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GSA Awards Air Travel Contracts for 2023 City Pair Program; Sonny Hashmi Quoted
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GSA Awards Air Travel Contracts for 2023 City Pair Program; Sonny Hashmi Quoted

The General Services Administration has awarded contracts to eight U.S. air carriers to help the federal government save more than $1.28 billion in air travel costs for fiscal year 2023.

Through firm-fixed-price agreements with the air carriers, the GSA City Pair Program will provide an estimated 45 percent discount on airfare rates for official government air travel, GSA reported Tuesday.

The awardees are:

  • Alaska Airlines
  • American Airlines
  • Delta Airlines
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue Airways
  • Silver Airways
  • Southwest Airlines
  • United Airlines

 

The agency selected the air carriers based on the availability of their service, the total number of flights, average elapsed flight time and service price.

“The GSA City Pair Program is a great example of the federal government working together for the common mission, and creating value and cost savings for the taxpayers,” said Sonny Hashmi, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service as well as a previous Wash100 Award recipient.

The airfares purchased through the program have no cancellation or change fees and are fully refundable.

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Gordian Federal Cloud Achieves FedRAMP Authorization From JAB; President Mark Schiff Quoted
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Gordian Federal Cloud Achieves FedRAMP Authorization From JAB; President Mark Schiff Quoted

Gordian announced on Wednesday that the leading provider of robust technology and services in all phases of the building lifecycle, has achieved the FedRAMP Moderate Provisional-Authority in order to Operate (P-ATO) from the Joint Authorization Board (JAB) for Gordian Federal Cloud.

“Completing the full FedRAMP authorization process is a testament to Gordian’s commitment to our customers in the federal government, who require a highly-regulated, secure environment for cloud-based software,” said Mark Schiff, President at Gordian.

Gordian Federal Cloud, an enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) solution powered by RSMeans data, is a comprehensive suite of modules equipped with the necessary tools to better manage construction and facilities estimates as well as contracts and pricing proposals.

Gordian Federal Cloud is one of approximately 12 cloud products selected by the JAB per year to work with for a JAB P-ATO. The FedRAMP Program Management Office has recognized Gordian Federal Cloud as critical to federal real property assets management.

Mark Schiff also expressed his enthusiasm as well as the honor to help solve the significant challenges federal agencies face in building and managing our nation’s facilities and infrastructure through  the Gordian Federal Cloud.

“Achieving JAB P-ATO ensures Gordian’s government customers that Gordian Federal Cloud meets modern security standards for protecting federal information,” explained Bryan Walter, vice president and general manager of Federal Solutions with Gordian.

In addition, many other agencies can leverage Gordian Federal Cloud’s JAB P-ATO to issue their own authorization to operate.

Federal users interested in Gordian Federal Cloud can find more information on the FedRAMP Marketplace website, or by contacting Gordian directly at fedramp@gordian.com.

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Chenega Unit Wins DHA Contract to Support Tricare Call Center
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Chenega Unit Wins DHA Contract to Support Tricare Call Center

A Chenega business unit has won a potential five-year, $15.8 million contract from the Defense Health Agency to manage contact center services for the U.S. military’s Tricare program.

Chenega Services & Federal Solutions will provide support to the Integrated Referral Management and Appointing Center, which helps beneficiaries navigate medical treatment facilities within the National Capital Region, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.

DHA received 21 proposals for the single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract and will finance task orders with operations and maintenance funds for fiscal 2022.

The performance period comprises one base year and four one-year options that would extend work through  July 11, 2028.

White House Creates Process to Govern President’s Intell Priorities Development
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White House Creates Process to Govern President’s Intell Priorities Development

The White House has issued a memorandum that establishes a process governing the development and implementation of the President’s Intelligence Priorities for national security use.

“The PIP should inform the [Intelligence Community’s] budgetary, personnel, and other resource allocations to ensure collection and analysis of intelligence that provides insights, warning, or other illuminating information on the priorities contained therein,” President Biden wrote in the memo published Tuesday.

