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Mike Cannon Appointed FirstNet Authority Executive Director, CEO
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Michael Cannon, FirstNet Authority Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

Michael Cannon has been named executive director and CEO of the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet Authority, within the Department of Commerce.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration said Thursday Cannon was elevated to his current position after serving as chief counsel of the FirstNet Authority. NTIA also issued a Federal Register Notice seeking individuals interested in serving on the FirstNet Authority Board.

Who Is Mike Cannon?

Cannon has been serving in the government and military for over four decades. He held various positions at the Commerce Department since joining in 1992. He was the chief counsel for economic affairs, providing legal insight and services to the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The executive was also the chief of the General Litigation Division.

A retired Navy Captain, Cannon served in the FBI and was a radar intercept officer during his active-duty years.

Renee Gordon, FirstNet Authority acting board chair, said, “The board looks forward to collaborating with Mike as the FirstNet Authority network continues to serve the needs of public safety day-in and day-out from routine use all the way through disasters. We will partner with Mike on future network investments, strategic goals and making further improvements to support first responders nationwide.”

Adam Cassady, acting assistant secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, stated, “With Mike Cannon as executive director and the strategic direction and oversight performed by the Board, the FirstNet Authority is in good hands and will continue to deliver for public safety.”

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Hegseth Wants Army to Implement Transformation Strategy, Acquisition Reform
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issues a memo calling for Army transformation and acquisition reform

Pete Hegseth, secretary of the Department of Defense, has issued a memorandum directing the secretary of the Army to implement a comprehensive transformation strategy, reform the acquisition process, eliminate wasteful spending and streamline the military branch’s force structure.

Army Future Warfare Preparation

In the memo dated Wednesday, Hegseth, a 2025 Wash100 awardee, is directing the secretary of the Army to advance the deployment of long-range missiles designed to strike moving ground and maritime targets by 2027; achieve electromagnetic and air-littoral dominance by 2027; and extend advanced manufacturing to operational units by 2026.

By 2027, artificial intelligence-driven command and control should be enabled at theater, corps and division headquarters.

The DOD secretary also calls for the modernization of the organic industrial base to produce ammunition stockpiles to sustain national defense during wartime through the implementation of 21st-century production capabilities. Hegseth expects the measure to achieve full operational capability by 2028.

According to the document, the Army should boost its forward presence in the Indo-Pacific region by expanding rotational deployments, prepositioned stocks and exercises with allies to improve basing, strategic access and overflight.

Army Acquisition Reform

The secretary of the Army should accelerate modernization and acquisition efficiency by working with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Comptroller, to consolidate budget lines and transition to capability-based funding across critical portfolios to ensure rapid technology adaptation.

The memo directs the Army to expand the use of other transaction authority agreements to facilitate rapid prototyping and fielding of critical technologies, including software and software-defined hardware; implement performance-based contracting to minimize waste; and expand multiyear procurement agreements when cost-effective.

Hegseth also wants the Army to identify and propose contract modifications for right to repair provisions where intellectual property matters restrict the service branch’s ability to perform maintenance and access the necessary maintenance tools, technical data and software.

Join us at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Army Summit on June 18. Hear notable leaders and experts as they share their insights into modernization imperatives, force structure optimization, national security missions and more. Save your spot today!

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DOD Publishes Software Modernization Implementation Plan for 2025–2026
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The Defense Department is modernizing its IT systems.

The Department of Defense has published its Software Modernization Implementation Plan for fiscals 2025 and 2026. The document provides a detailed strategy for accelerating the delivery of software capabilities necessary to meet the department’s priorities and goals. 

DOD Software Modernization Plan Overview

The new implementation plan builds on the achievements of a similar document issued for fiscals 2023 and 2024 and provides the next set of tasks to guide the Pentagon’s software-related activities. 

The plan identifies three goals: to accelerate the DOD Enterprise Cloud Environment, establish department-wide software factories, and enable resilience and speed. The tasks are grouped in line with the aforementioned goals. 

