Labor Department Opens Contractor Portal for 2nd Annual Cycle of Affirmative Action Certification
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Labor Department Opens Contractor Portal for 2nd Annual Cycle of Affirmative Action Certification

The Department of Labor will open the online Contractor Portal for its second annual Affirmative Action Program compliance certification for federal contractors and subcontractors.

DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will grant access to vendors under its jurisdiction beginning March 31, three months before the certification’s June 29 deadline, the agency said Monday.

Affirmative Action Program requirements aim to ensure equal employment opportunity for the workforce and applicants of federal contractors. The companies are mandated to report their program coverage periods in the certification.

The Contractor Portal was launched in December 2021 to provide a secure method for the vendors to certify their compliance.

“This online tool will make the process more efficient and promote greater contractor attention to their responsibility to evaluate employment practices and remove barriers to opportunity,” OFCCP Director Jenny Yang commented.

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OPM Releases Implementation Guidance for Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program
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OPM Releases Implementation Guidance for Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program

The Office of Personnel Management has issued guidance for the implementation of a new program designed to help federal agencies further develop their cybersecurity workforce by providing their employees an opportunity to be deployed at other agencies for a period of six months to one year.

The Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce Program aligns with the White House National Cybersecurity Strategy and intends to enable cyber employees to further develop their skills and gain knowledge to advance their professional growth and support their home agencies, according to an OPM memo issued to federal chief human capital officers Friday.

“The Program will have a coordinated, Government-wide open period annually in November when all agencies can advertise rotation opportunities. Agencies will also have flexibility to announce rotations at any time of the year,” OPM Director Kiran Ahuja wrote in the memo.

The program will run through June 2027 and has two objectives. These are enabling detailees to attain a skill level in a different area with respect to cybersecurity, information technology and other cyber-related functions and promoting interagency and intra-agency integration and coordination of cyber practices, functions and personnel management.

OPM has called on agencies to appoint a program liaison within 30 days of the memo’s issuance.

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Pentagon’s OSC Turns to Partnerships to Address Tech Investment Gaps
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Pentagon’s OSC Turns to Partnerships to Address Tech Investment Gaps

Jason Rathje, director of the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital, said OSC is looking to partner with other federal agencies to address investment gaps in critical technologies with military applications, Federal News Network reported Monday.

Rathje said OSC has entered into a partnership with the Small Business Administration to launch the Small Business Investment Company critical technologies initiative, which aims to generate capital for technology-focused small or mid-sized enterprises.

SBIC aims to increase the investment to crowd-in private capital and create patient capital investment funds, prioritizing areas with large applications such as semiconductors, Rathje said.

Aside from interagency partnerships, DOD may combine its research, development, test and evaluation funds with private capital to increase investments in critical technologies.

“These are the types of programs we’re looking to apply across DoD, we’re thinking deeply about what are the opportunities that we see in the out-year procurement budgets, like the one released by the President last week, and it’s exciting for us to find opportunities where we see a technology being developed into a capability where we think we can partner with private capital,” Rathje said.

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Lt. Gen. John Sullivan Leads Discussion on Maritime Readiness
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Lt. Gen. John Sullivan Leads Discussion on Maritime Readiness

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Sullivan, deputy commander of U.S. Transportation Command, discussed with government and industry executives how commercial sealift could support the Department of Defense during wartime operations at the biannual Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement Executive Working Group, DVIDS reported Thursday.

“Maintaining an adequate fleet of seaworthy ships is critical to TRANSCOM’s ability to deploy forces in a major conflict, as nearly 90% of U.S. military equipment would move by ship,” Sullivan said.

The official said sealift also plays a crucial role in DOD’s daily maritime operations, with approximately 30 commercial and military ships supporting the transport of strategic resources and materiel worldwide.

“Eighty percent of the 62 voyages supporting the delivery of aid and supplies to Ukraine were conducted by our commercial partners,” Sullivan added.

Established in 1997, VISA provides the U.S. military with assured access to commercial sealift and intermodal equipment and services during a crisis or contingency operations.

The executive working group also includes senior leaders from Military Sealift Command, the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration and U.S. commercial sealift carriers.

Defense Business Board Urges DOD to Emulate Private Sector in Talent Recruitment
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Defense Business Board Urges DOD to Emulate Private Sector in Talent Recruitment

A study conducted by the Defense Business Board suggests that the Department of Defense must be as committed as the private sector in embracing a civilian talent pipeline to fill gaps in its workforce and retain competent employees.

