GAO Recommends Strengthening Interagency Collaboration to Prevent Foreign Interference in R&D Funding
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GAO Recommends Strengthening Interagency Collaboration to Prevent Foreign Interference in R&D Funding

The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Office of Science and Technology Policy facilitate interagency collaboration when identifying whether a funded organization is under foreign ownership, control or influence, or FOCI.

In a new report, GAO found that not all agencies use the same tools to vet foreign applicants for research funding and that existing government-wide databases lack common identifying information, limiting the ability to match foreign entities of concern with organizations receiving federal funding.

GAO has raised concerns that some foreign entities may try to jeopardize U.S. national security by exploiting the government’s research and development funding program.

To address this, GAO suggested that OSTP coordinate with federal R&D awarding agencies to facilitate information sharing on identifying FOCI.

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Lawmakers Express Concern Over Small Business Impact of NASA’s SEWP VI Contract Vehicle
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Lawmakers Express Concern Over Small Business Impact of NASA’s SEWP VI Contract Vehicle

NASA’s decision to use a revenue-based code under the North American Industry Classification System for its procurement contracts will limit opportunities for small businesses to participate in the space agency’s project solicitations, said Reps. Roger Williams, R-Texas, and Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.

In a letter sent on Thursday to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Williams and LaLota expressed concern about the use of NAICS codes 541512 and 541519 for acquiring computer products and services under the sixth iteration of the Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts vehicle.

Williams, chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, and LaLota, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure, wrote that the previous iteration of SEWP led NASA to award 80 percent of its contract dollars to small businesses. They said that SEWP VI “limits small business’ ability to service task orders without compromising their size status.”

The lawmakers called of a staff level briefing no later than Jan. 18 to justify the use of revenue-based NAICS codes 541512 and 541519 for the contract vehicle.

A spokesperson for the space agency said that they are reviewing the congressmen’s letter and that they are aiming to award “more than 60% of SEWP VI award dollars to small businesses.”

New Continuing Resolution Would Extend Government Funding Through March
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New Continuing Resolution Would Extend Government Funding Through March

The Senate on Tuesday is expected to vote on a continuing resolution that intends to avert a government shutdown by funding government operations until March.

The CR would provide funding through March 1 for four appropriations measures covering agriculture, veterans affairs, military construction, housing and urban development, energy and water development and transportation, the Senate Appropriations Committee said Sunday.

Funding for defense, homeland security, health and human services, education and all other federal operations and programs under eight appropriations bills will run until March 8.

The text of the bipartisan stopgap measure was released by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and came a week after congressional leaders reached a bipartisan topline appropriations agreement, which would set a total spending level of $1.59 trillion for FY 2024.

“While we continue working to negotiate and pass bipartisan, full-year spending bills, it is critical Congress prevent a needless and costly government shutdown come Friday—and that’s exactly what this CR will do. Hammering out serious bipartisan funding bills is no easy task but I am going to continue working nonstop with my colleagues to pass the strongest possible bills—and soon,” said Murray.

Under the current CR, signed into law in November, funding for continuing federal projects and activities will run through Jan. 19, and funding for defense and all other government operations is expected to expire on Feb. 2.

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GovCon Index Closed Last Week With Notable Gains
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GovCon Index Closed Last Week With Notable Gains

Executive Mosaic’s GovCon Index closed last week with a 1.46% increase to $4,639.99. These results contrasted with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which decreased by 0.31% on Friday. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite demonstrated slight growth at the end of the week, with increases of 0.08% and 0.02%, respectively.

GovCon Index is an aggregate index that tracks real-time data from 30 notable government contracting companies, providing a glimpse into the success of these companies and broader industry trends. This first-of-its kind index provides users with an interactive tool to measure the financial health of the GovCon sector.

On Friday, the GovCon Index revealed that the vast majority of these organizations demonstrated growth, with six of the tracked companies gaining over 2%. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, the top performer, saw an uptick of nearly 3%. Northrop Grumman trailed close behind with a 2.94% increase, followed by Parsons, which grew by 2.72%, and L3Harris Technologies, which gained 2.40%.

For more insights, read the full market report on the GovCon Index website. To view the complete list of tracked companies, click here.

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J&J Worldwide Services Begins O&M Work for Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center
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J&J Worldwide Services Begins O&M Work for Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center

Facilities services government contractor J&J Worldwide Services has officially begun work on a four-year contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for operations and maintenance duties at Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center, or ATAMMC.

The Franklin, Tennessee-based company told ExecutiveGov on Tuesday that it was awarded the contract in late December and transitioned its team to start the responsibilities on Monday.

“We look forward to building a strong partnership with ATAMMC in support of the National Capital Region Medical Directorate,” anticipated Steve Kelley, CEO and president of J&J.

The contract comes from USACE via the Defense Health Agency. Its expectations include O&M services throughout the hospital as well as its grounds and marginal facilities. For the last six years, J&J has been performing the same services at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Kelley commented that he and the company are energized by the chance to expand their presence to the Fort Belvoir area, and deepen their presence in the Capital region overall.

Alongside Water Reed, ATAMMC offers medical support to U.S. service members and their families in and around Washington, D.C.

ATAMMC was formerly known as Fort Belvoir Community Hospital and was recently rechristened to recognize the eponymous lieutenant, colonel and doctor, who holds a number of historical benchmarks: the Union Army’s highest-ranking Black officer, Howard University’s first Black professor of medicine and the first Black officer to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Just two weeks ago, at the start of the year, J&J won another DHA-affiliated contract, under which it is conducting O&M for a military medical education and training campus in San Antonio, Texas.

