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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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GSA Expands Pool of Awardees Under Commercial Platforms Program; Tom Howder Quoted
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GSA Expands Pool of Awardees Under Commercial Platforms Program; Tom Howder Quoted

The General Services Administration has broadened its pool of vendors under the Commercial Platforms Program, which is designed to help federal agencies easily purchase and analyze online spending on routine commercial products in support of their missions.

The expansion of the Commercial Platforms Program through the award of new contracts will provide federal buyers using GSA SmartPay Purchase cards with access to additional online platforms while gaining insights into their spending, GSA said Wednesday.

“This is about meeting our customers where they are with a modernized user experience and streamlined process for government purchase cardholders,” said Tom Howder, acting commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service.

“Since its implementation in 2020, the Commercial Platforms Program has grown to support close to 40 agencies, including over 55,000 buyers and accounting for 300,000+ annual orders in FY23,” added Howder.

The new awardees are:

  • Amazon Business
  • e-Procurement Services
  • Fisher Scientific
  • Grainger
  • Noble Supply & Logistics
  • Pacific Ink
  • Social Glass
  • Staples
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Army Makes Public 1st Iteration of Its Unified Data Reference Architecture; Jennifer Swanson Quoted
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Army Makes Public 1st Iteration of Its Unified Data Reference Architecture; Jennifer Swanson Quoted

The U.S. Army has launched the initial version of its Unified Data Reference Architecture, or UDRA, which introduces data mesh principles to simplify the service branch’s data architecture, accelerate data-driven decision making and streamline data product sharing, Inside Defense reported Thursday.

Jennifer Swanson, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for data, engineering and software, said the service has been working in the past year with industry to develop the architecture, which was co-signed by the Army acquisition executive and chief information officer.

“Implementation is beginning across ASA (ALT), and it is going to be required for at least our new programs. We need to kind of do the math on the existing ones and what makes sense,” Swanson said.

“I think we’re going to start taking a look at that soon. But I think that there will be some level of migrating some of that to this data mesh architecture as well,” she added.

POC - 5th Annual CIO Summit

Jennifer Swanson, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for data, engineering and software, will be one of the panelists at the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual CIO Summit on April 17. Register here to join the event and learn more about the latest modernization strategies and how industry can help meet the priorities of federal CIOs.

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Sparton Receives $106M Navy Contract for Delivery of Sonobuoys
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Sparton Receives $106M Navy Contract for Delivery of Sonobuoys

The U.S. Navy has awarded undersea warfare product provider Sparton Corporation a $106.4 million contract for the delivery of AN/SSQ-125 modified high duty cycle sonobuoys.

The Department of Defense said Wednesday that the sonobuoys will be used for the purposes of testing, training and peacetime operations. The sonobuoys are also being acquired to maintain sufficient inventory in support of potential combat operations.

The firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract calls for the production of up to 20,000 sonobuoys.

Work will be carried out at locations in Florida and Indiana, with an expected completion date of March 2026.

The contract was not competitively procured and the Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

SDA Requests Studies to Assess Commercial Disposal Services for PWSA Constellation
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SDA Requests Studies to Assess Commercial Disposal Services for PWSA Constellation

The Space Development Agency is soliciting proposals from industry sources capable of performing engineering studies, analyses and technical trades for commercial disposal services for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

SDA said Monday it requires studies to determine the feasibility of using existing or planned commercial on-orbit services to provide assisted disposal operations for the agency’s resilient layered network of low Earth orbit satellites designed to deliver space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter.

The studies will inform SDA on what such services exist or are planned, how it may technically and contractually use such services and assess the cost-benefit trade of augmenting practices and future planning.

The call for proposals was made under SDA’s broad agency announcement that seeks new concepts, systems, technologies and capabilities for the Department of Defense’s future missile-tracking satellite constellation.

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New DOD Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Strategy Aims to Elevate Department’s Position in Cyber Domain; Kathleen Hicks Quoted
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New DOD Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Strategy Aims to Elevate Department’s Position in Cyber Domain; Kathleen Hicks Quoted

The Department of Defense has published its new Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Strategy, dubbed DIB CS, to advance the department’s cyber posture.

The plan, which covers fiscal years 2024-2027, is intended to guide the DOD’s internal and partnered cybersecurity efforts and contribute to objectives laid out in earlier strategies, the department said on Thursday.

New DOD Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Strategy Aims to Elevate Department’s Position in Cyber Domain; Kathleen Hicks Quoted

Learn more about the DOD’s approach to cybersecurity at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Cyber Summit on June 6, where key cyber leaders will come together to share their thoughts on the federal cybersecurity landscape. Click here to learn more and register for the event.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, a 2024 Wash100 Award winner, said the DOD has “identified opportunities to bolster cybersecurity of our DIB partners, which will improve our overall cybersecurity of the U.S.”

“As our adversaries continuously seek information about U.S. capabilities, the Department, in coordination with the DIB, must remain resilient against these attacks and succeed through teamwork to defend the Nation,” she added.

Four major goals — strengthening the DOD governance structure for DIB cybersecurity, enhancing the cybersecurity posture of DIB contractors, preserving the resiliency of critical DIB capabilities in a cyber-contested environment and improving collaboration with the DIB — guide the new strategy.

To carry out these objectives, the DOD is working with industry, academia and research and development entities.

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KBR’s Byron Bright & RGS CEO Paul Smith Honored as 2024 Wash100 Winners
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KBR’s Byron Bright & RGS CEO Paul Smith Honored as 2024 Wash100 Winners

Executive Mosaic is pleased to recognize Byron Bright, president of KBR Government Solutions, and Paul Smith, CEO of Rancher Government Solutions, as winners of the prestigious 2024 Wash100 Award.

Byron Bright and Paul Smith are contestants in the annual Wash100 popular vote competition! Visit Wash100.com to cast your ten votes for these and other candidates. Voting closes April 30. 

The Wash100 Award annually recognizes the best and brightest individuals in the federal government and the government contracting industry. These 100 executives of consequence are honored not only for their accomplishments thus far, but also for their anticipated impact in the GovCon landscape in the coming year and beyond.

Bright earned his fifth Wash100 Award this year for his continued commitment to advancing government technology innovation at the helm of KBR’s $4.5 billion government solutions segment. He has been with KBR for nearly 14 years and has led the government business for seven years. Learn more about why Bright was selected yet again to the Wash100 list — read his full Wash100 profile here.

Smith made his return to the Wash100 list this year, winning his fourth overall Wash100 Award. The RGS CEO was appointed to the role in July of last year.

“I am delighted to be back in the saddle at Rancher Government to help drive agnostic, secure open source solutions to meet and accelerate U.S. Government missions,” Smith said.

Read more about Smith’s selection to the 2024 Wash100 list here.

Executive Mosaic congratulates Byron Bright and Paul Smith on their Wash100 wins.

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