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GAO Urges Agencies to Improve Procurement Data Reports
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GAO logo. Watchdog office offers recommendations on improving procurement data quality

The Government Accountability Office has recommended that U.S. government agencies adopt measures to improve the quality of their reports to the Federal Procurement Data System that the General Services Administration administers to track federal awards. 

A GAO report released Thursday said 34 of the 70 agencies that filed procurement reports to FPDS in fiscal year 2023 did not complete a data quality report or failed to submit copies to the office. It also noted that the agencies with incomplete contract reports, while representing less than 1 percent of reported contract obligations, their procurements accounted for nearly $2 billion in spending in FY 2023. 

In addition, the federal watchdog’s review found that the procurement data 24 agencies reported did not comply with OMB’s reporting requirements, such as FPDS deadline compliance.

Recommendations on Report Accuracy

Following its findings, GAO issued separate recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, Department of Defense, Department of Energy and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The 12 recommendations included a call for the OMB director to ensure that the Office of Federal Procurement Policy coordinates with GSA in the collection and tracking of agencies’ procurement data quality reports.

GAO also recommended that the secretary of energy require their Office of Acquisition Management to develop a sampling process to help in ensuring the statistical validity of DOE’s procurement data and their compliance with OMB guidelines.

GAO’s recommendation to the DOD focused on the Navy taking corrective measures on the service branch’s verification and validation process to address data discrepancies as pinpointed under the department’s Procurement Data Improvement & Compliance Plan.

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NGA West’s Relocation to New St. Louis Campus Starts in Winter
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Frank Whitworth. NGA head highlighted the significance of the agency's new west campus

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency will begin moving its western campus in the coming winter to a new location in St. Louis, Missouri. According to NGA, the facility is the result of years of planning and investment to support geospatial transformation for the next century.

“This state-of-the-art facility is a critical investment in our nation’s security,” Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, NGA director and four-time Wash100 Award winner, said during the opening  ceremony of the new NGA West campus Friday. “From this campus, our dedicated workforce will continue to deliver vital GEOINT that protects our nation and supports our warfighters around the world,” Whitworth added.

The NGA head earlier announced in May the scheduled September opening of the $1.7 billion campus.

NGA West's Relocation to New St. Louis Campus Starts in Winter

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Strategic NGA West Collaboration Site

The new 97-acre campus hosts the agency’s expanding geospatial ecosystem, and its strategic location in northern St. Louis enables the agency’s continued collaboration with industry, academia and civic organizations. The facility’s 700,000-square-foot office building features collaboration spaces and advanced equipment to enhance the capability of NGA West’s 3,150 staff members to provide intelligence and geospatial innovations vital to the agency’s goals and mission requirements.   

One of the innovative programs that NGA is currently pursuing involves the development of artificial intelligence standards for space-based sensor data, Whitworth disclosed during the recent Intelligence and National Security Summit in National Harbor, Maryland.

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Trump Signs Executive Order on TikTok
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The White House. President Trump signed an EO clearing a proposed deal on social media platform TikTok.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order approving a proposed deal that would keep video-sharing platform TikTok operational in the U.S. while protecting national security.

Trump Signs Executive Order on TikTok

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‘Qualified Divestiture’ of TikTok’s US Operations

In a fact sheet published Thursday, the White House said TikTok’s U.S. operations would undergo a “qualified divestiture” under a proposed framework agreement.

Under the proposed deal, a U.S.-based joint venture would operate TikTok’s U.S. application, which will be majority-owned by U.S. investors, run by a board with cybersecurity and national security credentials and subject to strict rules to safeguard U.S. national security and data.

TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance will hold less than 20 percent of the stock, appoint only one director of the seven-seat board. 

According to the order, ByteDance will be excluded from the company’s security committee. 

The Trump administration designates Oracle as TikTok’s security provider responsible for monitoring and assuring the safety of all operations in the U.S.

Removing TikTok’s US Application From Foreign Control

According to the fact sheet, the proposed divestiture would remove TikTok’s U.S. application from China’s control, addressing national security concerns and complying with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Under the deal, the new joint venture will oversee the operation of the algorithm, code and content moderation decisions.

The proposed divestiture includes monitoring of the algorithm, software updates and data flows and tasks Oracle to operate a secure cloud environment in which all U.S. user data will be stored.

The EO directs the Attorney General not to enforce the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act for 120 days to provide time for the divestiture process to be completed.

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Senate Confirms Retired Navy Vice Adm. Scott Pappano as NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator
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Scott Pappano, principal deputy administrator of NNSA. Senate voted to confirm Pappano

Retired Vice Adm. Scott Pappano has been confirmed as principal deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration. According to Congress records, legislators voted 51-47 to appoint Pappano.

He also confirmed his new position in a LinkedIn post Thursday.

Who Is Scott Pappano?

President Donald Trump nominated Pappano to be principal deputy administrator for NNSA in February.

Pappano is a seasoned military leader who most recently served as principal military deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. He also held leadership positions at the Special Operations Forces Mobility Program Office and the Strategic and Attack Submarine Program Office, his bio on the Navy’s website revealed.  

