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INSA Report Offers Recommendations for Controlled Unclassified Information Program
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INSA Report Offers Recommendations for Controlled Unclassified Information Program

The Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) has issued a new report that outlines the areas of concern when it comes to implementing the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and lists eight recommendations to improve and achieve the CUI program’s goals. 

INSA said Monday the report found that CUI requirements, adoption and implementation rules differ across agencies and that CUI rules do not clearly address ownership of proprietary information and do not effectively safeguard legacy CUI data.

The paper also uncovered issues with the program’s central management process to address inconsistent requirements and implementation across government.

“At the same time, onerous and inconsistent requirements burden government contractors with the need to establish multiple information management and security practices – all while imposing consequences for failing to adhere to unclear guidance or to protect information whose status can change without warning,” the report’s conclusion reads.

Some of the report’s recommendations are simplifying the CUI program; clarifying the impact of CUI designation on proprietary information; assessing the effectiveness of CUI controls amid current cyber threats; codifying how CUI implementation costs will be calculated for industry bidding and compensation; and revising CUI rules to clarify handling of legacy-marked materials.

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DARPA-NGA-Air Force Partnership Moves Forward With Optical Tech Transition; Rohith Chandrasekar Quoted
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DARPA-NGA-Air Force Partnership Moves Forward With Optical Tech Transition; Rohith Chandrasekar Quoted

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) have begun transitioning metamaterials-based optical technology to multiple projects under the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Seedlings for Disruptive Capabilities Program.

AFRL will implement components developed through DARPA’s Extreme Optics and Imaging program in efforts to develop an unmanned combat aerial vehicle, an electro-optic/infrared sensor and a tube-launched unmanned air system, the agency said Tuesday.

The program commenced in 2016 and sought new engineered optical materials that could manipulate light beyond the laws of reflection and refraction.

DARPA then enlisted NGA’s research directorate in 2018 to incorporate metaoptics concepts into optical UAS hardware as part of NGA-backed projects at AFRL, the Naval Research Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.

“Through the NGA effort, AFRL developed unique capabilities using EXTREME technologies to characterize the optical performance of novel meta-optics and developed new insights into how they could be integrated into a full imaging system,” said Rohith Chandrasekar, program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office.

The laboratory will use the novel optical system to update EO/IR systems on the experimental XQ-58 Valkyrie UCAS and the Air Launched Off-Board Operations platform.

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GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks Discusses the AI Technology Revolution With Deborah Westphal
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GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks Discusses the AI Technology Revolution With Deborah Westphal

GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks Discusses the AI Technology Revolution With Deborah WestphalChuck Brooks, a highly esteemed cybersecurity leader as well as an influential member of Executive Mosaic’s GovCon Expert program, recently published an interview with Deborah Westphal, future-focused leader, management consultant and speaker with 30 years of experience, to discuss the impact that artificial intelligence technology will have on our future.

During the interview on Deborah Westphal’s website, Convergence Conversation: Assessing the Technology Revolution, Chuck Brooks discussed the influence that AI is having on the future of other emerging technologies, managing the bias behind AI capabilities, the challenges AI ethics and many of the other issues surrounding the groundbreaking technology.

Here’s an excerpt from the discussion between Deborah Westphal and GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks detailing his greatest hope for the future of technology:

Chuck Brooks: “My greatest hope is that we’re able to take these amazing technologies that we’re developing and steer them in the right direction for good. All of them have applications that could really benefit us as a civilization if we use them correctly.

We need to do it as a global community. We need to have incentives that keep things in check. We need to educate younger people about the implications of these technologies, and the possible asymmetrical impact on the future.

Everything we’re doing from autonomous cars to the Internet of Things to 3D printing is a science that can have dual purposes. We need to understand the consequences.”

Visit GovConWire.com to read a full compilation of the articles and topics that GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks has written as a part of Executive Mosaic’s program.

GovCon Expert Chuck Brooks Discusses the AI Technology Revolution With Deborah Westphal

You can apply for consideration to become a part of Executive Mosaic’s most exciting program. Contact us today to learn more about becoming a GovCon Expert and visit GovConWire.com to read the latest features on our industry.

