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Adm. Kevin Lunday Nominated as Coast Guard Commandant
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Coast Guard Acting Commandant Kevin Lunday. Adm. Kevin Lunday has been nominated as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

President Donald Trump has nominated Adm. Kevin Lunday to serve as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Adm. Kevin Lunday Nominated as Coast Guard Commandant

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According to a congressional notice, the Senate officially received the president’s nomination of Adm. Lunday on Oct. 23. The nomination was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for review. This follows a May announcement by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, a 2025 Wash100 Award recipient, who revealed that the president intended to nominate Lunday.

Who Is Kevin Lunday?

Lunday is a 38-year veteran of the Coast Guard who assumed the role of acting commandant on Jan. 21, following the dismissal of Adm. Linda Fagan. In this acting capacity, Lunday leads over 56,000 Coast Guard personnel, serving in the Department of Homeland Security.

Before accepting the acting commandant role, Lunday served as the 34th vice commandant of the service. He also led the Atlantic Area Command and commanded the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in the Indo-Pacific. The cyberspace operations leader commanded the Coast Guard Cyber Command and served as director of exercises and training at the Cyber Command.

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DOE Partners With AMD, HPE to Build 2 AI Supercomputers at ORNL
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High-performance computing. DOE partnered with AMD and HPE to build two AI supercomputers at ORNL.

The Department of Energy has announced a public-private partnership with Advanced Micro Devices and Hewlett Packard Enterprise to develop two AI supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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Backed by more than $1 billion in public-private investment, the initiative aims to strengthen U.S. leadership in scientific computing, drive innovation and strengthen national security capabilities, DOE said Monday.

The department expects the supercomputers to facilitate the integration of experimentation and modeling and improve its ability to move data securely across sites.

What Is the Lux AI Cluster?

One of the planned AI supercomputers is the Lux AI Cluster, which is scheduled for deployment in early 2026.

Equipped with AMD Instinct MI355X graphics processing units, AMD EPYC central processing units and AMD Pensando networking, Lux will support work on fusion, fission, quantum computing, materials discovery, grid modernization, advanced manufacturing and other critical national priorities. It will provide an open AI software stack to boost the country’s innovation base.

“Winning the AI race requires new and creative partnerships that will bring together the brightest minds and industries American technology and science has to offer,” said Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “That’s why the Trump administration is announcing the first example of a new commonsense approach to computing partnerships with Lux.”

How Will the Discovery Supercomputer Accelerate Scientific Research?

Set to arrive in 2028, the Discovery supercomputer will be based on the HPE Cray Supercomputing GX5000 architecture and will feature AMD EPYC “Venice” processors and AMD Instinct MI430X GPUs.

Discovery aims to converge AI, high-performance computing and quantum systems to enable scientists to speed up data processing and analysis and train AI models to accelerate scientific breakthroughs in medicine, cybersecurity, energy and advanced manufacturing.

“We are also announcing, as part of a competitive procurement process, Discovery. Working with AMD and HPE, we’re bringing new capacity online faster than ever before, turning shared innovation into national strength and proving that America leads when private-public partners build together,” Wright noted.

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IRS Posts Sources Sought Notice for Credential Program Support Services
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Internal Revenue Service logo. The IRS plans to award a contract to maintain its ICAM program.

The Internal Revenue Service is conducting a market research to identify contractors capable of operating and maintaining its identity, credential and access management program, which oversees the issuance and life cycle of ID cards for IRS employees and contractors across the United States.

What Services Will the Contractor Provide?

IRS’s ICAM program supports 73 credentialing sites nationwide. According to a draft performance work statement posted on SAM.gov, the IRS plans to award a contract with a hybrid structure combining firm-fixed-price and labor-hour components, covering credential issuance, activation, renewal and post-issuance maintenance. 

