/
REI Systems Receives VA Contract for Grant Management Service; Wagish Bhartiya Quoted
Published on
REI Systems Receives VA Contract for Grant Management Service; Wagish Bhartiya Quoted

REI Systems has been awarded a $6 million contract by the Department of Veterans Affairs for its GovGrants management support and hosting services.

The company will provide grants technology at the enterprise level to four of the VA’s National Program Offices: Supportive Services for Veterans Families, Grant and Per Diem, Suicide Prevention and Legal Services for Veterans. Each program distributes over $1 billion in grants a year, the Sterling, Virginia-based company said Monday.

Wagish Bhartiya, chief growth officer at REI Systems, said the company is dedicated to leading the industry in grants management innovation.

“At the heart of our mindful modernization approach is blending leading technology with human-centered design principles,” Bhartiya commented. “We are grateful for this relationship with the VA and look forward to a long-term partnership helping to serve those who served this country.”

REI Systems was chosen as a partner using the Grants Quality Service Management Office. The Grants QSMO’s catalog of market research showed that REI Systems’ products are well-made and can be relied upon by the federal government.

“This latest contract award is a testament to the growing trust we are building with our valued government customers across domains and mission areas,” emphasized Bhartiya.

The VA is the fourth federal agency that has deemed GovGrants as its grant management program of choice. The Inter-American Foundation, the Library of Congress and the Northern Border Regional Commission also selected GovGrants as part of the QSMO marketplace.

/
CISA Report Offers Recommendations to Help SMBs Advance Single Sign-On Adoption
Published on
CISA Report Offers Recommendations to Help SMBs Advance Single Sign-On Adoption

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday released a report offering recommendations for small and medium-sized businesses, or SMBs, to facilitate single sign-on, or SSO, adoption.

The CISA report states that SSO is a user authentication and access control system that allows users to access various tools, applications and systems using one set of credentials. It helps streamline identity management and reduce password duplication.

According to the report, SMBs should analyze the applications, security requirements and other needs of their organizations, compare the features and compatibility of different SSO platforms, assess how those SSO tools integrate with existing applications and infrastructure and conduct a pilot project to mitigate risks and test the effectiveness of the SSO platform.

CISA called on the businesses to train their staff and provide guidelines for password management and security practices and continuously monitor the SSO tool to strengthen the overall security posture.

The agency recommends that vendors collect customer requirements and offer tailored platforms that meet their needs, provide a more flexible schedule of seat thresholds or requirements and provide needed support and training for SMBs.

The report also tackles the advantages of SSO adoption and challenges to SSO adoption faced by SMBs.

//
CDAO Issues RFI on Generative AI Test & Evaluation, Assurance Innovations
Published on
CDAO Issues RFI on Generative AI Test & Evaluation, Assurance Innovations

The Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office is seeking input from subject matter experts regarding current capability gaps in generative artificial intelligence and in the testing, evaluation and assurance of foundation models as well as innovations that can work to address them.

The CDAO said it will use the input to inform future investment directions and requirements, according to a request for information posted Thursday on Tradewinds AI.

Interested parties have until July 13 to respond.

The CDAO heads the Generative AI and Large Language Model Task Force at the Department of Defense. The office’s assessment and assurance division handles AI/ML application T&E and assurance at the agency.

/
Geological Survey Taps Woolpert to Collect Aerial Lidar Data for 3D Elevation Program
Published on
Geological Survey Taps Woolpert to Collect Aerial Lidar Data for 3D Elevation Program

Woolpert will collect Quality Level 1 lidar data and perform ground control survey across Southern California under a $6.8 million task order from the U.S. Geological Survey.

The company said Wednesday the acquired aerial lidar data will support the 3D Elevation Program and contribute to the update and improvement of the National Map.

Known as 3DEP, the USGS National Geospatial Program-spearheaded initiative will provide the first baseline of high-resolution topographic elevation data that local, state and national agencies could use in their decision-making activities regarding security, environment and infrastructure. The data will also be added to the National Map.

Woolpert’s data collection effort will span Inyo County and parts of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley National Park. It will use a Leica TerrainMapper to collect 23,007 square miles of QL1 data at 8 points per square meter.

John Gerhard, vice president and program director at Woolpert, shared that the company has been supporting 3DEP since its launch.

“Critical decisions that depend on accurate and available elevation data are being made every day, and we are incredibly proud to continue our support for the U.S. Geological Survey and its commitment to completing the nation’s first-ever baseline of consistent high-resolution elevation data,” he added.

Data is anticipated by fall 2024.

According to Gerhard, Woolpert’s aerial lidar data collection effort will also support the 3D Hydrography Program, which seeks to remap the U.S. hydrography since the original USGS 1:24,000-scale topographic mapping program.

Agencies Release Updated Climate Adaptation Plans for 2024 to 2027
Published on
Agencies Release Updated Climate Adaptation Plans for 2024 to 2027

More than 20 federal agencies have released their updated climate adaptation plans for 2024 to 2027 that expand the Biden administration’s efforts to ensure that federal facilities and operations are increasingly resilient to climate change impacts.

The agencies coordinated with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Management and Budget to integrate climate risk across their operations, mission and asset management, the White House said Thursday.

Key efforts include retrofitting and upgrading federal buildings to reduce climate risks to infrastructure, establishing protocols to ensure continuity of operations and protect employees, developing climate-resilient supply chains, and applying climate data and tools to better understand climate risks and inform decisions and investments.

The updated climate adaptation plans support the implementation of the National Climate Resilience Framework, which guides and aligns climate resilience investments and activities across the federal government and the private sector.

The agencies releasing their updated plans include the departments of Defense, Commerce, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Education, Energy, Justice, Labor and Veterans Affairs.

