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GOP Lawmakers to Propose Bill for 355-Ship Navy Buildup
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GOP Lawmakers to Propose Bill for 355-Ship Navy Buildup


GOP Lawmakers to Propose Bill for 355-Ship Navy BuildupSen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Virginia) are scheduled Thursday to introduce a bill that seeks to grow the U.S. Navy‘s fleet to 355 ships, Defense News reported Wednesday.

A draft bill obtained by Defense News states that the fleet buildup should be implemented “as soon as practicable.”

Wittman, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s seapower and projection forces subcommittee, said he intends for the legislation to “send a strong signal” ahead of the markup of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.

He added that industry appears to be ready to help meet the country’s naval fleet construction goal and urged Congress to provide funds needed to implement the shipbuilding plan, the report stated.

The bill reflects the Navy’s 2016 Force Structure Assessment that calls for the service branch to establish a 355-ship fleet over the next three decades.

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Education Dept Seeks CISO, Info Assurance Services Director
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Education Dept Seeks CISO, Info Assurance Services Director


Education Dept Seeks CISO, Info Assurance Services DirectorThe Education Department looks for a director of information assurance services and chief information security officer to manage the availability, privacy, confidentiality, and integrity of its data and information resources.

A USAJobs notice published June 7 says the incumbent will also serve as principal adviser to the department chief information and deputy CIO.

The director will be responsible for the implementation and compliance of the Federal Information Security Management Act and E-Government Act as well as oversee policies, procedures, guidance and technologies related to cybersecurity efforts at the department.

The selected candidate will also advise department officials on cybersecurity policies and procedures; integrate the department’s cyber, information security and telecommunications programs; and implement internal and external cybersecurity policy programs.

Additionally, the incumbent will create guidelines for computer incident response on information technology systems as well as exchange IT security ideas with other strategic leaders across the federal government.

The application period is open through June 28.

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FCC Names Tom Sullivan to Official Post as International Bureau Chief; Ajit Pai Comments
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FCC Names Tom Sullivan to Official Post as International Bureau Chief; Ajit Pai Comments


FCC Names Tom Sullivan to Official Post as International Bureau Chief; Ajit Pai CommentsTom Sullivan, acting chief of the Federal Communications Commission‘s International Bureau, will officially take over the post after his appointment by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

“He brings a tremendous depth and breadth of experience to the job, and I know that he can be counted on to represent our country well in our interactions with other countries and in managing our communications needs in space,” Pai said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Sullivan, who has led the International Bureau in an acting capacity since the transition into the new administration, has served as an associate chief and chief of staff at the bureau from March 2010 to January this year.

The International Bureau serves to represent FCC internationally and is in charge of licensing and policy for overseas telecommunications and satellite programs.

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NASA Unveils Automated Application System for Tech Patent Licensing
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NASA Unveils Automated Application System for Tech Patent Licensing


NASA Unveils Automated Application System for Tech Patent LicensingNASA has launched a system that works to automate the process for transferring NASA-patented technology to industry.

The Automated Technology Licensing Application System is designed to help companies apply for any of the more than 1,400 NASA technologies that are currently available for licensing, the agency said Tuesday.

ATLAS works to collect basic information from applicants as well as email updates on the application status and any required actions.

Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator of NASA’s space technology mission directorate, said the agency’s technology transfer program seeks to help create jobs, support U.S. economic competitiveness and introduce new products and services to market.

NASA’s searchable patent portfolio includes technologies in various fields such aeronautics, propulsion, electronics, materials, sensors, instrumentation and other disciplines.

Policy Experts Call for More Base Closures to Boost DoD Savings
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Policy Experts Call for More Base Closures to Boost DoD Savings


Policy Experts Call for More Base Closures to Boost DoD SavingsA bipartisan group that represents policy experts has called on Congress to approve a new round of base realignments and closures, or BRAC, as a way to help the Defense Department eliminate unneeded military facilities and save money, Military.com reported Tuesday.

The Project on Government Oversight told members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in a letter published Monday the group believes that DoD will have more facilities than it needs “well into the 2020s” even if President Donald Trump implements his force growth plans.

A DoD review estimates the department will have 22 percent excess infrastructure by 2019, the U.S. Army will face an excess overhead of 33 percent, the U.S. Air Force will have 32 percent and the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps will have 7 percent combined, the letter says.

Trump’s 2018 budget proposal calls for Congress to authorize BRAC efforts for fiscal year 2021, which would be the first since 2005.

Lawmakers who oppose another round of BRAC have voiced their concerns over the impact on communities and implementation costs associated with base closures, according to the report.

POGO cited a 2005 DoD study that found nearly all civilian defense jobs lost following a base closure were eventually replaced with employment in various industries.

The group added the first four BRAC rounds generated nearly $7 billion in annual recurring savings combined.

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Trump, Tech Execs Meet to Discuss Govt Computing Modernization Strategies
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Trump, Tech Execs Meet to Discuss Govt Computing Modernization Strategies


Trump, Tech Execs Meet to Discuss Govt Computing Modernization StrategiesHigh-ranking executives of 18 U.S. technology firms met with President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss possible ways to increase efficiency of computing systems in the government, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The report said attendees of the meeting include leaders of Amazon, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe Systems, Alphabet, Apple, Kleiner Perkins and Qualcomm.

They are members of the American Technology Council created by the White House in May to support federal information technology modernization efforts.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos urged the Trump administration to use commercially available technologies as well as artificial intelligence, machine learning and worker retraining systems.

