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The Genesis Mission: Accelerating Scientific Discovery With AI
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DOE seal. The DOE's Genesis Mission is a national initiative to advance scientific discovery using AI.

The Genesis Mission is a national initiative that aligns with America’s AI Action Plan and is spearheaded by the Department of Energy, with coordination across the federal government.

What Is the DOE’s Genesis Mission For?

The program’s objective is to advance scientific discovery, engineering and innovation through the use of artificial intelligence and advanced computing. As a coordinated national effort, the Genesis Mission strengthens research and development to support the nation’s technological capability, global competitiveness, energy security and national defense.

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Who Are the DOE’s Partners for Genesis?

The initiative unites the Energy Department’s 17 national laboratories, along with partners in industry and academia, to create a secure, integrated scientific discovery platform that connects leading supercomputers, data resources, advanced AI and quantum systems, and scientific instruments to address priority national science and technology challenges. The effort draws on expertise across the federal government, including approximately 40,000 DOE scientists, engineers, technical staff and specialists from the private sector.

PNNL, NNSA & ORNL

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a key partner in the DOE’s Genesis Mission. PNNL is developing AI-driven capabilities for autonomous discovery in chemistry, materials and biology, faster environmental permitting and secure energy grids. The National Nuclear Security Administration will focus on classified AI development, data management and advanced model capabilities, while the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is advancing the Genesis Mission with two new computing systems, Discovery and Lux, which accelerate AI-driven research and support the development of the American Science Cloud.

Berkeley Lab

With its history of advancing computational science, mathematics, and data analysis, laying the foundations for modern artificial intelligence and machine learning, Berkeley Lab plays a key role in the Genesis Mission, leading projects such as Multi-Office particle Accelerator Team, or MOAT, Synergistic Neutron and Photon Autonomous Science – Imaging, or SYNAPS-I, and Orchestrated Platform for Autonomous Laboratories to Accelerate AI-Driven BioDesign or OPAL.

An initial 24 organizations signed collaboration agreements with the department, establishing public-private partnerships aimed at developing scalable AI capabilities and shared infrastructure for R&D. Among the private sector partners are Anthropic, Oracle and NVIDIA.

Anthropic

DOE’s multi-year partnership with Anthropic focuses on areas including energy systems, biological and life sciences, and research productivity, with the potential to support work across the national laboratories. As part of the collaboration, Anthropic provides AI tools and technical expertise to help researchers connect models with scientific data, instruments, and workflows, building on prior collaborations with DOE to advance AI-enabled scientific research.

Oracle

Oracle and the DOE entered into a non-binding agreement to accelerate current and future AI and advanced computing initiatives, including the Genesis Mission. The collaboration supports the development of domestic computing and data capabilities, responsible AI practices, and an integrated platform that connects advanced computing systems, experimental facilities and datasets across research domains.

NVIDIA

NVIDIA is also participating as a private-sector partner in the Genesis Mission through a memorandum of understanding with the department. The partnership builds on existing efforts in areas such as open AI science models, AI-driven manufacturing and supply chain processes, nuclear energy, quantum computing, robotics, and materials and biological sciences.

The Genesis Mission: Accelerating Scientific Discovery With AI
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Northrop’s Talon Prototype Gets Air Force MDS Designation
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Northrop's Project Talon. The Air Force designated the Project Talon prototype as YFQ-48A as part of the CCA program.

The U.S. Air Force has designated Northrop Grumman’s semi-autonomous prototype aircraft, Project Talon, as YFQ-48A as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, DVIDS reported.

According to the report, the Mission Design Series, or MDS, designation reflects the service branch’s commitment to rapidly deliver new capabilities to warfighters.

“We are encouraged by Northrop Grumman’s continued investment in developing advanced semi-autonomous capabilities,” said Brig. Gen. Jason Voorheis, program executive officer for fighters and advanced aircraft. “Their approach aligns with our strategy to foster competition, drive industry innovation and deliver cutting-edge technology at speed and scale.”