The DOD Software Modernization Senior Steering Group is in charge of the implementation of the Pentagon’s Software Modernization Strategy. The group is led by the Office of the DOD Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Software Procurement Evolution

Some of the tasks identified in the document encourage the use of new software development and acquisition practices. For instance, the implementation plan urges DOD components to increase the use of continuous authorization to operate, or cATO, to strengthen cyber postures and to address cyberthreats in a timely manner.

The implementation plan also continues to promote the use of software acquisition pathways and calls for the creation of measures of progress to better understand adoption and impact.

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SQS, Space ISAC Invite Pilot Participants for Quantum Testbed
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SQS launches quantum testbed.

Secured Quantum Services’ Quantum Testbed, created in partnership with the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center, is now open to a limited number of paid pilot participants.

The Quantum Testbed, unveiled at the 40th Space Symposium, was created to provide a mission-relevant environment for testing, validating and scaling quantum secure solutions for national security, aerospace and critical infrastructure sectors, Space ISAC said Thursday.

Space ISAC Pilot Program Use Cases

Interested organizations from aerospace, defense, cloud, artificial intelligence and enterprise infrastructure industries are invited to explore and validate mission-critical use cases, including AI and machine learning workloads needing secure, high-performance compute with reduced power consumption and quantum-secure communication across terrestrial, orbital and hybrid networks.

The testbed is also designed for testing how organizations’ systems, data and operational workflows perform in a quantum-resilient environment and assessing risk exposure and integration strategies for quantum infrastructure adoption.

Quantum—A Present Priority

Zain Premji, co-founder and chief strategy officer at SQS, said the testbed will create an ecosystem where partners can contribute to shaping standards, applications and security models of the quantum era.

According to Samuel Sanders Visner, chair of the board at Space ISAC, quantum technology should be prioritized now to ensure defensive capabilities keep pace with evolving threats. 

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DOD Unveils Intellectual Property Guidebook for Acquisitions
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Department of Defense logo

The Department of Defense released the Intellectual Property Guidebook for DOD Acquisition on May 1.

Enhancing Intellectual Property Acquisition

The DOD said Thursday the publication offers in-depth guidance on navigating IP laws and regulations. The IP Guidebook, a project spearheaded by the department’s IP Cadre, details the legal and operational challenges facing IP acquisition and related rights. It provides knowledge on how to address these hurdles while fostering a culture of partnerships within the industry.

Furthermore, the publication will assist DOD acquisition professionals with the development, implementation and management of IP strategies. These strategies are expected to be leveraged in all functional areas, supporting requirements and goals throughout the program’s life cycle.

Aside from the guidebook, the IP Cadre also created an IP for Product Support Toolkit. This toolkit provides support to the acquisition workforce, enabling them to identify, develop, assess and deploy IP models that will enhance life cycle cost efficiency and readiness.

“The Department’s thoughtful management of IP entails collaboration with industry to employ modern business models that leverage emerging technologies and capabilities for long-term partnership,” said Steve Morani, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. “The significance of this guidebook is that it supports our cross-functional acquisition workforce in delivering and sustaining innovative and cost-effective capabilities to the warfighter.”

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SBA Issues Cybersecurity Guidelines for Non-Employer Firms
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Small Business Administration logo

The U.S. Small Business Administration, or SBA, Office of Advocacy has released a publication intended to help non-employer companies manage and reduce cybersecurity risks.

Helping Non-Employer Firms Navigate Cybersecurity Risks

The National Institute of Standards and Technology said Thursday the first public draft of the NIST Internal Report, titled Small Business Cybersecurity: Non-Employer Firms, focuses on guiding non-employer businesses with no paid employees to understand the basics of cybersecurity and enable them to navigate the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, a set of guidelines for handling and mitigating cyberthreats.

The publication provides cybersecurity risk management tips to these small businesses, enabling them to address cybersecurity risks despite their lack of technical knowledge or limited budget. It also provides recommendations to small businesses as they grow and bring in employees.

