Gen. James Rainey Outlines Army’s Transformation Time Frames to Achieve Flexibility
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Gen. James Rainey Outlines Army’s Transformation Time Frames to Achieve Flexibility

Gen. James Rainey, commanding general of Army Futures Command, said the U.S. Army is pursuing technology transformation and innovation in three different periods to ensure flexibility in adapting to the ever-evolving warfighting environment.

Speaking at the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium, Rainey said the service branch’s transformation efforts are divided into three terms: 18 to 24 months, two to seven years, and seven to 15 years.

During the first period, the Army will deploy new capabilities to warfighters for testing and analysis and gathering real-world feedback to inform future adjustments.

Technologies in this area include ground-based rockets, land-based missiles, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, robotics and human-machine integrated formations.

The two-to-seven-year period, also known as deliberate transformation, focuses on the Army’s work on the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, improving indirect fire weapons, extending the range of cannon artillery and enhancing its network capabilities.

The last period zeroes in on concept-driven transformation, enabling the service branch to develop new capabilities, sustain capabilities and build endurance and resilience.

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DOD’s Randy Resnick & SAIC’s Vincent DiFronzo Receive GovCon’s Most Coveted Laurel—the Wash100 Award
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DOD’s Randy Resnick & SAIC’s Vincent DiFronzo Receive GovCon’s Most Coveted Laurel—the Wash100 Award

Executive Mosaic publications today singled out the achievements of the Department of Defense’s Randy Resnick and SAIC’s Vincent DiFronzo in light of their 2024 Wash100 Award wins.

Wash100 Award winners are the MVPs of government contracting — these accomplished executives hail from both industry and government but can always be found helping to steer the massive ship that encompasses this market. Recipients include C-suite executives, military generals, technologists and more who evince exemplary leadership, innovation, vision and reliability.

After EM picks and publishes the year’s winners, a popular vote contest is held until the end of April to determine the audience favorite from this year’s crop of awardees. If you haven’t yet cast votes for your favorites, do so now at Wash100.com!

Resnick is a first-time winner who netted the award due to his institution-rousing cybersecurity efforts, with a particular focus on zero trust (he serves as director of the Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office at the Pentagon). Wash100 founder Jim Garrettson said Resnick “is a strong leader with deep cyber expertise, and he’s been instrumental in architecting and shaping zero trust within the department. And, as a speaker at previous Potomac Officers Club events, Randy has proven to be a willing participant in connecting with the GovCon community and speaking directly to industry executives to advance DOD missions.” Read Resnick’s full GovCon Wire profile here.

DiFronzo is also making his Wash100 debut this year and caught the attention of the voting body for his warfighter technology support as the executive vice president of the Air Force, combatant commands and DOD agency business unit, a position he earned as part of SAIC’s new CEO’s reorganization strategy last year. DiFronzo is additionally a powerhouse in the realm of workforce: he leads Executive Mosaic’s 4×24 DOD Group, a premier networking organization, and has championed paths to veteran employment. Peruse the exec’s impressive career in his ExecutiveBiz profile here.

Congratulations to Resnick and DiFronzo on their 2024 Wash100 induction!

Federal Salary Cap, Pay Scale, & Locality Rates Explained
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Federal Salary Cap, Pay Scale, & Locality Rates Explained

The federal salary cap is the maximum compensation that federal employees can earn based on the General Schedule (GS) payscale. It changes depending on the locality area and increases each fiscal year.

 

Discover the pay cap for federal employees, including pay scales and locality rate adjustments for the fiscal year 2024.

 

What is the Federal Salary Cap?

 

The federal salary cap is the ceiling that government employees can receive each year. It is determined by statutory regulations, budgetary programs, and government policies. It also depends on factors such as:

 

  • Executive Schedule
  • Base pay
  • Locality pay
  • Special salary rates.

 

Salary Cap for Federal Employees

 

The federal employee pay cap differs from year to year. In fiscal year 2024, the wage ceiling, inclusive of basic pay and locality pay, for most federal personnel is set at $191,900. Conversely, federal pay in 2023 peaked at $183,500.

 

Here’s an overview of GS employees’ salary cap from 2020 to 2024:

 

Salary Cap for Federal Employees

 

GS Federal Pay Scale For 2024

 

The General Schedule (GS) is the primary pay framework of the federal workforce. It consists of 15 grades, each with 10 steps to determine the base pay for different positions. The base pay is then adjusted according to the locality adjustment rate set by the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) pay locality.

