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DOD’s Kathleen Hicks & Raft’s Shubhi Mishra Earn 2024 Wash100 Awards
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DOD’s Kathleen Hicks & Raft’s Shubhi Mishra Earn 2024 Wash100 Awards

On Monday, Executive Mosaic celebrated Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Raft Founder and CEO Shubhi Mishra for their 2024 Wash100 Award wins.

Wash100 annually highlights the most impactful leaders in the government contracting industry. Executives who receive this award are recognized for their past contributions to the expansive GovCon field as well as their potential to continue shaping the direction of the industry.

Hicks, a four-time Wash100 awardee, was honored this year for embracing emerging technologies and their growing role in national security missions. One of the many advanced technologies Hicks has prioritized is artificial intelligence, and under her leadership, the Department of Defense has accelerated its AI adoption efforts through new strategies and experimentation efforts. Read her full profile here.

Mishra is a first time Wash100 Award winner. She was selected to join the ranks of Wash100 for building up Raft through key contract wins and technological innovation. In 2023, the company received contracts valued at $100 million or higher from the U.S. Space Force, Navy and Air Force as well as many other awards. Click here to read her full profile.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to vote for Hicks and Mishra as your favorite 2024 Wash100 winners! To join in on this year’s edition of the cherished Wash100 popular vote contest, visit Wash100.com. 

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SpaceX Conducts 3rd Flight Test of Starship Human Landing System for Artemis III & IV Missions
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SpaceX Conducts 3rd Flight Test of Starship Human Landing System for Artemis III & IV Missions

SpaceX commenced the third integrated flight test of the upper stage of its Starship human landing system, or HLS, and accompanying Super Heavy booster.

The test advances NASA’s preparations for the Artemis III and IV missions, which will use the HLS to take astronauts on the surface near the Moon’s South Pole, the space agency announced Thursday.

One of the main objectives of the flight was to demonstrate the transfer of cryogenic propellant loads between internal tanks as well as its impact on Starship’s on-orbit stability.

“Storing and transferring cryogenic propellant in orbit has never been attempted on this scale before,” said Jeremy Kenny, project manager of NASA’s Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. “But this is a game-changing technology that must be developed and matured for science and exploration missions at the Moon, Mars, and those that will venture even deeper into our solar system.”

FCC Adopts Framework to Allow Satellite-to-Smartphone Coverage in Remote Areas
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FCC Adopts Framework to Allow Satellite-to-Smartphone Coverage in Remote Areas

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted a new regulatory framework allowing collaboration between satellite operators and wireless carriers to provide network connectivity to smartphone users in remote areas without terrestrial mobile service.

The Supplemental Coverage from Space, or SCS, framework authorizes satellite operators to collaborate with terrestrial service providers via lease agreements to operate space stations on certain licensed spectrum allocated to wireless services, the FCC said Thursday.

Under the final rule, satellite operators must route 911 calls and emergency texts to a public safety answering point through location-based routing or an emergency call center.

The FCC also adopted a further notice of proposed rulemaking to gather industry feedback on other public safety issues, including the protection of radio astronomy services.

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Space Systems Command Leads Last NRO Mission to Use Delta Heavy rocket
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Space Systems Command Leads Last NRO Mission to Use Delta Heavy rocket

The U.S. Space Systems Command is leading the launch of the National Reconnaissance Office’s 70th mission, which will be flown aboard the Delta IV Heavy rocket, on March 28.

The NROL-70 mission marks the 16th and last time a Delta launch vehicle will be used after more than 60 years of being part of military, commercial and research operations in space, the U.S. Space Force announced Tuesday.

Delta IV Heavy is being retired by the United Launch Alliance to make way for the ULA Vulcan rocket. The Delta family has been instrumental in accomplishing eight Mars missions and delivering payloads for the U.S. government and military.

