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NASA Taps Firelake-Arrowhead JV for Construction Management Services
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NASA Taps Firelake-Arrowhead JV for Construction Management Services

Firelake-Arrowhead NASA Services, a joint venture of Firelake Construction and Arrowhead Contracting, will provide NASA with construction management services under a potential $38.8 million contract.

The small business will perform construction management, inspection, surveying and testing services at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, and other NASA centers, the space agency said Thursday.

Firelake-Arrowhead NASA Services JV and its subcontractor, Leidos, will handle project requirements development, design, construction, commissioning, activation, turnover and other related tasks under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

Work is expected to run through Nov. 30, 2029, with the contract having a one-month phase-in period, a two-year base period and three-and-one-half-year option periods.

FedRAMP Launches Roadmap to Achieve Growth, Modernization Goals
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FedRAMP Launches Roadmap to Achieve Growth, Modernization Goals

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program has unveiled a new roadmap outlining its strategic goals and defining how it will prioritize its resources to drive its growth and progress as a secure marketplace of cloud services to the federal government.

FedRAMP said Thursday its roadmap focuses on four primary goals: orient around the customer experience; position itself as a leader in cybersecurity and risk management; scale the size and scope of a trusted cloud marketplace; and build automation and technology-forward operations to program effectiveness.

To realize these goals, FedRAMP aims to implement an agile approach to change management, publish customer-oriented program metrics, define core security expectations, increase the authorizing capacity of the FedRAMP community and migrate to digital authorization packages.

FedRAMP will hold a public forum on April 11 to discuss further details on the new roadmap.

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OMB Unveils New Policy to Help Agencies Mitigate Risks Associated With AI Use
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OMB Unveils New Policy to Help Agencies Mitigate Risks Associated With AI Use

The Office of Management and Budget has released its first policy aimed at helping federal agencies harness the benefits and mitigate the risks of artificial intelligence in line with the implementation of the AI executive order.

The new OMB policy announced by Vice President Kamala Harris classifies specific actions into three categories: strengthening AI governance, advancing responsible AI innovation and managing risks from the use of AI, the White House said Thursday.

To address risks from the use of AI, the guidance requires federal agencies to implement by Dec. 1 safeguards when using AI tools in a way that could impact the rights and safety of U.S. citizens.

Safeguards may include mandatory measures to test, evaluate and monitor the impacts of the technology on the public, inform the public on how the government uses AI tools and mitigate the risks of algorithmic discrimination.

The new policy will eliminate unnecessary barriers to responsible AI innovation within agencies and encourage such agencies to responsibly experiment with generative AI.

When it comes to bolstering AI governance, the policy will direct agencies to designate chief AI officers and form AI governance boards. Each CFO Act agency should establish such governance bodies by May 27.

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Pentagon Creates Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy
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Pentagon Creates Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy

The Department of Defense has formed a new office that will be responsible for the development, coordination and oversight of the implementation of cyberspace policy and strategy in alignment with national security objectives.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy was established in accordance with the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, DOD said Friday.

On March 21, President Joe Biden nominated Michael Sulmeyer, principal cyber adviser to the secretary of the Army, to serve as assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy, or ASD(CP).

Ashley Manning, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, is currently performing the duties of ASD(CP).

According to the department, the ASD(CP) will oversee and certify the department’s cyberspace operations budget; monitor programs and activities related to the implementation of cyber workforce development, retention and recruitment; manage the integration of cyberspace operations and capabilities into contingency plans; and develop DOD cyberspace policy guidance on private sector outreach, agreements and engagement.

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.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro & Arcfield CEO Kevin Kelly Honored as 2024 Wash100 Award Winners
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Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro & Arcfield CEO Kevin Kelly Honored as 2024 Wash100 Award Winners

Executive Mosaic recognized U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Arcfield Chairman and CEO Kevin Kelly as 2024 Wash100 Award winners on Monday.

Vote for Del Toro and Kelly to win the 2024 Wash100 popular vote competition at Wash100.com!

Each year, the 100 most promising and outstanding executives of consequence make Executive Mosaic’s prestigious Wash100 list. These individuals are chosen for their achievements, vision, innovation capability, leadership and reliability. This year marks the eleventh iteration of the coveted Wash100 Award.

The Honorable Secretary Del Toro earned his second consecutive Wash100 win this year in recognition of his efforts to bolster the country’s naval force and modernize its fleet.

“With a strategic vision and a strong sense of leadership, Secretary Del Toro has taken on the monumental task of building and strengthening U.S. maritime dominance,” said Executive Mosaic CEO Jim Garrettson. “As the 78th Secretary of the Navy, he works every day to ensure our nation’s warfighters and service members have the ships, weapons and tools they need to win conflicts — a growing priority in the era of global competition.”

Read more about Del Toro’s 2024 Wash100 win here.

Kelly is one of 42 first-time Wash100 winners this year. He was named to the list for spearheading Arcfield’s growth efforts through key acquisitions and high-value government contracts. Arcfield notably acquired Strategic Technology Consulting in August 2023 and Orion Space Solutions in November 2023.

Learn more about Kelly and his contributions to the GovCon ecosystem — read his full Wash100 profile here.

Executive Mosaic extends its most sincere congratulations to Honorable Carlos Del Toro and Kevin Kelly on their inclusion in the 2024 Wash100 list.

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HHS Releases Draft Strategy to Advance Federal Health IT Use
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HHS Releases Draft Strategy to Advance Federal Health IT Use

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, or ONC, is requesting industry feedback on a draft strategy to coordinate the use of federal health information technology systems to deliver patient care.

