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GovCon Expert McAleese on Full-Year Continuing Resolution’s Impact on Pentagon’s Buying Power
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GovCon Expert McAleese on Full-Year Continuing Resolution’s Impact on Pentagon’s Buying Power

A McAleese & Associates report says the Department of Defense could expect a cumulative impact of about 8 percent or a drop of about $60 billion in purchasing power under a full-year continuing resolution for fiscal year 2022. 

Under a CR, agencies are operating at previous fiscal year’s spending levels.

Jim McAleese, founder of McAleese & Associates and a three-time Wash100 winner, reported that DOD could see its spending level fall to approximately $655 billion under a year-long CR and an inflation rate of 7 percent.

According to the report, hypersonic strike, space, nuclear triad recapitalization, hypersonic defense and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G and assured microelectronics, are among the programs that would be most impacted under a full-year CR.

“A year-long CR would stall progress towards today’s readiness, and tomorrow’s modernization … It would have devastating impacts on the Air Force’s ability to retain qualified airmen, maintain our readiness, and modernize for tomorrow,” Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chief of staff at the U.S. Air Force, said during the House Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing on Jan. 12.

DOD Comptroller Mike McCord also highlighted the potential impacts of a CR during the hearing.

“The most damaging impacts would be on those who deserve it least — our service members and their families,” McCord said. “The biggest tolls would be in our military personnel accounts and our training and readiness accounts.”

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Federal Government Reviews Chinese Cloud Business Over National Security Concerns
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Federal Government Reviews Chinese Cloud Business Over National Security Concerns

The U.S. government is investigating the cloud business of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba to determine whether the unit poses a national security risk, Reuters reported Monday.

Reuters cited sources that say the Department of Commerce’s office of intelligence and security is leading the probe into Alibaba Cloud to determine how the business stores personal information, intellectual property and other data of U.S. customers and whether the Chinese government could secure access to those data.

The office at the Commerce Department was established during the Trump administration as part of efforts to create authorities to prohibit U.S. firms from doing business with tech companies from Russia, China and other “foreign adversary” countries.

One of the sources said the office has focused on Chinese cloud companies over concerns of potential data access disruption and data theft.

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House Bill Would Bar Fed From Issuing Central Bank Digital Currency
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House Bill Would Bar Fed From Issuing Central Bank Digital Currency

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has proposed a bill that would prohibit the Federal Reserve from directly issuing central bank digital currencies to individuals as part of efforts to safeguard financial privacy, promote innovation and maintain the dollar’s dominance.

“CBDCs that fail to adhere to these three basic principles could enable an entity like the Federal Reserve to mobilize itself into a retail bank, collect personally identifiable information on users, and track their transactions indefinitely,” Emmer said in a statement published Jan. 12th. He noted that the Federal Reserve should not have the authority to issue retail bank accounts.

“This means that any digital dollar must be accessible to all, transact on a blockchain that is transparent to all, and maintain the privacy elements of cash,” Emmer added.

In 2021, the Federal Reserve announced its intent to assess the potential risks and benefits of issuing a digital currency and come up with a report that includes the proposed CBDC design. The agency has yet to present the report.

https://potomacofficersclub.com/events/poc-digital-currency-and-national-security-forum/?src=potomacofficersclub.com

On Jan. 27, the Potomac Officers Club will bring together distinguished government and industry leaders to discuss the national security aspect of digital currencies. National Cyber Director Chris Inglis will deliver the keynote speech at POC’s Digital Currency and National Security Forum.

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Amentum CEO John Vollmer Highlights Transformational Company Growth in 2021
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Amentum CEO John Vollmer Highlights Transformational Company Growth in 2021

John Vollmer, CEO of Amentum and a six-time Wash100 Award winner, recently posted a retrospective piece on LinkedIn highlighting and breaking down the transformational growth that the company underwent over the course of 2021. The full “2021- A Year of Transformational Growth and Operational Excellence” report was released by Amentum on Tuesday. 

“As we bring our second year as an independent company to a close, I find myself thinking back to the beginning of 2021,” Vollmer explained. “We realized it was going to be a monumental year…We looked forward to seeing our clients, partners, employees, coworkers, and communities in person. As a company, we performed beyond expectations and had one of our best years ever.”

In particular, Vollmer mentioned the acquisition and implementation of DynCorp International as well as PAE. He also highlighted the significant strides and work that Amentum has been doing to support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Aviation and environmental cleanup work as well as the company’s customer-facing events, training systems innovation and other key areas. 

“These achievements wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our employees and partners,” Vollmer continued. “It was another unconventional year and every single person had to continually adjust to achieve success. The organizational resilience we have demonstrated since our company launch has led to transformational growth and tremendous momentum. I look forward to all we will achieve together in 2022.”