 

Federal employees receive periodic increases or within-grade increases (WGI) when they transition from one step to the next within their assigned grade. WGIs depend on the performance and tenure of the employee in their current step.

 

Specific waiting periods also apply.

 

  • 1 year for Steps 1-3
  • 2 years for Steps 4-6
  • 3 years for Steps 7-9.

 

Below is the GS pay scale in 2024, which took effect on January 1, 2024.

 

GS Federal Pay Scale For 2024

 

GS Locality Rate Adjustments in 2024

 

On top of the base pay, government employees may receive a locality pay adjustment. These adjustments vary based on the cost of living in specific local areas.

 

For example, as outlined in the Executive Order issued in December 2023, GS employees are set to receive a 4.7% increase in base pay, accompanied by a 0.5% hike in locality pay. This results in an average pay raise of 5.2% in fiscal year 2024.

 

Certain locality areas have high costs of living because of strong economic growth. As a result, federal employees working in these regions receive higher locality pay adjustments to match the living expenses.

 

Notably, the top five locality areas with the highest percentage pay raise include:

 

  • Seattle-Tacoma, WA (5.7%)
  • San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA (5.62%)
  • New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA (5.53%)
  • Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY (5.46%)
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (5.44%)

 

In contrast, government employees in areas with more affordable cost of living receive lower pay adjustments. Among the bottom five locality areas with the lowest percentage pay raise are:

 

  • Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD (5.28%)
  • Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX (4.97%)
  • Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL (4.97%)
  • Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL (4.94%)
  • Houston-The Woodlands, TX (4.89%)

 

Below is the comprehensive list of GS locality areas, their respective adjustment rates, and the highest pay increase for each area.

 

GS Locality Rate Adjustments in 2024

Atom Power Achieves FedRAMP Authorization for Cloud-Based EV Charging Software
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Atom Power Achieves FedRAMP Authorization for Cloud-Based EV Charging Software

Atom Power, a manufacturer of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, has secured authorization from the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program to offer its cloud-based software tool to government customers.

The General Services Administration said Monday the authorization verifies that Atom Power’s software complies with FedRAMP’s security standards, enabling government agencies to deploy secure electric vehicle charging stations.

Atom Power becomes the third electric vehicle supply equipment — or EVSE — manufacturer to receive FedRAMP authorization following Chargie and ChargePoint.

“It’s great to see another example of the EVSE industry responding to the growing federal demand for EV charging stations,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.

“We look forward to helping more American businesses to grow and thrive in the federal marketplace by supporting the sustainability of the federal footprint,” she added.

In a separate announcement, Atom Power said its FedRAMP-authorized Atom Cloud Software Solution can be paired with its charging hardware to provide government agencies with visibility and control over their electric vehicle charging portfolios.

GSA plans to authorize six more EVSE vendors later in 2024 to support the Biden administration’s clean transportation goals.

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NCSC Seeks to Promote Supply Chain Integrity Through Awareness Campaign; Michael Casey Quoted
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NCSC Seeks to Promote Supply Chain Integrity Through Awareness Campaign; Michael Casey Quoted

The National Counterintelligence and Security Center and its government and industry partners will perform several outreach events in April as part of the launch of National Supply Chain Integrity Month.

NCSC said Monday the events will foster supply chain integrity by highlighting sectors at risk, adversarial activities and measures to improve supply chain risk management, or SCRM, programs with the integration of ACE — acquisition security, cybersecurity and enterprise security.

“Hostile nation states and other threat actors exploit supply chain vulnerabilities to steal American intellectual property, target our critical infrastructure, and compromise our cybersecurity,” said NCSC Director Michael Casey.

“While these incidents have increased in number and severity, so has our resolve to build resilience in the supply chains we all rely upon,” added Casey.

According to the agency, the events will include classified discussions with the Intelligence Community and multinational engagement with foreign partners.

NCSC will also publish on its website and social media platforms SCRM-related materials and advisories.

POC - 2024 Cyber Summit

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Cyber Summit on June 6 and hear cyber experts, government and industry leaders discuss the latest trends and the dynamic role of cyber in the public sector. Register here.

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DOD Policy Chief for Space John Plumb Stepping Down in May
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DOD Policy Chief for Space John Plumb Stepping Down in May

A spokesperson for the Department of Defense has confirmed that John Plumb is set to step down from his position as assistant secretary of defense for space policy in May, Breaking Defense reported Friday.

Plumb has held the space policy role since 2022. His responsibilities cover the overall supervision of policy related not only to space but also to cyber, electronic warfare, missile defense, nuclear weapons and countering weapons of mass destruction.