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What Is Project Talon?

Project Talon is an autonomous aircraft designed to fly alongside manned fighter jets. The recently-launched initiative is the latest addition to Northrop’s portfolio of autonomous systems and seeks to advance collaboration between manned and uncrewed aircraft.

Launched in early December, the project builds on Northrop’s seven decades of experience in autonomy and is supported by the company’s autonomous testbed ecosystem, called Beacon.

What Is Air Force CCA?

CCA is a component of the Next Generation Air Dominance Family of Systems and seeks to integrate open-systems architectures to facilitate the continuous iteration of autonomy and mission systems capabilities. The program aims to deliver affordable, advanced semi-autonomous aircraft to complement and augment the Air Force’s fleet of manned fighter jets to improve combat effectiveness and operational flexibility in contested environments.

The program implements a multifaceted learning campaign that includes vendor-led developmental testing, independent assessments at Edwards Air Force Base in California and operational evaluation by the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis AFB in Nevada.

In August, an aircraft prototype developed by General Atomics for the Air Force’s CCA program performed its inaugural flight at a test location in California. The YFQ-42A test flight generated data to support continued assessments of the platform’s flight autonomy, mission system integration and airworthiness.

In 2024, General Atomics and Anduril were selected to build production-representative prototypes under the CCA program. 

In March, the Air Force officially designated CCA prototypes from General Atomics and Anduril as YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively.

The service expects to make an Increment 1 production decision in fiscal year 2026.

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Juliane Gallina Leaves CIA for Lavrock Ventures
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Juliane Gallina. The former CIA executive is joining Lavrock Ventures. She also worked at the NRO and served in the U.S. Navy

Juliane Gallina, a two-time Wash100 Award winner, has joined the Arlington, Va.-based Lavrock Ventures as a partner after 12 years at the CIA in two tours.

Who Is Juliane Gallina?

Gallina is a veteran intelligence and national security professional. In addition to most recently serving as deputy director for digital innovation at the CIA, she also served as associate deputy director for digital innovation and a dual-hatted role as chief information officer and director of information technology enterprise.

Prior to joining the CIA, Gallina was vice president of federal key accounts at IBM. She began her federal career as a cryptologic officer in the U.S. Navy. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Gallina was the first woman to lead its brigade of midshipmen since it was founded in 1846.

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Why Did Juliane Gallina Join Lavrock Ventures?

Gallina said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Tuesday that she views joining Lavrock as continuing her national service career in helping create a burgeoning startup community focused on defense technologies. Gallina spent 10 years at the National Reconnaissance Office and spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserves, in addition to her CIA service.

Gallina also said she was attracted to Lavrock because she could prioritize working on certain technologies. She met Lavrock Co-Founder and General Partner Jim Hunt through a friend nearly 10 years ago and kept in touch over the years. Lavrock is investing out of its third fund, which initially raised about $100 million in 2025. This fund has a $125 million goal and will close early in 2026.

What’s Attractive About Defense Technology Startups?

Defense technology startups in 2025 attracted roughly $40 billion in investment through September, according to Pitchbook’s Emerging Tech Research, Defense Tech VC Trends report dated Q3 2025. Gallina said defense and national security technologies are garnering a lot of investment because of concerns that emerged during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic about supply chain dependencies on other nations.

“I think that was a wakeup call for people in the national security space that there were opportunities for improvement in America’s ability in manufacturing its own solutions,” she said.

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Secrecy makes venture capital investments in defense or intelligence technologies challenging, Gallina said. This is because there are behaviors or techniques that can’t be communicated to just any contractor, making it difficult for the intelligence community to explain what it needs.

The CIA, under Gallina’s leadership, has increasingly used digital transformation capabilities such as human-machine teaming and AI to solve the U.S.’ most challenging national security issues. The agency, since creating the Directorate of Digital Innovation in 2015, has encouraged combining digital technology into its foundational human intelligence mission, which obtains intelligence from humans.