Click here to access the full “2021- A Year of Transformational Growth and Operational Excellence” from John Vollmer and Amentum. 

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MCSC to Host Industry Day for Satellite, Terrestrial Transmission Systems Development
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MCSC to Host Industry Day for Satellite, Terrestrial Transmission Systems Development

The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command will host an industry day on Feb. 16 to bring together industry partners for a discussion on future developments in tactical satellite and terrestrial transmission systems.

A notice posted Friday said officials will also tackle general areas of interest for system development in support of the service branch’s strategy to address emerging threats from great power competition.

Force Design 2030 is the Marine Corps’ initiative to adapt lethality, mobility and resiliency of Marines to retain relevancy and remain a capable naval expeditionary force.

The document outlines the military branch’s plans to advance the transformation of its force structure and align its priorities with the National Defense Strategy.

The industry day will be conducted at Alexandria Insights’ facility in Stafford, Virginia. Participants will be given an opportunity to discuss company-specific ideas for the development of satellite communications and terrestrial transmission systems.

Interested vendors may register for the event and request individual sessions until Feb. 4th.

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Axiom Space Selects Jacobs to Construct Facility at Houston Spaceport
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Axiom Space Selects Jacobs to Construct Facility at Houston Spaceport

Axiom Space has issued a contract to technology services firm Jacobs to build the Assembly, Integration and Testing facility at Houston Spaceport.

The architecture and engineering phase one design contract approves a planned 100,000 square foot facility that hopes to assist in granting access to low Earth orbit, the Dallas, Texas-based firm said Tuesday. The facility will also help to construct the first commercial international space station.

Axiom Chief Technology Officer Matt Ondler underscored that the facility will offer a chance for spacecraft to be built and outfitted in Houston for the first time and is enthusiastic about the prospect of the facility bringing more aerospace jobs to the city.

Ondler asserted it will “solidify Houston as the U.S. commercial industry’s gateway to space.”

The private space station, when it’s finished, will host research projects and microgravity experiments, in addition to performing manufacturing and commerce during low Earth orbit missions.

This is part of Axiom’s plan to use commercial infrastructure and innovation in space to grow quality of life on earth while also making strides in space exploration, in which they view the Assembly, Integration and Testing facility as an instrumental first step.

Jacobs is onboard with Axiom’s strategy. “Privately funded infrastructure will drive U.S. leadership in space. Jacobs is committed to providing integrated solutions to accelerate the future of commercial space operations,” said Ron Williams, senior vice president, People & Places Solutions at Jacobs.

The company has also recently received public funding, with Jacobs winning seven spots on the General Services Administration’s IDIQ ASTRO contract in September 2021. One of these pools is for work done in space technology.

In December 2021, Axiom was approved by NASA to launch the first all-private crew to travel to the International Space Station. This is one step in their mission to widen accessibility and commercialization of space exploration.

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Dan Ostrosky Named Peraton SVP, Chief Procurement Officer; CEO Stu Shea Comments
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Dan Ostrosky Named Peraton SVP, Chief Procurement Officer; CEO Stu Shea Comments

Dan Ostrosky, formerly of Banbury Private Capital, has been named Peraton’s senior vice president and chief procurement officer. He will report to Jim Winner, the company’s vice president and chief legal officer.

Ostrosky is expected to leverage 30 years of experience in manufacturing and supply chain operations to take on executive leadership for all aspects of the procurement organization, such as strategic sourcing and subcontractor management, the Herndon, Virginia-based company announced Tuesday.

Stu Shea, chairman, president and CEO of Peraton and a 2021 Wash100 winner, emphasized that as Peraton evolves and clientele for its mission capability integration and information technology services broadens, the procurement operation will be a crucial function.

Shea continued, commenting that Ostrosky’s prior successes in procurement strategy demonstrate how the department can be a “force multiplier” and sharing that he expects this will help Peraton achieve growth and financial progress.

At Banbury, Ostrosky was a strategic advisor, providing insight for investments in the aerospace, defense and industrial sectors. Before that, he was responsible for materials management, supplier development and all global material spend at Triumph Group, where he was corporate vice president and chief procurement officer.

Ostrosky also served as senior vice president of Aerospace & Defense business unit for supply chain solutions provider Flex, as well as vice president of global supply chain management for United Technologies.

His appointment comes after Brian Thompson was tapped for vice president and general manager of Peraton’s intelligence mission solutions unit in October 2021, and Mara Motherway was named senior vice president of government and customer relations at Peraton in September 2021.

The new hirings, such as Motherway’s, which is a newly created position, are primed to abet Peraton in its growth mission.

