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IARPA Sets Proposers Day for ReSCIND Cyber Program
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IARPA Sets Proposers Day for ReSCIND Cyber Program

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity will hold a proposers day on Feb. 28 to discuss with industry partners a new program aimed at developing new cyber network defenses through cyberpsychology-determined practices.

Reimagining Security with Cyberpsychology-Informed Network Defenses seeks to apply cyberpsychology to defend against cyber threat actors by analyzing their human limitations, such as cognitive weaknesses and inherent decision-making biases, according to a notice posted Friday on SAM.gov.

Through the ReSCIND program, IARPA aims to develop novel methods to identify and model attackers’ human limitations or cognitive biases as well as measure and induce changes in cyber attack behavior and success.

The agency also seeks to provide algorithms for automated adaptation of cyberpsychology-informed defense platforms based on observed attack behavior.

Interested companies have until Feb. 13 to register for the event.

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U.S. Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Clear Space of Dangerous Debris; John Hickenlooper Quoted
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U.S. Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Clear Space of Dangerous Debris; John Hickenlooper Quoted

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation that would authorize a NASA-run demonstration program to remove dangerous orbital debris from space.

The Orbital Sustainability or ORBITS Act was proposed in September by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., along with Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo, Hickenlooper’s office said Thursday.

“From satellite communications to rockets carrying humans into deep space, space debris is a massive threat to space operations,” said Hickenlooper, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Space and Science. “I’m over the moon that our ORBITS Act passed and we can start cleaning up this space junk.”

In 2022 alone, NASA has been ordering the International Space Station to conduct a number of pre-determined debris avoidance maneuvers because of the increasing amount of debris. The most recent PDAM was done on Wednesday.

Under the ORBITS Act, NASA will launch a research and development program in search of technologies that can safely execute active debris remediation missions.

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Jennifer Swanson Offers Update on Army’s Unified Data Reference Architecture Program
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Jennifer Swanson Offers Update on Army’s Unified Data Reference Architecture Program

Jennifer Swanson, deputy assistant secretary for data, engineering and software at the U.S. Army, said the service received 31 industry responses to its request for information on the initial version of its planned unified data reference architecture, Defense News reported Monday.

The RFI opened in late October and closed on Dec. 2.

“Our intent, by the end of this fiscal year, is to have this unified data reference architecture completed and included as a requirement for programs that are going out on the street, meaning you have to plug into this, industry, so tell us how you’re going to do that as part of your proposal,” said Swanson.

“Also, we’ll be looking at how we pivot programs that are already out there to leverage the data mesh,” she added.

Swanson talked about data mesh and the role of data centricity in facilitating the decision-making process.

“So I think data centricity is really about being able to equip users with the data that they need to be able to make the decisions that they need to make, and do the things that they need to do, at a very high level,” she noted.

The Army leader also mentioned the industry’s feedback on the Army’s emerging tech and digital transformation strategy.

2023 DoD: Digital Modernization Forum

GovCon Wire Events will host the 2023 DoD: Digital Modernization Forum on Jan. 12. Click here to register and hear notable industry and government leaders talk about the department’s digital transformation journey in support of its missions.

DTRA Posts Sources Sought Notice for WMD Integrated Advisory, Assistance Support Services
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DTRA Posts Sources Sought Notice for WMD Integrated Advisory, Assistance Support Services

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Strategic Integration Directorate has begun seeking information on companies capable of providing integrated advisory and assistance support services to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 

A sources sought notice posted Friday on SAM.gov states that DTRA aims to acquire subject matter expertise to enhance the agency’s countering WMD capabilities and aid in the development and execution of CWMD mission goals and strategies.

The selected contractor will provide technical and scientific advice and administrative support to committees, groups, organizations and inter-agency coordination functions focused on combatting and eliminating WMD. 

Contract work will include operations research analysis, strategic planning and policy integration, as well as strategy management and implementation, performance management and measurement analysis and organizational assessment support.

DTRA will additionally require subject matter expertise to conduct and coordinate CWMD studies, special projects and activities.

Responses to the request for information are due Jan. 3. The notice made clear it is not asking for “proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.”

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GAO: Army, Marine Corps Need Better Guidelines & Tracking to Keep Cyber Personnel
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GAO: Army, Marine Corps Need Better Guidelines & Tracking to Keep Cyber Personnel

A study conducted by the Government Accountability Office found that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps are not getting their return on investment in financing advanced cyber training for military personnel.

In a report published Wednesday, GAO suggested that the two branches may have cyber staffing gaps because they do not have clear guidance on active duty service obligations for personnel who receive Interactive On-Net Operator training.

The U.S. Cyber Command has deemed ION operators as critical roles in the Department of Defense. Because of the length and cost of ION training, the U.S. Navy and Air Force have set an active duty service requirement of three years for officers and enlisted men who receive such education.

The obligation is not the same in the Army and Marine Corps. Army officials admitted that their service requirements are not based on any standard guidance or calculation. The government watchdog also found that apart from the Navy, the three branches do not keep inventory of staffing data by work role, and therefore cannot decide cyber mission assignments based on job designations.

GAO recommended that the branches directly act on these gaps to keep cyber-trained military personnel on staff. The agency called on the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force to lead the establishment of clear service obligation guidelines for ION education and tailor an inventory of IT personnel according to CYBERCOM work roles.

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DOD’s John Plumb Stresses Importance of Establishing Norms in Space
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DOD’s John Plumb Stresses Importance of Establishing Norms in Space

As numerous entities make efforts to move into space, common practices must be established to ensure the safety of the domain for those who wish to operate there, according to John Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy.

