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Joseph Jewell Nominated as DOD Assistant Secretary
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Joseph Jewell Nominated as DOD Assistant Secretary

President Donald Trump has nominated Joseph Jewell, an aerospace engineer, to serve as an assistant secretary at the Department of Defense.

Congress received and referred Jewell’s nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday.

If confirmed, he would succeed April Joy Ericcson, who served as assistant secretary of defense for science and technology during the Biden administration.

Joseph Jewell’s Career Background

Jewell is the John Bogdanoff associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University. He also serves as the director of the university’s HYPULSE wind tunnel facility, which supports hypersonic research and testing activities.

Prior to Purdue, the Caltech graduate served as a researcher focused on hypersonics technology at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The former Rhodes Scholar has a doctorate in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology.

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MITRE Responds to AI Action Plan RFI With 4 Recommendations
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MITRE Responds to AI Action Plan RFI With 4 Recommendations

MITRE has provided four recommendations in response to the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s request for information on the development of an artificial intelligence action plan, which will outline policy actions to sustain and improve U.S. superiority in AI.

The nonprofit company said Tuesday the four recommendation areas are accelerating AI innovation with public-private partnerships; lowering adoption barriers so that AI can be leveraged to transform industries; securing American AI; and building the American workforce to drive and harness AI innovation opportunities.

Accelerate AI Innovation With Public-Private Partnerships

To speed up AI innovation, MITRE said it believes it is essential to invest in large-scale compute and data resources that are key for training and deploying advanced AI models. 

According to the company, federal frontier labs could serve as a “cornerstone” of public-private partnerships in AI and should focus on three key areas: open science, defense and intelligence.

To further advance AI innovation, MITRE highlighted the need to collect high-quality datasets and implement mission engineering as a structured approach to address the gap between the mission demand perspective and the technology impact perspective.

RFI on AI Action Plan

On behalf of OSTP, the National Science Foundation solicited public feedback in early February to help inform the development of the AI action plan in accordance with an executive order signed by President Trump in late January.

OSTP sought responses that address AI-related policy topics, including data centers, hardware and chips, open source development, energy consumption and efficiency, model development, explainability and assurance of AI model outputs, and cybersecurity.

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MIT Books $12.2B Air Force Contract for Lincoln Lab R&D Center Operation
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MIT Books $12.2B Air Force Contract for Lincoln Lab R&D Center Operation

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has received a $12.21 billion contract to operate a federally funded research and development center at the Lincoln Laboratory.

Contract Scope

The Department of Defense said Tuesday the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract supports research, development and rapid prototyping of advanced technology crucial for Department of Defense and national security needs.

Contract work will occur primarily at the Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. The project is expected to run through March 31, 2030.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center in Hanscom AFB will allocate an initial $400,000 from fiscal year 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds.

What Is a Federally Funded R&D Center?

A federally funded research and development center, or FFRDC, is an independent, not-for-profit entity that is sponsored by government agencies and serves as a strategic partner tasked with conducting R&D activities on various fields, including defense, energy, aviation, space, health and human services, and tax administration. It conducts scientific research, analysis, systems development and systems acquisition aimed at developing innovations addressing challenges faced by the government.

The DOD-sponsored MIT Lincoln Laboratory fulfills its FFRDC role by offering independent insights on vital issues, ensuring long-term proficiency, employing highly skilled talent, fostering strategic partnerships with sponsors and developing technologies. The Lincoln lab also provides extensive planning and concept development in specialized research areas.

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Rep. Walberg-led Bipartisan Bill to Boost 6G Telecommunications
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Rep. Walberg-led Bipartisan Bill to Boost 6G Telecommunications

A bipartisan group led by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., has introduced a bill establishing a 6G Task Force to deliver a report on the adoption of advanced wireless communications technology.

Understanding the Potential of 6G Technology

Walberg said Monday he partnered with Doris Matsui, D-CA, and Rick Allen, R-GA, to introduce the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced, or FUTURE, Networks Act, which aims to maintain U.S. leadership in wireless technology through the utilization of 6G networks.