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CentralSquare to Support Law Enforcement Mental Health Initiatives; CEO David Zolet Quoted
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CentralSquare to Support Law Enforcement Mental Health Initiatives; CEO David Zolet Quoted

CentralSquare Technologies, in partnership with Caron Treatment Centers, is hosting a webinar series with the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress and destigmatize trauma in the law enforcement community.

The presentation, titled Trauma and 9/11: Facing Challenges, Together, will feature one-on-one interviews, stories from figures in the law enforcement community, examples of communal support for first responders affected by loss, and a live panel leading a 9/11-focused discussion on trauma.

“We are proud to partner with Caron and the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum to destigmatize the conversation around mental health in the law enforcement and first responder community,” said four-time Wash100 Award winner David Zolet, CEO of CentralSquare. 

Zolet added that law enforcement officers risk their lives daily in their mission to protect the public. He said, “It is critical that they have the mental health resources and support so that they can continue to protect our communities.”

In addition to raising awareness of mental health challenges across the law enforcement and first responder community, the series aims to provide support to those affected by sharing resources and tips from officials who were involved in rescue efforts and directly impacted by 9/11.

The series will be presented in two parts, airing on November 15-17 and November 18th at 8 pm EST.

To learn more, register and watch the Trauma and 9/11: Facing Challenges, Together series, visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund website.

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President Biden Nominates FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel for Commissioner
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President Biden Nominates FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel for Commissioner

Jessica Rosenworcel, who chairs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has received President Biden’s pick to serve as an FCC commissioner.

The nominee formerly served as an FCC commissioner and worked on efforts to help students overcome the homework gap, the difficulty of not being able to do school assignments due to lack of broadband access, the White House said Tuesday.

She also used FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit program to help financially challenged households access the internet. The tenured FCC officer also boosted consumer protections in the government’s telecommunications policies.

Her career also includes work with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, where she served as senior communications counsel.

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Gillian Bussey: Universities, Investments Tied to Warfighter Need Could Help Expedite Hypersonic Tech Transition
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Gillian Bussey: Universities, Investments Tied to Warfighter Need Could Help Expedite Hypersonic Tech Transition

Gillian Bussey, director of the joint hypersonics transition office within the Department of Defense’s office of the undersecretary for research and engineering, said her office aims to accelerate the transition of hypersonic technologies to warfighters by driving community collaboration, facilitating the involvement of universities and allies, ensuring that investments are linked to soldiers’ requirements and establishing a systems engineering field activity to help monitor tech transition efforts, Government Matters reported Tuesday.

Bussey told GovMatters in an interview that JHTO is excited about several developments, including the Hawk missile system test from Raytheon Technologies, strong support from Congress as it works through the budget process and the Army’s battery with the long-range hypersonic weapon.

“Hawk is an air-breathing scramjet engine. It’s more of a tactical system so it’s a very nice complement to the conventional prompt strike program,” she said.

Bussey noted that collaborating with universities allows DOD to gain access to new ideas and technologies and build up its workforce.

She also highlighted the need for cyber protections and improved vetting process to safeguard U.S. hypersonic technology from near-peer competitors such as Russia and China. 

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GovCon Expert McAleese: Gen. Mark Kelly on Next-Generation Air Dominance Program
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GovCon Expert McAleese: Gen. Mark Kelly on Next-Generation Air Dominance Program

Consulting firm McAleese & Associates has issued a report on Air Combat Command’s (ACC) top priorities discussed by Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of ACC, at a virtual event Monday.

Kelly noted that all joint force missions will fail without air superiority and to ensure air superiority in the fight against near-peer competitors like China, the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter program must be fully funded, Jim McAleese, founder of McAleese & Associates and a three-time Wash100 winner, reported.

The commander said NGAD is his top requirement and is “designed to operate beyond a single spectral band of the RF [radio frequency] spectrum, to thrive in a multispectral environment.”

Kelly added that he considers NGAD as a multiservice requirement since other military branches are “not remotely designed to operate without” control of the air and that every service is relying on the Air Force to deliver that capability.

