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NASA Creates Independent Review Board for Earth System Observatory; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted
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NASA Creates Independent Review Board for Earth System Observatory; Thomas Zurbuchen Quoted

NASA has formed a board to help review goals, current plans and technical concepts for its next-generation Earth-observing satellites designed to provide critical information for use in guiding initiatives related to disaster mitigation, climate change and weather forecast improvement efforts.

Geoff Yoder, former NASA deputy associate administrator for the science mission directorate at NASA, and Waleed Abdalati, director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, will serve as co-chairs of NASA’s independent review board, the agency said Wednesday.

“The Earth System Observatory will take us into the next generation of remote sensing,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the science mission directorate at NASA.

“We are designing the observatory to give us the most comprehensive view yet of how Earth is changing. By strengthening our scientific understanding, we can provide information for people and communities around the world to plan for the future,” Zurbuchen added.

The observatory will work to implement the 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey’s recommendations and prioritize four areas of focus: atmosphere observing system led by Goddard Space Flight Center; mass change managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory; surface biology and geology led by JPL; and surface deformation and change.

The board held its first meeting in late July.

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NSF Seeks Public Input on Federal Big Data R&D Strategic Plan
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NSF Seeks Public Input on Federal Big Data R&D Strategic Plan

The National Science Foundation is soliciting information from the public to help inform updates to a plan concerning research and development related to big data.

NSF is inviting government, academia and industry stakeholders to share insights as it works to revise and update the Federal Big Data Research and Development Strategic Plan, according to a request for information published Wednesday.

The comment period for the strategic plan was originally scheduled to close on July 29, but NSF and the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development National Coordination Office decided to extend the deadline for feedback after receiving requests from the public.

Responses to the RFI are due Aug. 17.

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Retired USAF Colonel Bobby King Joins Isobar Public Sector Advisory Board; Larry Gillespie Quoted
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Retired USAF Colonel Bobby King Joins Isobar Public Sector Advisory Board; Larry Gillespie Quoted

Bobby King, a retired Air Force colonel currently transitioning from military to the private sector, has been selected for the advisory board of Isobar Public Sector.

Drawing from his experience working in information technology roles for Air Force organizations, King will offer counsel to the government technology company’s board members on a range of issues, the Chicago, Illinois-based business unit said Thursday.

Expressing his excitement regarding King’s future input, Isobar Public Sector Chairman and President Larry Gillespie remarked, “Col. King’s service in the United States Air Force and expertise in enterprise IT solutions and cyber infrastructure brings an invaluable perspective to our business.”

King spent five years serving in roles such as squadron commander and materiel leader in the USAF. After that, King was the chief of the cyber and IT division of Air Force Acquisition at the Pentagon.

Subsequently, he oversaw the enterprise IT and cyber infrastructure division at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, a management office for intranet, information transport system, deployable communications and commoditized infrastructure program with a $6 billion budget.

As of June, King moved into industry and is now a senior vice president and client executive at CACI International.

Gillespie spoke with ExecutiveBiz in November 2021 for an Executive Spotlight interview, discussing his then-recent appointment as president and chairman and commented on Isobar Public Sector’s objectives going forward.

“My job is really about figuring out how to take as much of the goodness from that legacy and the history of the organization as well as the crucial lessons learned from the commercial sector and applying them to our public sector clients in order to help them accomplish their mission and goals and delivering mission-critical services for citizens, employees and our warfighters,” Gillespie said.

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Michael Saylor Transitions to Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy; Phong Le to Succeed as CEO
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Michael Saylor Transitions to Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy; Phong Le to Succeed as CEO

Michael Saylor, a longtime software executive and enthusiastic proponent of cryptocurrency, has stepped down from his post as CEO of MicroStrategy, the company he co-founded in 1989. Saylor will move into the role of executive chairman.

The transition announcement was presented as Saylor’s intent to retract from the day-to-day operations of MicroStrategy so the executive can focus his efforts squarely on bitcoin acquisition and the development of the company’s crypto strategy.

Succeeding Saylor as CEO will be current MicroStrategy president Phong Le, a leadership change that Saylor and the executive team reported has been in the works for about seven years.

“I believe that splitting the roles of Chairman and CEO will enable us to better pursue our two corporate strategies of acquiring and holding bitcoin and growing our enterprise analytics software business,” shared Saylor.

MicroStrategy released their second quarter 2022 financial results in conjunction with the leadership change, issuing a loss of $1.06 billion. This was largely attributable to an impairment charge of $917 million, due to a decrease in bitcoin value. MicroStrategy was the first publicly traded company to designate bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset.

Le has been deeply involved in the company’s activities in his near-decade with the company. Serving as president for the last two years, Le spearheaded migration of MicroStrategy’s software business to the cloud and will be responsible for facilitating all business operations and oversee the daily completion of the company’s corporate strategies as CEO.

In the second quarter earnings, MicroStrategy recorded $122.1 million in total revenues — a 2.6 percent drop from the comparable quarter in the previous year — and a gross profit of $96.9 million for the quarter.

Acknowledging these figures, Le nonetheless pointed to the “durability” of the enterprise software business and was optimistic about the company’s future.

“With total revenue growth on a constant currency basis, and 36% year-over-year growth in subscription services revenues, our business remains resilient even in light of the continuing macroeconomic uncertainties,” Le continued.

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DOE Announces $750M Grant Program to Spur Clean Energy Manufacturing, Recycling; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
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DOE Announces $750M Grant Program to Spur Clean Energy Manufacturing, Recycling; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy is seeking industry feedback on a new grant program aimed at advancing the manufacturing and recycling of U.S.-made clean energy products in support of the Biden administration’s decarbonization goals.

