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James Geurts: SOCOM Acquisition Officials Should Promote Innovation, ‘Own Change’
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James Geurts: SOCOM Acquisition Officials Should Promote Innovation, ‘Own Change’


James Geurts
James Geurts

James Geurts, U.S. Special Operations Command acquisition chief, has said acquisition officials at SOCOM should be more adaptable to change and promote innovation in order to respond to the needs of a “globally deployed” Special Operations Force, Defense News reported Wednesday.

“I don’t want to be surprised by change, I want to own change,” Geurts said at the Atlantic Council’s Defense-Industrial Policy Series.

Andrew Clevenger writes Geurts urged acquisition executives at SOCOM to develop business models that can quickly adapt and meet the future requirements of forces months ahead of their deployment.

Geurts also cited the need for SOCOM to hire innovators who could help address the challenges the command currently faces.

He said he believes the “crisis” of acquisition falls on the ability to attract talent.

 

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Loretta Lynch: DOJ to Initially Hire Contractors for FBI’s Gun Buyer Background Check System
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Loretta Lynch: DOJ to Initially Hire Contractors for FBI’s Gun Buyer Background Check System


Loretta Lynch
Loretta Lynch

Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said the Justice Department will initially employ contractors to immediately fill positions at the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System that works to conduct background investigations on gun purchasers, GovExec reported Wednesday.

“Because we need to move as quickly as possible, we will likely hire on a contractor basis first because that is quicker,” Lynch said at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday.

Eric Katz writes DOJ’s move is in response to President Barack Obama’s recent executive policies on gun control.

According to the executive policy, the FBI will equip its NICS section with 230 additional analysts and other personnel.

Lynch also said at the hearing that the FBI will seek a budget increase of $35 million for fiscal year 2017 to further support its recruitment efforts and expand the operating hours of NICS, according to the report.

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ACT-IAC Issues Report on National Cyber Ideation Effort; Kenneth Allen Comments
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ACT-IAC Issues Report on National Cyber Ideation Effort; Kenneth Allen Comments


CyberStockThe American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council has released the findings of its recent effort to gather feedback from industry, government and academia on how to build up the nation’s cyber posture.

That national ideation initiative received more than 120 submissions that address key topics such as cybersecurity fundamentals, business-initiated vulnerabilities, response, proactive defense, threat data sharing, cyber talent, risk management and acquisition security, ACT-IAC said Wednesday.

Kenneth Allen, ACT-IAC executive director, said the ACT-IAC hopes “that the federal chief information officer and Federal CIO Council find the report and the ideas it contains useful in framing sound cybersecurity policies and processes for the government.”

The ideation initiative followed a consultation with senior government officials regarding the types of recommendations to choose.

ACT-IAC conducted an open public platform in August and September 2015 to help individuals submit and vote on ideas.

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James Syring: MDA Eyes Kill Vehicle Test in 2018, Seeks Anti-Missile Drone Tech
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James Syring: MDA Eyes Kill Vehicle Test in 2018, Seeks Anti-Missile Drone Tech


James Syring
James Syring

Navy Vice Adm. James Syring, director of the Missile Defense Agency, has said MDA aims to begin flight tests of its modified kill vehicle in 2018 and field the platform by 2019, Space News reported Wednesday.

Mike Gruss writes the Redesigned Kill Vehicle program will serve as a technical bridge for the development of the agency’s future Multi-Object Kill Vehicle and use ideas from three contractors.

“If you can put more kill vehicles on an interceptor, the better chance you have of reducing the number of shots you need to defeat the threat,” Syring told his audience at a Center for Strategic and International Studies-hosted forum Tuesday.

MDA awarded Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon contracts worth a combined $29.3 million in August last year to develop MOKV prototypes.

Syring also noted at the CSIS event that MDA has also launched a three-year effort to mature airborne laser technology for integration into a high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle, Defense One’s Marcus Weisgerber reports.

Weisgerber writes the laser-equipped drone will be designed to soar at least 65,000 feet and intercept ballistic missile threats.

US Army Looks to DISA for ERP Migration Aid; Alfred Rivera Comments
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US Army Looks to DISA for ERP Migration Aid; Alfred Rivera Comments


ContractSigningThe U.S. Army has enlisted the help of the Defense Information Systems Agency for the service branch’s effort to migrate to new enterprise resource planning programs as part of a potential $846 million contract, C4ISR & Networks reported Tuesday.

Amber Corrin writes the Army wants to transition the general fund enterprise business system, Army enterprise systems integration program, logistics modernization program, Global Combat Support System-Army and the Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army to the Defense Enterprise Computing Center.

The Army awarded the potential five-year ERP services contract in January to 10 small businesses.

Alfred Rivera, director of DISA’s development and business center, told the publication he intends to “build a center of excellence with a core set of engineers and process folks, along with our implementation guys, that can work directly with mission partners to holistically pull these systems together into the data centers.”

“We see a big opportunity for the services to get some savings behind that, and hopefully they’ll take advantage of that as we build this ecosystem for ERPs,” Rivera told C4ISR & Networks.