Under the bipartisan bill, the Federal Communications Commission will create the task force, including representatives from government, industry and public interest groups. The task force will report on the following:

  • Role of standards-setting bodies in 6G technology
  • Potential applications for 6G technology
  • Possible threats, such as supply chain vulnerabilities and cyberattacks
  • Interagency coordination and deployment strategies

“Our economic and national security depend on the United States remaining the leader in wireless technology,” said Walberg. “I am proud to partner with Representatives Matsui and Allen to introduce this vital legislation, which brings stakeholders together to continue to strengthen our networks to protect them from cyberattacks, improve wireless security, and promote innovation. The FUTURE Networks Act will better prepare us for the future deployment of next-generation 6G networks,” he added.

“6G holds the potential to revolutionize connectivity, support smart transport and supercharge augmented reality applications for education, healthcare and manufacturing,” stated Matsui. “The race to 6G isn’t just about faster phones – it’s about national security, economic security and America’s standing on the international stage,” she added.

“By establishing a 6G Task Force, we can bring together America’s brightest industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to collaborate on the future deployment of 6G and strengthening our wireless networks,” remarked Allen.

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Former GSA Administrator on Government’s Procurement Consolidation Plan
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Former GSA Administrator on Government’s Procurement Consolidation Plan

The former head of the General Services Administration discussed the upcoming changes to the federal government’s procurement procedures under President Donald Trump. In an interview with Federal News Network, Emily Murphy, former GSA administrator and a three-time Wash100 Award winner, shared what she expects to happen as agencies begin to consolidate the purchase of common goods and services.

Over the Next 60 Days

Murphy predicts that, in the coming weeks, agencies will need to figure out which purchases can and cannot be consolidated. The Trump administration’s executive order on consolidation issued in March identifies 10 government-wide categories such as medical, construction, professional services and IT.

According to the government leader, there may be purchases that fall under the 10 categories but that agencies decide do not make sense to consolidate. She noted that agencies will also need to address questions related to personnel, funding and contracts. 

“Are the people going to move with the procurements? How about the funding for those people? Is it going to come along with them or is GSA going to retain a fee-based structure and charge for those procurements going forward,” she asked. “So and then contract writing systems. Which contract writing system are they going to use? How are you going to communicate things back and forth? How are the financial systems going to communicate with each other?”

Promoting Shared Systems

Murphy also discussed what she would do if she was still at GSA. She said she would go to the Office of Shared Services and Performance Improvement within the Office of Governmentwide Policy, which has done work on setting common standards for a contract writing system, and move agencies toward using a shared financial management service. 

The current senior fellow at the George Mason University Center for Government Contracting explained that many of the administration’s recent EOs advocate for shared services. Murphy revealed that she is particularly curious if payroll and human resource processes will also revert to shared services across federal agencies.

Murphy will join other government and government contracting leaders at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Digital Transformation Summit on April 24. Register for the in-person today!

Former GSA Administrator on Government's Procurement Consolidation Plan
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Manufacturers Request Nearly $9B in Loans From Office of Strategic Capital
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Manufacturers Request Nearly $9B in Loans From Office of Strategic Capital

The Department of Defense‘s Office of Strategic Capital has received $8.9 billion worth of requests for financing under an inaugural program that aims to bolster the domestic capability of the U.S. to manufacture technologies critical to economic and national security.

DOD said Tuesday that the program seeks to build up manufacturing across 31 technology categories using congressionally-appropriated funding.

Current Pool of Loan Applicants

The manufacturers comprising the current pool of applicants come from 38 states and are requesting financial support for various technology areas, including space, microelectronics and advanced materials.

The requested funds range from $10 million to $150 million. The total amount applied for exceeds the program’s current lending capacity of $984 million.

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Navy Unit Launches Research on AI-Based Procurement Processing
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Navy Unit Launches Research on AI-Based Procurement Processing

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, or NSWCPHD,  has issued a request for information on artificial intelligence-based systems for procurement processing and documentation. 

The research seeks to identify AI technologies, including natural language processing and machine learning, suitable for creating pre- and post-award documents through the tools’ comprehensive understanding and interpretation of human language, according to an NSWCPHD post on Tradewinds Friday.

Potential Navy Tool Development Opportunities

The post noted that the RFI’s feedback may assist the U.S. Navy unit determine future opportunities on AI tools that can help NSWCPHD and other Department of Defense entities improve procurement processes. 

The RFI notice also expressed the need to develop innovative AI-powered systems for creating procurement templates, guides and other documents that minimize procurement risks, while promoting efficiency, compliance and strategic decisions across industries.