/
USPTO Names Farheena Rasheed as Deputy General Counsel, Solicitor
Published on
USPTO Names Farheena Rasheed as Deputy General Counsel, Solicitor

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has appointed Farheena Rasheed, most recently acting solicitor at USPTO, as deputy general counsel for intellectual property law and solicitor.

In this capacity, Rasheed will serve as the agency’s chief litigator and as a senior counselor to Kathi Vidal, undersecretary of Commerce for intellectual property and USPTO director, to help develop, assess and implement new rules, policies and guidelines, USPTO said Thursday.

Vidal said she is excited to work with Rasheed to establish the legal strategy for the agency.

“As we lean in more heavily to shape U.S. law, and the interpretation of that law, in a way that advances U.S. innovation – especially in key technology areas such as artificial intelligence – Farheena’s proven leadership, deep knowledge of intellectual property law, and policy chops will help lead the Solicitor’s office to shaping and advancing our mission,” Vidal stated.

Rasheed started her career within the USPTO Solicitors Office in 2010, serving as an associate solicitor for patent litigation. She held roles of increasing responsibility, including senior legal counsel for patent litigation and deputy solicitor.

She previously served as a clerk to former Judge Marvin Garbis on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland and former Judge Arthur Gajarsa on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

She spent five years at law firm White & Case, where she focused on patent litigation.

NSF to Fund Construction of Quantum Device Fabrication Facility at University of Colorado Boulder
Published on
NSF to Fund Construction of Quantum Device Fabrication Facility at University of Colorado Boulder

The National Science Foundation is investing nearly $20 million for the construction of the National Quantum Nanofab at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Funded by the Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure 1 program, the NQN is a nanoscale fabrication facility that will house advanced instrumentation providing quantum device fabrication, characterization and packaging capabilities, the NSF said Thursday.

The facility will also serve as an educational hub and house workforce development initiatives.

NQN will be accessible to users from government, industry and academia, including students.

Commenting on the investment, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan underscored the need of U.S. researchers for “cutting-edge tools,” adding, “By strategically investing in infrastructure like NSF’s National Quantum Nanofab, we are strengthening opportunities for all Americans and positioning the U.S. as a global leader in quantum science and technology.”

/
Oracle’s Sean O’Donnell Reflects on Core Values & Challenges for Government Contractors
Published on
Oracle’s Sean O’Donnell Reflects on Core Values & Challenges for Government Contractors

Sean O’Donnell began his career in the U.S. Air Force, which laid a foundation for his move into the government contracting field. He now serves as senior cloud account executive at Oracle, and before joining the company, he held roles at VMware, Booz Allen Hamilton and Boeing.

O’Donnell recently participated in an interview with the Potomac Officers Club, in which he discussed his most valued leadership traits and shared his insights on innovation challenges that are often overlooked.

In this excerpt from the interview, O’Donnell offers a glimpse into his leadership style:

“I have a very open, candid personality and love being on winning teams – which don’t happen overnight and are not the result of a singular person. I am by no means an expert in everything, so I don’t try to get in the weeds and micro-manage everything. If I don’t understand something, I ask questions until I feel comfortable with the answers. I’d much rather get the experts together, provide the general direction for where we should go and allow broad leeway to get to the desired goal. If we need to course correct during the process, we can, but being a leader is about trusting your team and giving them the tools to be successful and accomplish the task at hand.”

To learn more about O’Donnell’s team-building strategy, read the full Executive Spotlight interview on the Potomac Officers website.

Do you want to participate in your own Executive Spotlight interview? This exciting opportunity to build your brand is available exclusively for Potomac Officers Club members. To browse our membership options and discover which package is right for you, click here.

DCSA Urged to Complete Implementation of DOD’s Planning Steps for Cybersecurity Risk Management
Published on
DCSA Urged to Complete Implementation of DOD’s Planning Steps for Cybersecurity Risk Management

The Government Accountability Office has revealed in a new report that the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, which conducts background investigation operations for federal agencies, has not fully addressed the Department of Defense’s planning steps for cybersecurity risk management.

GAO said Thursday DCSA uses a combination of legacy information technology systems from the Office of Personnel Management and the new National Background Investigation Services systems, but it has not fully implemented privacy controls for the IT systems.

DCSA fully addressed 11 of the 16 tasks required to prepare the organization and its systems as part of DOD’s risk management framework. It partially addressed two and did not address three of the required tasks in this step.

GAO also found that while the agency has selected baseline security controls for its six systems categorized as high-impact risks, it used an outdated version of applicable guidance from the National Institute for Standards and Technology as the source for the control selections.

The government watchdog has outlined a set of recommendations for DCSA, including fully implementing risk management planning steps and selecting appropriate security controls using the updated NIST guidance.

//
Jude Sunderbruch Retires as Executive Director of DOD’s Cyber Crime Center
Published on
Jude Sunderbruch Retires as Executive Director of DOD’s Cyber Crime Center

Jude Sunderbruch has stepped down from his role as executive director of the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, or DC3, and retired from the Senior Executive Service and Air Force Reserve.

Sunderbruch has led DC3 in providing integrated services and capabilities — including digital and multimedia forensics, vulnerability disclosure and cyber training — to DOD components and the defense industrial base.

He joined the Air Force in 1994 and served as an active-duty Air Force Office of Special Investigations, or AFOSI, special agent from 1994 to 2001.

His government career includes roles such as executive director of the AFOSI, counterintelligence coordinating authority for U.S. European Command and special adviser to the assistant director of the cyber division at the FBI.

DC3 Deputy Director Joshua Black will lead the center on an interim basis.

1 … 252 253 254 255 256 … 2,602