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DOT to Deploy Salesforce’s AI Platform Agentforce for More Efficient Transportation Services
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Salesforce's logo. Salesforce will provide DOT with its Agentforce AI agents

The Department of Transportation is adopting Salesforce’s artificial intelligence agent platform Agentforce to deliver round-the-clock support to the public, generate alerts and proposed mitigation strategies for traffic incidents, and create an overall more efficient transportation system.

Salesforce said Thursday that Agentforce’s intelligent AI agents will assist agency employees by automating manual tasks across the agency.

“To deliver on our mission of building a safe, efficient, and modern transportation system, we have to start with making technology our biggest asset,” Pavan Pidugu, chief digital and information officer of DOT, stated. “We needed to make a strategic shift to deliver on our mission: adding AI at the core of everything we’re doing. Now, we’re not just deploying new technology, we’re empowering our agency to work more effectively and, most importantly, ensuring the safety and future of our country’s transportation system.”

DOT to Deploy Salesforce's AI Platform Agentforce for More Efficient Transportation Services

Find out how federal and defense agencies are utilizing AI at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 19. The in-person event will bring together government and GovCon industry experts in AI for panel discussions and networking opportunities. Get your tickets today.

How Will Salesforce’s Agentforce Modernize the US Transportation System?

According to Salesforce, Agentforce’s AI agents will be in charge of responding to citizen complaints or guiding the public when accessing government services.

The platform will also analyze datasets including weather, traffic trends and historical incident data to reduce transportation accidents.

Additionally, Agentforce will review grant applications, verify compliance, flag missing information and draft approval recommendations for human review. The approach is intended to accelerate the release of federal funding for transportation and infrastructure projects.

Salesforce launched Agentforce for Public Sector in August. The company is also offering its Slack AI for Enterprise at a discounted price for federal agencies under a OneGov agreement with the General Services Administration.

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NASA Issues RFI Seeking AI Technologies for Earth-Independent Space Operations
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Planets in Space. NASA has issued a request for information seeking AI technologies for Earth-independent space operations.

NASA has issued a request for information for the development of autonomous human spaceflight technologies for Earth Independent Operations, or EIO, Anomaly Response.

NASA Issues RFI Seeking AI Technologies for Earth-Independent Space Operations

Discover cutting-edge AI applications and engage with government contracting leaders at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 19. Register now!

What Is the Scope of NASA’s EIO Partnerships in Anomaly RFI?

According to the special notice published Friday on SAM.gov, NASA’s Mars Campaign Office, known as MCO, within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate is seeking domestic organizations, including industry, academia, small businesses and minority institutions, capable of delivering advanced onboard systems that allow crews to detect and interpret anomalous spacecraft behavior in real time.
This RFI specifically targets technologies in the “Anomaly Response” portfolio of projects, which focuses on the use of novel computing methods including artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to support both crew-led diagnostics for known and unknown faults, infer fault causes, predict downstream impacts and time to effect with uncertainty, and support crew-led response planning to ensure safety and mission success during future Mars missions, where communication delays can exceed 40 minutes round trip.

Respondents should demonstrate the ability to generate and prioritize diagnostic hypotheses. MCO requests descriptions of mature capabilities across multiple data sources that enable the creation and validation of novel procedures when no preapproved options exist. These capabilities must present clear, explainable diagnostic and procedural information to support crew decision-making under time-critical, high-stress conditions. NASA notes these anomaly response capabilities could also benefit aviation, energy and manufacturing sectors.

When Are Responses Due to the NASA EIO Partnerships in Anomaly RFI?

Responses are due Jan. 26.

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Army Advances AI for Command & Control at Tactical Edge
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U.S. Army logo. The U.S. Army has begun advancing artificial intelligence for command and control at the tactical edge.

The U.S. Army has begun developing a strategy to expand the use of artificial intelligence to support command and control at the tactical edge through the Next Generation Command and Control, or NGC2, effort.

Army Advances AI for Command & Control at Tactical Edge

An AI-driven command and control technology is one of the U.S. Army’s priorities as it builds upon the results of its 2025 transformation efforts. The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Army Summit scheduled for June 18 will address efforts that support the service’s 2030 objectives. Reserve your seat now!

How Will the Army Utilize AI at the Tactical Edge?

The service will collaborate with industry partners and leverage soldier experiments to create an AI-powered framework designed to enhance data processing, boosting decision-making and operational efficiency on the battlefield, the Army said Friday. The effort, which builds on the Department of War’s GenAI.mil website, also aims to accelerate the fires kill chain and reduce cognitive strain on soldiers.