SSC, NRO and ULA plan to launch NROL-70 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

“These launches place critical capabilities into orbit for our nation and our allies in what are dynamic times for the space community,” said Col. Jim Horne, senior materiel leader for SSC’s Launch Execution Delta. “ Every member of our launch team understands what’s at stake and works with care and efficiency to prepare for what’s going to be a tremendous launch.”

Senate Lawmakers Propose Measure to Reauthorize FISA Section 702 While Preventing Abuses
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Senate Lawmakers Propose Measure to Reauthorize FISA Section 702 While Preventing Abuses

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, have introduced the Security and Freedom Enhancement Act.

According to a press release issued Thursday by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the proposed measure seeks to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — a.k.a. FISA, which will sunset by April 19 — while introducing reforms that would mitigate abuses like warrantless government surveillance of U.S. citizens perpetrated under FISA.

Section 702 of FISA was passed by Congress in 2008. Its provisions permitted the government to conduct from within the United States warrantless surveillance of communications of almost any person or group abroad who were suspected of being foreign terrorists.

In the process of doing so, however, the government also swept up the communication of American citizens, resulting in the compilation of databases containing the contents of Americans’ emails, phone calls and text messages, which authorities could then search without a warrant.

Proposed reforms under the SAFE Act include allowing intelligence agencies to run queries on American communications collected under Section 702 but requiring a FISA Title I order or a warrant before the actual contents of the communications can be accessed. This reform is meant to allow for sufficient flexibility to accommodate legitimate security needs.

Another proposed reform permits intelligence agencies to continue purchasing from commercial data brokers data sets that may include Americans’ information, like their location, as recorded by phone apps, provided that the information cannot be identified or excluded before the purchase. Afterward, the government agency would be required to enforce strict minimization procedures.

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Brian Conrad to Step Down as Acting FedRAMP Director
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Brian Conrad to Step Down as Acting FedRAMP Director

Brian Conrad, acting director of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, a.k.a. FedRAMP, is stepping down from his role on March 22 three years after taking the helm at the federal government’s cloud security management and compliance program on an interim basis, Federal News Network reported Thursday.

Conrad has been acting FedRAMP director since January 2021 when Ashley Mahan left to join the General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Service, or TTS, as acting assistant commissioner for solutions.

“Under Brian’s stewardship, FedRAMP experienced a 30% increase in the number of secure cloud services available to the government,” said Mukunda Penugonde, deputy director of TTS.

Penugonde added that Conrad played a critical role in attracting diverse talent “who are critical to the continued growth and modernization of the program over the long term.”

Conrad joined FedRAMP in 2018 as program manager for cybersecurity following a seven-year career at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he served as an information technology and cybersecurity analyst supporting the U.S. Marine Corps and Department of Defense programs.

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Soldiers Experimented With Emerging Tech Platforms at Army’s Project Convergence-Capstone 4
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Soldiers Experimented With Emerging Tech Platforms at Army’s Project Convergence-Capstone 4

The U.S. Army hosted a joint and multinational experiment, called Project Convergence-Capstone 4, between February and March to enable warfighters from the U.S. Department of Defense and other countries to test the integration of emerging technologies in support of multidomain operations.

PC-C4 intended to assess the adaptability of emerging tech in achieving an operating environment of a combined, joint all-domain force, the Army said Thursday.

“Integration and convergence in multidomain operations facilitates active campaigning and contributes to strategic deterrence through technology and tactics, techniques and procedures development, experimentation, exercises, engagements and operations from irregular warfare to large-scale combat operations,” said Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, also known as USASMDC.

PC-C4 allows us to determine if and how our emerging space and high-altitude technology can support MDO through 2030 and beyond,” added Gainey.

During the event, the command contributed and experimented with several emerging technologies, including a virtual training environment for active or passive space systems, a small form factor kit for electronic surveillance or attack and elements of the service branch’s Theater Strike Effects Group.

USASMDC personnel also used high-altitude systems in the form of medium-sized balloons to demonstrate integrated fires for deep sensing, among others.

