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Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder: US Government Continues to Track High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon
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Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder: US Government Continues to Track High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon

Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, press secretary at the Department of Defense, issued a statement Thursday informing the public that the U.S. government has observed a high-altitude surveillance balloon in the airspace over the continental U.S.

The government, including North American Aerospace Defense Command, is closely monitoring the balloon, which Ryder said does not pose a physical or military threat to civilians on the ground.

The press secretary noted that this is not the first time such an activity has been tracked and that the government “acted immediately” to prevent the collection of sensitive information.

A senior defense official said the U.S. intelligence community believes the surveillance balloon belongs to China and that the government has communicated with Chinese officials to discuss the matter via multiple channels, according to DOD News.

Putting out the balloon through the use of kinetic force, the official noted, might put civilians at risk.

“Currently, we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collective collection perspective,” the official said. “But we are taking steps, nevertheless, to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information.”

DOD Allocates Over $2B in Funds to New Security Package for Ukraine
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DOD Allocates Over $2B in Funds to New Security Package for Ukraine

The U.S. Department of Defense has committed more than $2 billion in funds to continue supporting Ukraine’s security initiatives through the delivery of critical air defense capabilities, armored infantry vehicles and other supplies.

The assistance package is composed of a Presidential Drawdown valued at up to $425 million and a $1.75 billion allotment from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the DOD announced on Friday.

The Presidential Drawdown, which represents the 31st mobilization of equipment from the DOD reservoir made by the Biden Administration since August 2021, will finance the supply of Javelin anti-tank missiles, artillery ammunition and conventional and long-range rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems.

Specific provisions include 2,000 anti-armor rockets, 250 Javelin anti-armor systems, 190 heavy machine guns, 181 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, and supplementary 155 millimeter artillery rounds and 120 millimeter mortar rounds, among others.

Funds from USAI will enable the delivery anti-aircraft weapons, Counter-Unmanned and Puma Unmanned Aerial Systems, multiple types of radars, medical supplies and other equipment as well as tools to integrate a variety of Western weapons into Ukrainian air defense systems and sustainment support.

While Presidential Drawdowns obtain equipment from the DOD inventory, USAI finances procurement from the private sector. This assistance package marks the commencement of a contracting process to expand U.S. support for the Ukrainian military’s immediate and future needs.

Since President Biden assumed office, the U.S. has allocated $30 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The nation has committed over $32 billion since 2014 and more than $29.3 billion since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

DOD said that the U.S. will continue collaborating with its allies and partners to help Ukraine meet the current and long-term demands required for the nation to maintain its security.

2023 Wash100 Award Lauds John Heneghan, Frank Whitworth for Private & Public Sector Innovation
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2023 Wash100 Award Lauds John Heneghan, Frank Whitworth for Private & Public Sector Innovation

Today, Executive Mosaic publications praised the efforts and careers of 2023 Wash100 Award winners John Heneghan, president of ECS Federal and Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Both are being honored with the Wash100 for the second year in a row.

Coming from industry and government, respectively, Heneghan and Whitworth represent two of the most heralded and accomplished leadership trajectories in the government contracting arena. Wash100 is the premier distinction for the individuals in the federal sector and government services market who have both achieved a great deal already and are seen to present the surest bet of delivering impressive results in the coming year.

Heneghan was selected to the 10th class of the Wash100 for ensuring ECS is on a path for repeatable success with growth initiatives like the company’s parent organization’s October 2022 acquisition of Iron Vine Security, as well as its November 2022 $430 million recompete contract win from the U.S. Army Cyber Command.

Read Summer Myatt’s full profile of Heneghan at ExecutiveBiz here.

In June 2022, Whitworth was confirmed as the eighth director of the NGA. He came to the agency while it was assuming the responsibility of the GEO-INT aspects of the Department of Defense’s artificial intelligence initiative Project Maven and has led the NGA to great success in this realm.

During his tenure, the former Navy leader has also helped balance the agency’s dual role as an intelligence organization and a combat support entity. He has worked to equip warfighters and key decision-makers with analysis and visual information.

“It is a privilege for us to be responsible for this domain of intelligence. The idea here is to distinguish enemy from non-enemy, combatant from non-combatant. And it’s not just a terrestrial thing. There will also be responsibilities in space,” Whitworth shared in an interview.

Read Jamie Bennet’s full profile of Whitworth at GovCon Wire here.

Coincidentally, the two executives share some collaborative responsibility — ECS has been the primary contractor for Project Maven since 2017. If their Wash100 Awards are any indication, the pair will be innovating throughout the coming year in lock step.

