NIST Releases Interactive Tool for Cybersecurity Job Seekers
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NIST Releases Interactive Tool for Cybersecurity Job Seekers


JobAdThe National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a CompTIA-built interactive online tool designed to help job seekers find cyber career-related information.

Rodney Petersen, director of the NIST-led National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, unveiled CyberSeek at the 2016 NICE conference in Kansas City, Missouri, CompTIA said Nov. 1.

“This interactive tool will assist its users—students, employees, employers, policy makers, training providers and guidance counselors—to explore opportunities they may have never considered,” said Petersen.

“It can also help us to meet NICE’s goal of fostering a larger workforce to narrow the cybersecurity employment gap,” he added.

CyberSeek is designed to help policy makers, employers and security professionals view the demand for cybersecurity professionals nationwide and identify the types of skills employers are seeking through varying color shades that show the concentrations of cybersecurity job postings and worker supply.

The tool combines job demand data from Burning Glass Technologies and job supply data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and cybersecurity certification entities.

CyberSeek’s interactive heat map also incorporates information on different types of positions from the Career Pathway program to display relevant information such as job titles, salaries, online job openings, in-demand skills, education and cybersecurity certifications.

CompTIA, a nonprofit trade association for information technology professionals, and labor market analytics firm Burning Glass developed the tool as part of a three-year grant CompTIA received from NIST with $249,000 in funding for the first year of the project.

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DHA: Updated Tricare Retail Pharmacy Network Adds Walgreens Pharmacies
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DHA: Updated Tricare Retail Pharmacy Network Adds Walgreens Pharmacies


medical health doctorThe Defense Health Agency has announced that the revised Tricare retail pharmacy network will add Walgreens-run pharmacies, effective Dec. 1, DoD News reported Wednesday.

George Jones, chief of pharmacy operation at DHA, said the network will operate at least 57,000 retail pharmacies that include grocery store and community pharmacies as well as retail chains across the country.

Jones noted in a news release that Express Scripts oversees the updated retail pharmacy network through a contract with the Defense Department.

CVS-run pharmacies will no longer be part of the network starting Dec. 1, according to the report.

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Trump to Nominate Steven Mnuchin, Wilbur Ross, Todd Ricketts for Treasury & Commerce Roles
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Trump to Nominate Steven Mnuchin, Wilbur Ross, Todd Ricketts for Treasury & Commerce Roles


PeoplePresident-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate Steven Mnuchin as treasury secretary, Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary and Todd Ricketts as deputy commerce secretary.

Mnuchin, Ross and Ricketts will help implement Trump’s America First economic plan that aims to create more than 25 million jobs over the next 10 years, according to a press release published Wednesday.

Mnuchin previously worked as chief information officer at Goldman Sachs and finance director for Trump’s presidential campaign.

He founded Dune Capital Management, OneWest Bank Group and RatPac-Dune Entertainment.

Ross led Rothschild Inc. where he helped restructure bankrupt companies toward profitability.

He also started investment firm WL Ross & Co. and served as Trump’s top economic adviser on trade policy.

Ricketts is a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

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17 Industry Groups Ask Trump to Advance Tech Infrastructure Investments
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17 Industry Groups Ask Trump to Advance Tech Infrastructure Investments


PeopleThe chief executives of 17 technology industry organizations have asked President-elect Donald Trump to advance investments in technology infrastructure as part of efforts to create jobs and build up the U.S. economy.

The trade groups’ CEOs wrote in a letter published Tuesday that the Trump administration should also promote technological innovation through tax reform and updates to regulations related to international data transfers.

They also submitted to Trump’s transition team their recommended personnel for several key administrative posts as well as their qualifications, according to the letter.

“We recognize a critical early step in achieving your goals of moving the country forward in a productive way will be identifying the right people for critical positions,” the executives added.

The signatories to the letter include:

  • Bruce Mehlman, executive director of the Technology CEO Council
  • Carl Guardino, president and CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group
  • David Heard, interim CEO and chairman of the board of the Telecommunications Industry Association
  • Dean Garfield, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council
  • Edward Black, president and CEO of the Computer & Communications Industry Association
  • Evan Burfield, CEO of startup incubator 1776
  • Evan Engstrom, executive director of Engine
  • Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association
  • John Neuffer, president and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association
  • Ken Wasch, president of Software & Information Industry Association
  • Linda Moore, president and CEO of TechNet
  • Melissa Blaustein, founder and CEO of the Allied for Startups
  • Michael Beckerman, president and CEO of the Internet Association
  • Mike Gallagher, president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association
  • Morgan Reed, exeutive director of The App Association
  • Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA
  • Victoria Espinel, president and CEO of the BSA | The Software Alliance

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DoD’s DIUx Arm Details Approach for Faster Acquisitions
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DoD’s DIUx Arm Details Approach for Faster Acquisitions


acquisition policyThe Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit Experimental has published a guidebook in efforts to help agencies create contracting vehicles that could optimize time and costs required to acquire technology, DoD News reported Friday.

Rick Docksai writes DIUx’s website offers free access to the 99-page guidebook titled “Fast, Flexible, and Collaborative: The Commercial Solutions Opening and DIUx’s Approach to Other Transactions for Prototype Projects.”