Gallina said every DDI objective is guided by human-machine teaming, which begins with data and is bolstered with AI before being leveraged by CIA agents. The CIA, she said, is not only a HUMINT-focused agency, but also serves as the functional manager for open source intelligence for the IC.

Juliane Gallina Leaves CIA for Lavrock Ventures
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FDA Seeks Feedback on Venture Capital-Backed Contract Model
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The FDA logo. FDA seeks input on a venture capital-backed contract model.

The Food and Drug Administration is exploring a new federal contracting structure that aims to provide venture capital-backed startups with a more direct pathway to compete for agency work related to public health innovation.

Through a newly-issued request for information, venture capital firms are invited to comment on the proposed contract vehicle that would allow companies within an approved portfolio to compete for task orders supporting FDA missions, the agency said on Dec. 19. The approach is designed to reduce reliance on traditional prime contractors and speed access to emerging technologies.

FDA Seeks Feedback on Venture Capital-Backed Contract Model

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Why Is the FDA Rethinking Its Contracting Model?

Many high-impact technologies relevant to the FDA’s mission — including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, medical devices and regulatory technology — are being developed by early-stage companies that often struggle to engage with federal procurement processes.

The FDA cited structural barriers that tend to favor large systems integrators and labor-based contracts, limiting opportunities for scalable, product-driven solutions. The proposed model would address the problem by establishing direct contractual relationships with qualified venture capital firms, while treating portfolio companies as subcontractors.

What Is the FDA RFI Asking Industry to Provide?

The RFI seeks industry input on the structure of the potential contract vehicle. Topics include qualification standards for participating firms, intellectual property protections, compliance requirements and financial oversight mechanisms.

The FDA is particularly interested in how venture capital firms could function as prime contractors while ensuring portfolio companies meet federal acquisition and regulatory requirements.

Responses to the RFI are due by Jan. 18, 2026.

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Pentagon Issues New Guidance on Alternative Login Methods for DOW Systems
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The Pentagon. The War Department provided guidance on alternative, non-CAC authentication.

The Department of War has issued new guidance expanding approved login options beyond the Common Access Card, allowing alternative authentication methods when CAC use is impractical or infeasible, Federal News Network reported Friday.

The policy is outlined in a recent memorandum titled “Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Unclassified & Secret DoD Networks.” This clarifies when users may access War Department systems without CAC or public key infrastructure credentials and identifies approved non-PKI authentication tools by system risk level and use case.

What Does the New Memo Change?

The memo formalizes the use of non-CAC, non-PKI multi-factor authentication across a defined set of scenarios, addressing long-standing ambiguity around which login technologies are authorized and when they may be used.

According to the guidance, the CAC remains the department’s primary credential, but alternative authenticators may be used for limited access scenarios, particularly when users do not yet have CACs or cannot reasonably use one.

The policy also acknowledges newer authentication technologies, including Fast Identity One-based passkeys, and provides direction on how such tools should be protected and deployed.

Who Can Use Non-CAC Authentication?

The memo highlights several practical use cases, including:

  • Early-stage recruits, who may access limited DOW resources using basic login methods.
  • Low-risk training environments, where employees, contractors and partners without CACs may authenticate using DOW-approved non-PKI MFA after identity verification.

The department identified more than 20 approved use cases, noting the list will evolve as mission needs and technologies change.

How Does the CAC Memo Align With Existing DOW Access Policy?

The update builds on prior access management guidance issued by the DOW Office of the Chief Information Officer, which established department-wide policy for managing access to IT systems and identity, credential and access management platforms.

Notably, the new memo does not require phishing-resistant authenticators, even as Congress and federal cyber leaders continue to push the department to phase out vulnerable login methods.

