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DOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg Named Acting FAA Administrator
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DOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg Named Acting FAA Administrator

Polly Trottenberg, deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation, has been appointed to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration on an interim basis.

Trottenberg will take over from acting FAA administrator Billy Nolen, who announced in April that he would step down from the role after more than a year of leading the agency, DOT said Thursday.

“I am grateful to Billy for his service during one of the most challenging and dynamic times in aviation, and I have full confidence in Polly’s steady hand during the search for a permanent administrator,” said DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

President Biden also intends to appoint Katie Thomson, chief of staff at FAA, as deputy administrator. She will be replaced by Keith Washington, deputy assistant secretary for administration at DOT, as acting chief of staff.

Meanwhile, Deputy FAA Administrator Bradley Mims will lead the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at DOT and Tyra Redus will serve as the office’s permanent deputy director.

Tactical Software Shows Promise for USAF Fighter Jet Development Cost Reduction
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Tactical Software Shows Promise for USAF Fighter Jet Development Cost Reduction

The U.S. Air Force completed a test flight in an attempt to demonstrate the use of a single tactical software on different stealth fighters such as the F35A Lightning II and F22 Raptor.

The service branch announced Thursday that the goal was achieved by the 461st Flight Test Squadron in flying an F35A using the same software installed on the previously tested F22.

The innovation project is a collaborative effort of the Air Combat Command Federal Laboratory, a group of test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and the 309th Software Engineering Group.

So far, they were able to demonstrate that the same software sourced from different suppliers can be used in different military air vehicles. They also proved that the program can be updated 30 to 60 times faster than previous technologies, taking less than a day on average.

“Now, instead of having to define, purchase, test and field a software capability on each aircraft individually, we can gain a lot of efficiencies by developing a capability once and fielding it on all 5th gen fighters, saving hundreds of millions of dollars, if not more, in development costs and saving years in development time,” according to Lt. Col. Raven LeClair, project co-founder and F-35 test pilot.

The Potomac Officers’ Club will hold its 2023 Air Force Summit on July 18 to shine light on digital transformation in the branch. Register here to be part of the event.

POC - 2023 Annual Air Force Summit
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Bipartisan Senate Bill Aims to Establish AI Transparency Across Federal Government
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Bipartisan Senate Bill Aims to Establish AI Transparency Across Federal Government

Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Mike Braun, R-Ind.; and James Lankford, R-Okla, have introduced bipartisan legislation requiring federal agencies to implement transparency practices regarding their use of artificial intelligence.

The Transparent Automated Governance Act would direct the director of the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance on notifying the public when they are interacting with AI and other automated systems, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said Thursday.

TAG Act would also require government agencies to establish an appeals process that incorporates a human review of AI-generated decisions that may impact individuals.

“Artificial intelligence is already transforming how federal agencies are serving the public, but government must be more transparent with the public about when and how they are using these emerging technologies,” HSGAC Chairman Peters said.

“This bipartisan bill will ensure taxpayers know when they are interacting with certain federal AI systems and establishes a process for people to get answers about why these systems are making certain decisions,” he continued.

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Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz Selected to Serve as USMC’s 20th Sergeant Major
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Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz Selected to Serve as USMC’s 20th Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz has been chosen to serve as the 20th sergeant major of the U.S. Marine Corps, succeeding Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who has held the position since 2019.

The transition will go into effect during a relief and appointment ceremony scheduled for Aug. 8, in which Black will pass the torch to Ruiz, the Marine Corps announced on Friday.

Currently, Ruiz is the command senior enlisted leader for USMC Forces Reserve and USMC Forces South. As sergeant major, he will serve as the commandant of the Marine Corps’ highest-level enlisted advisor with a protocol equivalence of a three-star general officer.

Ruiz’s time with the USMC began in 1993, and his recruit training was completed at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. In his early days with the service branch, Ruiz was a warehouse clerk with the 3rd Supply Battalion’s 3rd Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, Japan. Later, he served as an enlisted leader across the USMC in the 1st Service Support Group, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and 4th Marine Logistics Group.

His deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as well as operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Created in 1957, the sergeant major role represents the senior enlisted advisor to the commandant of the USMC. The position was the first of its kind within the military services. Typically, the sergeant major serves for four years, but the length of the term is determined by the commandant.

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NCCoE Requests Comments on Draft NIST Hybrid Satellite Networks Cybersecurity Framework
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NCCoE Requests Comments on Draft NIST Hybrid Satellite Networks Cybersecurity Framework

The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is seeking comments on the initial public draft of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity framework profile for hybrid satellite networks.

The NIST Interagency Report 8441 will work as a practical tool for organizations involved in the design, acquisition, operation and security of satellite payloads involving HSN, the NCCoE said Tuesday.

Space stakeholders may use the framework to identify data, assets and risks from the CSF that pertain to HSN; use cybersecurity principles and self-assessment to protect HSN; detect cybersecurity-related disturbances of HSN; respond to data anomalies; and resume HSN operations after a cybersecurity incident.