The White House aims to save more than $1 trillion over 10 years by implementing measures to update government IT systems, eliminate wasteful activities and manage public services.

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David Norquist: DoD to Undergo Full-Scale Audit in 2018
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David Norquist: DoD to Undergo Full-Scale Audit in 2018

David Norquist: DoD to Undergo Full-Scale Audit in 2018David Norquist, Defense Department undersecretary and comptroller, has said DoD’s components and financial statements are scheduled to undergo full audits in 2018, Federal News Radio reported Tuesday.

Norquist told lawmakers during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that DoD collaborated with independent public accounting companies to facilitate the full-scope audit.

“Most of those contracts are already awarded,” he said.

“There’s one or two that are awaiting to be finalized and awarded, but we have every expectation to be fully compliant and fully under audit.”

DoD must attain “audit-ready” status for its financial statements by the end of September in order to comply with a congressional requirement, the report added.

Norquist, former chief financial officer at the Department of Homeland Security, received Senate confirmation in May two months after President Donald Trump nominated him for the post.

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HASC Subcommitee’s Fiscal 2018 NDAA Bill Proposes Space-Focused Military Service
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HASC Subcommitee’s Fiscal 2018 NDAA Bill Proposes Space-Focused Military Service


HASC Subcommitee’s Fiscal 2018 NDAA Bill Proposes Space-Focused Military ServiceThe House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subpanel is set to mark up Thursday its version of fiscal year 2018 defense spending bill that would establish a separate space corps to oversee national security space initiatives and direct the Air Force secretary to lead the new organization.

HASC said Tuesday the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2018 contains provisions that would bar the Defense Department secretary to sign any satellite services contracts that pose cyber risks and permit the full funding level for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear proliferation program for defense and other nuclear weapons operations.

The proposed bill would require an independent review of contracts that support the operations of NNSA’s national laboratories, direct the head of the Missile Defense Agency to build a space-based sensor component for ballistic missile defense and require the DoD secretary to move the procurement authority for missile defense programs to a military department once the White House submits its budget request for fiscal 2020.

The subcommittee also proposed the acquisition of 147 PAC-3 MSE missiles and additional 24 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors and expressed support to Israel’s request for the co-development of missile defense platforms.

The bill also contains provisions that would direct the U.S. Space Command to operate as a sub-unified unit within the U.S. Strategic Command and prohibit the retirement of Guidance Enhanced Missile – Tactical interceptors from the U.S. Army’s inventory until the service branch’s secretary submits an assessment of the military’s capacity to meet operational requirements without the interceptors.

Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), chair of HASC’s strategic forces subcommittee, and ranking member Jim Cooper (D-Tennessee) led the release of the bill Tuesday.

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Report: DHS, DoD, GSA to Host ‘Reverse Industry Day’ Events
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Report: DHS, DoD, GSA to Host ‘Reverse Industry Day’ Events


Report: DHS, DoD, GSA to Host 'Reverse Industry Day' EventsThe General Services Administration and the departments of Defense and Homeland Security plan to host separate Reverse Industry Days in an effort to address the communication gap between the government and private sector, Federal News Radio reported Monday.

DHS will hold its fourth Reverse Industry Day on June 28 in Washington, D.C. as part of the department’s Acquisition Innovation in Motion initiative, the report stated.

Soraya Correa, DHS chief procurement officer, said the event is intended to give industry members an opportunity to share their perspective on the procurement process on stage while government officials are in the audience.

Marc Pearl, president and CEO of the Homeland Security and Defense Business Council, said the organization introduced the concept to DHS in 2015 in an effort to give government a deeper understanding of processes such as debriefs, acquisition planning, early engagement and the decision to bid on a solicitation.

The Internal Revenue Service also held a reverse industry day in April, where industry discussed the acquisition timeline, the ‘bid-no-bid’ decision and how vendors interpret solicitation requirements, the report noted.

GSA will hold a reverse industry day on July 10 and DoD looks to host one in July.

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DoD Inspector General: NSA Lacks Detailed Strategy to Implement ‘Secure-the-Net’ Efforts
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DoD Inspector General: NSA Lacks Detailed Strategy to Implement ‘Secure-the-Net’ Efforts


DoD Inspector General: NSA Lacks Detailed Strategy to Implement ‘Secure-the-Net’ EffortsA redacted version of an August 2016 report by the Defense Department’s inspector general says the National Security Agency failed to develop a detailed plan for the implementation of its “secure-the-net initiatives” designed to safeguard classified data from insider threats, Nextgov reported Monday.

NSA also fell short of safeguarding server racks and other sensitive systems as well as subjecting its high-level administrators to two-phase authentication in response to leaks of domestic surveillance files by former contractor Edward Snowden, according to the declassified version of the report.

The inspector general identified vulnerabilities in internal controls at NSA’s laboratories in Texas, North Carolina, Utah and Washington, D.C.

The report also found that NSA’s data security group had carried out four of the seven measures and those include the implementation of two-person access controls at machine rooms and data centers and evaluation of the number of system administrators at the agency.

The New York Times also reported that NSA failed to shrink the number of “privileged” users, contractors and officials with authority to download top-secret data.

“NSA has never stopped seeking and implementing ways to strengthen both security policies and internal controls,” Vanee Vines, a spokeswoman for the agency, said in a statement.

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