The selected vendor will provide a program manager, three deputy program managers, 13 credentialing leads, 112 credentialing specialists and eight key personnel, as well as temporary credentialing personnel for short-term events, such as job fairs. Work also includes maintaining credentialing systems, coordinating with agency offices and providing program management and reporting support services for the agency’s ICAM office.

Interested contractors have until Nov. 6 to respond to the sources sought notice. Responses will inform the structure of the anticipated contract.

Why Would the IRS Seek Federal Credentialing Program Support?

Federal identity cards are required under Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12, which mandates secure, standardized credentials for federal employees and contractors. The upcoming contract will help the IRS maintain compliance with the HSPD-12 requirements while supporting nationwide identity management operations.

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US Army Taps AI to Streamline Acquisition Requirements
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US Army. Service branch taps AI for streamlining procurement process

The U.S. Army has started using an AI-enabled tool to help simplify and modernize its acquisition process by identifying and eliminating outdated or redundant requirements. Part of an initiative called CORA, reversing the AROC acronym of the Army Requirements Oversight Council, the AI-based effort aims to make the Army’s acquisition system more efficient across weapons, software and other procurement areas, Breaking Defense reported Friday.

Joe Welch, executive deputy to the commanding general of the Army Futures and Concepts Center, told media on the sidelines of the recent AUSA conference that CORA uses AI to review existing procurement listings, discard inactive and irrelevant items, and consolidate overlapping requirements into broader categories.

US Army Taps AI to Streamline Acquisition Requirements

AI is now an integral part of how the U.S. military and the federal government are processing information and complex systems functions, one of the areas that the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit will cover come March 19. Secure your seat now for this sixth edition of the conference where representatives from Department of Defense components, federal agencies and the GovCon industry will discuss strategies and future plans for AI, machine learning and automation.

 

According to an Army spokesperson, the AI tool, which was not identified, has examined 3,577 requirements, flagging 1,500 as inactive and 2,077 as active. Of the active group, Army leaders identified 516 for potential inactivation. So far, 215 have been officially deactivated and another 130 are under review.

Requirement owners are given 30 days to request a reconsideration if they believe an item should remain active and up to 180 days to present their case. If no action is taken, the requirement is automatically removed after the initial 30-day period.

“We don’t want to inadvertently cut something that’s important,” Welch pointed out. But with nobody making a strong case against an inactivation, “that’s a good indicator for us,” he added.

Some deactivated requirements are not being discarded entirely but merged into larger programs. For example, several individual requirements linked to the Next Generation Command and Control initiative, designed to integrate intelligence, C2 and fires, were consolidated into a single Characteristics of Need category.

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DOI Deploys Mark43 RMS & CAD to Modernize Law Enforcement Operations
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DOI seal. DOI has deployed the Mark43 Law Enforcement Records Management System and Computer Aided Dispatch.

The Department of the Interior’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security has teamed with Simple Technology Solutions to launch the Mark43 Law Enforcement Records Management System, or LE RMS, and Computer Aided Dispatch, or CAD.

What Does the Mark43 Deployment Mean for Federal Public Safety?

Mark43 said Thursday the LE RMS and CAD platform enables the DOI’s law enforcement bureaus to identify crime trends, monitor incidents across jurisdictions, exchange data seamlessly and operate with real-time mobility. With Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program authorization, National Institute of Standards and Technology compliance and a secure cloud-native architecture, the system enhances officer safety, situational awareness and operational resilience across federal lands.

Learn more about the latest business opportunities in federal law enforcement at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12!

The deployment spans six law enforcement programs, connecting about 3,000 officers and over 850 locations nationwide under a single operational platform. The interoperable system brings together over two dozen dispatch centers, enhancing communication and response coordination across federal lands that cover roughly 20 percent of the U.S. landmass and 40 percent of the southern border. The system replaces dozens of legacy systems and paper-based processes, creating one of the world’s largest connected public safety networks.