He instructed the National Security Council Deputies Committee to meet at least every two years to update the PIP and submit the updates to his office for approval.

Biden also directed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to work with NSC in efforts to improve the procedures for developing the National Intelligence Priorities Framework, which contains classified information that is used for setting national intelligence priorities and translating them into action.

The President emphasized the importance for IC agencies to coordinate and align their initiatives with the administration’s overall agenda as the country works to address nation-state and transnational threats.

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CIA, University of Florida Partner to Study AI Applications in Cybersecurity
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CIA, University of Florida Partner to Study AI Applications in Cybersecurity

The CIA has teamed up with the University of Florida to examine the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to prevent malicious attempts to access a network.

Researchers at the university-affiliated Florida Institute for National Security will carry out the cybersecurity study under an agreement with the agency, UF said Tuesday.

Dubbed as first of a kind, the collaboration will use a reinforcement learning approach — or trial and error — to initially test AI/ML applications on a simple security challenge and subsequently consider the possibility of scaling up such technology.

It marks the latest effort in the university’s $100 million AI initiative to incorporate the technology into education, research and industry partnerships.

UF said its supercomputing machine, called HiPerGator, supports work at the national security-focused institute.

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NIST Seeks Comments on Draft Hybrid Satellite Networks Cybersecurity Profile
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NIST Seeks Comments on Draft Hybrid Satellite Networks Cybersecurity Profile

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is soliciting feedback on a draft document that seeks to provide a means to evaluate the cybersecurity posture of hybrid satellite networks.

The document will look at the cybersecurity of all interacting systems forming HSN as NIST works to come up with a consistent approach to integrate security, understand the attack surface and improve the resilience of space systems that may be used by the Department of Defense, other agencies and critical infrastructure operators and owners, the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence said Tuesday.

NCCoE said these HSN systems provide services for communications, weather monitoring, remote sensing, imaging and position, navigation and timing.

NIST expects the Cybersecurity Profile to provide guidance for organizations engaged in the design, procurement and operation of satellite payloads or buses that involve HSN by helping them identify systems that provide HSN services, determine data that originated from HSN sources and address cybersecurity risk in their use and management of HSN data and services.

The profile is also designed to help organizations determine their cybersecurity risks and enable HSN users to prioritize cybersecurity measures based on their objectives.

Comments are due Aug. 9.

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Trio of Investors Acquires LMI Subsidiary, Splits into Nonprofit & For-Profit Entities; CEO Doug Wagoner Quoted
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Trio of Investors Acquires LMI Subsidiary, Splits into Nonprofit & For-Profit Entities; CEO Doug Wagoner Quoted

Management consulting and technology company LMI has signed an agreement to sell its subsidiary to a group of investment parties, creating two distinct organizations: a nonprofit independent entity and a for-profit organization still operating within the LMI brand.

Buyers Declaration Partners, Capitol Meridian Partners and 22C Capital reportedly hold experience working for government as well as carry technological proficiency that will help the newly bifurcated LMI and NobleReach Foundation serve the public sector, the Tysons Corner, Virginia-based company said Tuesday.

“Our people are our greatest asset. This opportunity expands our ability to attract and retain the best talent while maintaining our winning LMI culture,” remarked Doug Wagoner, CEO and president of LMI and a three-time consecutive recipient of the Wash100 Award.

Lisa Disbrow, chair of LMI, explained that the sale of the subsidiary and separation of the two organizations is aimed to strengthen LMI’s ability to meet its clients’ needs while also generating more profitability and value for both the company and the parts of society it touches.

The investing parties plan to collaborate with Wagoner and his team after the deal closes in order to capitalize on new opportunities arising from movements in modernization and digital transformation in the government space.

The transaction is expected to be finalized at the end of the third quarter of 2022. Its specific terms are not disclosed. LMI enlisted the help of KippsDeSanto & Co. for M&A advisement, while the investors sought assistance from Macquarie, as well as Latham & Watkins, Sidley Austin and Paul Weiss.

