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Bill Zielinski: GSA Close to $50B IT, Telecom Services Contract Award Announcement
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Bill Zielinski: GSA Close to $50B IT, Telecom Services Contract Award Announcement


Bill Zielinski: GSA Close to $50B IT, Telecom Services Contract Award AnnouncementThe General Services Administration expects to award in the next few weeks a potential 15-year, $50 billion contract vehicle for information technology, infrastructure and telecommunication services, FedTech reported Thursday.

GSA is “a couple of weeks off” from awarding the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract, Bill Zielinski, deputy assistant commissioner for IT category management at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, said at a FedInsider event held Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Zielinski said the EIS contract vehicle will provide agencies access to managed network services, cloud offerings, mobility platforms and unified communications.

EIS also aims to help agencies facilitate adoption of converged network architectures, 5G wireless networks and software-defined networking and could extend through 2032.

Agencies that are currently using Networx procurement vehicle would be required to transition to EIS by the spring of 2020, the report added.

Zielinski noted that GSA has collaborated with the Department of Homeland Security to incorporate provisions of the White House’s cybersecurity executive order and other network security requirements into the EIS contract.

Updates on EIS came nearly two years after GSA opened the solicitation process for the contract vehicle.

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Proposed Bill Seeks to Block Potential US-Russia Cybersecurity Alliance
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Proposed Bill Seeks to Block Potential US-Russia Cybersecurity Alliance


Proposed Bill Seeks to Block Potential US-Russia Cybersecurity AllianceRep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pennsylvania) has introduced a bill that aims to prevent the U.S. from forming a cybersecurity partnership with Russia, Washington Times reported Thursday.

Boyle drafted the No Cyber Cooperation with Russia Act in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments on his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit about a potential establishment of a joint cybersecurity unit between the two countries.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California) said believes allowing a U.S.-Russia data sharing deal will undermine U.S. national security.

The No Cyber Cooperation with Russia Act, which was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, would ban the use of federal funds that can create, promote or support a joint cybersecurity program with Russia.

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Air Force to Use ‘Agile DevOps’ Method for Air Operations Center Upgrade Effort
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Air Force to Use ‘Agile DevOps’ Method for Air Operations Center Upgrade Effort

Air Force to Use 'Agile DevOps' Method for Air Operations Center Upgrade EffortThe U.S. Air Force plans to adopt a software development practice known as Agile DevOps to update the military service’s Air Operations Center weapons system.

The service branch said Thursday it terminated a contract with Northrop Grumman to start a AOC Pathfinder program to facilitate the delivery of modernized AOC functions to warfighters within a year after launch.

Northrop received a stop-work order in April after the Senate Armed Services Committee declined to authorize reprogrammed funds for the AOC 10.2 network upgrade effort.

“Our goal is to create operational value by getting modernized AOC capabilities to Airmen as quickly as possible, and to improve it continuously while leveraging progress made on AOC 10.2,” said Lt. Col. Jeremiah Sanders, a program manager at Hanscom Air Force Base.

Sanders added the Pathfinder approach will constantly deliver application and security updates that will incorporate feedback from airmen and AOCs.

The Air Force will partner with the Defense Department‘s Defense Digital Services and Defense Innovation Unit Experimental organizations on Pathfinder at the AOC program office in Hanscom AFB.

The service branch is also working with Congress to assess funding options for the upcoming program.

PSC Joins the World Information Technology and Services Alliance; David Berteau Comments
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PSC Joins the World Information Technology and Services Alliance; David Berteau Comments


PSC Joins the World Information Technology and Services Alliance; David Berteau CommentsThe Professional Services Council (PSC) announced it has joined and become the American representative to the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA,) a consortium of over 80 information and communications technology (ICT) industry groups from around the world.

PSC has over 400 member companies that provide solutions and services to federal agencies. Inclusion in WITISA will allow PSC members to access United Nations agencies, develop global business relationships, expand business opportunities, and engage senior government officials.