Small Businesses by the Numbers

The SBA Office of Advocacy noted that there are around 34.8 million small businesses in the country, which account for 99 percent of all U.S. businesses. Non-employer firms with no paid employees make up 81.7 percent of all small businesses. These businesses, which are run by the owners themselves, are present across all industries. Despite being small businesses, they play a significant part in the nation’s economy, innovation and industrial competitiveness.

Potomac Officers Club presents the 2025 Cyber Summit on May 15. Register and learn about emerging cyber threats, new cyber policies and initiatives and modernization strategies.

SBA Issues Cybersecurity Guidelines for Non-Employer Firms
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GA-ASI, Anduril’s Drones Under Air Force CCA Increment 1 Evaluation
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Air Force CCA Increment 1 program

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. and Anduril’s collaborative combat aircraft—a.k.a. CCA—prototypes are undergoing evaluation as part of the ground test phase of the U.S. Air Force’s CCA Increment 1 program.

The CCA program aims to integrate low-cost, modular unmanned aircraft into the future force to extend operational reach, enhance survivability and increase lethality in contested environments while keeping warfighters safe, the Air Force said Thursday.  

In 2024, GA-ASI and Anduril were selected to build new uncrewed jet fighters called the YFQ-42A and the YFQ-44A, respectively. The Air Force began the ground test phase of the drones after the CCA designs cleared critical design reviews by the end of 2024.

CCA Aimed to Bring Decisive Advantage to Warfighters

Both unmanned aircraft will undergo rigorous evaluations focused on propulsion systems, avionics, autonomy integration and ground control interfaces. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said the current test phase would reduce integration risks and lay the groundwork “for a successful first flight and eventual fielding to the warfighter.”

The Air Force expects to make a competitive Increment 1 production decision in fiscal year 2026, with Increment 2 development efforts to begin afterward to expand mission applications and integrate emerging technologies.

According to Allvin, the service branch accelerates the CCA development efforts, citing the warfighters’ need for the capability and the decisive advantage it will bring to highly contested environments.

Commenting on both drones, he said GA-ASI and Anduril’s aircraft will help turn readiness into operational dominance.

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Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Air and Space Summit on July 31 to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the air and space defense industry. Register now!

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How Are Tariffs Impacting GovCons in Cyber?
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Headshot of Scott White, a professor at GWU, for ExecutiveGov GovCon news

Cybersecurity is no longer just about firewalls and passwords, it’s now at the heart of global trade policies. With the federal government implementing tariffs with the intent to protect domestic industries, the landscape of digital defense is shifting.

The biggest risks to GovCons involving tariffs and cybersecurity are in the supply chain, according to a leading cybersecurity expert. Scott White, a panelist at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit and an associate professor and director of the cybersecurity program and cyber academy at George Washington University, told ExecutiveGov that each part of a cybersecurity product may be made in a different location and that each part is subject to tariffs every time it crosses a border.

For example, White said the hardware may be made in one location, the software in another and the support service could be in a third location. That would be multiple tariffs that could be hitting multiple parts of the product. White said while software outside of an embedded product is generally not subject to U.S. tariffs because it’s not a physical product like a computer chip, it could in the future because it has value.

“The cyber world is not going to be immune from the tariffs, unless President Trump’s administration makes it so,” White said.

Hear directly from cybersecurity experts like Scott White on May 15 at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit. Dive into topics like AI and cyber and intelligence-driven cybersecurity. This promises to be a fruitful day of GovCon networking and discussion. Don’t miss out!

Internet of Things Products Drive Competition

White said vendor diversification pressure is a key tariff-related concern for U.S. cyber firms. There are a limited number of suppliers available outside of China. Cyber firms, he said, must also compete against growing demand for chips for Internet of Things products such as toasters and refrigerators.

“As we continue to use and develop the technology and deploy it in things that it perhaps hadn’t been used before, we may not have the supply,” White said.