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Former Army CFO Michael Powers Named Deputy Under Secretary of War Comptroller
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Michael Powers, deputy under secretary of war comptroller. Powers previously served as the Army's chief financial officer

The Department of War has appointed Michael Powers as the new deputy under secretary of war comptroller. Powers previously served as acting comptroller and chief financial officer of the U.S. Army, overseeing the preparation and execution of the service’s $177 billion budget, the Office of the Under Secretary of War said in a LinkedIn post Monday.

Who Is Michael Powers?

Powers is an experienced financial management executive, a certified public accountant and a certified defense financial manager who holds a DOW Financial Management Certification Level 3.

Aside from his time serving as CFO with the Army, he also held deputy director roles at the Office of the Secretary of War and the Department of the Interior. He also advised the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Health Agency and other organizations, according to his bio on the Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) website.

How Will the Pentagon Pass Its 2028 Audit?

During a hearing in July, the Senate Armed Services Committee asked Powers how the Pentagon will achieve a clean audit in 2028, Defense One reported.

“I think one of the things we absolutely have to do, and all of this is contingent on confirmation, of course, is get senior leadership very actively involved in the process of setting milestones and holding the departments and defense agencies to those milestones,” he told legislators.

He also promoted the use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to make auditing the department easier, quicker, more efficient and less costly.

The Pentagon failed its annual audit for the eighth year in a row, according to Breaking Defense. A report issued by the DOW identified 26 material weaknesses and two deficiencies in the department’s controls for financial reporting in fiscal 2025.

Jules Hurst, who performed the duties of Pentagon comptroller before Powers’ appointment, wrote in a letter included in the report that the DOW is “committed to resolving its critical issues and achieving an unmodified audit opinion by 2028.”

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DHS Procurement Office Announces Leadership Changes
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DHS logo. The DHS Office of the Chief Procurement Officer announced several leadership changes.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Chief Procurement Officer has made several leadership changes across OCPO.

Who Are the New Heads of Contracting Activity at TSA & US Coast Guard?

In a LinkedIn post, DHS Chief Procurement Officer Paul Courtney, a previous Wash100 awardee, and Deputy CPO Sarah Todd Green announced the appointment of Denise Morales as head of contracting activity, or HCA, at the Transportation Security Administration and the confirmation of Shreena Morris as HCA at the U.S. Coast Guard.

Morales most recently served as deputy chief component procurement officer at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before joining the USCG, Morris was associate chief financial officer for financial strategy and operations at the Office of Personnel Management.

Who Is Dina Thompson?

Thompson, former HCA at TSA, has been named executive director of the DHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. She previously served as deputy assistant administrator for contracting and procurement at TSA, according to her profile on the professional networking site.

Who Is Jaclyn Rubino?

Rubino, executive director of the strategic programs division at DHS, has assumed additional responsibilities within the Management Directorate Front Office. She has been with DHS for over a decade, holding roles of increasing responsibility, including director of the DHS Strategic Sourcing Program Office and senior program analyst.

Who Is Robert Borka?

Borka has been named executive director of OCPO’s Strategic Programs Division. Prior to this, he was head of the department’s Program Accountability and Risk Management, where he led the transformation of acquisition strategies and programs across the enterprise, according to his LinkedIn profile.

What Are the Other DHS Leadership Updates?

OCPO also announced that Polly Hall has moved to the General Services Administration to support the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul initiative at GSA.

Hall most recently served as senior adviser to the chief procurement officer at DHS. She also served as executive director of the Procurement Innovation Lab.

The procurement office also announced the retirement of Katherine Crompton, former head of the Procurement Innovation Lab and the addition of Sandra Oliver Schmidt to help advance acquisition innovation efforts at DHS.

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Platte Moring Sworn In as New DOW Inspector General
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Platte Moring, inspector general for the Department of War. Moring has been confirmed by the Senate as inspector general

Platte Moring has officially assumed his role as the Department of War’s 10th Senate-confirmed Inspector General.

The Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General said on Dec. 22 that Moring has taken his oath of office following the Senate’s confirmation of his presidential nomination.

