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Telos Adds Eight New TSA PreCheck Enrollment Centers
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Telos Adds Eight New TSA PreCheck Enrollment Centers

Telos Corporation has opened eight new enrollment centers across the United States for the Transportation Security Administration PreCheck program.

The TSA enrollment sites, which started operating on Monday, are at Office Depot locations in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, Telos said.

With the facilities’ opening, a total of 99 TSA PreCheck enrollment locations are now serving travelers, the company added, noting that the new centers reflect ongoing efforts to expand the program’s nationwide reach.

According to Telos Chairman and CEO John Wood, the centers will deliver a convenient TSA PreCheck enrollment experience to the public.

“Telos has long been a trusted security partner to government agencies and highly regulated businesses,” he stressed.

Travelers using the service will enjoy a hassle-free experience as they get to wear their shoes, belts and light jackets during security screening, leading to a waiting time of less than 10 minutes at airport checkpoints, Telos noted.

Customer convenience will be further enhanced as more locations will be launched within 2024, with the centers implementing extended operating hours for enrollment and renewals, the company added.

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Savannah River National Laboratory, Antares Collaborate to Develop Microreactors
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Savannah River National Laboratory, Antares Collaborate to Develop Microreactors

Savannah River National Laboratory and Antares Nuclear, a multi-disciplinary nuclear technology company, are collaborating through a cooperative research and development agreement to accelerate the development and utilization of small reactor-based power systems. 

SRNL said Tuesday the two organizations will work together on key areas necessary to enhance the microreactors and enable them to generate power for critical U.S. infrastructure. The project also intends to develop small nuclear reactors for national defense and commercial uses.

Under the CRADA, SRNL and Antares will do the needed research and development concerning fuel cycle management, modular facility deployment, specialized engineering and security considerations.

Bill Bates, deputy associate lab director of Environmental and Legacy Management, expressed his excitement over the agreement with Antares, saying, “Part of our role as a national lab is to support industry partners in efforts to mature their technologies and ultimately contribute to their successful implementation.”

Antares CEO Jordan Bramble said of the partnership, “Together, we’ll work to address critical operational energy needs, from domestic natural disaster response to preparedness for U.S. forces and installation power at austere locations.”

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GSA’s 10x Program Sets Sights on ‘Moonshots’ With 10x Concepts Framework
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GSA’s 10x Program Sets Sights on ‘Moonshots’ With 10x Concepts Framework

The General Services Administration’s 10x program has launched a new framework, called 10x Concepts, as part of efforts to focus on and address bigger, promising ideas, or “moonshots,” that could lead to transformative breakthroughs and deliver value to the public and government partners.

10x said Tuesday the Concept Area will enable the program to focus on a single problem area over a specific time period, enabling it to build long-term relationships with agency partners, experts and other stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of sustainable solutions.

The program also formed the 10x Tell Us Once Team to better address new concept areas.

The newly established team partnered with USAGov to explore new products and services and will prioritize three investments as part of its first phase of activity: information collection index, death notification service and income verification for housing benefits.

The Tell Us Once team is working on a pilot program to establish the framework for future Concept Areas, identify new ways of working and create new models for building with partner agencies and the public.

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10 Energy Research Projects Receive $118M in Total Funding From DOE
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10 Energy Research Projects Receive $118M in Total Funding From DOE

The Department of Energy is providing $118 million in total funding for 10 Energy Frontier Research Center projects.

EFRCs conduct basic research that advances energy technologies while providing training opportunities for the next-generation scientific workforce, the DOE Office of Science, which supports scientific research for energy, said Wednesday.

The beneficiary projects — three new awards, five continuing four-year awards and a pair of two-year transition awards — were chosen under the DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement for Energy Frontier Research Centers, which was issued in January. They cover advanced manufacturing, quantum technology and environmental management.

Overseeing the projects are four national laboratories and six universities.

Commenting on the funding, DOE Office of Science Acting Director Harriet Kung said the research being done “is critical for generating foundational knowledge that underpins technologies that are important for DOE and the nation.”