The draft 2024–2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan outlines a set of goals and objectives to improve health data access, deliver a more equitable healthcare experience and modernize the public health data infrastructure, HHS said Wednesday.

The plan focuses on four key goals: promote health and wellness, enhance the delivery and experience of care, accelerate research and innovation, and connect the health system with health data.

Micky Tripathi, national coordinator for health information technology, said ONC collaborated with more than 25 federal agencies to develop the draft version of the strategic plan to align and coordinate health IT efforts across the federal government.

“These agencies regulate, purchase, develop, and use health IT to deliver care and improve health outcomes, and they increasingly rely on the access, exchange, and use of EHI to effectively execute their missions,” Tripathi said.

The comment period is open until May 28.

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New NTIA Report Endorses Policies to Strengthen AI Trustworthiness
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New NTIA Report Endorses Policies to Strengthen AI Trustworthiness

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has released the AI Accountability Policy Report, a document that offers eight policy recommendations meant to ensure that artificial intelligence products are trustworthy and that legal liability would result from harmful impacts.

The NTIA said Thursday that the report was informed by over 1,000 comments from the public on how to create earned trust in AI systems.

The comments, requested in April 2023, were in response to a solicitation that covered 34 questions concerning AI governance methods.

The report’s recommendations span three overarching goals: namely, guidance, support and regulations.

The recommendations include collaboration between the government and stakeholders on how to apply existing liability rules and standards on AI systems; the promotion by government agencies of the development of tools that can be used to evaluate the capabilities of AI systems; and the mandating of independent audits of high-risk AI models and systems.

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Space Systems Command Pursuing Zero Trust Architecture Development, Integration; Col. Craig Frank Quoted
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Space Systems Command Pursuing Zero Trust Architecture Development, Integration; Col. Craig Frank Quoted

Col. Craig Frank, chief information officer of Space Systems Command, has underscored the necessity of implementing a “flat, zero trust network” to ensure the security of information while in use.

SSC said Wednesday it is collaborating with industry on the development of a zero trust security architecture and its integration across the entire space operational enterprise—an effort led by Frank.

“With foreign adversaries developing capabilities that threaten U.S. space operations, securing the future of space is one of the most urgent priorities of our time,” the SSC CIO emphasized.

Xage Security was tapped by the command to create a “Never Trust, Always Verify” cybersecurity model for its systems and assets. Work is under a $17 million contract awarded to the Palo Alto, California-based software company.

The effort also supports the Department of Defense’s zero trust strategy, which sets metrics and deadlines for the Pentagon to achieve full zero trust adoption by 2027.

“We recognize we’re going to need everyone at SSC to understand not only how zero trust works, but why it is critical for national security and defense,” said Frank. “We also want to hear feedback and comments in order to make sure we’re not overlooking any concerns or questions about how this will be implemented, and how it will affect the mission.”

Looking for more insights from other government CIOs? Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual CIO Summit on April 17 and hear about the latest modernization strategies, innovation and emerging technologies. Register here for the in-person event.

POC - 5th Annual CIO Summit
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Treasury Says Financial Institutions Employ AI for Cybersecurity, Fraud Management
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Treasury Says Financial Institutions Employ AI for Cybersecurity, Fraud Management

The Department of the Treasury has revealed in a new report that financial institutions are increasing their adoption and use of artificial intelligence systems, including generative AI models, for cybersecurity and fraud detection, and are managing their use of the emerging technology by providing guardrails and developing internal policies.

In the report, Treasury’s Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection, or OCCIP, outlined a series of steps that financial institutions can AI-related operational risk, cybersecurity and fraud challenges in the financial sector, including addressing a widening gap between large and small institutions when it comes to their use of in-house AI systems.

The OCCIP also highlighted the need to narrow the fraud data divide, address regulatory fragmentation, expand the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework, close gaps in human capital and develop a common AI lexicon.

“Treasury’s AI report builds on our successful public-private partnership for secure cloud adoption and lays out a clear vision for how financial institutions can safely map out their business lines and disrupt rapidly evolving AI-driven fraud,” said Nellie Liang, undersecretary of the Treasury for domestic finance.

The OCCIP developed the report in response to the October 2023 executive order on the safe, secure and trustworthy development and use of AI technologies.

POC - 2024 Cyber Summit

The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2024 Cyber Summit on June 6 to hear from government and industry experts about the dynamic and ever-evolving role of cyber in the public sector. Register here!

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Proposed CIRCIA Rule Seeks to Help CISA Spot Trends Using Cyber Incident Reports; Jen Easterly Quoted
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Proposed CIRCIA Rule Seeks to Help CISA Spot Trends Using Cyber Incident Reports; Jen Easterly Quoted

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking, or NPRM, to solicit comments on a proposed rule to implement the requirements of the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022, also known as CIRCIA.

CISA said Wednesday implementing CIRCIA will enable the agency to enhance its ability to identify trends, field resources to help organizations affected by cyberattacks, address critical information gaps and warn other entities using the reported cybersecurity incident and ransomware information.

“CIRCIA is a game changer for the whole cybersecurity community, including everyone invested in protecting our nation’s critical infrastructure,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly.

“It will allow us to better understand the threats we face, spot adversary campaigns earlier, and take more coordinated action with our public and private sector partners in response to cyber threats. We look forward to additional feedback from the critical infrastructure community as we move towards developing the Final Rule,” added Easterly, a 2024 Wash100 awardee.

The NPRM is set to be published in the Federal Register on April 4 and includes proposed regulations for cyber incident and ransom payment reporting and other aspects of the CIRCIA regulatory program.

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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