quantum foundries and materials, and chemistry for QIS systems and applications.

Each technical area has subtopics. Under quantum communications, subtopics include fundamental limits on information transfer in quantum systems; tools and techniques to address transduction and network integration; and facilities to support network development and testing.

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