NIST developed the framework in collaboration with subject matter experts including satellite builders, consultants, acquisition authorities, commercial and government operators, academia and other stakeholders.

Interested parties have until July 5 to submit comments on the draft framework.

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CSC 2.0 Report Recommends Ways to Reshape Public-Private Sector Collaboration to Improve Critical Infrastructure Protection
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CSC 2.0 Report Recommends Ways to Reshape Public-Private Sector Collaboration to Improve Critical Infrastructure Protection

The CSC 2.0 project, the successor to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, has released a report offering recommendations to improve collaboration between the public and private sectors in protecting U.S. critical infrastructure and address considerations that require an update to the Presidential Policy Directive 21.

According to the report, PPD-21 created strategic goals for safeguarding critical infrastructure, designated 16 critical infrastructure sectors and assigned a sector-specific agency to each sector.

The report calls for the current administration to rewrite PPD-21 by identifying strategic changes and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as the national risk management agency. It also tasks the administration with facilitating accountability and addressing questions around the organization and designation of critical infrastructure sectors and assigned sector risk management agencies, CSC 2.0 said Wednesday.

According to the document, the White House and Congress should support the PPD-21 rewrite and strengthen the effectiveness of public-private collaboration with several measures.

These include strengthening CISA’s capabilities to carry out its responsibilities as NRMA, resourcing SRMAs for the responsibilities they have and developing a functional capacity to facilitate information sharing across all sectors, as well as organizing public-private collaboration to mitigate systemic and cross-sector risks, identifying a way to support, catalog and protect priority infrastructure and ensuring an effective emergency response.

In April, CSC 2.0 issued a report concluding that space systems should be designated as a U.S. critical infrastructure sector.

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GSA’s Laura Stanton: Automated Contact Center Solutions SIN Could Help Agencies Enhance Citizen Satisfaction
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GSA’s Laura Stanton: Automated Contact Center Solutions SIN Could Help Agencies Enhance Citizen Satisfaction

Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner for the office of information technology category at the General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service, said federal agencies that intend to improve citizen experience, increase efficiency and streamline communications should consider using Automated Contact Center Solutions Special Item Number on the Multiple Award Schedule.

The ACCS SIN could enable citizens to quickly access information through a range of voice response options and help agencies automate call routing, call back and other routine activities while allowing agents to focus more on complex tasks, Stanton wrote in a blog post published Monday.

She mentioned that agencies spent over $385 million through the ACCS SIN in 2022 and highlighted the scalability, cost savings and analytics capabilities the special item number offers.

“ACCS provides detailed analytics that can help agencies to identify patterns, track performance, and optimize their call center operations. This data can also be used to identify areas where additional resources may be needed, such as staffing or training,” Stanton noted.

Stanton discussed how a government agency used the special item number to gain additional call center support for hurricane response efforts from small businesses.

“ACCS supports providing the public with ready access to government information and services and helping agencies ensure timely, consistent, and accurate responses to citizen inquiries,” she stated.

DCSA Recognizes 19 Contractors for Meeting Industrial Security Standards
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DCSA Recognizes 19 Contractors for Meeting Industrial Security Standards

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency has recognized 19 companies with the 2023 James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award for complying with industrial security review standards.

BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, DCS Corporation, Leonardo DRS, Inmarsat Government and Charles River Analytics were among the recipients of the award recognizing efforts in meeting national industrial security program requirements, DCSA said Wednesday.

According to the agency, the recipients were selected from nearly 12,500 cleared contractors that have maintained their security program management, oversight and implementation capabilities.

Established in 1966, the Cogswell Award’s namesake is the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of the Unified Office of Industrial Security.

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Senate Confirms David Crane as DOE Infrastructure Undersecretary; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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Senate Confirms David Crane as DOE Infrastructure Undersecretary; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

David Crane, a three-decade energy sector veteran, has received confirmation from the Senate to serve as undersecretary for infrastructure at the Department of Energy.

He will oversee clean energy infrastructure deployment initiatives that aim to accelerate job creation, expand the domestic manufacturing sector and manage the climate crisis, , DOE announced Wednesday..

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Crane will be instrumental in helping DOE realize the goals of President Biden’s Invest in America Agenda and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Prior to his confirmation, Crane served as director of DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.

Elsewhere in his career, he held chief executive roles at Climate Real Impact Solutions, International Power, NRG Energy and NRG Yield.

Crane also served on the boards of Heliogen, Source Global, Tata Steel and JERA, a joint venture between Tokyo Electric and Chubu Electric.

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President Biden Nominates Senate Committee Staff Director Michael Casey as NCSC Head
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President Biden Nominates Senate Committee Staff Director Michael Casey as NCSC Head

Michael Colin Casey, staff director of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has been nominated by President Joe Biden as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.

The White House on Wednesday announced the nomination for new leadership in the NCSC, a unit within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Casey has been working in his current capacity since January 2016. He coordinates with the minority staff director in leading the committee’s team, and oversees the panel’s daily operations and security.

He previously served as a professional staff member in the House Armed Services Committee, and as legislative director to then Rep. Victor Snyder, D-Ark.

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