The $750 million Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant program will provide funding opportunities to re-equip or expand existing facilities for recycling clean energy technologies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions below current levels, DOE said Wednesday.

DOE has released a request for information to gather public input on how the grant program can boost clean energy supply chains and support economic growth in communities that have experienced closures of coal mines and power plants.

The grant program will be funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will be led by the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making it possible for programs like this to further DOE’s strategy to strengthen our nation’s clean energy infrastructure and extend our support for small and medium-sized manufacturers and surrounding coal communities that are critical to reaching our clean energy future,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

Small businesses that gross less than $100 million in sales per year and employ less than 500 employees at their plant site are eligible to apply for the program.

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James Kirkhope Named Chief of DOD’s Space Domain Awareness Branch
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James Kirkhope Named Chief of DOD’s Space Domain Awareness Branch

James Kirkhope, a consulting and research professional with more than 25 years of government and industry experience, has been appointed to serve as chief of the Department of Defense’s Space Domain Awareness Branch. 

In this role, Kirkhope oversees science and technology personnel in Virginia and Florida tasked with discovering and characterizing adversary space systems and analyzing their capabilities and modes of employment, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Kirkhope most recently served as an operations manager and defense planner assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Global Integration Directorate and as a senior officer at the National Space Defense Center.

He initially joined the Pentagon in 2010 as a supervisor and threat management coordinator for U.S. Transportation Command, a role he held for more than eight years.

Prior to joining the U.S. military, Kirkhope served as an executive director at the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs and vice president for research, development and planning at the Terrorism Research Center.

From 2008 to 2010, Kirkhope provided consulting services to a variety of organizations through his private consultancy.

Kirkhope holds a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology from Bowling Green State University, a master’s degree in international affairs from George Washington University, and a master’s degree in political science from Columbia University.

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DISA Seeks Feedback From Small Businesses on Enhancing Contract Proposal Process
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DISA Seeks Feedback From Small Businesses on Enhancing Contract Proposal Process

The Defense Information Systems Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs is holding a series of listening sessions aimed at encouraging small businesses to raise the challenges they face in contract solicitation and proposal processes.

DISA said Wednesday it seeks to learn the impact of the agency’s processes on the quality of proposals submitted by small businesses and identify recommendations on how to remove the barriers that restrict them from competing for federal contracts.

The OSBP held the first listening session in April and gathered feedback from more than 10 small business representatives, who recommended that DISA provide more transparent contracting opportunities, offer greater visibility of contracting personnel and outline clearer contract evaluation criteria.

“We are scheduling more listening sessions to continue the conversation and to help equip small businesses with the information and guidance they need to submit successful proposals,” said Carlen Capenos, director of OSBP.

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White House to Nominate Robert Harley Shriver as OPM Deputy Director
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White House to Nominate Robert Harley Shriver as OPM Deputy Director

Robert Harley Shriver, an experienced government official, will be nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as deputy director of the Office of Personnel Management, where he serves as associate director for employee services.

The White House said Wednesday Shriver manages the workforce policy team of OPM in his current role and he previously worked as deputy general counsel for policy at the same agency during the Obama-Biden administration.

Earlier, the government official was the assistant director for national healthcare operations at OPM, responsible for driving the execution of the Multi-State Plan program as part of the Affordable Care Act.

His career also includes time with IdeaCrew serving as business development director and DC Health Benefit Exchange as director of marketplace innovation, policy and operations and interim chief information officer.

Biden Chooses Colleen Shogan for National Archivist Post
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Biden Chooses Colleen Shogan for National Archivist Post

Colleen Shogan, a nearly 15-year federal service veteran and currently an executive at the White House Historical Association, has been nominated to serve as the U.S.’ archivist, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.

She would succeed David Ferriero, who retired from the National Archives and Records Administration in April after 12 years of leadership, if the Senate confirms her nomination.

Shogan serves as senior vice president and director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at WHHA.

Prior to her current role, she held a decade-long career at the Library of Congress and took part in the 112th Congress Stennis Congressional Fellowship Program. The Boston College graduate also worked at the Senate as a policy staffer.

Before she joined the federal government, Shogan taught government and politics at George Mason University in an assistant professor role. Shogan holds a PhD in political science from Yale University.

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TMF Invests in 3 Agencies to Help Improve Cybersecurity, Customer Experience; Clare Martorana Quoted
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TMF Invests in 3 Agencies to Help Improve Cybersecurity, Customer Experience; Clare Martorana Quoted

The Technology Modernization Fund has made investments in the Department of Labor, AmeriCorps and the U.S. Agency for International Development to improve public-facing services and strengthen cybersecurity.

“The TMF provides critical funding to address urgent IT modernization and cybersecurity challenges across the federal government,” Clare Martorana, federal chief information officer and chair of the TMF Board, said in a statement published Wednesday.

“The investments in DOL, AmeriCorps, and USAID will modernize outdated systems, accelerate the implementation of zero trust architecture to address immediate cybersecurity gaps, and enhance public-facing services in order to provide simple, seamless, and secure access to government services,” added Martorana, a 2022 Wash100 Award winner.

AmeriCorps will use $14 million in TMF funding to modernize its community grant management system, while DOL will improve its permanent labor certification services and immigrant visa processing experience with its TMF investment valued at $7.2 million.

USAID was awarded a TMF investment worth $5.6 million to further advance its zero trust initiative and enhance the work experience of more than 13,000 end users worldwide.

The three agencies intend to repay the TMF by the end of fiscal year 2028. The latest investments bring the total of ongoing TMF projects to 29.

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