Executive Mosaic congratulates John Heneghan and Frank Whitworth on their wins and encourages you, the reader, to vote in the Wash100 popular vote contest at Wash100.com. You get 10 votes to propel your favorite executives to the top of the ranking. Join in the fun today!

The Rise of Mile Corrigan: A Biographical Journey
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The Rise of Mile Corrigan: A Biographical Journey

Mile Corrigan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Noblis, a Reston, Virginia-based nonprofit science and technology organization mainly serving federal government clients. Her responsibilities include driving general management and strategic direction of the company’s scientific, technical, financial, and administrative pursuits.

Who is Mile Corrigan?

Mile Corrigan is a software engineer specializing in digital solutions implementation management, agile software development, lean process engineering initiatives, enterprise architecture programs, and web-based systems. She has a proven track record in carrying out technology solutions, market strategies, innovative research, and complex federal programs in various sectors, from aerospace systems and aviation to health and telecommunications.

Mile Corrigan has been with Noblis for more than 20 years. She has obtained professional awards in the government and technology sectors.

Leadership Roles at Noblis

What Are the Leadership Roles of Mile Corrigan at Noblis?
Image from Noblis LinkedIn Official Page

Having served multiple leadership positions, Mile Corrigan always seeks to further advance national priorities through Noblis’ science, technology, and engineering services, transformational solutions, and innovation. Here is a list of Mile Corrigan’s leadership positions within Noblis.

  • President and Chief Executive Officer (October 2022-Present)
  • Executive Vice President (February to October 2022)
  • Senior Vice President of Noblis Federal Civilian Solutions (October 2020 to February 2022), where she led the delivery of innovative research, technology solutions, life cycle engineering, acquisition, and strategic services to Noblis customers. She was also responsible for the strategy, program execution, and business development of the federal civilian government portfolio.
  • Vice President of Transportation Systems (February 2013 to February 2017)
  • Director of Center of Digital Excellence (October 2012 to July 2014)

Ms. Corrigan joined Noblis in January 2001 as a Computer Scientist, Software Architect, and Senior Manager, roles she served through February 2013.

Educational Background, Career Recognition, and  Expertise

Mile Corrigan finished her studies in Master of Business Administration at Georgetown University. She has a bachelor’s degree in Management Science and Information Technology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.

Mile Corrigan has served on the Northern Virginia Technology Council, one of the largest regional technology councils in the United States. Its mission is to serve the greater Washington technology community. Mile Corrigan is also affiliated with the Women in Aerospace Board.

In January 2018, Mile Corrigan was one of the 19th Annual Women in Technology Leadership Awards finalists and won in the “Corporate Mid-Market Sector” category. Ms. Corrigan was also a Women In Technology Award winner for Leadership and Innovation in Green Information Technology, issued in 2011. In January 2017, she was recognized in Washington Business Journal Top 40 Under 40. She was listed in the 2021 NVTC Tech 100 Executives.

Top 5 Bechtel Government Contracts
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Top 5 Bechtel Government Contracts

Photo by T. Schneider from Shutterstock.com

Bechtel Corporation is a premier project management, engineering, and construction services provider. The company serves several industries, including civil infrastructure, telecommunications, power, metals, mining, and government. Its huge client base and extensive portfolio keep its strong presence as a leading defense contractor internationally. Here’s a list of Bechtel government contracts.

1. The U.S. Department of Energy Awarded a Management and Operating Contract for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

The U.S. Department of Energy Awarded a Management and Operating Contract for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to Bechtel Corporation; Bechtel competition contract; billions

Image from NEI Magazine Website

  • Year: 2020
  • Amount: $3 billion
  • Contract type: Cost-plus-award-fee and indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity
  • Contracting activity: Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management
  • Contract duration: 10 years (Four-year base period and six one-year options)

In July 2022, Tularosa Basin Range Services, a Bechtel subsidiary, won an estimated $3 billion Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Management and Operation contract from the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management.

Under the agreement, Tularosa Basin Range Services will lead the daily operations at the WIPP site, the only deep geological repository for transuranic waste. This includes supporting Environmental Management’s mission through the following:

  • Transportation activities
  • WIPP program support and operations
  • Capital and non-capital asset projects
  • The Centralized Characterization Project

Nuclear waste will be disposed through burial in a salt deposit about 2,000 feet underground. The work is being performed near Carlsbad, California.

2. The U.S. Air Force Awarded a Contract to Support the Arnold Engineering Development Complex

The U.S. Air Force Awarded a Contract to Support the Arnold Engineering Development Complex Operation that costs $1.5 billion

Image from Arnold Air Force Base Official Website

  • Year: 2015
  • Amount: $1.5 billion
  • Contracting activity: U.S. Air Force
  • Contract duration: 8 years (One year base period with seven one-year options)

In July 2015, National Aerospace Solutions (NAS), a joint venture between Bechtel National, GP Strategies, and  Sierra Lobo, won an estimated $1.5 billion contract award from the U.S. Air Force. Under the Test Operations Complex contract, the team performed sustainment and test operations for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, one of the world’s largest and most advanced complex of flight simulation facilities.