“I look forward to working with the dedicated professionals in the Office of Inspector General to conduct independent and impactful oversight to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s global programs and operations,” he stated.

Who Is Platte Moring?

Moring brings to the role extensive experience in the public sector and in private law practice. From 2019 to 2021, he held the role of deputy general counsel in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He also served in the Department of Justice, where he investigated and prosecuted fraud, and the U.S. Court of International Trade.

More recently, he was an adjunct professor at The Citadel and The College of Charleston School of Law.

Outside of his legal career, Moring is a retired lieutenant colonel from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He received the Bronze Star.

What Are the Responsibilities of an Inspector General?

As inspector general, Moring will ensure accountability at the Pentagon. He will also be in charge of publishing oversight reports that identify and provide recommendations on how the department can address inefficiencies. 

During his confirmation hearing in September, Moring told the Senate Armed Services Committee that his approach to “the inspector general’s mission of promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the department will be to painstakingly pursue the facts of each matter with the intent of achieving justice and accountability.”

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Chris Kraft Named Secret Service CIO
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Chris Kraft. The U.S. Secret Service acting CIO has assumed the role on a permanent basis.

Chris Kraft, most recently acting chief information officer at the U.S. Secret Service, has assumed the CIO role on a permanent basis.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran announced Kraft’s appointment on Dec. 19.

In this capacity, Kraft will manage a workforce of 400 personnel as he oversees cybersecurity, software and IT operations for the agency.

In September, Kraft was tapped to serve as acting CIO of the Secret Service.

What Did Kraft Do as Acting CIO of Secret Service?

As acting CIO, he implemented efforts to improve service delivery, streamline operations and align technology with mission-critical priorities, including advancing the adoption of artificial intelligence in support of protective operations.

Who Is Cris Kraft?

Before joining the Secret Service, Kraft was acting chief technology officer and deputy CTO for AI and emerging technology at the Department of Homeland Security.

He previously served as assistant administrator for financial systems and program manager for financial systems modernization at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The George Mason University graduate served as a program manager at the Department of the Interior and assistant director of financial systems at the Department of Justice, according to his LinkedIn profile.

His industry career included time as senior director of business process and systems at K12; vice president of corporate solutions at SiriusXM; and senior consultant at BearingPoint.

Kraft holds a juris doctorate from the George Washington University Law School.

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War Department Aims to Advance SRM Production With DPA Title III Investments
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Michael Duffey. The Pentagon's top acquisition official commented on DPA Title III investments in SRM production.

The Department of War has made $32.7 million in Defense Production Act, or DPA, Title III investments in Systima Technologies and R.E. Darling Co., or REDAR, to expand the production of solid rocket motor, or SRM, components.

“The surge in demand for propellant-based weaponry, coupled with a narrow supplier base, has created a bottleneck in SRM production,” Michael Duffey, under secretary of war for acquisition and sustainment, said in a statement published Tuesday.

War Department Aims to Advance SRM Production With DPA Title III Investments

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“With these strategic investments, we are fortifying our national security by expanding critical nodes of the SRM supply chain to accelerate munitions manufacturing,” he added.

The DPA Title III investments were made in September but DOW delayed the announcement due to the government shutdown.

How Will DPA Title III Funds Expand SRM Production Capacity?

DOW is investing $27.7 million in REDAR to modernize and expand SRM internal insulation production to boost industry capacity and promote competition across the SRM market.

An additional $5 million investment in Systima, part of Karman Space & Defense, will establish a dedicated SRM nozzle production line and optimize complex nozzle manufacturing.

What Is DPA Title III?

DPA Title III is one of two investment programs within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. It targets investments that create, maintain, restore or expand domestic industrial base capabilities that are critical to the Pentagon and U.S. warfighters.

The program’s focus areas are sustaining critical production; commercializing research and development investments; and scaling emerging technologies.

In mid-September, DOW awarded $39.6 million in DPA Title III funds to three companies to help strengthen the domestic SRM supply chain.

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