What Did the Army’s AI Industry Workshop Cover?

To complement these battlefield-focused initiatives, the Army recently hosted an industry workshop led by the C2 Future Capability Directorate and Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground to explore how AI can be applied at different levels of command. The session focused on building secure, mission-tailored models for austere environments and gathered expert feedback on leveraging private sector innovation. Key themes included prioritizing capabilities over time and ensuring AI systems have access to relevant warfighting and training data.

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Executive Order Seeks to Challenge Restrictive State AI Laws
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Artificial intelligence. President Trump signed an executive order that seeks to advance a national policy framework for AI.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the attorney general to establish an artificial intelligence litigation task force to challenge state AI laws deemed “unconstitutional, preempted, or otherwise unlawful,” which could potentially hinder innovation.

Executive Order Seeks to Challenge Restrictive State AI Laws

Explore innovative AI use cases and connect with GovCon leaders at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 19. Reserve your seat today to be part of this transformative conversation.

What Are the Key Provisions of Trump’s New Executive Order on AI?

Under the new EO, the secretary of commerce will evaluate state AI laws for conflicts with national policy priorities and withhold broadband equity access and deployment, or BEAD, funds from any state with conflicting regulations, according to a White House fact sheet published Thursday.

The new directive requires the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission to initiate steps to prevent states from forcing AI companies to mislead consumers. They will assess whether state laws requiring AI models to embed diversity, equity and inclusion cause those companies to breach the Federal Trade Commission Act, and consider creating a federal reporting and disclosure standard for AI systems.

The order also directs the development of a national AI legislative framework to preempt state laws that could stifle innovation.

The EO delivers on the AI Action Plan released by the White House in July. The plan outlines over 90 federal policy actions across three pillars: accelerating AI innovation; building American AI infrastructure; and leading in international AI diplomacy and security. One of the key policies cited in the document is to cut red tape and eliminate regulations that hinder America’s leadership in this critical technology.

What Recommendations Did ITI Offer in Response to OSTP’s AI Reform RFI?

In October, the Information Technology Industry Council submitted detailed recommendations to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy calling for a coordinated federal framework to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI.

In its response to OSTP’s request for information on AI regulatory reform, ITI highlighted conflicting federal rules, outdated privacy and copyright frameworks, and fragmented state-level AI laws as major obstacles. The group noted that over 1,000 state bills introduced in 2025 have created “regulatory fragmentation” and driven up compliance costs.

ITI urged the administration to work with Congress to establish a unified, risk-based federal AI standard that preempts state regulations and provides clarity for industry.

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Troy Meink on Air Force’s Acquisition Transformation
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Troy Meink. The Air Force secretary highlighted major changes in the Department of the Air Force’s acquisition process.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink highlighted major changes in the Department of the Air Force’s acquisition process during his keynote speech Thursday at the Spacepower 2025 Conference, the U.S. Space Force reported.

What Are Troy Meink’s Thoughts on Portfolio Acquisition Executives?

One of the structural changes Meink cited is the shift from program executive officers to portfolio acquisition executives, or PAEs, to speed up the decision-making process and provide leaders with clearer authority. 

“We’re moving from the old program executive officer model to portfolio acquisition executives, and the whole focus is making sure our people are empowered to do their jobs,” Meink said. “For too long, we’ve had responsibility without the authority to match. We’re fixing that by streamlining oversight and giving PAEs the ability to make decisions quickly — and we’ll have their backs when things don’t go right.”

“PAEs must have authorities, resources and talent to execute some of the most technical programs,” he added.

Meink urged the Space Force “to innovate faster and deliver capability at the pace the mission demands,” noting that automation will continue to play a critical role in satellite operations and data processing.

What Key Space Force Developments Did Gen. Saltzman Highlight at Spacepower 2025?

At the Space Force Association-hosted conference, Gen. Chance Saltzman, Space Force chief of space operations and a three-time Wash100 awardee, announced the naming of two Space Force weapon systems—Ursa Major and Bifrost—as part of a Guardian-driven initiative to enhance operational identity.

He highlighted the increasing role of allies and partners in the service branch’s force design, operational planning and exercises, citing Resolute Space 25 as a demonstration of combined readiness.

Saltzman also noted that the Space Force is accelerating the delivery of capabilities through modernized and streamlined acquisition processes to support warfighters and counter threats.

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CISA Issues New Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals to Counter Emerging Threats
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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's logo. CISA issued its new Cybersecurity Performance Goals guidance

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has released version 2.0 of its Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals, or CPGs, an updated guidance for integrating cybersecurity within an organization’s daily operations.

