/
IRS Expects to Deliver Report on Free Online Tax Return Filing System to Congress in May
Published on
IRS Expects to Deliver Report on Free Online Tax Return Filing System to Congress in May

The Internal Revenue Service intends to submit a report to Congress detailing its plans to launch a free online system for filing tax returns by May, The Hill reported Wednesday.

In partnership with nonprofit organization New America, the IRS will put together a report on the potential system that could enable individuals to directly file a tax return with the agency. This system may be hosted on a web platform or application.

Ariel Jurow-Kleiman, a tax attorney and law professor at Loyola Law School, will collaborate with New America to provide a third-party analysis of the report in accordance with the country’s existing tax law.

The project is an effort ordered by the Inflation Reduction Act, which directed the IRS to carry out a study on how citizens could file their taxes through electronic means free of charge.

Last year, Congress allocated $15 million to the agency to conduct research on the development of a federal tax filing system.

GSA Office of Inspector General Cites Gaps in Performance-Based Service Contract Administration
Published on
GSA Office of Inspector General Cites Gaps in Performance-Based Service Contract Administration

An audit conducted by the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General found gaps in the implementation of performance-based service contracts that could compromise project quality and cost-effectiveness.

In a report published Thursday, GSAIG recommended that the agency revise its policies for contract administration and retrain its personnel to ensure that they comply with such procedures.

According to the Office of Inspector General, GSA contract personnel have not been diligently following regulations in processing performance-based service agreements, including the Federal Acquisition Service internal policy. 

Lapses were found in the execution of quality assurance surveillance plans and preparation schedules of past performance reports.

The Inspector General called on the agency to create a clear and descriptive procedure that contract personnel can follow to track and enforce QASPs. It should also institute management oversight to make sure that the team is complying with regulations, GSAIG said.

GSA agreed with the recommendations and responded that it is devising an action plan to address the deficiencies.

/
NASA Accelerates Mission Hardware Development With Commercial AI Software; Ryan McClelland Quoted
Published on
NASA Accelerates Mission Hardware Development With Commercial AI Software; Ryan McClelland Quoted

Engineers are using commercial artificial intelligence software at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to speed up the design, analysis and development of spacecraft and mission hardware, which the technicians refer to as evolved structures. 

Research Engineer Ryan McClelland, who started the creation of the structures, noted that NASA-standard validation software and processes are being used to analyze the parts and detect possible failure points in such components, the space agency said Friday.

“You can perform the design, analysis and fabrication of a prototype part, and have it in hand in as little as one week,” McClelland said. “It can be radically fast compared with how we’re used to working.”

According to the agency, McClelland has designed evolved parts in support of NASA missions—among them, the EXoplanet Climate Infrared Telescope endeavor.

The research engineer designed and built a titanium scaffold for the back of the EXCITE telescope, which is set to undergo an engineering test flight as soon as the fall of this year.

POC - 4th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit

Register now for the Potomac Officers Club’s 4th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit, where DOD and GovCon leaders will share insight into recent AI advancements as well as outlook on cutting-edge development approaches for 2023 and beyond.

/
Dr. Terry Adirim to Conclude Stint as VA EHR Modernization Program Director
Published on
Dr. Terry Adirim to Conclude Stint as VA EHR Modernization Program Director

Dr. Terry Adirim is stepping down from her role as program executive director of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office, effective Feb. 25, FedScoop reported Friday.

Adirim took on the role in December 2021 and has since helped oversee VA’s efforts to transition to a new health data storage and management software.

Prior to joining VA, Adirim served as principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs and advised DOD officials on health and force health protection policies and programs.

She also held senior leadership roles at the departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services.

Deputy VA Secretary Donald Remy announced Adirim’s departure in a memo to VA employees and commended her leadership.

“I appreciate Dr. Adirim’s medical and technical expertise, diligence, and commitment in improving and implementing the EHR and for all of her work in the EHRM IO,” Remy said.

Dr. Neil Evans, senior adviser to the assistant secretary for the VA Office of Information and Technology, will assume the responsibilities of program executive director on an acting basis starting Feb. 27.

/
Stephane Bouatene Named Chief of NGA Enterprise Capabilities Division
Published on
Stephane Bouatene Named Chief of NGA Enterprise Capabilities Division

Stephane Bouatene, an information technology leader with nearly 15 years of combined government and industry experience, has been appointed chief of the Enterprise Capabilities Division at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Bouatene shared the news in a LinkedIn post published Monday. He assumed the new position after leading the agency’s enterprise management and security services, with responsibilities such as identity, credential and access management and cybersecurity risk assessments.

The executive joined NGA in 2016 from Hewlett Packard Enterprise where he led the company’s cybersecurity efforts for a Defense Information Systems Agency-managed collaborative development platform.

His private sector career also included roles such as senior information security analyst at Science Applications International Corp. and software engineer at Lockheed Martin.

Bouatene co-chairs the Committee on National Security Systems’ ICAM Working Group, where he contributes to the development of national policies for protecting national security information.

Senate Bill Proposes Updated Rules on Commercial BVLOS Drone Operations
Published on
Senate Bill Proposes Updated Rules on Commercial BVLOS Drone Operations

Senators Mark Warner, D-V.A., and John Thune, R-S.D., have introduced legislation that would update rules for allowing commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles that can fly beyond visual line of sight.

The Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of 2023 would order the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a more efficient commercial drone flight approval process to allow BVLOS operations in select situations, which would help maintain U.S. standing in the global drone market, Warner’s office said Wednesday.

“Revamping the process for approving commercial drone flight will catapult the United States into the 21st century, allowing us to finally start competing at the global level as technological advancements make drone usage ever more common,” said Warner, who is a three-time Wash100 Award winner.

