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Biden Administration Unveils National Spectrum Strategy
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Biden Administration Unveils National Spectrum Strategy

The Biden administration issued a memorandum to promote the radio frequency spectrum as an essential element of wireless technology modernization.

The White House on Monday unveiled the National Spectrum Strategy, which calls for private-public collaboration over spectrum access, management and research and development to keep the country at the forefront of global wireless technology.

The strategy includes four pillars focused on building a spectrum pipeline; devising long-term plans with cooperation among the Federal Communications Commission, National Telecommunications and Information Administration and industry stakeholders; fostering innovation; and elevating national awareness.

The administration also intends to create a nationwide dynamic spectrum sharing testbed in the next 12 to 18 months to advance research on the technology. The government will establish national spectrum R&D and workforce plans in support of the new strategy and its objectives.

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How Government-Industry Relationship Is Evolving: CGI’s Stephanie Mango Explains
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How Government-Industry Relationship Is Evolving: CGI’s Stephanie Mango Explains

The relationship between government and industry is shifting, according to CGI Federal President Stephanie Mango, and as a result, government procurements are changing. In a new video interview with Executive Mosaic, Mango spoke about how this change is rippling across the government contracting landscape.

Mango, a two-time Wash100 Award winner, said the government is now more willing to bring industry into the procurement process earlier on, making the collaboration and innovation more seamless, fast and efficient. The evidence Mango points to is proofs of concept.

“Let’s not just write a solution, you read about it and then we figure out what to do. Let’s sit in a room together, develop the proof of concept, apply the technology to the opportunity you have and then let’s see how it actually works. Then once we do that, if it does what we want it to do, then we can do a procurement to roll out the rest of it,” Mango told Executive Mosaic’s Summer Myatt in regard to the change she’s seeing on the government side.

The changing relationship between the public and private sectors is one of three major trends — along with an increasing pressure to modernize and budget uncertainties — that Mango sees as influencing the GovCon market.

“50 years ago, government was really the only investor in technology,” Mango explained of the evolving paradigm. “They were doing all of the R&D for technology. Well now, industry, because of how much the technology has evolved, are making just as many investments, and in some cases, more investments. And so you’re starting to see government and industry work together differently to drive that mission forward.”

Hear Stephanie Mango’s thoughts on how the GovCon market is changing, along with topics like artificial intelligence and generative AI — watch her full video interview here.

How Government-Industry Relationship Is Evolving: CGI’s Stephanie Mango Explains

For more expertise on the government R&D landscape, join the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 31. Decision makers from the Pentagon, government and industry will gather to discuss defense technology innovation. Register here.

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DOE to Finance Innovation Program Seeking ‘Outside the Box’ Energy Solutions
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DOE to Finance Innovation Program Seeking ‘Outside the Box’ Energy Solutions

The Department of Energy will provide up to $10 million in funding to support the Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy 2024, or IGNIITE 2024, program.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy said Thursday that IGNIITE 2024, which it is leading, aims to empower early-career scientists and engineers in developing disruptive energy technologies.

Project proposals must address at least one of the goals of ARPA-E. Researchers must also explain how their project makes the generation, transport or utilization of energy more sustainable, economical and efficient.

ARPA-E Director Evelyn Wang said she and her organization seek to support early-career researchers in pursuing energy solutions that are “outside the box.”

Regarding IGNIITE 2024, Wang said, “I am optimistic that together, we can support a new generation of energy innovators and create a clean, sustainable energy future.”

State Department Collaborates With SAFE to Create Critical Minerals Investment Network
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State Department Collaborates With SAFE to Create Critical Minerals Investment Network

The Department of State and nonprofit organization SAFE have established a public-private partnership that aims to spur investment in the responsible and sustainable mining and utilization of critical minerals to achieve the country’s clean energy goals.

The Minerals Investment Network for Vital Energy Security and Transition will provide funding opportunities in mining, processing and recycling of lithium and other elements essential to renewable power generation, the department said Friday.

With demand for critical minerals projected to increase four to six times by 2040, the agency is creating environmental, social and governance standards to ensure a transparent, diverse, secure and stable supply chain for such commodities.

MINVEST is led in part by SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy and aligns with the State Department’s commitment to the Minerals Security Partnership.

The agency has launched a page on its website to further discuss MINVEST and encourage participation of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.

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NASA Preparing Platform to Demo Technologies Enabling GPS-Like Lunar Navigation
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NASA Preparing Platform to Demo Technologies Enabling GPS-Like Lunar Navigation

NASA intends to launch Lunar Node 1 in early 2024 as part of an effort to establish a capability that would enable Global Positioning System-like navigation near and around the moon.

LN-1, an S-band navigation beacon, will be delivered to the lunar surface aboard aerospace company Intuitive Machines‘ NOVA-C lunar lander as part of the IM-1 mission, NASA said.

The beacon will demonstrate various navigation technologies — including Multi-spacecraft Autonomous Positioning System, or MAPS, algorithms — intended to enable lunar surface and orbital operations.

LN-1 was built at the Marshall Space Flight Center, where it underwent and passed vibration, electromagnetic interference and thermal vacuum testing. It has also undergone radio frequency compatibility testing with the Deep Space Network, whose ground stations will collect measurements to validate LN-1’s capabilities during the actual mission.

The technologies to be demonstrated during the IM-1 mission are expected to enable future lunar assets to navigate autonomously.