Following the approval of a United Nations resolution urging nations to refrain from conducting destructive direct-ascent antisatellite missile tests, Plumb emphasized the importance of a cooperative commitment to building necessary norms in the space arena, the Department of Defense reported earlier this month.

“I think the more we can develop norms that make sense for protection of a safe, secure, stable space environment, the better it is for all spacefaring nations. It lowers the risk of miscalculation and potential escalation, accidental escalation,” Plumb stressed.

Only nine nations voted against the resolution, including China and Russia. Plumb said that this does not necessarily mean these countries will completely reject its guidelines and that norms can take hold without a vote.

Established norms serve not only to prevent collisions, but to provide a guide for determining if another body is hostile, said Plumb.

While the land, sea and air domains have built up these necessary norms over time, the space environment has not been occupied long enough to allow standards to develop. 

A major issue the federal government and its partners have encountered while venturing into the space environment is the over classification of information. This makes it harder for federal agencies, international allies and private sector organizations to share information, according to Plumb.

“I think there’s clearly industry ramifications. Especially companies that might have to build entire architectures of classified information handling that can’t talk to other parts of their company,” he said.

“We have to solve these problems so we can have our industrial base be able to move faster,” urged Plumb.

Plumb’s office is currently collaborating with the intelligence community to diminish some of the classification issues to enable better information sharing with operational partners. He said that the department has made the overclassification problem a top priority. 

“When I talk about that DOD/intelligence community cooperation, this is one of those things that is … it’s the right time, it’s the right place, it’s the right window of opportunity to fix it,” Plumb reiterated.

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Executive Order to Implement 4.6% Average Pay Raise for Federal Employees
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Executive Order to Implement 4.6% Average Pay Raise for Federal Employees

President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order to provide federal civilian personnel an average salary increase of 4.6 percent in January, Government Executive reported.

The figure includes an average 0.5 percent rise in locality pay and an across-the-board increase of 4.1 percent to basic pay.

The raise will take effect during the first pay period in January and is the largest salary increase for federal employees since 2002. In 2022, federal personnel received an average 2.7 percent pay raise.

According to the EO, the head of the Office of Personnel Management should initiate actions to implement the salary adjustments and publish a notice in the Federal Register regarding the move.

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Biden Taps Richard Verma for State Department Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources
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Biden Taps Richard Verma for State Department Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources

President Joe Biden has nominated Richard Verma, an experienced federal leader, for the Department of State’s deputy secretary for management and resources, the White House announced last week.

During the Obama administration, Verma served as the U.S. Ambassador to India, a role in which he facilitated nine meetings between both nations’ leaders, effectively bringing about over 100 new initiatives and over 40 dialogues between the two governments. He also served as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs.

Prior to these roles, Verma was national security advisor to U.S. Senator Harry Reid during his time as democratic whip minority leader and later majority leader of the Senate.

He was previously appointed to the president’s Intelligence Advisory Board and has served as a member of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Commission.

Verma is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a judge advocate. He has received the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal for his military achievements.

Other recognitions Verma has received throughout his career include the Distinguished Service Medal from the State Department and the International Affairs Fellowship from the Council of Foreign Relations.

Within the private sector, he has worked in numerous law firms and business organizations. He currently serves as chief legal officer and head of global public policy at Mastercard, where he leads the company’s law and policy work at both the domestic and international levels.

Verma has previously held attorney, partner and senior counselor roles at Steptoe & Johnson. He has also served as a senior counselor for Albright Stonebridge group and as vice chairman of The Asia Group.

The executive is currently a trustee of the Ford Foundation and serves on multiple other boards, including the National Endowment for Democracy and Lehigh University.

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Spending Package Includes TikTok Government Ban, Merger Fee Structure Reform
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Spending Package Includes TikTok Government Ban, Merger Fee Structure Reform

Congress has approved a bipartisan spending package that includes a bill that would prohibit the use of social media platform TikTok on government devices and a measure that would reform the fee structure for merger filings, CNBC reported Friday.

The bill banning the video-sharing application on federal devices includes an exception for national security, law enforcement and research purposes, according to the report.

Brendan Carr, a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, issued a statement welcoming the passage of the measure in Congress.

“Today’s action only highlights the need for Administration officials to wrap up their ongoing review of TikTok with the speed and urgency that this national security threat demands,” he said in a statement.

The Department of the Treasury’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. is conducting a review of TikTok over national security issues as the app — which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance — negotiates to continue its operations in the U.S.

The spending package, which has yet to be signed by the president, also includes the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in the upper chamber.

The legislation would update the 2001 fee structure by implementing higher fees for companies advancing large mergers and lowering the cost for smaller acquisitions as part of efforts to generate additional revenue to fund antitrust agencies that review such transactions.

“By restructuring outdated merger filing fees, our bipartisan legislation will enable Congress to get much-needed resources to our antitrust enforcers so they can protect competition,” Klobuchar said in a statement published Friday.

The package also includes a measure that would direct the Federal Trade Commission to submit to Congress a report that offers detailed information on foreign ransomware attacks and other cyberthreat complaints it receives.

Franklin Parker Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Navy for Manpower, Reserve Affairs
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Franklin Parker Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Navy for Manpower, Reserve Affairs

The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Franklin Parker, former senior counsel for intelligence solutions at BAE Systems’ intelligence and security segment, to be assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs. 

Senate lawmakers voted 70-22 in favor of Parker’s nomination to the role he also served during the Obama administration from 2016 to 2017.

President Biden announced his intent to nominate Parker to oversee military and civilian personnel policy matters within the Department of the Navy in December 2021.

Parker’s government experience included roles as chief counsel for the maritime administration at the Department of Transportation and attorney adviser in the Office of the General Counsel of the Navy.

He previously served as an associate at law firms Winston & Strawn, Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro and Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.

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