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OMB Seeks New Deputy Federal Chief Information Security Officer
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OMB Seeks New Deputy Federal Chief Information Security Officer


cybersecurityThe Office of Management and Budget seeks a new deputy federal chief information security officer that will serve as adviser and deputy to the federal chief information security officer.

A USAJobs notice posted Monday says the DCISO will reside within OMB’s office of electronic government and information technology to manage the direction of federal cybersecurity policy and strategy.

OMB opened the application process for the DCISO post to complement the appointment of Department of Homeland Security official Gregory Touhill as the first federal chief information security officer.

The selected DCISO will coordinate with the federal CISO and office of e-gov deputy associate director on operational, policy and administrative actions such as legislative response and outreach, policy development, best practices development and implementation guidance to agencies.

Duties of the DCISO will also cover assistance to the federal CISO on federal cybersecurity efforts and activities with Department of Homeland Security, Defense Department, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and other agencies.

The hire will also help implement coordination and alignment among agency CISOs and work as a member of the Information Security and Identity Management committee as well as maximize effectiveness of security performance measures related to the Federal Information Security and Modernization Act.

Applicants may apply for the position until Sept. 26, the report added.

DoD Launches New Defense Innovation Office in Texas
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DoD Launches New Defense Innovation Office in Texas


DoD logo resizeThe Defense Department has unveiled a new Defense Innovation Unit Experimental office in Austin, Texas, that will work to connect the department with local innovators in an effort to acquire new technologies for warfighters and address national security challenges.

Christy Abizaid, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia and a National Security Council staff, will lead the third DIUx office and report to Raj Shah, DIUx managing partner, DoD said Wednesday.

“I created DIUx last year because one of my core goals as secretary of defense has been to build, and in some cases rebuild, the bridges between our national security endeavor at the Pentagon and America’s wonderfully innovative and open technology community,” said Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.

“Austin’s commitment to innovation, access to talent and academia, as well as the department’s longstanding ties to Texas make this an ideal next location for DIUx.”

The Capitol Factory technology incubator will house the Austin DIUx staff, which will include local Reservists and National Guard members from the city’s technology community.

Abizaid said the new DIUx office will help local entrepreneurs and innovators do business with DoD.

DoD could also open a fourth DIUx office near Washington by the end of 2016 after the launch of the Austin office.

DIUx seeks to utilize commercial offerings to address national defense and technological challenges in areas such as autonomy, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity through its new Commercial Solutions Opening contracting mechanism.

The initiative has signed five agreements worth a total of $3.5 million since its establishment with 22 more projects planned that total $65 million in investment, DoD said.

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White House: US Pledges $38B in Foreign Military Financing, Missile Defense Assistance to Israel
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White House: US Pledges $38B in Foreign Military Financing, Missile Defense Assistance to Israel


partnershipThe U.S. government has pledged $38 billion in foreign military financing and missile defense assistance to the government of Israel under a memorandum of understanding that seeks to support Israel’s efforts to update its military.

The White House said Wednesday the 10-year pact will allow Israel to acquire additional F-35 aircraft and build on its missile defense capacity to address the threat environment.

The administration noted that the package covers fiscal years 2019 to 2028 at $3.8 billion per year, with $33 billion and $5 billion allotted for FMF and missile defense assistance and annually disbursed in equal increments of $3.3 billion and $500 million, respectively.

The MoU also works to facilitate long-term missile defense assistance to Israel and eliminate traditional year-to-year appropriation, the White House said.

It added the MoU will also discontinue two current arrangements that include Israel’s fuel purchase and offshore procurement through which Israel has spent 26.3 percent of the country’s annual FMF package on non-U.S. products and fuel.

Jacob Nagel, Israel’s chief negotiator and acting national security council chief, arrived in Washington to sign the agreement with Susan Rice, U.S. national security adviser.