“Strengthening our understanding of the chemistry and materials science behind advanced manufacturing of polymers, microelectronics, and quantum technologies will foster a cleaner and more energy-efficient future,” Kung added.

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Navy to Establish Tactical Oceanography Center to Safeguard US Undersea Dominance
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Navy to Establish Tactical Oceanography Center to Safeguard US Undersea Dominance

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport is creating an activity and accountability center for tactical oceanography, according to NUWC Division Newport Technical Director Marie Bussiere.

The official announced the planned National Center of Excellence for Tactical Oceanography at the Southeastern New England Defense Industrial Alliance Defense Innovation Days, held from Aug. 26 to 28 at the Marriott Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, Naval Sea Systems Command said.

Bussiere noted that tactical oceanography involves data collection and analysis to inform naval forces’ decision-making process and enhance their situational awareness.

The upcoming center will help a military and civilian team to deliver the needed knowledge and tools to ensure the U.S. Navy’s dominance in the undersea domain, she added.

The center will also enable undersea warfare forces to achieve desired operational outcomes through a deeper understanding of the ocean environment, Bussiere stressed.

She disclosed that the NUWC Newport will collaborate with the Naval Meteorology and Oceanographic Command on the project, adding that a CNMOC unit will be assigned at Newport to train a world-class workforce for the effort.

Under the center’s direction, NUWC Newport, CNMOC and other partners will advance tactical oceanography capabilities to further improve the Navy’s present and future advantage, Bussiere said.

Meanwhile, the annual event also featured Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, a two-time Wash100 awardee, as a keynote speaker, with his talk focusing on the key challenges facing the Navy and Marine Corps.

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NTIA Seeks Public Input for Policies on Data Center Development
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NTIA Seeks Public Input for Policies on Data Center Development

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has issued a request for comment on how federal policies can help grow and secure U.S. data centers to meet the rising demand from emerging technologies. 

The RFC, published on the Federal Register Wednesday, seeks input for a report on data center infrastructure development policy recommendations on sustainable data center growth, NTIA said.

The Department of Commerce agency noted that the current count of over 5,000 U.S. data centers is expected to increase by 9 percent through 2030, as demand for computing and storage infrastructure from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence accelerates further.  

According to projections, the U.S. does not have enough data centers to drive future AI breakthroughs, said Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information and NTIA administrator. “Our inquiry will lead to policy approaches that encourage the sustainable growth of this essential computing infrastructure across the country,” he added.

The NTIA’s comment request, which also solicits ideas fostering a resilient data center supply chain, was issued in coordination with the Department of Energy, which is pursuing science and technology solutions to address U.S. energy challenges.

The deadline for comment submission is on Nov. 4.

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SDA Demonstrates PWSA Tranche 0 Intersatellite Links
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SDA Demonstrates PWSA Tranche 0 Intersatellite Links

Space Development Agency has performed an on-orbit demonstration of the laser light terminals onboard two SpaceX-built missile-warning satellites, showing that the devices can link spacecraft and enable laser communications, Breaking Defense reported Wednesday.

The satellites carrying the terminals manufactured by Tesat were launched in 2023 for the SDA’s Tranche 0 initial, experimental constellation, which is part of the agency’s plan to create a Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture comprising military space assets and commercial spacecraft in low Earth orbit that enable a resilient and reliable data transport and missile warning and tracking network.

Speaking at the annual Defense News conference, SDA Director Derek Tournear, a past Wash100 awardee, said the on-orbit event on Tuesday is the first successful demonstration of intersatellite laser links — the capability critical to the planned mesh network.

“The requirement in our optical comm standard is that it takes you less than 100 seconds to acquire a link during pointing, acquisition and timing, with like a stretch goal of less than 10 seconds,” Tournear said. “They were well under the 100 seconds, but they were over the 10 seconds, and they maintained that link for several hours.”

By the end of 2024, the SDA expects to launch a new batch of satellites for the PWSA’s Tranche 1 segment to provide initial operating capability to warfighters.

