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Oshkosh Defense Books Army Order for Medium Equipment Trailers
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Oshkosh Defense Books Army Order for Medium Equipment Trailers

Oshkosh Defense will deliver Medium Equipment Trailers, or METs, to the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal under a recent $27.3 million order from ACC-DTA.

The Oshkosh business said Monday it will partner with Broshuis B.V. to fulfill the order of 57 six-axle drop deck trailers, which are designed for carrying, securing and transporting Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles, Paladin and Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles.

The 70-foot-long trailer, when paired with the Oshkosh Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter System M1300 tractor, is capable of loading combat vehicles weighing up to 60 tons while meeting the European Highway Road Network Accessibility’s requirements for payloads up to 45 tons.

Commenting on the award, Pat Williams, Chief Programs Officer for Oshkosh Defense, said, “We are honored to provide the U.S. Army with advanced trailer systems designed to deliver mission-critical equipment and cargo across any terrain worldwide.”

In November 2023, ACC-DTA awarded a five-year, $342 million contract to Oshkosh Defense to manufacture the METs. Approximately 557 trailers are expected to be ordered under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

“The MET stands as a testament to Oshkosh Defense’s unwavering commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technology to deliver solutions that effectively address the complex logistical challenges faced by the U.S. Army and its international allies,” added Williams.

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Kimberly Jackson to Step Down as VA Chief of Staff
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Kimberly Jackson to Step Down as VA Chief of Staff

Kimberly Jackson will step down from her role as chief of staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs in July, Military Times reported Friday.

In a statement announcing her move, Jackson said she will leave VA to spend more time with her family. She will continue to serve as the department’s chief of staff through July 13.

Jackson assumed the chief of staff role at VA in October 2023, serving as a senior adviser to the department’s secretary and deputy secretary on delivering care and benefits to veterans.

Before her stint at the VA, she was deputy assistant secretary of defense for force readiness at the Department of Defense.

Her career at DOD included time as a planner in three special operations commands, special assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation directorate and key positions related to security assistance policy within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Jackson allso served as an international and defense researcher at RAND and spent eight years as a naval reserve officer.

GAO Calls on Energy Department to Update Guidance for Contractor Diversity Plans
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GAO Calls on Energy Department to Update Guidance for Contractor Diversity Plans

The Department of Energy should update its guidance for providers of management and operation — or M&O — services to ensure that the contractors’ diversity plans include leading diversity management practices, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

GAO said in the report released Friday that the DOE’s diversity management guidance should make sure that, when developing their diversity plans, M&O contractors factor in diversity training requirements as well as succession planning with a focus on diversity.

Contractors should also work to involve their employees when formulating such plans.

GAO said the Energy Department agreed with all their recommendations.

The report is the result of a review the GAO conducted on the National Nuclear Security Administration’s report regarding contractor employee workforce diversity. The latter report, submitted in May 2023, was mandated by the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, as was the subsequent GAO review.

The GAO report is also based on DOE and contractor documents as well as interviews with various contractor and government officials.

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REI Systems Receives VA Contract for Grant Management Service; Wagish Bhartiya Quoted
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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.

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CISA Report Offers Recommendations to Help SMBs Advance Single Sign-On Adoption
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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.

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

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Geological Survey Taps Woolpert to Collect Aerial Lidar Data for 3D Elevation Program
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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
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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.

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USPTO Names Farheena Rasheed as Deputy General Counsel, Solicitor
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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
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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.”

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