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Cybersecurity/News
FedRAMP Seeks Feedback on Draft Rev. 5 Baselines
by Naomi Cooper
Published on December 22, 2021
FedRAMP Seeks Feedback on Draft Rev. 5 Baselines

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program is seeking public comment on the initial draft of its baseline security measures that align with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s updated cloud security guidance.

In a blog post published Tuesday, FedRAMP said its Program Management Office worked with the Joint Authorization Board to develop draft high, moderate and low baseline security requirements for cloud services providers.

In September 2020, NIST released the final version of Revision 5 of Special Publication 800-53, which provides a catalog of security and privacy controls to protect federal information systems and organizations from cybersecurity threats.

NIST also unveiled a companion document, SP 800-53B, to outline control baselines for identifying the risk level of organizations and their information systems.

FedRAMP used the threat-based methodology for scoring each NIST SP 800-53, Rev. 5, control against the MITRE ATT&CK Framework version 8.2. By applying the threat scoring methodology, FedRAMP included one additional control in the low baseline, 17 in the moderate baseline and 22 in the high baseline. The public can submit feedback until April 1, 2022.

Artificial Intelligence/News
DARPA Initiative Open Sources Tools Repository for AI Adversarial Defenses Evaluation
by Naomi Cooper
Published on December 22, 2021
DARPA Initiative Open Sources Tools Repository for AI Adversarial Defenses Evaluation

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Guaranteeing Artificial Intelligence Robustness to Deception (GARD) initiative has opened to public use a virtual testbed, toolbox, benchmarking dataset and training materials used for assessing AI and machine learning defenses against adversarial attacks.

Among the available assets is a virtual platform, dubbed Armory, that runs repeatable evaluations of adversarial defenses in relevant scenarios using a Python library for ML security called Adversarial Robustness Toolbox, DARPA said Tuesday.

The toolbox provides resources for evaluating ML models and applications against various adversarial threats such as inference, evasion and extraction. The Armory testbed relies on ART library components for attacks and model integration and MITRE-generated datasets and scenarios.

GARD also uses the Adversarial Patches Rearranged In COnText, a publicly released benchmark dataset that focuses on real-world examples of physical adversarial patch attacks.

“The goal is to help the GARD community improve their system evaluation skills by understanding how their ideas really work, and how to avoid common mistakes that detract from their defense’s robustness,” said GARD Program Manager Bruce Draper.

GARD includes researchers from Two Six Technologies, IBM, Mitre, Google Research and the University of Chicago.

General News/News
DOE Opens New Office Overseeing $20B for Clean Energy Demonstration Investments; Jennifer Granholm Quoted
by Angeline Leishman
Published on December 22, 2021
DOE Opens New Office Overseeing $20B for Clean Energy Demonstration Investments; Jennifer Granholm Quoted

The Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a new office that will manage $20 billion in federal investments for clean energy technology demonstration projects involving carbon capture, small modular reactors and other concepts. 

The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, mandated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help prove how clean technologies can help drive emissions to a net-zero in real-world conditions at scale, DOE said Tuesday.

The new office will finance large and small-scale research and development programs to help attract private funding that would enable the deployment of energy-related systems to U.S. businesses and communities.

“Thanks to the investments Congress made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations will move clean energy technologies out of the lab and into local and regional economies across the country, proving the value of technologies that can deliver for communities, businesses, and market,” explained Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

The establishment of the organization is part of the Biden administration’s goal of addressing climate change, creating jobs for U.S. citizens and reducing pollution.

General News/Industry News/News/Wash100
ICF Recognized By CDP for Climate Action Leadership; CEO John Wasson Quoted
by William McCormick
Published on December 22, 2021
ICF Recognized By CDP for Climate Action Leadership; CEO John Wasson Quoted

ICF announced on Wednesday that the company has been recognized by global environmental nonprofit CDP for its leadership in climate action by securing a spot on CDP’s prestigious “A List” for tackling climate change.

“Our commitment to climate change is not just about our corporate sustainability, it is part of who we are and what we do. We are proud to be recognized for our ongoing climate actions, ambitions and transparency,” said John Wasson, ICF chairman and CEO as well as a two-time Wash100 Award recipient. 

For over 40 years, ICF has supported a wide range of clients in climate science, impacts and adaptation. The company launched the ICF Climate Center in 2021 that offers more than 2,000 climate, energy and environment experts who work with public and private sector clients on climate initiatives around the globe.

“Achieving the CDP A List validates the impact ICF is achieving through our corporate focus on climate change, our mission and values and the work we do for our clients,” Wasson added. 

The company also became the first carbon neutral professional services company in 2006 and has reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 86 percent per employee since 2013.

The A List recognizes companies that are leading the way in cutting emissions, mitigating climate risks and contributing to the low-carbon economy. Nearly 12,000 companies were scored in 2021, and only 200 companies made the climate change A List.

“The A List achievement caps a year of strong climate action and recognition for ICF,” said Marian Van Pelt, senior vice president and climate and clean energy lead. 

Government Technology/News
OPM Asks Agencies to Implement Classification, Qualification Standard for Data Science Jobs
by Jane Edwards
Published on December 22, 2021
OPM Asks Agencies to Implement Classification, Qualification Standard for Data Science Jobs

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released a memorandum directing agencies to implement the new occupational series job classification for data science in compliance with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. 

OPM created the position classification flysheet for the Data Science Series, 1560, by conducting focus groups and other engagement activities to identify skills, competencies, knowledge and work roles related to data science, Kimberly Holden, deputy associate director of talent acquisition, classifications and veterans programs at OPM, wrote in the memo released Monday.

The occupational series for data science covers positions that involve the identification of processes, methods, algorithms and related tools to interpret findings from unstructured and structured datasets as well as the “use of data visualization techniques to articulate findings.”