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Proposed DOD Rule Seeks to Revise Regulations on OT Agreements for Prototype Projects
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Proposed DOD Rule Seeks to Revise Regulations on OT Agreements for Prototype Projects

The Department of Defense has proposed a rule to amend its regulations on other transaction agreements, or OTAs, for prototype projects as part of efforts to implement changes in statutory authority that Congress enacted since the most recent update in 2004.

According to a Federal Register notice published Wednesday, the proposed DOD rule provides authority for follow-on production OTAs and contracts and addresses special circumstances for awarding OTAs to nontraditional defense contractors, small businesses, consortia and nonprofit research institutions.

According to the document, the proposed rule will promote the growth of small entities by reducing the paperwork burden on small businesses and encouraging competition and awards of OTs for prototype agreements to small enterprises.

The proposed rule also includes changes to approval requirements for large dollar OTAs, application of procurement ethics requirements to covered agreements and the authority to supply prototypes and production items as government-furnished items to another contractor.

Comments on the proposed rule are due Nov. 4.

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TechnoMile Featured in Latest Forrester Contract Lifecycle Management Report
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TechnoMile Featured in Latest Forrester Contract Lifecycle Management Report

TechnoMile, a cloud technology company, is among 27 notable vendors featured in the new Forrester Contract Lifecycle Management—or CLM—Platforms Landscape report.

Forrester’s 2024 Q3 report aims to inform technology executives and procurement, legal and risk professionals of the value they can expect from a CLM platform vendor based on size and market focus, TechnoMile told ExecutiveGov Thursday.

Kevin Brancato, senior vice president of product strategy at TechnoMile, said, “It’s very exciting to see a top research and advisory firm, like Forrester, recognize TechnoMile as a notable vendor in the CLM platform market.”

“Our inclusion in this report and the acknowledgment from Forrester speak to our commitment to empowering federal contractors to modernize their operations,” Brancato added.

Forrester describes CLM platforms as applications able to be utilized for buy-side contracts, sell-side contracts and legal operations. The research company also defines CLM platforms as “technology that automates contract digitization, creation, negotiation, execution and governance.”

TechnoMile’s Contracts Suite aims to harness artificial intelligence to modernize the management of prime contracts, subcontracts and other commercial agreements on one joint cloud platform. The company offers a vertical-specific enterprise CLM platform meant to help aerospace and defense, GovCon and different types of companies doing business with the federal government.

“With the ability to swiftly deploy an AI-enabled CLM platform built for the unique requirements of doing business with the U.S. government, TechnoMile’s customers can be certain they are not only bolstering their ability to manage compliance, mitigate risk and work efficiently, but also best positioning their organizations to accelerate innovation and growth,” Brancato stated.

TechnoMile’s self-reported broad use cases of contract compliance, obligations management and contract repository and search are reportedly the top reasons customers have used the company’s CLM services.

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Space Systems Command Calling for Proposals for 2024 Fight Tonight Competition
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Space Systems Command Calling for Proposals for 2024 Fight Tonight Competition

Space Systems Command is calling on its personnel to participate in the third annual Fight Tonight competition, which seeks innovations that will help the U.S. Space Force achieve its mission of securing the space domain.

SSC said Wednesday that of particular interest to this year’s competition are innovations that enhance space situational awareness systems and the space common operating picture for ops centers; assist operations in denied areas; reduce operator workloads; and ensure tracking, telemetry and command resiliency.

Interested parties have until Sept. 6 to submit proposals, which must have a Space Operations Command sponsor to ensure operational relevance. Proposals must also be scalable and doable within a one-year timeframe.

Coaches from AtlasX will be made available to provide guidance regarding the submission processes or to consult regarding proposals. AtlasX is a business innovation office within SSC that works to facilitate Fight Tonight.

Commenting on the competition, SSC commander Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant said it is a means by which his organization ensures the readiness of the Space Force “for the Great Power Competition and the 2026 fight.”

“Our people are some of the smartest, most innovative minds in the space industry today and we want to harness their best ideas and put them to work to help protect the Nation,” Garrant added.

Up to $12 million in funding will be made available to the winning proposals.

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