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USPTO Issues RFI for Post-Quantum Crypto Resilience
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USPTO Issues RFI for Post-Quantum Crypto Resilience

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, operating under the Department of Commerce, is seeking industry input for possible approaches to implementing near-term post-quantum cryptography and surveillance measures.

According to a request for information issued on Oct. 3, the USPTO is conducting market research to determine interested companies that can offer PQC readiness methods to prepare for potential real-world risks caused by the impact of quantum computing on encryption and data security.

The RFI, which aligns with zero trust architecture plans and other ongoing efforts, seeks possible PQCR strategies focused on cybersecurity measures to protect enterprise infrastructure and business systems. It is capable of conducting quantum surveillance to detect potential threats, perform remediation to fix vulnerabilities and manage the cybersecurity operations and controls posture.

The cybersecurity framework also integrates custom or native cloud and hosting services that protect sensitive business and personal data of the USPTO and other disciplines, service areas and technologies.

Furthermore, the potential PQCR approach integrates existing practices and preparations for possible threats from future technologies or capabilities.

Day Qu, the day when quantum computing reaches a point that a Qubit processor can break encryption decoding methods in minutes, is being compared to the mythical Y2K bug. However, the Y2K event was a supposedly known date and time while the precise time the Day Qu will occur is unknown.

Interested parties may submit their responses by Nov. 6.

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Inside FEMA: DHS’ Disaster Relief Agency
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Inside FEMA: DHS’ Disaster Relief Agency

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has a broad range of responsibilities guided by 12 key priorities. One of these focus areas is to “ready the nation to respond to and recover from disasters and combat the climate crisis,” and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is a major player in driving this mission forward.

What Is FEMA?

FEMA was established by President Carter in April 1979 and made responsible for both emergency management and civil defense through an Executive Order signed in July of the same year. In 1988, the breadth of FEMA’s responsibilities was widened by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Referred to as the Stafford Act, this legislation put in place the current statutory framework for disaster response and recovery under presidential disaster declarations. FEMA was made an agency of DHS in 2003 following its creation under the 2002 Homeland Security Act.

Today’s FEMA’s mission is to help people “before, during and after disasters.” It has four core values — compassion, integrity, fairness and respect — that guide its emergency response work. Informed by these values is its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, which is built around three main objectives:

  • Instill equity as a foundation of emergency management
  • Lead whole of community in climate resilience
  • Promote and sustain a ready FEMA and prepared nation

Who Leads FEMA?

Inside FEMA: DHS’ Disaster Relief Agency

FEMA is currently led by Administrator Deanne Criswell, who was confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role in April 2021. Criswell is a seasoned government leader, who has spent three decades in various public sector positions. Prior to assuming her current position, she was commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management Department, a role in which she led the city’s COVID-19 response. 

During an earlier stint at FEMA, she headed one of the agency’s National Incident Management Assistant Assistance Teams and served as a federal coordinating officer over a period of nearly six years. Prior to joining FEMA, she spent over two decades in the Colorado Air National Guard.

What Does FEMA Do?

FEMA’s mission covers support for before, during and after disasters. During times of safety, the agency engages with individuals and communities and provides training, education and planning services to ensure they are equipped to respond to any future emergencies. Through its Ready campaign, the agency works to educate the public on ways to stay safe during hurricanes and other types of severe weather, power outages, flooding and more. The Ready website also offers information on how people can plan ahead and build emergency kits at a low cost.

When disaster strikes, FEMA is responsible for coordinating the responses of the federal, state and local governments as well as that of Tribal Nations and U.S. territories. Assistance options are dependent on two classifications: major disaster declarations and emergency declarations. The former covers “any event that has caused damage beyond the combined response capabilities of state and local governments,” while the latter includes “any occasion or instance when federal assistance is needed to supplement emergency services provided by state and local or Indian tribal governments.”

After disasters occur, FEMA collaborates with state, local, tribal and territorial governments as they deliver recovery resources to their communities. To manage these activities, the agency developed the National Disaster Recovery Framework, which includes:

  • Eight principles that inform recovery capability development and support
  • A coordinating structure to drive communication across all stakeholders
  • Roles and responsibilities for coordinators and other stakeholders
  • An overview of the rebuilding process

FEMA’s Budget

FEMA’s budget request for fiscal year 2025 is valued at $33.1 billion, a $2.5 billion increase from FY24. It is divided into five areas with specific funding amounts: 

  • Operations and support: $1.6 billion
  • Procurement, construction and improvements: $110.3 million
  • Federal assistance: $3.5 billion
  • Disaster relief fund: $22.7 billion
  • National Flood Insurance Program: $7.5 billion

What Kind of Disasters Does FEMA cover?

The Stafford Act includes a list of events classified as emergencies, including:

  • Drought and prolonged periods of intense heat
  • Severe storms, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms and more
  • Wildfires
  • Earthquakes
  • Flooding
  • Shoreline erosion
  • High water levels
  • Storm surges

In recent years, the “increase in frequency, severity and complexity” of disasters has demanded more from FEMA than ever before. According to its strategy, the agency aims to address this shift by “incorporating risks posed by future conditions and non-Stafford Act incidents into FEMA’s readiness planning,” which can help determine what capabilities are needed to meet new and emerging challenges.