At sea, he served aboard USS City of Corpus Christi, USS Albuquerque, USS Michigan and USS Ohio. He also commanded the USS Buffalo while deployed to Guam.

Pappano retired from military service after three decades.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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GSA, xAI Partner to Bring Grok AI Models to Federal Agencies
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Artificial intelligence. GSA and xAI signed a OneGov agreement to bring Grok frontier AI models to federal agencies.

The General Services Administration and xAI have signed an agreement to make the latter’s Grok frontier artificial intelligence models available to federal agencies through March 2027.

GSA said Thursday the partnership with xAI is part of the agency’s OneGov initiative, which aims to simplify the procurement of AI tools to help accelerate federal AI adoption. The new deal is reportedly the lowest price yet for an AI offering through the partnership.

“Widespread access to advanced AI models is essential to building the efficient, accountable government that taxpayers deserve—and to fulfilling President Trump’s promise that America will win the global AI race,” said Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service. 

“We value xAI for partnering with GSA—and dedicating engineers—to accelerate the adoption of Grok to transform government operations,” added Gruenbaum, a 2025 Wash100 Award recipient.

OneGov Agreement Between GSA & xAI

The OneGov agreement will make xAI’s Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast AI models available for $0.42 per agency for 18 months.

To drive AI adoption, xAI will provide introductory training programs, deploy a team of engineers to help implement AI tools, offer custom enablement and work with agencies to facilitate integration efforts.

“Thanks to President Trump and his administration, xAI’s frontier AI is now unlocked for every federal agency empowering the U.S. Government to innovate faster and accomplish its mission more effectively than ever before,” said Elon Musk, cofounder and CEO of xAI. 

“We look forward to continuing to work with President Trump and his team to rapidly deploy AI throughout the government for the benefit of the country,” added Musk, a 2025 Wash100 awardee.

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Kristi Noem Backs Pete Hegseth’s Proposal for Coast Guard Civilian Secretary
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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Kristi Noem has endorsed Pete Hegseth's proposal for a U.S. Coast Guard secretary.

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has publicly endorsed a letter delivered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth proposing the establishment of a civilian service secretary for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Kristi Noem Backs Pete Hegseth's Proposal for Coast Guard Civilian Secretary

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Leadership Role Meant to Boost Maritime Security Operations

The DHS said Thursday that the Coast Guard operates as both a military branch and a federal law enforcement agency, yet lacks a dedicated civilian official to guide policy and strategic direction. Appointing a service secretary could enhance the Coast Guard’s capacity to execute its collaborative missions with other armed forces branches.

“The Coast Guard is the tip of the spear in the fight to protect our Homeland. Every day, they are taking down drug smugglers, going toe-to-toe with our adversaries in the Arctic and the Pacific, and saving lives,” said Noem, a 2025 Wash100 Award winner.

“Having a Secretary of the Coast Guard will be essential for President Trump’s mandate to rebuild the service into the finest maritime fighting force in the world,” Noem continued.

Hegseth, also a recipient of the 2025 Wash100 Award, emphasized in the letter that the proposed position will enhance the DHS’s “stewardship of the Coast Guard’s multi-mission character and its unique homeland security capabilities.”

“The Department of War believes that the establishment of a Secretary of the Coast Guard can complement and reinforce these strengths while ensuring that, in times of peace or war, the service is postured to support the full spectrum of national security operations,” said Hegseth.

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NOAA NESDIS Publishes Study on AI-Driven Earth Observation Digital Twin Technology
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NOAA logo. NOAA NESDIS has published a study on the AI-driven Earth Observation Digital Twin by Lockheed Martin and NVIDIA.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, or NESDIS, has released a concept study by Lockheed Martin and NVIDIA on the artificial intelligence-driven Earth Observation Digital Twin, or EODT, technology.

NOAA said Thursday the study, conducted by the two companies under a 2022 Joint Ventures Partnership broad agency announcement contract, highlights how EODT can unify data from oceans, land, atmosphere, cryosphere and space weather to support forecasting and impact assessments.

EODT is a digital replica that simulates real-world systems, environments or objects, constantly updated through satellite inputs, machine learning and other data. These virtual copies deliver actionable insights to federal agencies, researchers and industry.

Recommendations for Future EODT Architecture

The study provided NESDIS with recommendations aimed at building an advanced ground enterprise system. These recommendations emphasize standardization and interoperability to enhance collaboration across government and other EODT initiatives.

The suggestions are as follows:

  • Expand digital twin initiatives across NOAA, other federal agencies, academia and industry by aligning data standards.
  • Develop a flexible EODT architecture with data archives, a standardized data file formatter, algorithm processing services, and common and tiled processed file formats.
  • Enhance NOAA-wide data standards for efficient ingestion.
  • Explore the development of a separate digital twin for space weather.
  • Develop multiple digital twins at different scales focused on specific aspects of the Earth system.
  • Utilize Observing System Simulation Experiments to optimize the integration of processes.
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CISA Emergency Directive Warns of Zero-Day Flaws in Cisco ASA, Firepower Devices
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Madhu Gottumukkala, acting director at CISA. Gottumukkala warned against the cyber campaign targeting Cisco products

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has published an emergency directive to warn against attackers targeting vulnerabilities affecting Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances, or ASA, web services.