The seven-month research, which was published Friday, involved interviews with more than 25 officials across all DOD components, as well as talent acquisition professionals from industry.

Federal retirements, pay gaps and a rise in power competition are some of the challenges faced by DOD in creating a civilian talent pipeline, according to DBB. The agency currently employs 950,000 non-combatant workers, which support warfighter readiness through various roles.

DBB found that unlike the private sector, which considers recruitment as the lifeblood of their operations, DOD does not prioritize civilian hiring. Its process is also varied in different divisions, and many of human resource teams lack the tools and resources.

To attract more applicants, DOD must transform into an “employer of choice,” according to the study. The agency can leverage its strengths, such as growth and learning opportunities, and the uniqueness of its mission to lure potential civilian workers.

The board also recommended establishing an official civilian recruitment unit and a civilian service brand that can focus solely on finding and retaining talent.

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13 Members Named to CISA Cybersecurity Advisory Committee; Jen Easterly Quoted
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13 Members Named to CISA Cybersecurity Advisory Committee; Jen Easterly Quoted

Thirteen new members have joined an advisory committee within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency tasked with advising the CISA director on policies and programs meant to improve the country’s cyber defense.

Jen Easterly, director of CISA and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, said in a statement published Monday the new members bring government and industry experience to the CISA Cybersecurity Advisory Committee.

“Chosen for their deep expertise in critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and governance, these members will add important new perspectives to the CSAC’s work, particularly given this year’s additional focus on corporate cyber responsibility, technology product safety, and efforts to raise the cyber hygiene baseline of ‘target rich-cyber poor’ entities like hospitals, K-12 school districts, and water utilities,” Easterly added.

The committee is set to hold a virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 21.

The new CSAC members are:

  • Alex Tosheff, senior vice president and chief security officer, VMware
  • Brian Gragnolati, president and CEO, Atlantic Health System
  • Cathy Lanier, SVP and chief security officer, National Football League
  • Chris Inglis, former U.S. National Cyber Director
  • Ciaran Martin, former CEO, National Cyber Security Centre (United Kingdom)
  • Dave DeWalt, CEO and founder, NightDragon
  • Doug Levin, co-founder and national director, K12 Security Information eXchange (SIX)
  • Jim Langevin, former representative for Rhode Island’s 2nd District
  • John Katko, former representative for New York’s 24th District
  • Kevin Tierney, VP and chief cybersecurity officer, General Motors
  • Rahul Jalali, SVP and chief information officer, Union Pacific
  • Robert Scott, commissioner, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
  • Royal Hansen, VP of privacy, safety and security engineering, Google
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CISA Tasked to Evaluate Potential Risks of Using DJI-Manufactured Drones
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CISA Tasked to Evaluate Potential Risks of Using DJI-Manufactured Drones

A bipartisan group of senators has called on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to evaluate potential risks posed by unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured by Chinese drone developer Shenzhen DJI Innovation Technology.

In a letter to Jen Easterly, director of CISA and a 2023 Wash100 awardee, the senators requested an analysis of the security risks associated with the widespread use of DJI-manufactured drones to inspect U.S. critical infrastructure, the office of Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Thursday.

“This sensitive information on the layout, operation, and maintenance of U.S. critical infrastructure could better enable targeting efforts in the event of conflict,” the senators wrote.

According to the senators, DJI dominated 90 percent of the consumer drone market in North America in 2021 and over 70 percent of the industrial market. Seventy-three percent of public safety organizations reportedly used the Chinese company’s aircraft in 2019.

The Department of Defense officially identified DJI as a “Chinese military company” in 2022 following reports that it provides sensitive information on U.S. infrastructure and law enforcement to the Chinese government.

The letter comes a month after Warner, a three-time Wash100 Award recipient, introduced legislation to prohibit the purchase of drones from China and other countries identified as national security threats.

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Google Enters AI Chatbot Market With Bard
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Google Enters AI Chatbot Market With Bard

Google has introduced Bard, its new artificial intelligence chatbot intended to compete with companies such as OpenAI and Microsoft in the increasingly saturated chatbot market, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Initially, Bard will be available to a select group of users in the U.S. and Britain and will progressively expand access to more users, nations and dialects, according to Google executives.

The release of the chatbot is a step in Google’s efforts to embrace this technology, which may pose a challenge to the continued dominance of its search engine.

OpenAI released ChatGPT in November of last year, and shortly after, Microsoft implemented a chatbot into its Bing search engine. According to the New York Times, the release of ChatGPT prompted Google’s management team to declare a “code red” and push AI to the top of its priority list.