“This modernization effort is expected to enhance the effectiveness of federal law enforcement officers within the Department of the Interior. By enabling more seamless and secure data sharing across law enforcement components, it supports officer safety and operational coordination,” said Robert MacLean, director of the office of law enforcement and security at the DOI.

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Sean Cairncross on Upcoming National Cybersecurity Strategy
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Sean Cairncross. The national cyber director described the forthcoming national cyber strategy as a streamlined framework.

National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross has outlined the Trump administration’s upcoming national cybersecurity strategy, emphasizing a streamlined approach to securing the nation’s digital infrastructure with a focus on practical implementation over exhaustive documentation, Homeland Security Today reported Saturday.

“It is not going to be a 100-page document that has charts and every detail is spelled out. This will be a strategy document,” he said during his remarks Friday at the 2025 Meridian Summit in Washington, D.C.

“It will be setting the posture of the United States in this domain and things that we are driving toward,” added Cairncross, who was confirmed as head of the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, or ONCD, in August.

Sean Cairncross on Upcoming National Cybersecurity Strategy

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Strengthening ONCD’s Role

Elevating ONCD’s role as the federal government’s primary cyber coordination mechanism was a key theme of his remarks at the summit. This priority reflects recommendations from the recently published CSC 2.0 report, which called for enhanced resources and authorities for the office.

“The U.S. government has never had a single point of cyber coordination or a cohesive, coordinated cyber strategy coming from the White House,” Cairncross said. “It is a goal of ours to get this office there.”

Breaking Down Silos Through Collaboration

ONCD is developing the strategy in collaboration with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Security Council and the FBI. According to Cairncross, the approach emphasizes breaking down silos that have fragmented cybersecurity initiatives within the federal government.

“Across the administration, we are making a full effort to align our actions and operations and tactics so they link with a strategy designed to put America first,” he added.

Cairncross on Need to Reauthorize CISA 2015

The national cyber director stressed the need to reauthorize the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, or CISA, of 2015.

CISA, which expired on Sept. 30, established legal frameworks to enable government and private sector organizations to share cybersecurity threat intelligence while offering antitrust and liability protections.

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DNI Gabbard Unveils NCTC’s Interagency Fusion Cell to Target Foreign Threat Networks
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ODNI Director Tulsi Gabbard. Tulsi Gabbard announced the creation of the NCC’s Interagency Fusion Cell.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the creation of the National Counterterrorism Center’s Interagency Fusion Cell during a White House roundtable with President Donald Trump and senior administration officials on Oct. 23.

DNI Gabbard Unveils NCTC's Interagency Fusion Cell to Target Foreign Threat Networks

Join the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12 to hear top leaders, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and officials from ODNI and other agencies, discuss technologies and strategies to enhance homeland security.

What Is the Purpose of the NIFC?

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Friday the NIFC aims to enhance two-way information-sharing between the intelligence community and law enforcement to support Homeland Security Task Force dismantlement operations and President Trump’s Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.

The fusion cell is part of the Homeland Security Task Force, or HSTF, a national initiative designed to unify law enforcement, military and intelligence community efforts to disrupt foreign terrorist organizations, criminal cartels and gangs. The HSTF has conducted over 3,000 arrests and seized more than 150,000 pounds of narcotics since it began operations in April. This includes the recent arrest of Sinaloa Cartel boss, El Pato, and CJNG cartel-affiliated baby trafficker, La Diabla.

Also attending the White House roundtable were Wash100 Award winners Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as well as FBI Director Kash Patel, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

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Army Expands Cyber Command Authority to Corps Level in New Pilot
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Leonel Garciga. The Army CIO discussed a new Army pilot letting corps commanders manage their cyber terrain.

The U.S. Army has launched a pilot program granting corps commanders the authority to manage their cyber terrain, Breaking Defense reported.

“For the first time ever in the Army, we actually push those authorizing official authorities down to a corps commander to make sure that they can manage their cyber terrain and fight their cyber terrain,” said Army Chief Information Officer Leonel Garciga, a two-time Wash100 Award recipient, during a Federal News Network webinar. “It’s about giving commanders the space to make decisions instead of relying on a headquarters element that’s disconnected from the fight.”