Initial Discovery Paper Submission

RFI submissions will undergo a multiple-round process of competitive assessment to pinpoint the potential approaches suitable for AI streamlining of the procurement process. Round 1 involves the submission of a brief discovery paper for assessment by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office and technology experts. The deadline for the submission of discovery papers is on April 22. 

Papers deemed as having the highest potential for AI-based procurement processing will be invited to Round 2, which involves a video submission on a proof of concept for the proponent’s idea on technology implementation, such as NLP and MLP algorithm use. Qualifiers after the second round will get an invitation to Round 3, and they will be granted a request for prototype proposal to work with the government on the presented procurement processing and its projected costs.

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Eric Schnabel Named COO of Senior Executive Service at NIH
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Eric Schnabel Named COO of Senior Executive Service at NIH

Eric Schnabel has been appointed as chief operating officer of the Senior Executive Service at the National Institutes of Health. 

In this role, Schnabel will serve all 27 NIH institutes, focusing on upgrading security measures, increasing operational efficiency and improving employee communication.

He expressed his gratitude over the selection and said, “It is a privilege to once again contribute to upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States of America in service to the President.”

Schnabel’s Career Highlights

Prior to his NIH appointment, Schnabel was director of business development and capture at Millennium Health & Fitness for over a year. 

He was also chief operating officer for two years at Kinetic Analytics and defense and intel business development manager at QinetiQ US.

He established S3 CORP, also known as Schanebel Security Solutions, and served as its president.

Prior to working in the industry, he held several positions in the Army and the Department of Defense, including joint staff lead of the DOD’s Close Combat Lethality Task Force, deputy director of the Joint Staff J-7 Directorate’s Office of Irregular Warfare and strategic planner for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

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Laurie Buckhout Appointed Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy
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Laurie Buckhout Appointed Deputy Asst. Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy

Laurie Buckhout has been named deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

The Department of Defense said Monday Buckhout was officially appointed on March 17. She will oversee the DOD’s cyberspace policy and strategy while maintaining external relationships within the government sector and with domestic stakeholders, allies and partners.

Who Is Laurie Buckhout?

Buckhout is a retired U.S. Army colonel with over three decades of experience serving in the government, defense and private sectors. She previously ran for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.

Before her foray into politics, she worked as a chief strategist at Castellum for over three years. She founded Corvus Consulting in 2012 and served as its president and CEO until it was acquired by Castellum in 2019. During her tenure at Corvus, Buckhout further established herself as a prominent figure in the fields of cyberspace, electronic warfare and electromagnetic spectrum, or EMS, operations.

Buckhout was a member of the AFCEA International Cyber Committee and the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, where she advised on critical spectrum policy issues. The Army veteran also served on the board of directors of Student Veterans of America and was a member of the team conducting the 2013 Defense Science Board Summer Study on 21st Century EMS Operations. She also served as president of the Association of Old Crows, senior director of defense business development at TASC and VP at Lanmark Technology.

She started her 26-year military career in 1984, most recently serving as chief of the Army Electronic Warfare Division until her retirement in 2010. Buckhout also served as an action officer within J6 on the Joint Staff.

As the commander of the 32nd Signal Battalion, Buckhout led over 600 soldiers in combat in Iraq. Before that, she held the position of presidential communications officer within White House Communications.

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Trump Orders Creation of Investment Accelerator Within Commerce
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Trump Orders Creation of Investment Accelerator Within Commerce

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to establish a new office within the Department of Commerce to accelerate and facilitate investments of more than $1 billion in the U.S.

Within 30 days, the EO directs the secretary of commerce to coordinate with the secretary of the treasury and the assistant to the president for economic policy to create the U.S. Investment Accelerator office within the Commerce Department to encourage businesses to make large investments in the country.

What Is the Purpose of the Investment Accelerator?

In a fact sheet published Monday, the White House said the Investment Accelerator will help reduce regulatory burdens; speed up the permitting process; coordinate responses to investor issues across federal agencies; boost access to national resources; facilitate collaboration with national laboratories; and work with all 50 state governments and their economic development organizations.

The accelerator will also administer the CHIPS Program Office and help negotiate better CHIPS Act deals.

An executive director will lead the Investment Accelerator, which will be staffed with legal, operational, transactional and support personnel to help identify existing mechanisms and opportunities in federal law that can be used to assist local and foreign investors while protecting national security.

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