“The occupational series in which data scientist work is performed is determined by the domain expertise required to conduct data scientist activities,” the memo reads. “Therefore, agencies will maintain the flexibility to use a parenthetical of Data Scientist along with the occupational title for positions that perform data science work as a major portion of the job, and not as a collateral duty, for example Statistician (Data Scientist).”

OPM is calling on agencies to implement the new job classification flysheet for data scientists within 12 months of the date of the document’s release. It also asked agencies to immediately apply the qualifications standard for data science to new positions.

Contract Awards/News
GAO: DOD’s Air Support Contract Awards Have Increased Since FY 2015
by Jane Edwards
Published on December 22, 2021
GAO: DOD’s Air Support Contract Awards Have Increased Since FY 2015

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Department of Defense (DOD) awarded approximately $8.4 billion in air support contracts between fiscal years 2015 and 2021 in support of various training activities. 

GAO said Tuesday that DOD components, including the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, also use the contracts to manage costs and address the shortage in military planes.

According to the report, the services have increased the use of air support contracts since FY 2015, such as raising the availability of flying hours under these contracts and increasing the number of training sites to meet training requirements.

The military branches have also used the contracts to train fighter pilots by replicating enemy forces and provide close air support training to air controllers.

The congressional watchdog found that defense components have initiated steps to determine the effectiveness of air support contracts.

“In particular, the services are determining the appropriate mix of training capabilities, to include contract aircraft, as well as affordability and timeframes to modernize U.S. military adversary air capabilities. These reviews, to be completed in fiscal year 2022, are expected to affect future investments in air support contracts, according to DOD officials,” the report reads.

Contract Awards/News
Navy Taps University for Digital Twin Research Project
by Angeline Leishman
Published on December 22, 2021
Navy Taps University for Digital Twin Research Project

The U.S. Navy has selected University of South Carolina for a three-year, $10.02 million research project that will focus on exploring digital twin technologies to support naval power and energy system experiments.

UofSC will aim to produce testbeds for the military branch to demonstrate component and system-level digital twins and perform tactical energy management work that involves simulation and hardware-in-the-loop tools, the Department of Defense said Tuesday.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) procured the research services through a long-range broad agency announcement and obligated nearly $10 million at the time of award.

DOD said the service aims to implement a new digital twin system as part of efforts to ensure the delivery of power and energy to naval mission systems under time constraints. Contract work will take place in Columbia, South Carolina through December 2024.

Government Technology/News
NTT WEST Group Selects HPE GreenLake to Launch New Portfolio of Hybrid Cloud Services
by William McCormick
Published on December 21, 2021
NTT WEST Group Selects HPE GreenLake to Launch New Portfolio of Hybrid Cloud Services

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced on Monday that NTT Business Solutions has selected the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform to deliver its growing ‘Regional Revitalization Cloud.’

“NTT WEST Group’s Regional Revitalization Cloud initiative to accelerate digital transformation for local governments, educational institutions, and corporations is truly advanced and extremely innovative,” said Hirokazu Mochizuki, managing director, HPE Japan. “I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to NTT WEST Group for selecting HPE as a partner for the revitalization of the region.”

The key driver of the NTT WEST Group’s ‘Regional Revitalization Cloud’ is to solve regional issues and help businesses and institutions accelerate their digital transformation. 

The new hybrid cloud service meets the demands of their customers for robust cloud services which span public and private cloud environments and ensures that critical data are located close to the end customer, thus alleviating any concerns about data sovereignty.

NTT WEST Group is implementing a true hybrid cloud approach that leverages Microsoft Azure public cloud combined with the HPE GreenLake platform to provide a strong regional delivery model.

Government Technology/News
NSWC Crane Uses S2MARTS OTA to Prototype Electronic Warfare Tools
by Naomi Cooper
Published on December 21, 2021
NSWC Crane Uses S2MARTS OTA to Prototype Electronic Warfare Tools

Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division is using an other transaction authority (OTA) to speed up the process of prototyping and evaluating tools built to support the fleet’s electronic warfare missions. 

NSWC Crane has used the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) OTA, managed by the National Security Technology Accelerator, for more than 10 spectrum-related projects in 2021, Naval Sea Systems Command reported Monday.

Specifically, the contract vehicle has accommodated research projects for a wide range of technologies such as software defined radios for counter-small unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic warfare applications for autonomous systems.

“We are using the S2MARTS OTA to prototype innovative EW capabilities for various unmanned systems and to seek different technology and capabilities to counter the unmanned system threats,” said Stacey Mervyn, the chief strategist for EW at NSWC Crane.

Mervyn said the OTA has been instrumental in validating the fleet’s existing electronic warfare strategy and predicting future capabilities. NSWC Crane also uses the vehicle to develop a prototype predictive modeling tool for assessing technology trends and operational effectiveness in the electromagnetic spectrum domain.

Government Technology/News
Army to Test Experimental Autonomous Helicopter With No Crew
by Nichols Martin
Published on December 21, 2021
Army to Test Experimental Autonomous Helicopter With No Crew

The U.S. Army will conduct a completely unmanned test-flight of the Sikorsky-made Black Hawk helicopter’s optionally manned variant in January, Vertical reported Monday.

The optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) Black Hawk’s first uncrewed flight will take place at Fort Campbell and follows the Project Convergence exercise where the experimental helicopter underwent demonstrations.

The optionally manned helicopter first flew in 2019 and has since undergone tests with safety pilots who supervised the autonomous flights while inside the aircraft. Now, the Army wants to demonstrate Black Hawk’s autonomous flight with no human in the cockpit.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) developed OPV Black Hawk, which can autonomously operate through DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System.

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