Why Is the Army Changing How It Manages Cyber Terrain?

Previously, corps commanders needed permission from program executive offices or the Department of the Army to make adjustments to their assigned network equipment or move systems into theater.

By delegating authority to corps-level leaders, the Army is giving decision rights to those responsible for mission outcomes. “That delegation was really about just putting the risk in the right place for the right risk decision maker,” Garciga said. “It made a lot of folks uncomfortable and some folks are still uncomfortable, but it’s really about how we’re going to fight and how we’re going to fight in the future.”

Where Is the Pilot Program Taking Place?

The pilot began three months ago with the XVIII Airborne Corps, with I Corps scheduled to follow. Garciga said his office is working with the Army G-6 to capture lessons learned and issue implementation guidance to accelerate future rollouts.

What Are the Boundaries of the New Authority?

Garciga emphasized that the delegation of authority is not absolute. “There’s flexibility, but within reason,” he said. Corps commanders will still follow the same authorizing framework that governs cybersecurity risk decisions across the Army.

However, they will no longer need to reach back to a program office or another command for routine approvals. For issues involving critical vulnerabilities or higher-level risk, units must still coordinate with headquarters.

“The big thing is making sure that they’re manned, trained and equipped to support that requirement and take on those risks and put that overhead that was done somewhere else, back on to commanders.”

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EPA Unveils Resources to Strengthen Cybersecurity of US Water Systems
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Jess Kramer. The EPA assistant administrator for water stressed the need to strengthen cybersecurity for the water sector.

The Environmental Protection Agency has released new and updated resources to help water systems nationwide prevent and respond to cybersecurity incidents. 

EPA said Thursday the tools aim to protect access to safe water while supporting utilities in risk management and emergency planning for digital threats.

What Are New EPA Resources for Water Utilities?

EPA’s newly released tools include:

EPA’s Jess Kramer on Boosting Cybersecurity for US Water Sector

“Strengthening cybersecurity for the U.S. water sector is critically important because cyber resilience and water security are key to national security,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer.

“Water systems across the country are facing cyberattacks that threaten the ability to provide safe water. As part of advancing the Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative, EPA is committed to ensuring every American has access to clean and safe water. Guarding against cyberattacks is central to this mission,” added Kramer, who was confirmed by the Senate in September.

GAO’s Recommendation for EPA

In August 2024, the Government Accountability Office called on EPA to develop a national strategy to address the cybersecurity threats against U.S. water and wastewater systems.

GAO also urged the agency to review if its legal authorities to carry out cybersecurity responsibilities remain sufficient and seek additional powers if needed.

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TSA Issues Presolicitation Notice for TALON IT Services Program
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TSA logo. The DHS agency needs IT services from industry to modernize operations and enhance capabilities under TALON.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, has started seeking industry feedback on companies capable of delivering IT services supporting the Technology for Applications, Logistics, Operations and Networks, or TALON, program.

TSA Issues Presolicitation Notice for TALON IT Services Program

The TSA operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Catch the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12 to hear how various DHS agencies are advancing technology, operations and national security initiatives.

What Is the Scope of the TSA TALON Contract?

According to the presolicitation notice posted Friday on SAM.gov, the potential contract will cover scalable IT support services to advance TSA’s strategic IT objectives, including modernizing operations, boosting service delivery and enhancing capability to address emerging challenges. 

The agency intends to establish a potential 10-year multiple award blanket purchase agreement, or BPA, under the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule’s IT category. Through the BPA, TSA aims to integrate advanced technologies, strengthen data-driven decisions and enhance traveler services.

Task orders will be competed and awarded simultaneously. Funding will be allocated individually to each task order. Interested companies have until Nov. 11 to submit their responses to the notice.

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