DARPA Issues Topics for 2024 Young Faculty Award Research Program
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DARPA Issues Topics for 2024 Young Faculty Award Research Program

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency revealed 24 new technical topics for the 2024 Young Faculty Award research program.

The agency on Wednesday announced that it has begun accepting executive summaries and proposals for next year’s YFA, which provides an opportunity for junior researchers in universities and nonprofit institutions to develop expertise in defense-related technical studies.

In a notice posted on SAM.gov, DARPA stated that it is looking for proposals with a 24-month base performance period in the fields of 3D microphysiologic systems, novel treatments for neuropathologies, additive manufacturing, large language models and low earth orbit spacecraft development.

Applicants may also focus on mitigation strategies for fault injection or glitching in hardware and software, laser-enabled optical power beaming, next-generation underwater propulsion technologies, quantum information science and artificial intelligence-generated content.

Interested parties may submit their executive summaries and proposals until March 23.

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Pacific Air Forces Demonstrates F-16 Aerial Refueling Capability Using Commercial Tankers
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Pacific Air Forces Demonstrates F-16 Aerial Refueling Capability Using Commercial Tankers

A commercial KDC-10 refueler provided F-16 fighter jets aerial refueling while traveling from Osan Air Base in South Korea to Singapore as part of exercise Commando Sling 23.

According to Pacific Air Forces Air Mobility Operations Chief Lt. Col. Curtis Holtman, the proof of concept employment demonstrates a capability that would allow the Air Force to maintain readiness while continuing to conduct exercises, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Thursday.

“If we can use commercial air refueling to cover the point A to point B movements for exercise participation across unit readiness training, then it frees up our warfighter tanker fleet to be ready to respond for emerging contingency requirements,” Holtman explained.

The PACAF official added that the exercise also aims to demonstrate commercial refueling capabilities for F-15C and F-22 fighters.

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DOD OIG Releases Evaluation of Pentagon’s Control Over Biometric Devices
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DOD OIG Releases Evaluation of Pentagon’s Control Over Biometric Devices

The Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General released a report evaluating the DOD’s control and accountability over biometric devices that collect, store and transmit biometric data.

The report revealed that military services and combatant commands complied with DOD policy and their guidance and procedures for biometric devices but found that some devices could not encrypt data because the DOD does not specify information security standards or require encryption on the biometric technologies, the DOD OIG said Thursday.

To address the issue, the inspector general recommended that the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security add data encryption standards to the DOD biometrics policy.

Biometric devices covered in the report include secure electronic enrollment kits, biometric automated toolsets, Javelin, Biosled and handheld interagency identity detection equipment.

“Improving DOD-wide standards for encryption and data protection requirements for biometric devices would help to reduce the risks of inadvertent release of such sensitive information,” said DOD Inspector General Robert Storch.

Thomas Rondeau: DOD Focusing on 5G Tech Security to Broaden Communications Capabilities
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Thomas Rondeau: DOD Focusing on 5G Tech Security to Broaden Communications Capabilities

Thomas Rondeau, principal director for future G at the Department of Defense, said the Pentagon is focused on ensuring the security of future G and 5G technologies as it seeks to strengthen its communications posture and deliver enhanced capabilities to warfighters, the Federal News Network reported Thursday.

“A key tenet here is privacy-enhancing technologies and additional security technologies in order to start breaking down those challenges that this technology will always have for us,” Rondeau said.

The DOD is also investing in technology to help it identify and manage signatures in the electromagnetic spectrum to better protect warfighters against jamming threats.

“[W]e are working closely with our industry base to define new technologies that will help us enhance our low probability of detection, interception, our anti jam capabilities within standard, compliant 5G systems,” Rondeau said.

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Federal Reserve Embraces Generative AI with New Incubator Program
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Federal Reserve Embraces Generative AI with New Incubator Program

The Federal Reserve System has established a new generative artificial intelligence “incubator” program to test out the emerging technology’s potential applications.

Sunayna Tuteja, the Federal Reserve System’s first-ever chief innovation officer, said the Fed needs to start putting generative AI technology into action, with responsibility and ethics at the forefront of their efforts.

Federal Reserve Embraces Generative AI with New Incubator Program

Generative AI will be a central topic of conversation at the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual AI Summit on March 21, 2024. Keynote speakers from the Pentagon, DARPA, DHS and NGA will gather with the leading AI experts from government and industry to share their insights on the future of AI in the public sector. Register here to save your spot. 

“This is one of those technologies where you have to think but you also have to do, so how do we create a framework that enables us to do that?” Tuteja said at a conference hosted by FedScoop and Microsoft in Arlington, Virginia earlier this month.

“We’ve got to put hands on keys. This is not a theoretical exercise,” Tuteja added. “So how do we create the right guardrails and safe spaces within our organization that enables and empowers as many of our colleagues to really put hands on keys and start to think about the value of this technology on the businesses that they lead?”

The Federal Reserve is looking at potentially using AI to analyze payment system data and data related to supervision and regulation activities. Tuteja said applying the right AI models, especially in regards to payment system data, could help the Fed better understand its customers’ behavior and make more informed business decisions.

As AI technologies have grown in popularity in recent years, concerns about the workforce have emerged, but Tuteja asserted that the Fed’s use of AI is focused on “augmenting” humans, not replacing them.

“Our thesis is not that AI or generative AI is going to be a replacement, but more so that it will play the role of augmentation and complement. So in a way that humans now have more time and space to do the higher order work,” she explained.

The Federal Reserve’s new incubator program aligns with the objectives and goals outlined in President Biden’s recent landmark executive order on AI.

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