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NASA Working With MBDA to Improve Contracting Opportunities for Minority & Underserved Businesses
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NASA Working With MBDA to Improve Contracting Opportunities for Minority & Underserved Businesses

The Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency and NASA will conduct outreach efforts to facilitate the participation of minority and underserved businesses in scientific discovery and aerospace technology development under the terms of a memorandum agreement signed in December.

NASA said Thursday that efforts under the MOU will involve identifying and addressing barriers that inhibit the involvement of minority businesses in the space agency’s work.

The memorandum will also see the MBDA promote NASA acquisition and development opportunities with the help of its network of business centers and programs.

Furthermore, the two agencies will identify subject-matter experts who can support initiatives that would help minority businesses.

Regarding the partnership, NASA Deputy Administrator and 2023 Wash100 Award winner Pam Melroy said, “Creating equitable and inclusive opportunities allows everyone to experience the strategic and economic advantages of exploring space.”

For his part, Undersecretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development Donald Cravins Jr. said NASA and the MBDA will work “to identify aerospace industry initiatives, support outreach efforts, and foster federal partnership opportunities.”

“As opportunities in the aerospace industry continue to expand to new frontiers, MBDA is committed to helping guide federal investments with equity and intention,” Cravins added.

DHS S&T Taps University of Alaska Anchorage to Launch New Arctic COE
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DHS S&T Taps University of Alaska Anchorage to Launch New Arctic COE

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate has selected the University of Alaska Anchorage to lead a consortium of U.S. academic institutions for a new Arctic Center of Excellence.

DHS S&T said Thursday it will provide $46 million in funding over 10 years for the ADAC-ARCTIC COE to expand research and education resources to advance homeland security in the Arctic region.

“The ADAC-ARCTIC COE will affect major DHS mission priorities by focusing on critical research needed to prepare for and implement effective responses to challenges facing the Arctic domain,” said Dimitri Kusnezov, under secretary for science and technology at DHS.

The COE will foster collaboration between government and industry partners, local and indigenous communities and academic institutions to create multidisciplinary technologies designed to address natural and man-made disasters, ice melt and communications infrastructure challenges.

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Procentrix CGO Tom Councell Discusses Core Values, GovCon Landscape & More
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Procentrix CGO Tom Councell Discusses Core Values, GovCon Landscape & More

Prior to assuming his role as chief growth officer of Procentrix, Tom Councell held leadership positions at CACI, ManTech and other technology companies. His career began in the U.S. Air Force, and his experiences in the service branch inform his current work.

Councell recently participated in an interview with the Potomac Officers Club, in which he discussed his career background, highlighted his core values and offered his insights on today’s government contracting landscape.

In this excerpt from the interview, Councell shares his thoughts on technological evolution:

“I’ve had the privilege to partner with federal civilian, Department of Defense and Intelligence Community organizations over the past 30 years, and one of the constants across these markets has been the increasing pace of technology change. That pace only accelerates as cloud and artificial intelligence technologies mature and systems evolve to make sense of growing volumes of data. You have to be open-minded to change in order to capitalize on the disruptions to benefit your mission.”

To learn more about how Councell views technological advancement, read the full Executive Spotlight interview on the Potomac Officers Club website.

Interested in participating in your own Executive Spotlight interview? This brand-building opportunity is available exclusively to Potomac Officers Club members, who also receive numerous other benefits. Click here to explore our membership options and discover which one is right for you.

NGA Requests Proposals for Commercial GEOINT Data Products, Services
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NGA Requests Proposals for Commercial GEOINT Data Products, Services

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is soliciting proposals for a new program to acquire commercial GEOINT data products and services from multiple vendors to boost the agency’s analytic capabilities.

A notice posted Wednesday on SAM.gov states that the Luno A program seeks to procure products, data and services produced from unclassified, commercial GEOINT data sources.

NGA said the approach will enable its analysts to add context to analytic assessments and gain insights into GEOINT data to monitor military capabilities and track worldwide economic and environmental activities.

Vice Adm. Frank Whitworth, director of NGA and a two-time Wash100 awardee, announced in December the agency’s plans to solicit proposals for the program as part of efforts to tap into industry analytics and automation to support national security missions.

Interested parties have until March 26 to respond to the request for proposals.

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Army’s EBS-C PMO Prepares for Procurement Efforts, Software Acquisition Pathway Transition in 2024
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Army’s EBS-C PMO Prepares for Procurement Efforts, Software Acquisition Pathway Transition in 2024

The Enterprise Business Systems-Convergence Project Management Office, also known as the EBS-C PMO, within the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems is set to release later in January a solicitation for the Technical Management and Advisory Support Services or TMASS contract.

TMASS will serve as a follow-on to the military branch’s Technical Services contract for program management and professional services, the Army PEO EIS said Thursday.

Apart from TMASS, the EBS-C PMO will conclude the prototyping phase for a software platform designed to merge the service’s multiple business systems and will select the best platform later this year.

EBS-C Deputy Project Manager Michael Gormley said the PMO is set to transition to the Software Acquisition Pathway in 2024.

The EBS-C PMO, which was designated as one of the “Pathfinder” programs, secured approval from the Army Acquisition Executive to shift to the Pathway in December.

The organization is expected to add seven new team members by the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 and welcome Lt. Col. Melvin Mitchell as its permanent project manager. Mitchell will succeed Lee James, who has been serving as interim PM of the EBS-C PMO since March 2023.

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