“The work we have been doing at PSC for 45 years is critical to elevating the voice of American industry leaders in professional services, including information and communications technology. Being a WITSA member will extend the reach of PSC’s advocacy and policy development work, as well as better connect our industry leaders to the largest ICT industry network in the world, ultimately to help grow their businesses and improve the global economy,” said PSC president and CEO David J. Berteau.

PSC Joins the World Information Technology and Services Alliance; David Berteau Comments
David Berteau

“On behalf of WITSA, I am very pleased to have PSC join the WITSA family of likeminded organizations from around the world,” said WITSA Secretary General Dr. Jim Poisant. “Markets and technologies are transforming and evolving rapidly. Together with rapid globalisation, newer opportunities and challenges are emerging. Together, we will address the important issues facing our industry and society by fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age for everyone.”

Two PSC member company representatives, Martha Dorris from DCI and Alan Balutis of Cisco Systems, will lead a PSC working group at WITISA’s upcoming World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) which will be held in Taiwan September 10-13.

 

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White House Opposes Space Corps, BRAC Proposals in House’s Defense Policy Bill
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White House Opposes Space Corps, BRAC Proposals in House’s Defense Policy Bill


White House Opposes Space Corps, BRAC Proposals in House’s Defense Policy BillThe White House has issued a policy statement to object the establishment of a new space-focused military branch and prohibition of another round of base realignment and closures proposed in the House’s fiscal 2018 defense spending bill, Defense News reported Wednesday.

“The administration is in the midst of conducting several strategic reviews that affect multiple provisions in this bill, such as those addressing space organization and management and naval ship force structure,” the White House said in the policy document released Wednesday.

“Once these reviews are complete, the administration will be prepared to suggest modifications to these provisions.”

The Trump administration also cited concerns with the measure’s proposals to require the defense secretary to notify the congressional defense panels about military cyber operations as well as provisions over the use of overseas contingency operations funds, procurement of satellite services from foreign companies and establishment of a program of record to build a ground-launched cruise missile platform.

The policy statement came weeks after the House Armed Services Committee voted on the bill.

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), chairman of HASC’s tactical air and land forces subpanel, proposed an amendment to the measure that would remove a provision to create the new Space Corps.

The House Rules Committee on Tuesday listed 88 amendments that were up for floor debate, the report added.

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OMB Urges Agencies to Align FY 2019 Budget Requests With White House’s FY 2018 Spending Plan
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OMB Urges Agencies to Align FY 2019 Budget Requests With White House’s FY 2018 Spending Plan


OMB Urges Agencies to Align FY 2019 Budget Requests With White House’s FY 2018 Spending PlanThe Office of Management and Budget has issued a new memo that would direct federal agencies to ensure that their discretionary budget requests for fiscal 2019 are in agreement with the White House’s fiscal 2018 spending measure, Government Executive reported Wednesday.

OMB Director Mick Mulvaney wrote in a memo released Friday that agencies should determine additional investments in programs that seek to meet a federal role and support their mission and submit their FY 2019 discretionary budget requests by Sept. 11.

“These investments should reflect no more than a 5 percent increase above your submission level,” he noted.

Agencies should exclude from their proposals shifts of activities or costs to other parts of their budgets, cuts to mandatory spending and enactment of new user fees.

Mulvaney advised agencies to include in their budget requests workforce and reform plans that seek to include proposals across four categories such as elimination of activities, mergers or restructuring and workforce management.

He also noted that OMB plans to work with agencies in the next few months to evaluate and refine the mandatory budget proposals.

“Any new mandatory proposals should be at least budget neutral, or should be accompanied by new mandatory offsets that fully cover the costs of the new proposals,” Mulvaney added.