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Tom Watson to Be Serco CEO in September; Rupert Soames Quoted
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Tom Watson to Be Serco CEO in September; Rupert Soames Quoted

Promoting from within, government contracting company Serco Inc. is installing a new CEO on September 1st — Tom Watson, currently senior vice president in charge of Serco’s North America defense unit, will ascend to the company’s top U.S. position.

In his new role, Watson, who has accrued experience at SAIC and RCI during the course of a more than 30-year career, will oversee all of the organization’s day-to-day functions as well as lead its executive team, Serco said Tuesday.

Rupert Soames, CEO of Serco Group, described the hiring process for the new CEO as intensely thorough and inclusive of candidates from both within and outside the company. 

“Tom has done a tremendous job leading our North America defense business, and has demonstrated real commitment to Serco’s mission, customers, and colleagues; he has also been closely involved in the recent acquisitions of WBB and Alion’s naval systems business unit,” commented Soames. 

Watson started his working life with six years of active duty as an electronics technician in the U.S. Navy. He then channeled this experience to become an engineering technician for RCI — which was eventually purchased by Serco — servicing U.S. Navy intelligence systems. 

Subsequently, the executive began at SAIC as a field engineer, moving up the ranks through jobs such as vice president and operations manager before ending his 22-year tenure at the company with five years as senior vice president and customer group general manager of Navy and Marine Corps business. In the latter position, Watson presided over a 4000-person organization, managing business development, capture, strategy development and implementation and account administration. 

“Serco is an incredible company, and it is an honor to lead and work alongside the amazing people we have here.  I look forward to building on the great foundation and positive growth we have established over the past few years,” Watson shared.

Watson is succeeding two-time Wash100 Award winner Dave Dacquino as CEO, who is retiring after over seven years with the company. Watson thanked Dacquino for his “leadership, friendship, counsel, and collaboration over the years” and Soames praised his demonstrated growth achievements.

The CEO announcement comes on the heels of former Northrop Grumman executive Terri Malone’s instatement as Serco’s chief growth officer and senior vice president in May.

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NSF Announces New National Center for Diversifying Environmental Data Science
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NSF Announces New National Center for Diversifying Environmental Data Science

The National Science Foundation is investing $20 million over a five-year period in the development of a new national center for diversifying environmental data science.

The Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab will be led by the University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with the agency’s CyVerse and facilitate collaborative scientific research involving diverse environmental data sources.

“Combining, analyzing and synthesizing the wealth of open environmental data will advance our ability to predict changes in the environment and for life on Earth. ESIIL’s efforts will make these data usable by everyone, from researchers to educators and policymakers,” said Joanne Tornow, assistant director of NSF’s Directorate for Biological Sciences.

ESIIL’s open Collaborative and Scalable Environment cyberinfrastructure will connect environmental scientists to various data sources such as NSF’s National Ecological Observatory Network, Long-Term Ecological Research Network, Ocean Observatories Initiative and Critical Zone Collaborative Network.

The center will also open internship opportunities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics students and faculty members from academic institutions that serve underrepresented groups.

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SSC to Hold Industry Day on Space Domain Awareness
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SSC to Hold Industry Day on Space Domain Awareness

Space System Command is slated to host an industry day on July 28 in Colorado Springs to meet with industry and government leaders for a discussion on space domain awareness.

SSC said Monday its officials and subject matter experts will seek information from the commercial technology industry on challenges facing the U.S. Space Force to help the service branch identify priority acquisition areas.

“Strengthening partnerships with industry and having valuable dialogue is critical as the space acquisition community seeks the most innovative and creative solutions in order to get after the threat and challenges facing the nation today in space,” said Col. Rich Kniseley, chief of the Enterprise Requirements and Architectures Division at SSC’s Space Systems Integration Office.

The event will follow SSC’s traditional industry day approach with a full agenda of presentations from the Air Force Research Laboratory and other SSC organizations.

It will also include so-called “reverse industry day” events where SSC officials will request industry inputs from company representatives on how to pursue problem sets.

In May, SSC held its most recent industry day in collaboration with the Aerospace Industries Association focused on tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

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