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US Archivist David Ferriero to Retire at National Archives & Records Administration
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US Archivist David Ferriero to Retire at National Archives & Records Administration

David Ferriero, the 10 archivist of the United States, will retire in April 2022 after 12 years of service at the National Archives and Records Administration.

In a blog post, Ferriero reflected on his accomplishments and achievements as an archivist while highlighting the persistent need for “thoughtful and deliberate progress and transformation” within the National Archives as the impetus for his departure.

“As I wrote to President Biden, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve my country once more, this time to lead the Executive Branch agency charged with ensuring that the American people can hold their government accountable and learn from the past by accessing the records of our country,” Ferriero wrote.

Ferriero was confirmed as the tenth archivist of the United States on Nov. 6, 2009. During his tenure, he spearheaded multiple initiatives aimed at agency transformation, broader public access and engagement, security enhancement and more robust partnerships with traditional and new stakeholders.

Celebrating NARA’s modernization efforts, Ferriero said, “We have become a leader in the government’s transition to a digital future, electronic records management, and the principles of Open Government.”

He notably served as archivist during a period of new facility openings under NARA’s administration, including the George W. Bush Presidential Library in Dallas, Texas and the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Ferriero also led the transition of the National Archives locations in New York and Denver to new facilities.

Prior to his post as archivist, Ferriero served as the Andrew W. Mellon director of the New York Public Libraries, where he was responsible for integrating four research libraries and 87 branch libraries into a central user service, resulting in the NYPL being recognized as the largest public library system in the country.

Deputy Archivist Debra Steidel Wall will serve as acting archivist until Ferriero’s successor is nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate.

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Maxar’s DOD Earth Intel Programs VP Chris Worley Speaks On Bridging Tech & Warfighter Needs With Potomac Officers Club
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Maxar’s DOD Earth Intel Programs VP Chris Worley Speaks On Bridging Tech & Warfighter Needs With Potomac Officers Club

Chris Worley, vice president of DOD Earth intelligence programs at Maxar, was featured recently in an exclusive Executive Spotlight interview with the Potomac Officers Club to share his impacts in the public and private sectors as well as the cultural aspects of digital technology adoption. Worley also spoke on executives who have inspired him throughout his career, adapting through modernization challenges and the importance of vision and strategy in organizational success.

In this excerpt from the interview, Worley discusses how his liberal arts education has played an integral role in his efforts to bridge the gap between industry and the private sector in support of our nation’s warfighters:

“The great part about joining Maxar after a career in both the Air Force and industry is the diversity of opportunities, teams and challenges presented by the vast range of missions this company supports—from advanced Earth intelligence enabled by high-resolution satellite imagery, 3D data and AI/ML to commercial and civil spacecraft, space-based robotics and much more. I’ve spent most of my career in digital technology and intelligence applied across every phenomenology and mission. In each case, these landscapes were never static as they evolved and modernized. This taught me, through both success and failure, how to adapt, learn and apply what I gained to new challenges. 

My degrees are not in engineering or scientific disciplines. Rather, I studied liberal arts and languages. The emphasis on critical thinking, communication and building a bridge between technical jargon and warfighter needs is the foundation upon which I’ve built my career and the teams I’ve had the honor to work with in achieving mission goals.”

Visit PotomacOfficersClub.com to read the full Executive Spotlight interview with Maxar’s Chris Worley and learn more about the platform’s membership options and benefits.

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Heidi Shyu Looks to Innovation Ecosystem to Help Address DOD’s Operational Challenges
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Heidi Shyu Looks to Innovation Ecosystem to Help Address DOD’s Operational Challenges

Heidi Shyu, undersecretary for research and engineering at the Department of Defense, said she believes the country’s innovation ecosystem and allies could help the Pentagon address complex operational challenges, DOD News reported Friday.

She was referring to federally funded research and development centers, companies and university affiliated research hubs as a key component of collaborative efforts aimed at maintaining U.S. military advantage in technology.

Speaking at a Defense Writers Group event Thursday, Shyu noted that tie-ups with external organizations and technical professionals are “critically important” for the department to shape its future capabilities.

The DOD technology chief reaches out to smaller businesses to understand the hurdles they encounter when pursuing defense programs and she hopes to formulate a mechanism to help them bridge the “valley of death.”

Heidi Shyu Looks to Innovation Ecosystem to Help Address DOD's Operational Challenges

Shiu will headline the Potomac Officers Club’s 8th Annual Research and Development Summit on Wednesday to discuss the Pentagon’s innovation priorities and the private sector’s role in efforts to maintain the military’s technological edge.

Click here to sign up for the virtual event and learn how to become an exclusive POC member.

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