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DOD Announces Additional $100M Military, Equipment Assistance to Ukraine
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DOD Announces Additional $100M Military, Equipment Assistance to Ukraine

The Department of Defense announced that the Biden administration has authorized an additional $100 million in military aid assistance to help Ukraine respond to Russia’s invasion.

DOD Press Secretary John Kirby said Thursday the latest package includes 18 155mm Howitzers and tactical vehicles, three AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars and field equipment and spare parts.

The move marks the 10th drawdown of military equipment from the Pentagon’s inventories for Ukraine since August 2021 and brings the total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to $4.6 billion since President Biden took office.

The U.S. has committed a total of $3.9 billion in arms and equipment assistance to the Eastern European country since Russia launched its invasion on Feb. 24.

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Guidehouse National Security Director Jake Zimmerman On Leveraging Technology to Succeed
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Guidehouse National Security Director Jake Zimmerman On Leveraging Technology to Succeed

Director of Guidehouse’s national security segment, Jake Zimmerman recently spoke with the Potomac Officers Club in an Executive Spotlight interview focused on his navigation of the ever-changing federal landscape over the course of his career, as well as his advice for those looking to tap into the government contracting market.

In this excerpt from his interview, Zimmerman shares his thoughts on how organizations can leverage technology, while factoring in risk, to achieve mission success and realize their growth potential:

“National security requirements are evolving at an unprecedented rate, with several sectors converging around the need for sustainable and secure technology solutions. My clients recognize the growing and urgent need to understand how innovative ideas and emerging technologies can quickly be assessed and integrated to add value for their organizations. 

While cloud technologies have provided IT professionals with powerful tools, they have also increased risk exposure. The recent high-profile security incidents across the public and private sectors have served as a wake-up call; having separate IT organizations, disciplines and vendors within an organization has become increasingly untenable. 

Today’s reality is that these are all intrinsically linked, interwoven and, as a result, interdependent. I’ve been able to adapt to these new dynamics by investing in relationships that extend across organizational boundaries. From the C-suite and program leadership, to the procurement and finance organizations, to the small business office, I strive to share timely and relevant market intelligence and technology insights, paired with lessons learned, to deliver impactful mission solutions and effective acquisition recommendations.”

To read the full Executive Spotlight interview with Guidehouse’s Jake Zimmerman, visit PotomacOfficersClub.com, where you can find out more about the platform’s membership benefits. 

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LMI Wins $10B DHA Contract in All Four Market Segments; Doug Wagoner Quoted
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LMI Wins $10B DHA Contract in All Four Market Segments; Doug Wagoner Quoted

The Defense Health Agency has awarded consulting firm LMI their OMNIBUS IV $10 billion contract in all four of its possible categories.

The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract covers research and development; research and development support services; regulatory processes; and translational science support and services, the Tysons Corner, Virginia-based company said Friday.

“We are excited to take LMI’s extensive experience in medical and biotechnological portfolios and assist the DHA in meeting their goals and objectives,” said Karen LeDoux, director of LMI’s military health and veterans affairs submarket.

LeDoux also highlighted the company’s arsenal of “regulatory managers, clinical advisors, logisticians, scientists, and bioengineers.”

LMI’s services are designed to comprehensively cover the full medical technology lifecycle. They begin in the development stages with a systems engineering approach and see the process through its formulation; clinical, non-clinical, regulatory and quality application; licensure, marketing and post-marketing; and ensure that it is effective in its post-deployment activity.

Doug Wagoner, CEO and president of LMI, enumerated the company’s contributions to the government’s conception of “infectious disease, genomics, emerging technology and many other scientific fields” with its DHA partnership.

“I am proud of the value-added services and technical thought leadership, innovation, and objectivity LMI provides to the Defense Health Agency,” Wagoner, who is a three-time Wash100 Award winner, continued.

Through LMI’s efforts, the government has been armed with a multiplicity of medical countermeasures to deter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. They have recently worked to develop a monoclonal antibody drug substance for the fight against COVID-19.

This major contract announcement follows LMI’s March win of a spot on the $249 million test and evaluation blanket purchase agreement from the Department of Defense. Under the BPA, LMI will support the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center with AI development services.