Other priorities he discussed at the event are the F-35 conventional take-off and landing aircraft; E-7 as replacement for the Airborne Warning and Control System; Advanced Battle Management System/Joint All-Domain Command and Control; fifth-generation missiles; and airbase defenses.

Kelly also highlighted the need for an Advanced Tactical Trainer to avoid burning up the combat capacity of F-35 and F-22 fighter fleets, according to the McAleese report.

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BAE Secures $478M Systems Engineering, Integration Support Contract from U.S. Navy; Lisa Hand Quoted
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BAE Secures $478M Systems Engineering, Integration Support Contract from U.S. Navy; Lisa Hand Quoted

BAE Systems has booked a potential five-year, $478 million Systems Engineering and Integration Support Services contract to continue its support of the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs office.

Under the contract, which was originally awarded in September 2021, BAE will leverage model-based and digital engineering approaches to support the SSP in its oversight of the Strategic Weapons System and Attack Weapons System aboard a range of naval vessels, the company said Wednesday.

“We are proud to continue providing full system-level lifecycle capabilities to SSP that will help advance their digital engineering strategy to ensure the readiness of the Navy’s strategic missions,” said Lisa Hand, vice president and general manager of BAE’s integrated defense solutions business.

Hand continued, noting that BAE currently supports “two-legs of the nation’s nuclear triad” through systems integration expertise on a wide range of defense initiatives.

BAE’s work under the contract will support critical systems on the Navy’s U.S. Ohio, U.K Vanguard, U.S. Columbia and U.K Dreadnought class submarines.

Recently, BAE Systems won two separate contracts from the U.S. Navy, worth a total of $291.2 million, to provide a range of systems integration and engineering services across C4ISR systems, command facilities and intelligence platforms, among other systems.

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Chris DeRusha: OMB to Narrow Scope of Information Security Reports
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Chris DeRusha: OMB to Narrow Scope of Information Security Reports

Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer (CISO) and 2021 Wash100 Award, said agencies will follow a more specific scope of things to assess in their next annual information security reports to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Federal Information Modernization Act tasks agencies to produce their own information security reports for OMB’s record, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

DeRusha said reducing the scope to a more priority-specific list based on security practices can produce better results compared to last year’s. This move addresses recent cybersecurity incidents witnessed by the U.S. government. 

“It’s been a goal for a while, but we’re doubling down on that and making sure that we’re giving agencies some space to be able to focus on that,” he said.

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Amentum-Jacobs-Honeywell Joint Venture Receives $8.3B Oak Ridge Reservation Cleanup Contract; CEO John Vollmer Quoted
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Amentum-Jacobs-Honeywell Joint Venture Receives $8.3B Oak Ridge Reservation Cleanup Contract; CEO John Vollmer Quoted
John Vollmer
John Vollmer, CEO of Amentum

United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR), a joint venture among Amentum, Jacobs and Honeywell, has been awarded a potential ten-year, $8.3 billion Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) Oak Ridge Reservation Cleanup contract, Amentum announced on Wednesday.

“Amentum and our partner companies have a long history of supporting the DOE’s environmental management programs and recently delivered historic success in cleaning up DOE’s uranium enrichment complex ahead of schedule and under budget at the 2,200-acre ETTP complex,” said John Vollmer, CEO of Amentum and a six-time Wash100 Award recipient.

UCOR will be responsible for cleanup and remedial actions at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), the cleanup of excess facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex and the design, construction, and operation of the new onsite disposal facility – the Environmental Management Disposal Facility.

“We look forward to working with our customers, partners, regulators, and the Oak Ridge community stakeholders to further advance the DOE’s mission of safe environmental cleanup of the Oak Ridge Reservation,” Vollmer elaborated.

In addition, UCOR will provide operational activities and surveillance and maintenance for multiple facilities; and core functions for central and project services. The team includes four pre-selected small businesses, RSI EnTech, Strata-G, Longnecker & Associates and Environmental Alternatives, Inc.

“The team we have assembled has the expertise and experience to deliver an end state-focused vision for the DOE customer,” said Mark Whitney, president of Amentum’s Nuclear & Environment business. “Building on the accelerated completion of Vision 2020, Amentum and UCOR will partner with our customer to deliver the next phases of DOE’s vision for the site under this contract.”

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