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CISA Seeks Public Input on Proposed Self-Attestation Forms to Improve Software Security
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CISA Seeks Public Input on Proposed Self-Attestation Forms to Improve Software Security

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is seeking public feedback on requiring government agencies to obtain self-attestation forms from developers of new software to be installed within their organization.

The proposed requirement is part of the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance to improve the security of U.S. software supply chains, CISA said in a notice published Thursday on Federal Register.

The Department of Homeland Security proposed the self-attestation form in response to the OMB guidance, which mandates that federal agencies only purchase from software producers that can prove compliance with the secure software development framework established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

DHS, through CISA, is inviting comments on how to reduce the financial and time burdens expected from filling out self-attestation forms. The agency is welcoming suggestions on automation and other technological techniques to make annual electronic submissions of the pdf forms easier.

Respondents have until June 26 to submit their input to CISA.

On June 8, the Potomac Officers Club will host its annual Cyber Summit, a venue for government, military and industry experts to pool their insights on cyber’s impact on the public sector. This exciting event is now open for registration.

POC - 2023 Cyber Summit
ODNI’s 10th Annual Intelligence Transparency Report Notes Continued Decline in FISA Targets
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ODNI’s 10th Annual Intelligence Transparency Report Notes Continued Decline in FISA Targets

The number of “probable cause” court orders under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act declined from 430 in 2021 to 337 last year, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Annual Statistical Transparency Report.

The report, which was released Friday, also showed a decline in the percentage of probable cause targets who are estimated to be U.S. persons.

The Annual Statistical Transparency Report Regarding the Intelligence Community’s Use of National Security Surveillance Authorities discloses how the intelligence community uses FISA in alignment with the Principles of Intelligence Transparency.

ODNI noted lower cases of probable cause-based electronic surveillance and physical searches, targeting of U.S. persons abroad and pen register and trap and trace court orders and targets in 2022.

From December 2021 to November 2022, FBI reported 16 U.S. person queries for the purpose of retrieving criminal evidence. The agency arrived at the number using new methodology that eliminates duplicate inquiries and aligns closer to other IC elements.

Kathleen Hicks Discusses DOD’s Mission to Advance US Battery Supply Chain
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Kathleen Hicks Discusses DOD’s Mission to Advance US Battery Supply Chain

Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of the Department of Defense and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, has hosted discussions regarding the Pentagon’s mission to advance the domestic battery supply chain with executives from lithium-ion battery and critical mineral manufacturing companies.

The in-person roundtable involved dialogues addressing the challenges faced by the U.S. military as a battery customer, including lack of standardization across platforms, the Pentagon said Friday.

It also served as a platform for executives from Bren-Tronics, EaglePicher, Enersys, Forge Nano, General Motors Defense, and Our Next Energy to comment on possible solutions to the problems and converse about ways to build a more resilient industrial base for batteries. 

Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide range of applications, including powering aircraft, munitions, unmanned vehicles and other defense systems.

Hicks said that advancing the domestic supply chain for batteries will help increase lethality and maintain the U.S. military advantage.

The roundtable also saw participation from Radha Plumb, deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment; Halimah Najieb-Locke, deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base resilience; and Joe Bryan, DOD chief sustainability officer and senior climate adviser.

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DSA Receives $50M Army Contract to Support Multi-Domain Operations Capabilities; Fran Pierce Quoted
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DSA Receives $50M Army Contract to Support Multi-Domain Operations Capabilities; Fran Pierce Quoted

Data Systems Analysts has booked a three-year, $50 million Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services task order to assist the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center and Army G2.

The award calls for DSA to deliver advanced research and prototyping, technology identification, technology insertion/exploitation, integration and sustainment for Multi-Domain Operations capabilities, the Aberdeen, Maryland-based organization announced on Monday.

“We are honored to be selected to provide these critical services to the US Army DEVCOM C5ISR and Army G2. Our team is committed to delivering the highest level of service to support the mission of the US Army, and we are excited to help them achieve their strategic objectives,” commented DSA CEO Fran Pierce.

Contracting activities under the Technology Enabled Analytics task order will support proof of concept and pilot efforts, ongoing initiatives and currently fielded systems Army-wide. 

This win represents a continuation of DSA’s strategic focus on offering mission-critical support to the Army and intelligence community. In its efforts, the enterprise has reportedly built a longstanding relationship with the service branch. 

“With this award, DSA continues to be a trusted contractor supporting the entire Joint Force. We strive to support this critical mission in the protection of our nation’s warfighters,” Pierce said.

Prior to receiving this task order, DSA secured a spot on the Army’s Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-3 Services potential $12.1 billion, multiple award vehicle. Under this award, which will run through September 2023, the company is providing an array of information technology services for the military branch. 

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Lawmakers Propose Bicameral Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act
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Lawmakers Propose Bicameral Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act

Four lawmakers have proposed a bipartisan bill that would prevent artificial intelligence from making nuclear launch decisions.

The bicameral Block Nuclear Launch by Autonomous AI Act would prohibit the use of federal funds in launching a nuclear weapon using an autonomous weapons platform without “meaningful human control.”

The proposed legislation would codify the Department of Defense’s 2022 Nuclear Posture Review, which highlights the need to “maintain a human ‘in the loop’ for all actions critical to informing and executing decisions by the President to initiate and terminate nuclear weapon employment.”