POC - 9th Annual Army Summit

Attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 9th Annual Army Summit on June 13 to hear military officials, government leaders and industry executives share their most urgent priorities, strategies and solutions to their toughest challenges. Click here to register.

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DARPA Launches 2 New Efforts to Boost Defenses Against Manipulated Media
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DARPA Launches 2 New Efforts to Boost Defenses Against Manipulated Media

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has announced two new initiatives to help the government and industry boost their defenses against manipulated and synthesized media, known as deepfakes.

DARPA said Thursday it will launch an open community research effort to create machine learning models designed to detect synthetic images generated by artificial intelligence.

The AI Forensics Open Research Challenge Evaluation will feature a series of mini challenges to develop models that can identify the difference between authentic and fully synthetic AI-generated images.

Another effort is an analytic catalog that offers government and industry researchers access to open-source resources developed under DARPA’s Semantic Forensics, or SemaFor, program.

Now in its final phase, SemaFor develops new approaches to using semantic technologies to detect, attribute and characterize fraudulent media.

DARPA selected SRI International and PAR Technology‘s government subsidiary to support the development of semantic approaches to media assets potentially manipulated for malicious purposes.

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Navy Seeks to Improve IT Investment Evaluation With New Memo on WAM Framework
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Navy Seeks to Improve IT Investment Evaluation With New Memo on WAM Framework

The Department of the Navy has released a memorandum providing information on a framework designed to better assess information technology investment and performance by linking data to mission outcomes.

The memo seeks to incentivize enterprise adoption of the World Class Alignment Metrics framework, dubbed WAM, to prioritize IT investments and assess the business value, the office of the DON Chief Information Officer said Thursday.

The Program Executive Office for Digital and Enterprise Services, a.k.a. PEO Digital, will oversee the WAM framework by creating implementation guidance.

The memo signed by Justin Fanelli, acting chief technology officer at DON, lists five outcome-driven mission metrics. The first is time lost or the amount of time customers wait for IT services.

The other four mission metrics driven by outcomes are operational resilience, customer satisfaction, cost per user and adaptability and mobility.

The document also outlines several implementation best practices, including prioritizing IT investments based on the impact they have on five outcome-driven mission metrics and considering the WAM framework for system rationalization and other divestiture decisions related to IT portfolio management and Operation Cattle Drive.

POC - 5th Annual CIO Summit

Register here to join the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual CIO Summit on April 17 and learn more about the latest modernization strategies and how industry can help meet the priorities of federal CIOs.

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Verizon’s Maggie Hallbach & VA’s Michael Parrish Spotlighted for 2024 Wash100 Wins
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Verizon’s Maggie Hallbach & VA’s Michael Parrish Spotlighted for 2024 Wash100 Wins

Executive Mosaic on Friday recognized Verizon’s Maggie Hallbach and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Michael Parrish for their 2024 Wash100 Award wins.

Each year, Wash100 highlights the government contracting industry’s most notable executives. Those who join the ranks of Wash100 represent the highest tier of leadership in the field and are hand-picked using a selection process that illuminates the past success and anticipated future impact of each winner.

Hallbach, who serves as president of Verizon Frontline and senior vice president of the company’s public sector arm, received her second Wash100 Award this year for landing key contract wins, including awards from the VA and U.S. postal service valued at over $100 million. Her leadership strength led to her appointment as chair of Executive Mosaic 4×24 5G Group, which connects 5G experts to share their insights on advanced network capabilities in the U.S. government. Read her full profile here.

Parrish, chief acquisitions officer and principal executive director for the VA’s Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction, earned his first Wash100 Award for enhancing the department’s acquisition processes. One of his past accomplishments was the successful rollout of the VA’s Pathfinder website, which is designed to help contractors “break that black hole mold of trying to figure out how to do business,” with the department. Click here to read his full profile.

Don’t forget to vote for Hallbach and Parrish in the annual Wash100 popular vote contest! To participate in this exciting competition, visit Wash100.com.

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