These include wind tunnels, ballistic ranges, space chambers, and other specialized testing units, such as fighter jets, missiles, and Apollo rockets at Arnold and other Air Force facilities across California and Maryland. This contract, with a start date of July 2015, expanded the joint venture’s service in the defense and national security sector.

3. The U.S. Army’s Contract Modification for Agent Operations of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

The U.S. Army's Contract Modification for Agent Operations of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP); Bechtel is one of the top defense contractors in the world

Image from PEO ACWA Website

  • Year: 2015
  • Amount: $1.3 billion
  • Contract type: Modification
  • Contracting activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command
  • Contract duration: 4 years

In April 2015, Bechtel National received an estimated $1.3 billion modification contract from the U.S. Army. Under the Agent Operations of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) modification contract, Bechtel led the plant operations in Colorado to destroy chemical weapons from World War II and dismantle munitions using a robotic process. The work had an expected completion date of July 2019.

4. The U.S. Navy’s Contract Modification for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components

The U.S. Navy's Contract Modification for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components; Bechtel government contracts

Image from Clearance Jobs Website

  • Year: 2022
  • Amount: $576 million
  • Contract type: Cost-plus-fixed-fee modification
  • Contracting activity: The Naval Sea Systems Command

In December 2022, Bechtel Plant Machinery received an estimated $576 million contract award from the U.S. Navy. This cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modifies the previously awarded contract for naval nuclear propulsion components.

5. The U.S. Army Awarded a Modification Contract for Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Biotreatment Area Staffing

The U.S. Army Awarded a Modification Contract for Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Biotreatment Area Staffing; the work was expected to complete by July 2020

Image from PEO ACWA Website

  • Year: 2017
  • Amount: $27 million
  • Contract type: Contract modification
  • Contracting activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command
  • Contract duration: 3 years

In December 2017, Bechtel National secured an estimated $27 million modification contract from the U.S. Army. Bechtel was responsible for Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s biotreatment area staffing request for equitable adjustment. The expected completion date was in July 2020.

FAQs

List of Bechtel government contract awards

Is Bechtel Corporation a Federal Contractor?

Bechtel Corporation is one of the largest construction and engineering firms in the world. It has contracts with both private and public sector clients across the globe. Bechtel has been providing government services since its early years, with the cleaning up of radioactive government research sites in the United States as one of its first contracts. The company has subsidiaries that mainly service federal agencies, including:

  • Bechtel National: Bechtel National is the U.S. government contracting division of Bechtel Corporation. It has been instrumental for many federal agencies. For example, it has a long history of partnership with the Department of Energy, providing management services for the agency’s sites in Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, and more. Founded in 1898, Bechtel National has finished 20,000 projects in 140 countries.
  • Bechtel Plant Machinery: Bechtel Plant Machinery supports the U.S. Navy’s goal of maintaining national security, providing advanced nuclear technology to support the military’s submarines and aircraft carriers. The subsidiary is known for being a prime contractor for the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion components.

Where is Bechtel Corporation’s Headquarters?

Bechtel headquarters is in Reston, Virginia. It has offices throughout the U.S., including San Francisco, Houston, and Southern California.

Who Is the Founder of Bechtel?

Warren Bechtel is the founder of Bechtel Corporation. He is a railroad engineer who started the company in 1898 after the demise of his cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Warren Bechtel’s wife was pregnant then and made a living as an employee for the railroad industry in Oklahoma. He spent the next 20 years building up a sizable contracting business that specialized in highway and railroad building.

Delivering Projects with Lasting Legacy

Bechtel Corporation is a global construction company with a history of delivering projects with a legacy built upon excellence and integrity. It is known for being the safest company in its industry, with a mission to tackle critical environmental challenges, bring net-zero emissions, and make the world greener. Throughout the years, Bechtel leaders and executives have remained true to its goal of providing quality work while making their clients’ dreams a reality.

 

AFLCMC Requests Info on Next-Generation Tanker Production Program
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AFLCMC Requests Info on Next-Generation Tanker Production Program

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has begun seeking information on a commercial capability to support the development of a next-generation tanker designed to meet future aerial refueling mission requirements.

A notice posted Tuesday on SAM.gov states that the Air Force anticipates achieving initial operational capability in 2040 for the Next Generation Air-refueling System, which is the final increment to the service branch’s tanker recapitalization plan.