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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, NCI to Research Cancer Under Renewed Space-Based Data Science Partnership
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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, NCI to Research Cancer Under Renewed Space-Based Data Science Partnership


HealthNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the National Cancer Institute have extended their partnership through 2021 in an effort to expand the use of big data techniques and machine learning algorithms, which were originally developed for space exploration, in cancer research.

The space agency said Thursday JPL and NCI will work to expand their data science efforts to other NCI-sponsored cancer research programs under the renewed partnership.

Those NCI-funded programs include the Early Detection Research Network, Informatics Technology for Cancer Research initiative and the Consortium for Molecular and Cellular Characterization of Screen-Detected Lesions.

EDRN is a consortium of biomedical scientists who share information on cancer biomarkers and other genetic signatures related to the disease.

NASA noted that JPL and NCI-backed EDRN have collaborated to create a single network designed to collect cancer research data through the establishment of a JPL-based informatics center.

Dan Crichton, head of JPL’s center for data science and technology, helped form the informatics center that works to support EDRN’s big data initiatives.

The space agency said the JPL-EDRN team also discovered six cancer biomarkers and nine biomarkers that were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in cancer research efforts and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments laboratories.

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C4ISR & Networks: Army Seeks to Award Cloud Migration Pilot Program Contract
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C4ISR & Networks: Army Seeks to Award Cloud Migration Pilot Program Contract


cloudITThe U.S. Army plans to award a contract by the end of September or in the first quarter of 2017 to support the service branch’s pilot program that aims to migrate applications from 11 data centers into the cloud, C4ISR & Networks reported Wednesday.

Mark Pomerleau writes Col. Rodney Swann, enterprise architecture chief at the Army Architecture Integration Center, said at an Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association event that work will occur in Redstone Arsenal to serve as a “key component” of the Army’s cloud strategy.

“Once we get the Redstone kicked off and get lessons learned from that, that’s going to inform a lot of how we go forward in cloud computing,” Swann added.

Swann also told C4ISRNET that the Army has identified 25 applications for migration and the service branch aims to reach operational capability in 2017.

The Army announced in July it plans to launch the three-year pilot program to implement a commercially-operated, on-premises cloud platform and consolidate 11 data centers once a vendor has been selected.

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Defense News: Sen. John McCain Plans to Block Cybercom-NSA Separation Efforts
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Defense News: Sen. John McCain Plans to Block Cybercom-NSA Separation Efforts


John McCain
John McCain

Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has said he will block efforts to change the current dual-hat leadership structure for the National Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Command, Defense News reported Tuesday.

Joe Gould writes the Senate Armed Services Committee chair vowed to oppose the White House’s nomination of any official to lead the NSA if the administration opts to split the agency from Cybercom.

McCain made the remarks in light of reports that Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper are eyeing a separation of the two organizations, according to Gould’s article.

Navy Adm. Michael Rogers concurrently serves as commander of Cybercom and director of NSA.

“I do not believe rushing to separate the dual hat in the final months of an administration is appropriate given the very serious challenges we face in cyberspace and the failure of this administration to develop an effective deterrence policy,” McCain was quoted as saying by Defense News.

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David Shive: GSA’s 18F Hub Plans to Recover Costs in 2019
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David Shive: GSA’s 18F Hub Plans to Recover Costs in 2019


David Shive
David Shive

Dave Shive, acting commissioner of the General Services Administration‘s technology transformation service, has said GSA’s 18F digital services organization plans to become cost recoverable by 2019, Nextgov reported Wednesday.

Frank Konkel writes Shive told a MeriTalk event audience that 18F is required to be cost recoverable and the organization is faced with a challenge to measure its value beyond revenue.

“We are obligated to be cost recoverable, and we’ll strive to do that, but being cost recoverable is not the only value proposition we’re marching against,” Shive said

Shive noted 18F works to help government agencies avoid costs through faster technology acquisitions and share knowledge with civilian agencies as part of its mission, Konkel reported.

A report from the Government Accountability Office projected that 18F could lose approximately $15 million in fiscal year 2016, Nextgov stated.