Domestically, White said U.S.-based suppliers of key components have limited capacity to scale up and meet fast-growing demand for computer chips and other pieces of cyber hardware. President Trump’s tariff strategy is to spur investment, production and jobs in the U.S., but White said it could take years for companies to purchase and cultivate a site, provide connectivity and ultimately start producing chips in the U.S.

Government Contractors Face Just-In-Time Inventory Disruption

Tariffs could also disrupt just-in-time inventory management, a method where companies keep as little inventory as possible, instead preferring small orders to replace supplies. White said most companies don’t warehouse components anymore. 

White explained that the just-in-time inventory management strategy cyber firms use is similar to the one utilized by the automobile industry, where a component is delivered to a manufacturing plant one or two days before assembly. It’s not coming in a month in advance to a warehouse because they would have to pay for that storage.

The same thing can happen for any parts of the hardware for the cyber industry. White said the price of having to keep that item in a warehouse will be passed on to the consumer.

Tariffs Hike Prices

Tariffs also increase the price of components that are ultimately passed on to consumers. Trump, in his initial tariff announcement in early April, reduced tariffs for nations that did not retaliate against the U.S. to 10-percent. China has a tariff of 145 percent, meaning that item or component that is imported to the U.S. from China is now 1.45 times more expensive than its sticker price.

Catch Scott White and other leading cyber professionals at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit. Held on May 15 at the Marriott Fairview Park in Falls Church, Virginia, these cyber giants will address the biggest challenges to federal cybersecurity as well as business opportunities. Tickets are selling fast, sign up today!

How Are Tariffs Impacting GovCons in Cyber?
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Douglas Matty Named DOD Chief Digital & AI Officer
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Douglas Matty assumes the position of chief digital and AI officer at DOD

The Department of Defense has appointed national security leader Douglas Matty as chief digital and artificial intelligence officer.

In a LinkedIn post published Wednesday, the DOD Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office said Matty will oversee efforts to accelerate the department’s adoption of AI, analytics and data to enable decision advantage on the battlefield.

According to CDAO, Matty brings to the position decades of national security experience with a focus on AI, operational command and data integration.

Douglas Matty’s Career Background

Matty most recently served as director of research for AI and autonomy at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

He previously served as an executive engineer at RAND and was the director of Army AI capabilities within Army Futures Command.

He is the founder of the U.S. Army Artificial Intelligence Integration Center, which is responsible for developing, synchronizing and coordinating AI capabilities for the military branch and providing critical support for DOD’s Joint AI Center.

For 30 years, Matty served as an active-duty officer in the Air Defense Artillery and Operations Research and Systems Analysis Functional Area.

The West Point computer engineering graduate has a doctorate degree in engineering systems from MIT.

Gain insights into modernization imperatives, force structure optimization, national security missions and more at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Army Summit on June 18.

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OSC Kicks Off Commercial Collision Avoidance Gap Pathfinder Project
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OSC initiates the Commercial COLA Gap Pathfinder project by placing three orders on the Global Data Marketplace

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Commerce is inviting companies to participate in a new Traffic Coordination System for Space, or TraCSS, pathfinder project that seeks to examine commercially available technologies for the immediate identification and cataloging of space objects following launch and deployment.

OSC’s Orders for Commercial COLA Gap Pathfinder

OSC said Wednesday it placed three orders on the Global Data Marketplace for the Commercial Collision Avoidance, or COLA, Gap Pathfinder project.

Commercial space situational awareness vendors have until May 21 to submit proposals for the three OSC orders for commercial tracking data; orbit determination services using commercial data; and data quality monitoring services.

Companies can propose for one or more roles but must submit separate offers for each role. OSC will determine the number of vendors for each role.

In February, OSC solicited public input on a draft performance work statement for the proposed Commercial COLA Gap Pathfinder project.

The project will assess commercial capabilities for rapid detection, orbit determination and space object identification after deployment post-launch.

Join notable industry leaders and experts at the 2025 Air and Space Summit as they discuss the latest trends and advances shaping the air and space domains. Register now for this Potomac Officers Club-hosted event on July 31.

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