Lauren Schmidt, DIUx pathways director, said the organization published the guidebook to encourage other agencies to build on DIUx’ CSO process, Docksai reported.

DIUx established the CSO mechanism as part of efforts to deliver new technologies to warfighters amid defense budget constraints.

DIUx uses CSOs to solicit proposals, award contracts and acquire prototypes of emerging technologies within 59 days.

The organization looks to expand the use of CSOs across DoD since defense organizations currently need an Other Transaction Authority to acquire prototypes via CSOs, the report stated.

The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act may authorize agencies with Federal Acquisition Regulations-based contracts to procure prototypes through CSOs, Docksai wrote.

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GSA Names 3 Potential Sites for Future Labor Dept HQ
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GSA Names 3 Potential Sites for Future Labor Dept HQ


constructionThe General Services Administration has identified three potential locations for the Labor Department‘s future headquarters as a result of site evaluations.

GSA said Tuesday the Washington, D.C.-based sites include NOMA at the intersection of North Capitol Street and New York Avenue; Capitol Riverfront at the intersection of M Street and South Capitol Street; and Poplar Point in Anacostia.

“Labor is in need of a new, up to date, workplace and GSA is enlisting the help of the market to determine the best option to finance this project,” said Norman Dong, GSA public buildings service commissioner.

GSA looks to award a contract to evaluate the potential sites next month in efforts to help the government choose a new headquarters location.

DoL’s current headquarters at 200 Constitution Avenue NW in Washington is at least 40 years old and requires infrastructure updates such as modern heating, electrical, plumbing and elevator systems.

GSA released a notice of intent that the government considers options for the current headquarters as well as a Request for Expressions of Interest for a site that could provide to 1.4 million rentable square feet.

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DARPA Seeks Game-Based Science, Tech Collaboration Platform; John Main Comments
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DARPA Seeks Game-Based Science, Tech Collaboration Platform; John Main Comments


darpa-global-interactionThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched a new program that seeks to bring together a diverse group of talented professionals worldwide to explore emerging science and technology applications through a combination of online game and social media tools.

DARPA said Wednesday it seeks ideas on how to design an online collaborative platform that would integrate gamification strategies to engage global experts and thinkers as part of the Gamifying the Search for Strategic Surprise initiative.

The GS3 program also looks to develop a method to identify and fund research opportunities that arise from collaborative process, the agency added.

DARPA plans to release the platform to the public and invest in the resulting concepts following a period of development and testing assigned to a group of invited players.

“To succeed, DARPA must always have one foot in the future, and assessing emerging science and technology is part of that process,” said John Main, a program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office.

“With GS3 we hope to accomplish this analysis, including the exploratory stages of research and development, substantially faster and better by creating a dynamic environment where insights from a variety of individuals can reveal unexpected opportunities,” Main added.

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Obama Nominates DOJ’s Robert Storch as NSA Inspector General
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Obama Nominates DOJ’s Robert Storch as NSA Inspector General


WhiteHousePresident Barack Obama has nominated Robert Storch, current Justice Department deputy inspector general, to serve in the IG role at the National Security Agency, the White House said Tuesday.

Storch will work to oversee NSA activities in the area of privacy in that role, FCW News reported Wednesday.

Adam Mazmanian writes in a blog post that Storch’s appointment will be subject for approval from the senate as part of the 2014 Intelligence Authorization Act that aimed to establish an independent NSA IG from the director of the agency.

He will be the first presidentially-appointed IG as the position was previously designated by the NSA director.

Storch started as an attorney at the public integrity section of DOJ’s criminal division and has since held various roles within the organization such as senior counsel, counselor to the inspector general and acting deputy inspector general.

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Legislative Cyber Leaders to Join President-Elect Trump’s Transition Team
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Legislative Cyber Leaders to Join President-Elect Trump’s Transition Team


PeopleThree House Republicans whose committee memberships include work in the area of cybersecurity will join president-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, Nextgov reported Wednesday.

Joseph Marks writes the selection of the trio of congressional cyber leaders support Trump’s pledge to establish a Defense Department-led cyber protection review of U.S. infrastructure.

Appointees include:

  • House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-California)
  • House Energy Committee Vice Chairwoman Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee)
  • House Homeland Security Committee panel member Tom Marino (R-Pennsylvania)

Air Force Wideband Global Satcom Set for Dec. 17 Launch; Thomas Becht Comments
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Air Force Wideband Global Satcom Set for Dec. 17 Launch; Thomas Becht Comments


WidebandGlobalThe U.S. Air Force is ready to launch the military branch’s first upgraded Wideband Global Satcom satellite on Dec. 7 onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket, Space News reported Wednesday.

Phillip Swarts writes the Boeing-built WGS-8 satellite is part of the military’s communication constellation that kicked space flight in 2007 and the upgraded spacecraft is designed to carry more traffic.

Enclosed inside its fairing, the satellite is in queue for the upcoming launch from Complex 37 at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, according to the report.

Thomas Becht, deputy director for MILSATCOM systems at the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, said the satellite incorporates broadcast, multicast and point to point connections and ancillary X and Ka-band communications, Space News reports.

Estimated costs for the satellite reach $425 million, including the digital channelizer Boeing says works to split uplink bandwidths into 1,900 subchannels to provide more channels for communications transmission, Swarts reports.

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