Find out more about homeland security missions and priorities at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 13. At this edition of the annual event, public and private sector thought leaders will gather to share their insights on the top homeland security challenges the U.S. faces today. Secure your spot at the 2024 Homeland Security Summit to dive into these issues with key executives propelling critical homeland security missions forward.

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DOD Promotes Keith DeVries to Manufacturing Technology Director
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DOD Promotes Keith DeVries to Manufacturing Technology Director

Acquisition professional Keith DeVries has been named the new director of the Department of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology, or ManTech, a unit within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Immediately before his appointment, DeVries served as ManTech’s deputy director who oversaw top-priority defense technology investments and facilitated access to emerging technologies, the DOD said Tuesday.

As ManTech director, he will lead the department’s initiatives on the speedy adoption of innovative manufacturing methods to ensure that the U.S. military continues to be at the forefront of technological advances.

The projects that DeVries previously handled as deputy director include the GAMMA-H initiative, an endeavor geared to encourage nontraditional contractors and small businesses to advance additive manufacturing processes for producing complex parts of hypersonic weapons systems.

Before his assignment as ManTech deputy director, DeVries managed the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Manufacturing Science and Technology Program aimed at advancing the DOD’s modernization priorities and reducing acquisition and sustainment costs of advanced technologies. 

The executive’s previous experience also includes various roles at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s divisions on radar technologies and power and energy. 

A member of the Defense Acquisition Corps, DeVries holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the Michigan Technological University and a master’s degree in business administration from Ball State University.

As ManTech director, he succeeds Tracy Frost, who was appointed in June as the technology industrial innovation base director under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology.

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DOD IG Audits Next-Gen OPIR Software Assurance Activities
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DOD IG Audits Next-Gen OPIR Software Assurance Activities

The Office of Inspector General within the Department of Defense found that the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared program management office failed to ensure a program protection plan was consistently updated to reflect the Next-Gen OPIR contractor’s progress in implementing software assurance.

An IG audit report on the space architecture development also revealed that program management officials have not provided such a plan for milestone decision authority approval since October 2020, the DOD OIG said Tuesday.

The U.S. Space Force is developing Next-Gen OPIR to replace the Space-Based Infrared System missile-warning constellation.

According to a Breaking Defense report, the first of four Next-Gen OPIR satellites is expected to be deployed into geosynchronous orbit in 2026, a year later than the initial launch schedule.

DOD Inspector General Robert Storch said software assurance is critical for the agency to ensure its systems’ integrity, security and reliability, noting that software vulnerabilities “can pose significant risks to mission success and national security.”

“By implementing thorough software assurance practices, the DoD can reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks, system failures, and compromised data, ultimately protecting critical assets, enhancing operational effectiveness, and safeguarding military missions,” he explained.

To resolve the identified issues, the IG recommended that the Next-Gen OPIR program manager ensure regular updates to the program protection plan to accurately reflect the program management office and contractor’s progress in implementing software assurance activities. 

It also recommended that the under secretary of defense for research and engineering revise DOD guidance to include a process for identifying risks associated with software assurance activities and tracking the acceptance of any risk left unmitigated.

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Telos Opens 12 New Sites for TSA PreCheck Enrollment Centers
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Telos Opens 12 New Sites for TSA PreCheck Enrollment Centers

Telos Corporation has opened 12 new sites for the Transportation Security Administration PreCheck program, which allows enrolled travelers expedited screening through airport security.

The new enrollment centers in California, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and West Virginia started offering enrollment services on Monday, the company said.

The new centers highlight ongoing efforts by Telos to expand its national TSA PreCheck enrollment footprint. To date, the company operates 137 enrollment sites in 28 states across the United States.

Telos noted that the expansion program will continue to support its objective of providing consumers with increased convenience by establishing additional locations and operating at extended hours.

“Telos is proud to bring TSA PreCheck to your neighborhood for an easy, convenient enrollment experience,” Telos CEO and Chairman John Wood said.

Enrolled TSA PreCheck travelers can get through the airport security checkpoint in less than 10 minutes and without removing their shoes, belts and light jackets.

POC - 2024 Homeland Security Summit

On Nov. 13, join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit to learn more about the country’s most significant threats and what’s being done to address them. Register now to attend!

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NASA Requests Proposals for Lunar Logistics, Mobility Enhancement
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NASA Requests Proposals for Lunar Logistics, Mobility Enhancement

NASA has issued a request for proposal for technologies meant to help with future Artemis missions’ lunar logistics and mobility.

The agency said Tuesday the RFP, published in September, intends to address the possible issues in landing and moving cargo on the lunar surface identified in two white papers the agency previously published as part of its Moon to Mars objectives.

The Lunar Logistics Drivers, Needs white paper focused on the accurate prediction of logistics resupply needs involving items such as food, water, air and spare parts. The design of future lunar missions will depend on these logistics items since they will take up a large part of the cargo.