“We need to keep humans in the loop on making life or death decisions to use deadly force, especially for our most dangerous weapons,” said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass.

Markey introduced the bill with Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Don Beyer, D-Va., and Ken Buck, R-Colo.

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Lumen Veteran Jason Schulman Promoted to Regional VP of Federal Sales
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Lumen Veteran Jason Schulman Promoted to Regional VP of Federal Sales

Lumen Technologies has elevated Jason Schulman from his previous role as vice president of the company’s civilian and law enforcement business to regional vice president of federal sales, effective immediately.

In his new position, Schulman will head the organization’s federal arm comprising its U.S. Department of Defense, special programs and civilian sales units, Lumen said in an email to ExecutiveGov sent Monday.

As regional vice president of federal sales, Schulman will report to Lumen Public Sector Senior Vice President Zain Ahmed, who described the former as an executive who “leads with authenticity and openness while driving trust, transparency and teamwork,” both within the company and with its collaborators.

“Jason Schulman is absolutely the right person to be leading this business unit with his proven track record of continuous sales and profitable revenue growth.  His teams are customer obsessed and focused on providing great customer experiences that serve agencies’ missions,” Ahmed said.

A 15-year company veteran, Schulman joined Lumen’s predecessor, CenturyLink government, in 2008 as a senior sales executive and went on to lead public sector capture management, proposal management, business development and business analyst teams.

Prior to this promotion, he spent six years leading public sector sales teams, most recently the civilian sales branch.

Schulman began his career as a data network account executive at AT&T and held additional roles at Exodus Communications and SAP.

Scott Barnett, head of the DOD sales team, and Shari Synder, who leads the special programs sales department, will report to Schulman alongside other civilian sales executives.

Schulman’s appointment follows several major leadership changes made within the last year. In November, Kate Johnson was appointed as Lumen’s CEO, succeeding Jeff Storey. At the same time, she also joined the organization’s board of directors.

Later that month, Lumen selected Dan Klein as vice president of public sector program management.

In February, Jay Barrows was named Lumen’s executive vice president of enterprise sales and public sector. Ahmed reports to Barrows.

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Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus to be Assigned as Naval Research Chief
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Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus to be Assigned as Naval Research Chief

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus, a program executive officer at Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, has been appointed to serve as chief of naval research.

Rothenhaus is among the nine appointees in a flag officer assignment list released Friday on the Department of Defense’s website. He has held the role of NAVWAR PEO for command, control, communications, computers and intelligence since May 2020.

His prior shore tours include work as program manager of the Navy’s tactical networks and commanding officer of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific.

He also completed assignments as an officer on USS Harry S. Truman, chief engineer on USS O’Brien and staff member on USS Fife.

The Navy commissioned Rothenhaus in 1992 after he graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree.

Throughout his career, he has received various military awards, such as the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal.

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Air Force Expects T-7A Trainer to Achieve IOC in 2027
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Air Force Expects T-7A Trainer to Achieve IOC in 2027

The U.S. Air Force said it now expects the Boeing-built T-7A jet trainer aircraft to reach initial operational capability status by the spring of 2027, citing safety issues with the plane’s escape system and ejection seat, Defense News reported Friday.

The aircraft was originally expected to achieve IOC designation in 2024, but the service branch pushed the Milestone C production decision back to February 2025 due to problems with the escape system.

Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter told the publication the service and Boeing concluded an on-the-ground sled test in February and plan to conduct the plane’s first taxi test in the next few weeks.

“These tests posture the T-7 program to resolve issues with the escape system and move forward to deliver the training capability the Air Force requires,” Hunter said.

Boeing is expected to hand over the trainer aircraft to the service branch by December 2025, according to the report.

T-7A production started in 2021 through a potential $9.2 billion contract awarded in September 2018.

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Pentagon Begins Search for Defense Innovation Board Executive Director
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Pentagon Begins Search for Defense Innovation Board Executive Director

The Department of Defense is seeking an executive director who will provide direction, planning, coordination and management for the Defense Innovation Board.

Upon assuming the position, the new appointee will work with the DIB chairman and DOD sponsor to develop study activities for the board and aid in the creation of reports while conducting all research, technical, administrative and financial support operations for the board, according to a USAJobs notice published Thursday.

Incumbent responsibilities also include establishing engagement plans for the execution of DIB studies, leading civilians, contractors, military personnel and voluntary staff members and overseeing the board’s responses to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and congressional taskings.

The DIB executive director position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Applications are due May 11.

Created in 2016 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the DIB offers independent recommendations to the secretary of defense and other senior DOD officials on innovative approaches to tackle challenges within the areas of people and culture, technology and capabilities and practices and operations.

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NGA Posts Solicitation for Project Maven Supply Chain Risk Management Platform
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NGA Posts Solicitation for Project Maven Supply Chain Risk Management Platform

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has begun seeking proposals for a potential five-year, firm-fixed-price contract to develop an open-source, unclassified reporting platform to assess artificial intelligence supply chain risks for Project Maven.

According to a notice posted to SAM.gov on Monday, the new system should enable mission reporting and information sharing on high and critical threats within the organization’s supply chain.

The platform is expected to map relationships between AI developers, find potentially problematic links within vendor networks, identify capabilities and practices of each vendor, organize a data-labeling effort and generate reports that can be shared to increase situational awareness.

The contract will consist of a one-year base period with four option years, and is set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. Vendors have until May 25 to respond to the solicitation.

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