CISA Issues New Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals to Counter Emerging Threats

The Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21 will bring together cybersecurity experts from across government and industry to discuss some of the most pressing cyber issues and opportunities today. Get your tickets here.

CISA said Thursday that the document reflects three years of operational insights and contains best practices collected from industry and government leaders and cybersecurity experts.

“Over the past year, CISA has engaged extensively with hundreds of stakeholders across both the public and private sectors to ensure the updated goals reflect real-world challenges and operational realities,” Acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala stated. “Version 2.0 demonstrates our commitment to listening to and incorporating partner feedback to deliver practical, outcome-driven guidance that organizations can act on.”

The Cross-Sector CPGs align with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework 2.0.

What Is the CPG Version 2.0?

The updated goals expand the agency’s current guidance on account and device security, data protection, governance, vulnerability management, supply chain risk, and incident response and recovery.

The Cross-Sector CPG 2.0 introduces a section on the role of organizational leadership. CISA also consolidated operational and information technology into universal goals and added measures addressing emerging threats to eliminate silos in the new guidance.

The document also adds new goals for third-party risk, zero trust architecture and incident communication.

According to Gottumukkala, the CPGs apply to all critical infrastructure sectors.

Are CISA’s Cross-Sector CPGs Effective?

The updated guidance comes almost a year after CISA published its Cybersecurity Performance Goals Adoption Report. The agency found that, based on its analysis of 7,791 critical infrastructure organizations enrolled in its vulnerability scanning service, cybersecurity has improved in the sector since the implementation of CPG in 2022.

The report found a decline in known exploited vulnerabilities, or KEVs, and Secure Sockets Layer misconfigurations.

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NSA Releases Guidance to Mitigate UEFI Secure Boot Vulnerabilities
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The National Security Agency's logo. NSA issued a new Cybersecurity Information Sheet

The National Security Agency has issued a Cybersecurity Information Sheet detailing how organizations can address configuration challenges associated with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface—a.k.a. UEFI—Secure Boot.

The agency said Thursday that the guidance provides system owners with instructions on how to verify Secure Boot settings and detect or recover from misconfigurations.

NSA Releases Guidance to Mitigate UEFI Secure Boot Vulnerabilities

Cyber has become a principal battlefield in global conflict and American systems are being targeted. Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21 to gain a better understanding of cyber from global adversaries and near-peer nations and get updates to ongoing and future cyber initiatives across the federal government. Get your tickets today.

What Are Secure Boot Vulnerabilities?

Secure Boot, introduced to the UEFI standard in the mid-2000s, restricts which software can run during the boot process. It blocks unsigned or unknown boot software while allowing many common operating system distributions.

However, over the years, experts have identified vulnerabilities affecting Secure Boot, emphasizing the need for accurate configuration across enterprise environments.

One vulnerability, BootHole, could enable malicious cyber actors to gain control of Linux systems during the boot process. NSA published mitigation options for the BootHole vulnerability in 2020.

The agency warned that Secure Boot is still widely used across modern devices, making it critical for organizations to assess their Secure Boot configurations and reduce their cyber risk.

What Does NSA Recommend?

The agency urged IT administrators and managers to review the guidance to confirm proper enforcement of Secure Boot policies. 

NSA said organizations must not assume that their systems are secure with a Trusted Platform Module or full disk encryption tools like BitLocker.

Additionally, NSA encourages organizations to conduct acceptance testing of new devices to check if the Secure Boot is configured properly.

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GSA, Tenable Partner to Offer Discounted Cloud Security Capabilities
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FAS Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum. GSA and Tenable partnered to offer discounted access to Tenable Cloud Security Enterprise

The U.S. General Services Administration has partnered with Tenable Public Sector through a OneGov agreement to provide federal agencies with discounted access to Tenable Cloud Security Enterprise.

What Does the GSA-Tenable OneGov Agreement Entail?

Under the OneGov agreement, agencies can receive a 65 percent discount on Tenable’s cloud security capabilities, authorized by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, through GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule – IT Category, the agency said Thursday. The agreement offers a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform, or CNAPP, aimed at safeguarding sensitive government cloud environments.

What Did Josh Gruenbaum & Tenable Say About the Agreement?

“Robust cybersecurity is essential for implementing AI into federal government workflows while simultaneously protecting American citizens’ data and information, a crucial component in supporting the White House’s AI Action Plan,” said Josh Gruenbaum, Federal Acquisition Service commissioner and 2025 Wash100 Award winner. “This OneGov agreement with Tenable will enable federal agencies to secure their networks and data more easily and cost-effectively.”