In the memo issued Thursday, CISA said all federal civilian executive branch departments and agencies must take actions to prevent or respond to compromises.

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“As the lead for federal cybersecurity, CISA is directing federal agencies to take immediate action due to the alarming ease with which a threat actor can exploit these vulnerabilities, maintain persistence on the device, and gain access to a victim’s network,” according to Madhu Gottumukkala, the agency’s acting director. “The same risks apply to any organizations using these devices. We strongly urge all entities to adopt the actions outlined in this Emergency Directive.”

Details of the Cisco ASA Vulnerability

CISA confirmed a widespread campaign targeting Cisco ASA and Firepower devices through zero-day vulnerabilities that allow remote code execution and privilege escalation.

According to Cisco, the campaign is connected to the ArcaneDoor cyberattacks the company first detected and reported in early 2024. ArcaneDoor, the company warned, has demonstrated the capability to modify read-only memory, or ROM, to maintain system access despite multiple reboots and software upgrades.

What Agencies Must Do

CISA is directing government agencies and other organizations impacted to account for all in-scope devices, gather forensic data and assess for possible compromises. Agencies are also advised to disconnect end-of-support devices and upgrade software to their latest versions.

Cisco has already released patches to address the vulnerabilities.

CISA Emergency Directive Warns of Zero-Day Flaws in Cisco ASA, Firepower Devices
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White House OSTP Seeks Public Input on AI Regulatory Barriers
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Office of Science and Technology Policy logo. OSTP is seeking public input on federal rules that may hinder AI innovation.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued a request for information asking stakeholders to identify federal statutes, regulations and agency policies that hinder the development, deployment and adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in the United States.

Responses are due by Oct. 27, 2025, and may be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

Removing Outdated Barriers to AI Adoption

According to OSTP, most federal regulatory regimes were created before modern AI technologies emerged and often rely on assumptions tied to human-operated systems. These frameworks can create barriers to AI adoption by imposing requirements that do not account for adaptive, continuously learning systems, it added.

Key areas of concern include:

  • Decision-making and explainability requirements that assume human actors are always traceable.
  • Liability and accountability rules structured around human decision points.
  • Human oversight mandates requiring prescriptive review or continuous supervision.
  • Data practices that do not reflect the dynamics of AI training and reuse.
  • Testing and certification regimes designed for static, human-delivered services.

Five Categories of AI Barriers

OSTP outlined five categories where existing federal rules may create barriers to artificial intelligence adoption: regulatory mismatches that occur when outdated, human-centered assumptions no longer align with AI capabilities; structural incompatibility arising when legal or procedural frameworks are fundamentally unsuitable for AI systems; lack of regulatory clarity that increases compliance costs and slows innovation; direct hindrance from regulations that explicitly restrict AI use; and organizational factors such as workforce readiness, institutional capacity and cultural barriers within agencies that can limit the pace of AI deployment.

Call for Public Input

The RFI seeks feedback from the private sector, academia, governments and other interested parties on AI-related policy challenges and potential solutions. OSTP noted that responses may reference specific statutes or regulations, propose administrative tools such as exemptions or pilot programs, and suggest forms of regulatory clarity, such as guidance or standards.

The request follows the release of America’s AI Action Plan on July 23, which directed OSTP to gather public input on regulatory obstacles and work with agencies to address them.

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Deltek: Proposal AI Could Help Transform GovCon Proposal Process
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Deltek logo. Deltek’s Nick Schiffler discussed how proposal AI could help GovCon proposal teams respond quickly to RFPs.

Nick Schiffler, marketing manager at Deltek, said proposal artificial intelligence is becoming a key capability for government contracting teams seeking to respond quickly to requests for proposals and improve competitiveness in the federal marketplace.

Streamlining Proposal Development With AI

In a guest post published on SAME’s website, Schiffler wrote that proposal AI tools could help GovCon proposal teams respond to requests for information, complete their capture plans, develop compliance matrices and transform complex solicitations into more manageable parts.

“These tools are built to understand the structure, language, and compliance requirements of federal RFPs, helping teams respond faster and more accurately,” he added.

Leveraging AI Tools to Address GovCon Proposal Challenges

In this piece, the Deltek subject matter expert said proposal AI could enable contractors to strengthen responses to RFPs by eliminating generic language and ensuring the alignment of responses with evaluation criteria.

The technology could also help proposal teams identify compliance gaps. Despite being thorough, he noted that proposal teams could miss critical elements like formatting standards, page limits or mandatory certifications when manually reviewing documents.

According to Schiffler, offerings like Deltek’s GovWin IQ market intelligence platform integrate AI functionality to enable contractors to gain deeper insights and speed up responses to RFPs.

“These tools act as AI solutions for government RFPs, offering features like proposal drafting automation and intelligent RFP management that help teams stay ahead of the curve,” he stated.

A recent Deltek blog stated that additional AI solutions are coming soon to Deltek’s suite of proposal capabilities including compliance matrices – which will automatically extract and organize key solicitation requirements – and a full AI-powered proposal platform.

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