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DARPA Intros Large Seaplane Concept for Sustained Cargo Transport Flight
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DARPA Intros Large Seaplane Concept for Sustained Cargo Transport Flight

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has presented a large seaplane concept envisioned to meet heavy airlift requirements while being capable of sustained flight and taking off or landing on turbulent water surfaces.

The Liberty Lifter project is aimed at demonstrating a boost in transporting very large and heavy payloads without compromising flight speed and duration, DARPA said Wednesday.

The program is focused on delivering complex flight and sea surface controls and enabling extended maritime operations while retaining full-scale affordable production.

“This first phase of the Liberty Lifter program will define the unique seaplane’s range, payloads and other parameters. Innovative advances envisioned by this new DARPA program will showcase an X-plane demonstrator that offers warfighters new capabilities during extended maritime operations,” said Alexander Walan, a program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.

Current airlift vehicles have payload limitations and require long runways.

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US, Europe, Japan Update Tri-Agency Earth Observation Dashboard
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US, Europe, Japan Update Tri-Agency Earth Observation Dashboard

NASA has updated an online repository of Earth observation datasets in partnership with the space agency’s counterparts in Europe and Japan to help the public understand environmental changes across the globe.

The Earth Observing Dashboard has been expanded to provide users an insight into agriculture, atmosphere, water and ocean, cryosphere, biomass and economic systems, NASA said Thursday.

Users of the free interactive tool can view data-driven stories and datasets on each theme and location-specific environmental indicators.

The European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency worked with NASA to produce content for the public resource.

“With our partners at ESA and JAXA, this is another important step to getting the latest information to the public about our changing planet, in an accessible and convenient way, which can inform decisions and planning for communities around the world,” said Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division.

The trilateral collaboration launched the online platform in 2020 to share information on the global impacts of COVID-19 with scientists, decision-makers and the general public.

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Timothy Matthews Promoted to Full-Time GPO Chief Acquisition Officer
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Timothy Matthews Promoted to Full-Time GPO Chief Acquisition Officer

Timothy Matthews, acting chief acquisition officer of the Government Publishing Office since January, has assumed the position on a full-time basis.

He oversees GPO’s planning and procurement functions and provides business advice to the leadership team, the agency said Thursday.

Matthews previously spent two decades at the Department of the Navy and completed Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act certification in contracting at level 3.

At DON, he served as procuring contracting officer for seven years and managed a billion-dollar production contract under a defense acquisition program. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Bowie State University.

The agency formerly known as the Government Printing Office produces information sources for the U.S. executive, legislative and judicial branches. It administers the Federal Depository Library Program and offers publicly accessible data through the Govinfo website.

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Federal Agencies Release Advisory on North Korean IT Workers
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Federal Agencies Release Advisory on North Korean IT Workers

The departments of the Treasury and State and the FBI have issued an advisory to warn the public and private sectors and international organizations of North Korean information technology workers seeking employment to generate revenue to contribute to their country’s ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs.

North Korean IT workers target freelance employment contracts from clients in North America, Europe, East Asia and other parts of the world and pose as non-North Korean nationals, according to the joint advisory published Monday.

These employees develop software and applications that span across business, social networking, health and fitness and other sectors and accept projects that involve virtual currency.

The advisory outlines red flag indicators for companies employing freelance developers and potential mitigation measures companies should take when it comes to hiring programmers and developers on freelance platforms.

Among these measures are conducting video interviews to verify a potential freelance worker’s identity, performing a pre-employment background check and verifying higher education and employment history.

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Tony Barrett Elevated to President of Cyber and Engineering at BigBear.ai; COO Sam Gordy Quoted
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Tony Barrett Elevated to President of Cyber and Engineering at BigBear.ai; COO Sam Gordy Quoted

Tony Barrett has been promoted from a senior vice president position to president of the cyber and engineering sector at artificial intelligence analytics company BigBear.ai.

In leading the cyber and engineering sector, Barrett will focus on expanding BigBear.ai’s reach in the federal market by harnessing his division’s technical expertise and progress in AI, machine learning, cybersecurity and agile development, the Columbia, Maryland-based company said Thursday.

Sam Gordy, chief operating officer and president of the federal market at BigBear.ai, cited Barrett’s “broad experience across the Defense and Intelligence Communities, his unrivaled work ethic, and proven record of success” as well as the executive’s “infectious energy, data-driven approach, uncompromising integrity, and uncanny ability to empower people to do their best work.”