According to the request for information, the Air Force is looking for commercial platforms that “might fulfill the most stressing and complex air refueling mission requirements of the future fight.”

AFLCMC said responses from the industry will be used to guide preliminary analysis and concept development for an analysis of alternatives scheduled to begin in October 2023.

Interested parties have until March 2 to submit white papers for the NGAS procurement effort.

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AFRL, NASA Partner to Deploy Sensor Tech for Space Weather Observation
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AFRL, NASA Partner to Deploy Sensor Tech for Space Weather Observation

The Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with NASA to launch a sensor experiment in space to study how space weather in the ionosphere affects communication navigation and communication systems.

The Gridded Retarding Ion Drift Sensor, developed by the AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, was released from the International Space Station aboard NASA’s Plasma Enhancements in the Ionosphere-Thermosphere Satellite in late December, Air Force Materiel Command said Wednesday.

GRIDS is expected to be in orbit for six months to help examine how density changes in the ionosphere impact the performance of space-based communication and navigation systems.

“The GRIDS sensor is designed to measure how much plasma is present in the atmosphere and in what direction it is moving. This should allow us to detect the presence of plasma bubbles and globs and give us information into how they are formed,” said Ryan Davidson, AFRL senior research physicist and program manager for the experiment.

According to NASA, the six-unit small satellite petitSat arrived at the orbital space station on Nov. 27, 2022, as part of SpaceX’s 26th commercial resupply mission.

AFRL will continue to collaborate with NASA for GRIDS’ second deployment in 2024.

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MITRE Releases AI-Based Tool to Speed Up FOIA Request Processing
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MITRE Releases AI-Based Tool to Speed Up FOIA Request Processing

MITRE has developed an artificial intelligence-based tool designed to assist agency analysts in handling requests to access federal government records under the Freedom of Information Act.

The FOIA Assistant uses AI and natural language processing to minimize the workload of analysts across the 118 agencies subject to the law by speeding up the process of analyzing documents for redaction and release, MITRE said Wednesday.

According to the nonprofit organization, the fully functional prototype is being evaluated in an agency environment and test results will be used to refine the tool for eventual rollout to government users.

FOIA Assistant is built on independent research and the MITRE Public Sector special initiative programs and is powered by multiple machine learning models, such as BERT, an open-source machine learning framework for NLP.

It also uses the open-source software library spaCy to detect personally identifiable information in public documents.

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NTIA Report Offers Recommendations to Promote Competition in Mobile App Market
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NTIA Report Offers Recommendations to Promote Competition in Mobile App Market

A report by the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration presents several recommendations to improve competition in the mobile application market and one of those is providing consumers more control over their devices. This could be achieved, NTIA reasons, by allowing them to use alternative mobile app stores, hide or delete pre-installed apps and select their own apps as defaults.

The NTIA report recommends that operators of app stores remove restrictions on alternative approaches for users to download and install applications, not be able to “self-preference” their apps in an anti-competitive manner and address limits on in-app purchasing options.

NTIA evaluated over 150 comments from various stakeholders and found that developers and other innovators have limited avenues to reach users since consumers could not gain access to applications outside of the mobile app stores operated by Google and Apple.

According to the report, the U.S. government should introduce additional antitrust enforcement measures and new legislation to drive competition in the mobile app ecosystem.

NTIA initiated the report in response to President Joe Biden’s executive order on competition in 2021.

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OIG Assesses FDIC’s Implementation of IT Risk Examination Program
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OIG Assesses FDIC’s Implementation of IT Risk Examination Program

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s office of inspector general conducted an audit to assess whether FDIC’s Information Technology Risk Examination Program can effectively evaluate and address cybersecurity and IT risks at banks and other financial institutions and offered several recommendations to address the weaknesses found in the InTREx program.

OIG said Wednesday it found that FDIC’s InTREx program is out of date and does not reflect federal frameworks and guidance for the program’s three of four core modules.

According to the report, FDIC failed to offer guidance to its examiners after changes were made to InTREx.

Catalogued missteps also included the complaints that the FDIC does not provide training to strengthen program procedures to advance consistent completion of IT examination procedures and decision factors. In addition, it was found that FDIC did not adopt a supervisory process to assess IT workpapers prior to the completion of the examination.

The OIG report presented 19 recommendations for FDIC to address such weaknesses, such as updating and implementing the InTREx program to reflect current IT and cyber risks and guidance; communicating updates to the InTREx program to examiners in a timely manner; and developing and implementing control mechanisms to ensure that examiners complete examination procedures and decision factors.

Other recommendations are providing refresher training to reinforce InTREx program procedures; developing and implementing metrics and indicators to determine the program’s effectiveness; and creating a process to gather and analyze relevant data regarding the program.

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