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Chris Liddell: WH Innovation Office Eyes Multiyear Projects to Transform Federal Service
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Chris Liddell: WH Innovation Office Eyes Multiyear Projects to Transform Federal Service


Chris Liddell: WH Innovation Office Eyes Multiyear Projects to Transform Federal ServiceChris Liddell, director of White House strategic initiatives, has said the Office of American Innovation aims to establish infrastructure and reach out to industry as part of multiyear efforts to improve how the federal government delivers customer service, Nextgov reported Wednesday.

Liddell told audience at a Partnership for Public Service-hosted event Wednesday that the White House plans to convene public, commercial and academic professionals to push federal customer service initiatives forward.

He added the goal is to provide government service recipients “the same experience as they do in the private sector.”

Some House and Senate members have introduced the Federal Agency Customer Experience Act to help federal agencies simplify the process for collecting feedback from citizens.

The White House also looks to build centers of excellence that will work to promote cross-agency services in the government.

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DoD Proposes Changes to Defense Contracting Regulations
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DoD Proposes Changes to Defense Contracting Regulations


DoD Proposes Changes to Defense Contracting RegulationsThe Defense Department has called on Congress to modify current regulations for the department’s acquisition processes, Federal News Radio reported Wednesday.

In a set of nine proposals, DoD proposed to lessen contract-related reporting requirements and raise the micropurchasing threshold from $5,000 to $10,000.

The report said one proposal would only allow companies to protest task or delivery orders, issued under multiple-award contracts, if the award is worth at least $25 million — an increase from the current threshold of $10 million.

The department also seeks to change the requirement for contractors to report the salary of their highest paid executives.

DoD contractors are currently required to disclose the names and compensation of their five highest paid employees if contract awards account for at least 80 percent of the company’s revenue; the contracts are worth at least $25 million; and information on the executives are not accessible through other means.

The proposal would make salary disclosure mandatory only for companies under cost accounting standards, which apply to larger firms that receive contract awards of $50 million or more.

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Army to Conduct Service Analysis of Military Battlefield Networks
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Army to Conduct Service Analysis of Military Battlefield Networks


Army to Conduct Service Analysis of Military Battlefield NetworksGen. Mark Milley, U.S. Army chief of staff, has launched a service analysis of the military branch’s battlefield networks in response to congressional concerns over a future mobile satellite communications network, Defense Systems reported Tuesday.

The report said the Army seeks to determine how the future Warfighter Information Network–Tactical infrastructure can be reconfigured to prepare for potential threats.

Loren Thompson, defense industry consultant and chief operating officer at The Lexington Institute, said he expects Congress to increase funds for WIN-T Increment 2 in fiscal 2018.

WIN-T has been used to support more than 16 Brigade Combat Teams and ground combat operations.

The Senate Armed Services Committee proposed a $448 million funding cut for the WIN-T program after some SASC members voiced concerns over the network’s combat functions.

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Proposed FY 2018 DHS Appropriations Bill Includes $44B in Discretionary Funds
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Proposed FY 2018 DHS Appropriations Bill Includes $44B in Discretionary Funds


Proposed FY 2018 DHS Appropriations Bill Includes $44B in Discretionary FundsThe House Appropriations Committee’s proposed fiscal year 2018 budget for the Department of Homeland Security includes $44.3 billion in discretionary funds — an increase of $1.9 billion from the FY 2017 enacted level.

The committee said Tuesday the legislation includes $1.6 billion for the construction of a wall along the U.S. southern border as well as $6.8 billion for disaster relief and emergency response efforts.

Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) said the bill would provide funds to start building the border wall, update existing border security infrastructure, recruit more border patrol agents and support detention operations.

The bill would also designate $13.8 billion for the Customs and Border Protection, $7 billion for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $10.5 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard, $7.2 billion for the Transportation Security Administration and $2 billion for the U.S. Secret Service.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will receive $7.3 billion for its disaster relief account and the National Protection and Programs Directorate will get $1.8 billion for cybersecurity initiatives.

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