In his prior role at BigBear.ai, Barrett served as liaison to the company’s U.S. Air Force and Department of Homeland Security clients as senior vice president of the integrated defense solutions business unit in the cyber and engineering sector.

Barrett began his career as an analyst and intelligence officer for the Marine Corps, where he served for over 20 years. Over a quarter of BigBear.ai’s team members bring a military background to their work at the company.

After his Marine service, Barrett held positions at Modus Operandi and PCI, the latter of which BigBear.ai purchased in 2021. Barrett’s time at PCI saw him quadrupling revenue and his team’s size, winning important deals and new clients and communicating with the Department of Defense.

While at BigBear.ai, Barrett established the Veteran’s Command Post, a resource hub and support group for the organization’s veterans. Operating as its executive sponsor and chairperson, the executive spearheads charity campaigns for veteran causes and holds educational briefings to demonstrate how to access government benefits, as well as manages leadership programs to assist veteran employees with maintaining valuable skill sets within BigBear.ai.

Barrett commented that BigBear.ai is an innovator in data analysis and that its services help make mission-critical decisions.

“It’s a great honor to lead so many talented people who are delivering incomparable value to our customers. Above all, I am laser-focused on ensuring our Cyber and Engineering division is an industry exemplar of innovation, service delivery, and customer satisfaction,” Barrett continued.

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DHS Freezes Disinformation Governance Board for Close Review; Leader Nina Jankowicz Resigns
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DHS Freezes Disinformation Governance Board for Close Review; Leader Nina Jankowicz Resigns

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has halted progress on its new investigative committee built to research and identify the circulation of false claims and misleading messages.

Initiated in late April by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a previous Wash100 Award recipient, the Disinformation Governance Board has drawn criticism from lawmakers due to its purported potential for censorship and the limitation of free speech.

Officials from DHS strongly refute objections with the board’s mission or capabilities, saying it “was designed to ensure we fulfill our mission to protect the homeland, while protecting core Constitutional rights,” according to a DHS employee speaking to Axios.

While it is momentarily dormant, the board is subject to review by the Homeland Security Advisory Council, an aspect of DHS. The council is slated to examine ways the board can be more transparent about its processes and confirm that it will be protecting First Amendment rights rather than inhibiting them. It will be headed by former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick and is expected to last 75 days.

As a result of the board’s temporary closure and what she has determined as an imminent disbanding altogether, Nina Jankowicz has resigned as Disinformation Governance Board leader.

Jankowicz, who has worked extensively analyzing misinformation at various think tanks, reportedly received online pushback after she was tapped by President Biden to assume the post. Those skeptical of the board expressed concern about Jankowicz’s lack of legal experience and her public-facing media presence.

DHS leaders say the board is intended primarily to study and highlight misinformation promoted by bad actors in Russia, who have been accused of spreading false information to the American citizenry, particularly regarding elections.

The Homeland Security Advisory Council will take the next couple of months to decide the board’s future. In the meantime, possible legal action may be taken against the DHS by a coalition of 20 Republican attorneys general who has called for the board’s immediate termination.

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Air Force Kessel Run Gets Approval for Software Pathway Strategy
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Air Force Kessel Run Gets Approval for Software Pathway Strategy

The U.S. Air Force’s Kessel Run division has secured approval to formally transition to the Department of Defense’s framework for purchasing software-intensive systems.

Kessel Run said Monday its acquisition strategy, dubbed Kessel Run Air Domain DevSecOps Portfolio, has been approved and signed under the Software Acquisition Pathway, known as DoDI 5000.87.

The software development unit aims to consolidate 21 separate program initiatives into a single acquisition strategy and establish five software acquisition pathways under the strategy.

“It helps us align our appropriated funds with our programs of record, in a way that allows us to maintain our DevOps culture and approach to modernization,” said Rachel Mamroth, the deputy chief of acquisitions for Kessel Run.

Mamroth added that the formal transition to the framework for the entire portfolio empowers the unit to keep up with the changing technology landscape.

DoDI 5000.87 establishes policy, outlines responsibilities and recommends necessary steps for building software acquisition programs.

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