The Lunar Mobility Drivers, Needs white paper, meanwhile, tackles the transportation of cargo and exploration assets from the landing site to other locations on the surface of the moon.

NASA’s planned lunar terrain vehicle and pressurized rover can theoretically carry around 1,760 pounds of cargo and will be mainly used by astronauts to move around the moon’s surface. The agency is seeking proposals that will enable the transportation of 4,400 to 13,000 pounds of cargo.

According to the Lunar Surface Cargo white paper, existing cargo delivery capabilities like the commercial lunar payload services and human-class delivery landers will meet near-term needs. However, they are not designed for future missions with larger cargo.

NASA is soliciting proposals providing a comprehensive assessment of logistics with the possible inclusion of different transportation systems.

Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator for strategy and architecture stressed that the agency collaborates with various partners to develop its exploration architecture.

“Studies like this allow the agency to leverage the incredible expertise in the commercial aerospace community,” Merancy said.

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DHS Taps Startups to Develop Synthetic Data Generation Systems
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DHS Taps Startups to Develop Synthetic Data Generation Systems

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has selected four startups to develop synthetic data generation capabilities for protecting privacy and mitigating security threats.

Betterdata, DataCebo, MOSTLY AI and Rockfish Data are expected to deliver synthetic data capabilities that replicate real data’s shape and patterns, DHS said Tuesday.

According to Melissa Oh, managing director of S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program, the selected startups can provide agile and creative approaches to help the government address complex challenges like data privacy and security.

DHS awarded the contracts following the release of SVIP’s solicitation in collaboration with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the DHS Privacy Office.

The request for proposals seeks to acquire synthetic data generation capabilities that would enable DHS to train machine learning models in scenarios where real data is either unavailable or poses security risks.

Commenting on the effort’s progress, CISA Associate Chief of Strategic Technology Garfield Jones said investing in privacy-enhancing technologies and collaborating with industry partners will advance the overall privacy ecosystem and its stakeholders.

The selected awardees could potentially access up to $1.7 million in funding across the four stages of the SVIP project.

POC - 2024 Homeland Security Summit

On Nov. 13, join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Homeland Security Summit to learn more about the most significant threats against the United States and the measures being implemented to address them. Register now to attend this important event!

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NIST Issues RFI for USG NSSCET Implementation
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NIST Issues RFI for USG NSSCET Implementation

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, under the Department of Commerce, is seeking information to support the implementation of the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology, an initiative launched in May 2023 to enhance existing private sector-led activities and plans focused on critical and emerging technology—or CET—by adhering to standards of transparency, impartiality, consensus and coherence.

According to a request for information issued on Tuesday, NIST is calling for feedback to enhance the education and empowerment of the standards workforce and decision-makers within the business and technology sectors.

NIST is also gathering information regarding existing awards and recognition programs that can help encourage standards participation and leadership in CET areas.

In addition, the notice seeks to maintain open communication within the U.S. CET and standards communities about the USG NSSCET Implementation Roadmap.

Interested parties have until Dec. 9 to send in their comments.

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HBCUs & MIs Receive $50M in DOD Grants for Research Equipment
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HBCUs & MIs Receive $50M in DOD Grants for Research Equipment

The Department of Defense has selected 98 historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions to receive a total of $50.1 million in grants for the purchase of research and scientific equipment.

The DOD said Monday researchers from 21 HBCUs and 49 MIs, including one tribal college, across 26 states and the District of Colombia will benefit from grants worth up to $800,000 each.

The initiative is part of the DOD HBCU/MI Research and Education Program, which aims to boost transformative research in crucial defense technology areas.

The competition, managed by the Army Research Office with input from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, received 152 proposals totaling $82 million. The ARO, alongside the Office of Naval Research and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, evaluated the proposals and selected the 98 awardees.

Evelyn Kent, director of the DOD HBCU/MI Program and Outreach, said, “Equipping universities with relevant instrumentation and other equipment is imperative for advancing novel research aligned with defense science and technology priorities while fostering innovation at the institutions. These awards help enrich the curricula offered to scholars pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees and support the training of the next-generation workforce.”

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DOD Cloud Financial Operations Strategy Made Publicly Available
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DOD Cloud Financial Operations Strategy Made Publicly Available

The Department of Defense has made its Cloud Financial Operations Strategy publicly available.

The purpose of the DOD Cloud FinOps strategy is to provide the agency a framework to better manage and optimize cloud costs to, in turn, improve architectural, budgetary and investment decision-making, Leslie Beavers, acting DOD chief information officer and 2024 Wash100 Award winner, said in a memorandum.

“It establishes a way ahead that will allow the Department to be a better user and buyer of cloud services,” Beavers added.

The strategy says that the DOD needs to improve its acquisition of cloud services, because cloud adoption is a fundamental component of modernization, and modernization is made necessary by the increasing digitalization of warfare.

Improving acquisition is also necessary because of rising cloud costs and tightening military budgets.

To help with this effort, the strategy “describes a desired outcome, provides a DoD-tailored FinOps framework, and identifies strategic imperatives and associated actions to enable an enterprise understanding of cloud cost and impact.”

Its implementation will be overseen by the Enterprise Cloud Management Board.

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