Included among Plumb’s policy contributions is his advocacy for lowering classification barriers to secret space programs to better facilitate the sharing of information with U.S. allies and industry partners.

Plumb’s position in the DOD was created under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and Plumb is the first individual to have been appointed to take it on.

No further details have been provided regarding the upcoming exit.

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US, UK Eye Shared Approach to AI Safety Testing; Gina Raimondo Quoted
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US, UK Eye Shared Approach to AI Safety Testing; Gina Raimondo Quoted

The U.S. and the U.K. governments will collaborate to advance the development of tests for artificial intelligence models and establish a common approach to AI safety testing under a memorandum of understanding.

Under the MOU, the U.S. and U.K. AI Safety Institutes plan to conduct at least one joint testing exercise on a public model and explore expert personnel exchanges as part of efforts to develop shared capabilities, the U.S. Department of Commerce said Monday.

The two countries will also share information on capabilities and risks related to AI systems and models and technical research on AI security and safety.

“Because of our collaboration, our Institutes will gain a better understanding of AI systems, conduct more robust evaluations, and issue more rigorous guidance,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

“By working together, we are furthering the long-lasting special relationship between the U.S. and UK and laying the groundwork to ensure that we’re keeping AI safe both now and in the future,” she added.

Raimondo signed the MOU with Michelle Donelan, the British government’s technology secretary.

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Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey Outlines 4 Strategic Priorities to Strengthen US Shore Infrastructure
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Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey Outlines 4 Strategic Priorities to Strengthen US Shore Infrastructure

Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command and chief of civil engineers, has outlined his four strategic priorities to strengthen the service branch’s shore infrastructure systems amid an era of strategic competition.

Speaking at a Society of American Military Engineers Capital Week event, VanderLey said his top priorities center on four key areas: partnership and governance, planning, risk allocation and affordability.

“I think one of the most important things we can do as NAVFAC and the government to ultimately produce success in projects is to really be in lockstep with our industry partners,” VanderLey said.

He also noted the importance of planning, or “getting the scope of the requirements right in the beginning,” to meet critical mission objectives.

According to VanderLey, the success or failure of most projects depends on how well the planning requirements and scope development go at the start of the process.

For his third priority, VanderLey said his team is seeking to “reap the benefits” of risk allocation through strategies such as early contractor involvement, economic price adjustments and planning and design integrations.

Moreover, VanderLey is looking to strengthen collaboration with industry to address challenges related to the affordability of projects.

“We’re really looking for engagement with industry to help us get after that affordability challenge,” he said.

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BAE Systems Marks Progress in NASA Carruthers Observatory Development
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BAE Systems Marks Progress in NASA Carruthers Observatory Development

BAE Systems has integrated the ultraviolet spectrometer into the satellite bus of the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, marking the next major step in building the Earth-monitoring satellite for NASA.

The observatory is a small satellite designed around BAE’s configurable spacecraft platform and intended for use, once in orbit at Lagrange Point 1, in determining the Earth’s exosphere changes in response to space weather, the company said.

Carruthers will be the first satellite to conduct continuous exosphere observations using an advanced UV imager.

“This mission will allow us to better understand how our atmosphere interacts with the ever-changing conditions in space… Space weather has a significant impact on Earth,” remarked Alberto Conti, vice president and general manager of Civil Space for BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems. “This satellite will deliver a wealth of new data and better equip us to respond to whatever the Sun throws at us.”

The satellite will launch in 2025 as a rideshare component of NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe mission.

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CDAO’s Alpha-1 Portfolio Advances Pentagon’s AI Technology Development
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CDAO’s Alpha-1 Portfolio Advances Pentagon’s AI Technology Development

Navy Capt. Xavier Lugo, head of the Department of Defense Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s Task Force Lima, said CDAO’s Alpha-1 portfolio of enterprise tools and capabilities enables the Pentagon to lay the foundation for the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, Federal News Network reported Friday.

Lugo said Alpha-1 “is starting to get momentum to enable AI and ML scaffolding,” including capabilities such as data labeling as a service, test and evaluation and federated model catalogs.

According to Lugo, data labeling is the first capability that Alpha-1 made available for DOD services and components.

“Data labeling was found to be a huge gap across the department. The program offices that were very mature — they already had their own data labeling services, but that came with constraints and caveats. For example, the data was not necessarily owned, wasn’t necessarily shared,” Lugo said.

Alpha 1’s data labeling services support the U.S. Navy’s Project Harbinger, the Coast Guard’s maritime object detection and the Marine Corps’ Smart Sensor program.

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