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FAS: New Defense Dept Directive Aims to Address Climate Change Effects on Military
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FAS: New Defense Dept Directive Aims to Address Climate Change Effects on Military

DoD logo resizeThe Defense Department has released a new directive intended to help mitigate the impact of climate change on the U.S. military, the Federation of American Scientists reported Tuesday.

Steven Aftergood writes the directive calls for coordination between the defense undersecretary for intelligence and the director of national intelligence on the risks and effects of altered operating environments on defense intelligence programs.

“DoD must be able to adapt current and future operations to address the impacts of climate change in order to maintain an effective and efficient U.S. military,” according to the directive.

FAS says DoD noted in a 2015 report to Congress that the agency has observed “the impacts of climate change in shocks and stressors to vulnerable nations and communities, including in the United States, and in the Arctic, Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America.”

The report predicted increased environmental degradation, poverty, social tensions, ineffectual leadership and regional stability issues in a number of countries due to climate change.

DOE Picks X-energy, Southern Company for Nuclear Reactor R&D Projects; Ernest Moniz Comments
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DOE Picks X-energy, Southern Company for Nuclear Reactor R&D Projects; Ernest Moniz Comments


Ernest Moniz
Ernest Moniz

The Energy Department has awarded research and development funds to Southern Company and X-energy to further develop their nuclear reactor projects as part of the government’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

DOE said Friday both awards have a cost-share value of up to $80 million and seek to exemplify public-private partnerships under the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear program.

“In order to ensure that nuclear energy remains a key source for U.S. electricity generation well into the future, it is critically important that we invest in these technologies today,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

X-energy will develop its Xe-100 Pebble Bed Advanced Reactor concept with Teledyne-Brown Engineering, SGL Group, BWX Technology, Oregon State University, Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Southern Company Services, a Southern Company subsidiary, will conduct materials suitability and integrated effects tests on its Molten Chloride Fast Reactor with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Electric Power Research Institute, TerraPower and Vanderbilt University.

Both firms will each receive $6 million in initial investment from DOE to help fund their projects.

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GAO: Collaboration Between GSA, DHS’ Federal Protective Service Key to Facility Protection
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GAO: Collaboration Between GSA, DHS’ Federal Protective Service Key to Facility Protection


GAOThe Government Accountability Office has called on the General Services Administration and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service to improve collaboration in order to safeguard federal facilities from security risks.

GAO made the recommendation after it found that lack of awareness among regional officials at both agencies on collaborative practices and policies to carry out daily operations resulted in security risks and inefficiencies at federal buildings, the congressional audit agency said in a report released Friday.

GSA and FPS should define common outcomes with regard to facility protection and reach an agreement on a draft joint strategy document, according to the report.

GAO also urged both agencies to improve communication and agree on their responsibilities and roles when it comes to the security of GSA-leased facilities.

FPS and GSA should work to track, assess and report on efforts to protect federal facilities and bolster accountability for collaboration through the development of strategic plans, the report said.

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CBO: Cyber Bill’s Information System Updates Requirement Would Cost ‘Hundreds of Millions’ Over 5 Years
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CBO: Cyber Bill’s Information System Updates Requirement Would Cost ‘Hundreds of Millions’ Over 5 Years


cybersecurityA Congressional Budget Office report says a requirement to replace or update information systems within a year under the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 would cost the government “hundreds of millions of dollars” over a five-year period ending in 2020.

CBO also estimates that there would be significant costs associated with the need to remove a federal agency’s ability to secure a waiver on some of the requirements of the Senate bill, the agency said Friday.

Under the legislation, the Department of Homeland Security would be required to deploy systems that work to detect and prevent cyber threats in government networks and other digital infrastructures.

The bill would also direct agencies to implement the tools, data encryption and other capabilities within one year in order to safeguard their information systems from potential cyber attacks.

“[The bill] would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2026,” CBO also noted.

Energy Dept Awards $11M to 7 Power Grid Efficiency Research Projects
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Energy Dept Awards $11M to 7 Power Grid Efficiency Research Projects


transmission tower against the sun during sunsetThe Energy Department has chosen seven project teams to receive a combined $11 million in federal funds to build simulation models and data hubs that can help DOE manage efficiency of the U.S. power grid system.

DOE said Friday the projects aim to address limitations of current algorithms for power transmission and distribution through the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy‘s Generating Realistic Information for the Development of Distribution and Transmission Algorithms initiative.

“Developing new power system models will help to move our nation towards a more reliable, safe and secure grid of the future,” said Ellen Williams, ARPA-E director.

Five awardees under the GRID DATA program will focus on creating simulation tools in order to facilitate development and assessment of electric system modernization and control algorithms.

They will also collaborate with utilities or independent system operators to formulate open-access power system models, DOE noted.

The two remaining teams aim to build publicly available interactive repositories for power system models.

Click here to view the department’s full list of GRID DATA awardees and their projects.

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