Gartner analyst Chirag Dekate stressed that technology is “at a singular moment.” The release of ChatGPT, he said, generated new startups, intrigued the public and rejuvenated the competition between Google and Microsoft.

“Now that market demand has shifted, Google’s approach has, too,” he said.

Adrian Aoun, who previously served as a director of special projects at Google, said that it is necessary for the company to enter the chatbot realm to go “where the world is headed.” He also noted that shifting to chatbots could damage advertising-based business models.

Bard’s deployment has been a slow process. Despite testing efforts beginning in 2015, Google has been hesitant to fully release the chatbot due to the potential for inaccuracies and bias Bard and other chatbots have demonstrated.

“We are well aware of the issues; we need to bring this to market responsibly. At the same time, we see all the excitement in the industry and the excitement of all the people using generative AI,” Eli Collins, vice president of research at Google, commented.

The enterprise has not identified a way to profit from Bard, said Collins and Sissie Hsiao, a vice president for product at Google.

Currently, Bard is a separate webpage rather than a feature of Google’s search engine. The page includes a “Google it” button following each answer, which directs users to the typical search results page.

“We think of Bard as complementary to Google Search. We want to be bold in how we innovate with this technology as well as be responsible,” said Hsiao.

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Vice Adm. Jon Hill: US, Japan Eye Partnership on Glide Phase Interceptor Program
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Vice Adm. Jon Hill: US, Japan Eye Partnership on Glide Phase Interceptor Program

Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, said MDA is considering a partnership with Japan to work on a program that seeks to develop an interceptor that can counter a hypersonic weapon during the glide phase of flight, Defense News reported Monday.

“Right now we’re exploring the opportunity to just identify what those cooperative development areas would be,” Hill said of the Glide Phase Interceptor program.

He stated that the U.S. and Japan are looking for common parts as the East Asian country seeks to explore the interceptor’s front end containing the warhead.

MDA is requesting $209 million in fiscal 2024 budget for the GPI competition. In June 2022, the agency awarded contract modifications to Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman to continue development work on their GPI designs.

“The challenge is when you’ve got two [companies] in play, that means Japan has to sign up to do two different designs, knowing that one of them may be a throwaway,” the vice admiral said.

Vice Adm. Hill will be delivering the mid-day keynote address at the upcoming Industrial Space Defense Summit, from the Potomac Officers Club. It will be held at the Hilton-McLean in Virginia on April 27 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Don’t miss this highly informative symposium — complete with complementary breakfast and lunch. Register here.

Vice Adm. Jon Hill: US, Japan Eye Partnership on Glide Phase Interceptor Program
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Redhorse’s John Zangardi & DHA’s Lt. Gen Telita Crosland Applauded for 2023 Wash100 Wins
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Redhorse’s John Zangardi & DHA’s Lt. Gen Telita Crosland Applauded for 2023 Wash100 Wins

Redhorse Corporation CEO John Zangardi and Defense Health Agency Director Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland – two powerful advocates for federal technology modernization – have been highlighted by Executive Mosaic with commemorative profiles in honor of their 2023 Wash100 Award wins.

This year marks the historic 10th iteration of the acclaimed Wash100 Award, the government contracting industry’s highest honor. In a continuation of its annual tradition, contenders were put through a scrutinizing selection process which carefully weighed their past contributions and expected future impacts, during which Zangardi and Crosland emerged as top performers.

Don’t miss your chance to select John Zangardi and Telita Crosland as your favorite 2023 Wash100 winners! To cast your 10 votes in the award’s annual popular vote contest, please visit Wash100.com.

Zangardi joined the private sector in 2019 following a distinguished military and government career. His understanding of the relationship between technology and the public sector has served as a guiding light for his work on the industry side.

Last year, Zangardi’s efforts to provide emerging technologies to the federal government centered artificial intelligence. Under his leadership, Redhorse secured two contracts from the U.S. Air Force for its AI/ML capabilities. Click here to read his full profile.

Crosland, a first-time Wash100 awardee, was selected for her commitment to incorporating emerging technologies into DHA operations. Since her appointment ceremony in January, when she became the first African American to assume the agency’s director position, Crosland has been outspoken about her vision to bolster DHA capabilities.

Shortly after taking up the post, Crosland spoke at the 2023 AMSUS Annual Meeting in Maryland, were she discussed her vision to ensure that physicians, nurses and medics and corpsmen are “liberated by technology rather than burdened by it.” To read her full profile, click here.

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