Federal agencies can take advantage of discounted pricing until March 31, 2027. Option years carry favorable escalation rates: 0 percent in year 1 and 3 percent in years 2 and 3, maintaining substantial discounts of 62 percent in year 2 and 59 percent in year 3.

“With our FedRAMP-authorized cloud security solution, Tenable is proud to help federal agencies stay ahead of evolving threats, strengthen resilience, and secure the cloud-first future of government as part of a holistic approach to exposure management,” said Steve Vintz, co-CEO of Tenable. 

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GAO Calls on DOW to Modernize Weapon System Testing Policies
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GAO logo. GAO revealed the DOW's test and evaluation policies are not aligned with best practices in product development.

The Department of War’s test and evaluation policies are not fully aligned with product development best practices, hindering its goal to rapidly deliver weapon systems to warfighters, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report.

GAO Calls on DOW to Modernize Weapon System Testing Policies

Representatives from the DOW and various military services will attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 29. Register now to hear them discuss the military’s modernization efforts to future-proof national defense.

What Leading Practices Are Missing From DOW Policies?

The report noted that DOW is modernizing testing through digital engineering and a skilled workforce to accelerate weapon system delivery. However, the GAO found DOW policies omit four key practices used by top technology companies to bring complex systems to market efficiently—early tester involvement, iterative testing, digital twins and threads, and ongoing user feedback.

GAO also found DOW policies lack processes to implement these practices, while military departments mirror DOW-wide policies without additional enhancements. It also determined that key program documents, including acquisition and test strategies, do not reflect them.

What Are GAO’s Recommendations?

The GAO issued 13 open recommendations calling for the Department of War and military services to update their weapon system test and evaluation, digital engineering, and systems engineering, as well as acquisition policies, to better align with leading product development practices. The recommendations emphasize three primary needs across DOW:

  • Requiring developmental and operational testers to participate early in shaping acquisition strategies, particularly on issues involving digital twins and digital threads
  • Adopting iterative, integrated testing approaches supported by digital engineering tools to enable faster delivery of minimum viable products
  • Incorporating formal end-user agreements that define how ongoing user feedback will be gathered during system development and testing

These recommendations apply to the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as the Air Force, Army and Navy.

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OPM, OMB Unveil Federal HR 2.0 Initiative
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Scott Kupor. The OPM director commented on the launch of the Federal HR 2.0 initiative.

The Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget have launched a modernization initiative aimed at consolidating more than 100 outdated federal human resources systems into a single platform.

OPM, OMB Unveil Federal HR 2.0 Initiative

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Under the Federal HR 2.0 initiative, OPM said Wednesday federal agencies will transition to one Core Human Capital Management, or HCM, system, establishing it as the government’s unified system of record for personnel management. 

“Today’s announcement is a major win for efficiency, accountability, and good government,” said OPM Director Scott Kupor. “By consolidating more than 100 systems into a single, modern HR platform, we are delivering billions in savings while giving agencies the tools they need to manage the federal workforce as one coordinated enterprise. This is exactly the kind of smart, cost-saving reform the American people expect and deserve.”

In a memo issued Wednesday, Kupor and OMB Director Russell Vought stated that the Core HCM platform will encompass several functions, including personnel action processing, employee system of record, employee and manager self-service, analytics and dashboards, position management, time and attendance, and learning. 

According to the document, OPM is overseeing a procurement effort to identify a vendor to implement the new system.

What Are the Goals of Federal HR 2.0? 

According to OPM, Federal HR 2.0 aims to eliminate duplicative systems and redundant contracts and improve HR service delivery through self-service tools, standardized workflows and real-time data integration.

The initiative also seeks to support agencies in hiring, retaining and managing talent and establish a governmentwide HR system designed to strengthen security and data integrity.

In the memo, Kupor and Vought noted that the transition to the Core HCM platform will occur in two waves to “allow for significant interagency feedback and collaboration to help ensure successful implementation.”

Wave 1 agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture and Health and Human Services, are expected to begin the transition in fiscal year 2026.

The Department of Commerce, General Services Administration, the Department of War, NASA and other Wave 2 agencies will move to the new system in FY 2027.

What Federal Hiring Reforms Did OPM & OMB Announce?

In November, OPM and OMB issued new guidance introducing stricter oversight of federal hiring. The directive requires agencies to justify each position in alignment with administration priorities and to limit new hires until detailed staffing plans are approved.

In September, OPM finalized a rule replacing the longstanding “rule of three” with the “rule of many” to modernize federal hiring. According to the agency, the rule applies to competitive and excepted service appointments and is designed to ensure agencies select candidates based on practical skills and merit as assessed through skills-based evaluations.

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