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Agile Defense Joint Venture Wins DISA Contract to Secure DOD Online Resources; Rick Wagner Quoted
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Agile Defense Joint Venture Wins DISA Contract to Secure DOD Online Resources; Rick Wagner Quoted

A joint venture between Agile Defense and BuddoBot has received a potential four-year prime contract to improve authentication technologies for the Defense Information Systems Agency Joint Service Provider.

Under the award, which includes a one-year base period and three one-year option periods, Agile-Bot II will help DISA JSP increase the security of Department of Defense online resources, the Reston, Virginia-based company announced on Tuesday.

Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense and a six-time Wash100 Award recipient, said this win represents Agile-Bot II’s “strong ability to unite best-in-class talent and exceptional technical solutions” to drive success in a challenging mission, a goal that is the “ultimate focus” of the joint venture.

Contracting activities will focus on ensuring that identity verification and strong credentials are provided to access protected digital materials using DOD Public Key Certificates. Agile-Bot II’s work will assist JSP as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff, Department of the Army, Pentagon Force Protection Agency and Washington Headquarters Services. Other organizations in the National Capital Region as well as external clients will also be supported.

The award of this contract closely follows the joint venture’s win of a $162 million Air Force contract earlier this month, under which Agile-Bot II will enhance the Air Mobility Command’s command and control systems. The company’s responsibilities encompass modernization, technology insertion and performance analysis as well as tuning, maintaining, testing, migrating and integrating the systems into cloud environments.

Agile-Bot II was created to incorporate the capabilities of Agile Defense and BuddoBot to establish a small business able to manage a range of task orders within a competitive rate structure.

ORNL, NASA Collaborate to Create Prototype Lunar Rover Wheel Through Additive Manufacturing
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ORNL, NASA Collaborate to Create Prototype Lunar Rover Wheel Through Additive Manufacturing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has teamed up with NASA to produce a lunar rover wheel prototype using a 3D printer.

The product highlights the potential role of additive manufacturing in the future of space exploration equipment fabrication, ORNL said Friday.

The nickel alloy prototype was based on NASA’s design of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, a mobile robot that will be sent to the south pole of the Moon in 2024 to determine the source, distribution and supply of water in the natural satellite. The 3D-printed wheel will not be used in the mission, but will undergo NASA performance testing in comparison with VIPER’s traditionally produced wheels.

3D printing was done at ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and took less time, cost and manpower to create than conventional processes. The research team was also able to incorporate more complex spoke patterns and locking features thanks to the powder bed printer’s two coordinated lasers and a rotating build plate.

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Space RCO Selects 6 Companies to Join 2023 Hyperspace Challenge
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Space RCO Selects 6 Companies to Join 2023 Hyperspace Challenge

The U.S. Space Force’s Space Rapid Capabilities Office has selected six companies from four countries to participate in the Hyperspace Challenge to develop and mature technologies to make space assets more resilient and responsive to threats.

Phase Four, Dawn AeroSpace, Lexset.ai, Magdrive, TRL11 and High Earth Orbit Robotics will partner with Space RCO to boost space visibility and awareness, modernize space analysis and vehicle autonomy and increase space vehicle lifespan and maneuverability, Central New Mexico Community College said Thursday.

The 2023 cohort will focus on establishing partnerships to pursue new opportunities in the advancement of space assets’ safety and long-term sustainability.

Hyperspace Challenge was established in 2018 by Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory in collaboration with CNM Ingenuity.

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OSTP-Hosted Roundtable Focuses Discussion on AI’s Role in Health Care
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OSTP-Hosted Roundtable Focuses Discussion on AI’s Role in Health Care

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy held a roundtable to discuss with leaders from patient advocacy groups, academia, health care and industry stakeholders how to safely field artificial intelligence to improve individuals’ health outcomes.

The event included considerations on how to advance responsible AI development and the use of AI tools in public health, clinical settings and drug creation and experimentation, the White House said Friday.

Arati Prabhakar, director of OSTP and a previous Wash100 awardee, highlighted some of the current administration’s initiatives to advance AI adoption, including the release of the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights and efforts to secure voluntary commitments from AI companies.

Danielle Carnival, deputy director for health outcomes at OSTP and deputy assistant to the president for the Cancer Moonshot, also participated in the roundtable discussion.OSTP-Hosted Roundtable Focuses Discussion on AI's Role in Health Care

Find out the latest health care technology trends at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Healthcare Summit on Dec. 6. Register here to attend this important event.

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CISA Eyes Solicitation for Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative Planning Office Support Recompete
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CISA Eyes Solicitation for Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative Planning Office Support Recompete

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within the Department of Homeland Security plans to release in December a request for proposals for a recompete contract to provide support services for the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative planning office.

The JCDC Planning Office Support requirement is a program for small businesses and covers services in the areas of joint cyber defense planning, plan execution, front office, governance, risk analysis and prioritization and adversary-focused planning and coordination, according to a notice published Friday on the DHS Acquisition Planning Forecast System.

CISA expects to award the follow-on contract during the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 and anticipates the recompete to run through April 5, 2029.

The estimated value range for the proposed contract is between $20 million and $50 million.

IVA’AL Solutions, a Small Business Administration 8(a)-certified firm, is the incumbent on a contract providing support services to CISA’s JCDC planning office.