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Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker: National Network for Manufacturing Innovation Rebrands as Manufacturing USA
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Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker: National Network for Manufacturing Innovation Rebrands as Manufacturing USA


Commerce-DepartmentThe National Network for Manufacturing Innovation network of public-private institutes will now be known as Manufacturing USA in an effort to promote awareness in the manufacturing community.

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker announced the rebranding of the program at the annual International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago, the Commerce Department said Monday.

“With our new name, Manufacturing USA captures the geographic reach of a network that spans our country and is positioned to benefit companies of all sizes from coast to coast,” Pritzker said.

“But more importantly, this name embodies our vision for a unified American manufacturing sector – where the brightest minds and the most innovative companies come together to develop the most cutting-edge technology in the world.”

Manufacturing USA has invested more than $600 million in federal funds on manufacturing resources and expertise to help advance innovation, education and collaboration in national manufacturing areas.

The Defense and Energy Department manages the current manufacturing technology institutes under the program, which now has more than 1,300 company members, the Commerce Department added.

The program has launched approximately 240 research and development projects and educational programs to support workforce development and the regional manufacturing ecosystem in certain technology focus areas.

The Commerce Department is responsible for establishing new manufacturing technology institutes for disadvantaged areas in the industry as part of the program.

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ARPA-E to Fund 16 Projects Under Energy Storage & Conversion Tech Optimization Program
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ARPA-E to Fund 16 Projects Under Energy Storage & Conversion Tech Optimization Program


Green BatteryThe Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy plans to award $37 million in funds to 16 projects as part of ARPA-E’s program aiming to optimize energy storage and conversion technologies.

ARPA-E’s Integration and Optimization of Novel Ion-Conducting Solids program seeks new ways to process and integrate solid ion conductors into devices to help update transportation batteries, grid-level storage and fuel cells, the Energy Department said Tuesday.

“While battery technologies have improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years, there remain some imposing physical and chemical barriers that have stifled further innovation,” said ARPA-E Director Ellen Williams.

“Solid ion conductors made of affordable, easily produced materials could replace today’s mostly liquid electrolytes and expensive fuel cell parts, helping create a next generation of batteries and fuel cells that are low-cost, durable, and more efficient,” Williams added.

The IONICS team aims to use solid ion conductors as alternative to liquid electrolytes or expensive materials used in fuel cell stacks but solid ion conductors pose challenges in terms of low ionic conductivity and expensive processing, DOE noted.

The department added IONICS projects will use new materials and processes to achieve technology optimization goals such as an increase in battery energy capacity while preventing short circuits and battery degradation.

The complete list of awardees with project descriptions is posted on DOE’s website.

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FEMA Report Underscores DHS’ Interagency Emergency Response Efforts
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FEMA Report Underscores DHS’ Interagency Emergency Response Efforts


DHS - ExecutiveMosaicThe Federal Emergency Management Agency has released the 2016 National Preparedness Report which highlights the Department of Homeland Security‘s efforts to prepare emergency first responders through interagency cooperation.

DHS said Monday that FEMA’s report tracked progress from the last five years in prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery initiatives.

DHS and interagency partners continue to build on the capacity of National Network of Fusion Centers to facilitate intelligence collection and sharing between fusion center customers, the department noted.

The National Counterterrorism Center, DHS and FBI jointly sponsored counterterrorism awareness workshops to educate first responders across the U.S. on prevention and response strategies against terrorist attacks, DHS added.

DHS’ counterterrorism efforts include the launch of web-based messaging materials for public awareness as well as the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign which aims to provide information on indicators of potential terrorism and crime.

The department has also established the Regional Resiliency Assessment Program to help assess critical infrastructure systems and DHS seeks ways to apply the assessment process to issues such as climate change, cybersecurity and electromagnetic-pulse preparedness.

DHS worked to engage public and private sector partners in the 12th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October 2015 which aimed to increase cyber threat resilience.

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