Drone operators and pilots are currently required to seek FAA approval before conducting BVLOS operations.

To guide the implementation of the updated rules, the bill proposes the creation of a unmanned aerial system certification unit and a new associate administrator of UAS integration position at the FAA.

“Drones have the potential to transform the economy, with innovative opportunities for transportation and agriculture that would benefit rural states like South Dakota,” Thune commented.

/
CAES Wins Navy Contract to Upgrade Electronic Warfare System; Rob Smith Quoted
Published on
CAES Wins Navy Contract to Upgrade Electronic Warfare System; Rob Smith Quoted

CAES has booked a five-year, $38.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy to support the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, which works to enhance evolutionary development blocks for the AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system.

Under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award, CAES will provide spares, engineering services and repairs for antenna array panel assemblies as part of the initiative’s Block 2 segment, the Arlington, Virginia-based company announced on Monday.

“Our extensive knowledge of electronic warfare systems and flawless execution makes us a trusted partner of choice. We’re honored to support the Navy as it continues to implement and maintain essential programs,” said Rob Smith, senior vice president and division general manager of CAES.

Activities under the sole source contract will be performed at CAES’ Landsdale, Pennsylvania facility and are expected to conclude by February 2028.

SEWIP Block 2 aims to bolster electronic support antennae and receivers and develop an open combat system interface for the AN/SLQ-32, all of which are necessary to pace threats and boost the system’s detection and accuracy capabilities.

The program has already shown success in its efforts to upgrade existing AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare systems. Through Block 2, the Navy has improved defensive technologies and functional capabilities used with these systems, such as electronic support receivers and combat system interfaces. These developments have provided stronger situational awareness and threat detection for the Navy.

For 10 years, CAES has served as a provider of antenna array panel assemblies and spares for the SEWIP program. Most recently, the company was selected by Lockheed Martin for a $24.6 million contract, under which CAES is delivering the aforementioned products to support Lockheed’s work on Block 2.

/
Marine Corps Vet David Waisanen Appointed Allied IT Product Lead at Army PEO EIS
Published on
Marine Corps Vet David Waisanen Appointed Allied IT Product Lead at Army PEO EIS

David Waisanen, former operations chief for the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program, has been named permanent product lead for allied information technology at the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems.

He had been serving as acting product lead for AIT since October 2022, the Army said Wednesday.

In his new role, Waisanen leads the team that delivers customized IT services to help achieve interoperability and partner capacity for the U.S. military and allied nations.

Waisanen is a retired lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Marine Corps and was in military service for 26 years. He was assigned to various posts under the service branch and the Department of Defense, including the Joint Interagency Task Force-South, USMC Systems Command International Programs Office, Marine Forces Europe, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

His appointment was made official during an assumption of charter ceremony held by PEO EIS’ Defensive Cyber Operations in January.

/
Executive Mosaic Features Gen Paul Nakasone & Kevin Plexico as Members of the 2023 Wash100
Published on
Executive Mosaic Features Gen Paul Nakasone & Kevin Plexico as Members of the 2023 Wash100

General Paul Nakasone and Kevin Plexico were celebrated as winners of Executive Mosaic’s 2023 Wash100 Award, an annual list of the most distinguished and influential executives working in the government contracting sector.

Executive Mosaic honors each of its 100 winners with individual profiles, and on Monday the spotlight shone on Nakasone and Plexico in recognition of their achievements, vision, innovation and commitment to serving the nation’s critical missions.

Gen. Paul Nakasone concurrently serves as commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service. Gen. Nakasone earned his seventh consecutive award this year for his work prioritizing strategic partnerships, advancing cyber capabilities and protecting the country against increasing cyber threats.

Read Gen. Nakasone’s full Wash100 profile on GovCon Wire.

Deltek’s Senior Vice President of Information Solutions, Kevin Plexico, made the 2023 list for his consistent efforts to help government contractors gain insights into federal programs, budgets, priorities and more. This marks Plexico’s fourth consecutive year of recognition as a Wash100 Award winner. Click here to read Plexico’s Wash100 profile.

Each year, Executive Mosaic holds a popular vote competition amongst its Wash100 winners, and this year’s race is expected to garner record-breaking participation as the organization celebrates the award’s 10th anniversary. You can vote for Gen. Nakasone and Plexico as your favorite GovCon leaders at Wash100.com.

/
NORAD Takes Down Airborne Object Flying Over Lake Huron
Published on
NORAD Takes Down Airborne Object Flying Over Lake Huron

On Sunday, the North American Aerospace Defense Command detected and shot down an aerial object that had flown over Lake Huron in Michigan at an altitude of approximately 20,000 feet.

Following President Biden’s direction and recommendations from Department of Defense leadership, the object was brought down due to concerns about its path and altitude, the DOD said in a statement.

The airborne object was linked to a radar signal detected over Montana, indicating that the object flew near sensitive defense locations. Though it was not assessed as a kinetic military threat to anything on the ground, it was determined to be a safety flight hazard and a threat due to possible surveillance abilities.

An F-16 fighter jet brought down the object after firing an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

The department said its team will begin recovery operations to know more about the object.

Last week, DOD News reported that an Air Force F-22 fighter jet fired an AIM-9X Sidewinder to take down a “high-altitude object” off the Alaskan coast on Friday, a day after NORAD first spotted the unmanned object.

Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, DOD press secretary, said the object posed a threat to civilian aviation as it was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet.

“We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose or origin,” Ryder said.

These recent actions came days after the U.S. government put down a high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to China off the coast of South Carolina.

1 … 623 624 625 626 627 … 2,620