CISA intends to issue a solicitation for the recompete contract on Dec. 18.

CISA Eyes Solicitation for Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative Planning Office Support Recompete

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2023 Homeland Security Summit in mid-November to hear government and industry leaders discuss the latest digital transformation efforts to protect and secure the homeland amid evolving global threats. Click here to register.

Navy Commissions USS Jack H Lucas Guided-Missile Destroyer Into Active Service
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Navy Commissions USS Jack H Lucas Guided-Missile Destroyer Into Active Service

The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer into active service during a ceremony held Saturday in Tampa, Florida, DVIDS reported.

The USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) is the Navy’s first destroyer built in the Flight III configuration and equipped with the updated AEGIS Weapon System, Baseline 10 architecture.

Named after Medal of Honor recipient Jack Lucas, DDG 125 features the new AN/SPY6(V)(1) air and missile defense radar and has improved electrical power and cooling capacity.

“The Jack H. Lucas is built to fight. It is a fast, maneuverable, versatile, and lethal ship – capable of tackling any mission it is given,” said Erik Raven, undersecretary of the Navy.

GM Defense, Air Force Demo Electric Ground Power Unit for Flightline Equipment Modernization Effort
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GM Defense, Air Force Demo Electric Ground Power Unit for Flightline Equipment Modernization Effort

An electric ground power unit supplied power to a KC-135 tanker aircraft during a technology demonstration that took place from Aug. 14 through 17 at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The demonstration is part of an effort by the Department of the Air Force to modernize its flightline equipment from being powered by internal combustion engines to electric or hybrid engines, the Air Force Research Laboratory said Thursday.

The modernization program, which has been running for three years, is a partnership between the Air Force Materiel Command, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the AFRL and the defense subsidiary of General Motors, which adapted its commercial electric ground power unit to meet the requirements of the military.

According to GM Defense Product Development and Advanced Engineering Vice President Rick Kewley, the company’s electric ground power unit helps eliminate greenhouse gas emissions while operating with near-zero noise.

“With access to the advanced technologies of our commercial parent, General Motors, GM Defense is transitioning our unique defense and government customers to a more electric future,” Kewley said.

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DIU Adds Aditi Kumar, Kirstin Riesbeck as Deputy Directors of Strategy, People Management; Doug Beck Quoted
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DIU Adds Aditi Kumar, Kirstin Riesbeck as Deputy Directors of Strategy, People Management; Doug Beck Quoted

The Defense Innovation Unit named Aditi Kumar deputy director of strategy, policy and national security partnerships and Kirstin Riesbeck its deputy director of people, finance and management.

The two senior executive service members will help bolster DIU’s projects and activities to support the National Defense Strategy, the organization said Friday.

Kumar’s role involves coordinating with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other leaders across the Department of Defense over policy, legislation and international and interagency collaborations. Prior to her appointment, Kumar was senior adviser to the DOD undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment.

In her new position, Riesbeck will oversee talent and budget management as well as business strategy and portfolio management. She will also be responsible for DIU’s critical acquisitions capability. She most recently served as DOD functional community manager and director of human capital and resource management at Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).

“Their experience driving innovation at scale on a Department-wide level will be central to DIU 3.0,” said Doug Beck, DIU director and senior advisor to the secretary of defense. “Attracting talent that combines fluency in both commercial technology and national security impact is critical to DIU’s mission, and I could not be more excited about the team we are continuing to build to scale these efforts for the nation.”

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Army Previews AIE Talent Acquisition System to Group of Recruiters
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Army Previews AIE Talent Acquisition System to Group of Recruiters

The U.S. Army has started previewing a cloud-based talent acquisition platform to select recruiters from installations across the country to gather feedback and further improve the tool.

The Accessions Information Environment is a commercial off-the-shelf tool designed to modernize the Army’s accessions and recruitment processes and help the service meet staffing requirements by replacing 11 legacy platforms, including the Army Recruiting Information Support System, the service said Friday.

“We are very excited to preview AIE to a small group of recruiters,” said Rick Ayer, functional lead for AIE at Army Training and Doctrine Command.

“They are now able to log in from their existing computers to move through the first three steps in recruiting an enlisted Soldier. We’re getting valuable feedback from those recruiters who are helping to shape their future system,” added Ayer.

The military branch’s program executive office enterprise information systems adopted the Agile development process for AIE and is working with TRADOC to oversee the AIE program.

The service expects to release the software offering’s Enlisted Soldier recruitment functionality by the fall of 2024.

In 2019, Booz Allen Hamilton received an other transaction agreement to develop the AIE platform for the Army.

Army Acquisition Priorities: Balancing Readiness and Modernization Forum

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FAR Council Finalizes Changes to 8(a) Business Development Program
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FAR Council Finalizes Changes to 8(a) Business Development Program

The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council has finalized regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration to clarify requirements associated with the 8(a) business development program.

The Department of Defense, General Services Administration and NASA issued a final rule amending FAR to implement the changes that will take effect starting Nov. 6, according to a Federal Register notice published Thursday.

In October 2020, SBA ruled to merge the 8(a) business development mentor-protege program and the all small mentor-protege program to eliminate confusion and remove duplication of functions.

The final rule also requires contracting officers to submit an offering letter for blanket purchase agreements and BPA orders to SBA for acceptance.

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