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Energy Department Awards $134M for Fusion Energy Research Projects
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Energy Department logo. A $134 million total funding was awarded for fusion energy research

The Department of Energy is providing a total of $134 million in funding for new research projects selected under its two programs aimed at keeping the United States’ lead in the fusion energy technology development. 

The funding seeks to strengthen collaboration between the private fusion industry, DOE national laboratories and universities, accelerating progress in fusion research and innovation, the department said Wednesday.

FIRE Team Awards

The awards include $128 million for seven research teams chosen for the Fusion Innovative Research Engine, or FIRE, collaboratives of national labs and academic institutions. The FIRE teams’ projects aim to build a national fusion innovation ecosystem by creating virtual, centrally managed units connecting DOE’s Fusion Energy Sciences research programs with the fusion energy industry.

The department plans to invest a total of up to $220 million in FIRE collaboratives over a four-year period, with a $31 million allocation sought from Congress for fiscal year 2025.

Discover the latest requirements in energy and national security at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 GovCon International and Global Defense Summit on October 16!

INFUSE Company Projects 

Twenty company projects were also chosen under a $6.1 million award for the department’s Innovation Network for Fusion Energy, or INFUSE, program aimed at streamlining private sector collaboration with national labs and universities. 

The technology areas covered by the awardees’ projects include materials science, laser technology, high-temperature superconducting magnets, and AI use for fusion modeling and simulation.

Six companies selected under INFUSE – Focused Energy, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Realta Fusion, Tokamak, Type One and Xcimer – were also chosen in June 2023 to work with the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This was as part of the $46 million Milestone-Based Fusion Development program for the creation of a fusion pilot plant in five to 10 years.

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MITRE: Defense Acquisition System Needs Digital Acquisition Policy Sandbox to Address Policy Shifts
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MITRE logo. MITRE published a paper proposing the development of a digital acquisition policy sandbox for the DAS.

MITRE is proposing the development of a digital acquisition policy sandbox, or DAPS, to help the Defense Acquisition System address challenges brought by a new wave of changes in statutes, executive orders, or EOs, and departmental policies in a new paper published Friday. Titled The Defense Acquisition System Digital Acquisition Policy Sandbox, the paper says the DAS can take advantage of the diagnostic platform to effectively maneuver through the changes and lessen program disruptions.

Ensure you’re part of the discussion about the latest defense acquisition reforms at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 GovCon International and Global Defense Summit on October 16!

Frequent & Complex Policy Changes

For the first seven months of 2025 alone, the DAS had to deal with 176 EOs signed by the U.S. president, several of which directly affect DOD acquisition policies. The amount, frequency and complexity of these changes ripple through the DAS, impacting individual acquisition programs, program executive offices and policymakers, the company explained.

Digital Acquisition Policy Sandbox

The DAPS would use AI and data analytics to assess the impact of policy shifts in real time, allowing leaders and program offices to better anticipate and manage change.

The sandbox would include customized dashboards for different user groups, providing a unified, data-driven framework for DAS change management. MITRE claimed the DAPS could potentially overhaul the DOD’s response process to current and future policy shifts.

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ODNI Planning Job Cuts at Intelligence Coordination Centers
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Office of the Director of National Intelligence's logo. ODNI is making agency reductions

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is mulling an overhaul of its National Counterintelligence and Security Center, or NCSC, and the National Counterterrorism Center, also known as NCTC, according to several current and former officials. Both the NCSC and NCTC experienced job cuts, with more on the way, unnamed sources knowledgeable about the matter said in an interview with Defense One. 

ODNI Planning Job Cuts at Intelligence Coordination Centers

ODNI leaders will take the stage at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Intel Summit on Oct. 2. The event will feature discussions on emerging threats, technological advancements and other factors that impact the intelligence community. Get your tickets today!

Roles of Intelligence Coordination Centers

Established in 2004, tNCTC is in charge of collecting and integrating intelligence across multiple agencies and generating insights into and strategies to deter terrorist threats. The Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, which works with some of the nation’s most valuable intelligence, operates within NCTC.

Meanwhile, NCSC facilitates intelligence sharing with foreign entities to create a more complete understanding of espionage campaigns. The center has previously exposed the efforts of the Chinese government to increase control of non-Chinese companies.

ODNI Reductions

Sources pointed out that NCSC cannot be shut down without Congress’ approval. However, its operations can still be severely curtailed through significant workforce reductions.

The intelligence coordination center already underwent a reorganization that decreased its leadership from six senior directors and assistant directors to one acting director.

The administration has also shuttered offices and removed officials across the intelligence community over the past several months. In February, the FBI announced the disbandment of a team combating foreign interference threats to U.S. elections.

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Chris Kraft Named Acting CIO at Secret Service
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Chris Kraft. The acting CTO at DHS has been named acting CIO at the U.S. Secret Service.

Chris Kraft, acting chief technology officer at the Department of Homeland Security, has been appointed as acting chief information officer at the U.S. Secret Service.

Chris Kraft Named Acting CIO at Secret Service

The Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12 will feature panel discussions about the adoption of AI and other tech capabilities to strengthen national security. Register now for this key GovCon industry event!

Chris Cummiskey, former under secretary and chief acquisition officer at DHS, announced Kraft’s appointment as acting CIO and congratulated him on his new role in a LinkedIn post.

“Chris has been a leader in emerging technology across the Federal government for many years, having served in key tech roles at DHS HQ and FEMA. He brings a wealth of knowledge to his new position,” Cummiskey said in his post.

Cummiskey noted the latest move comes at a time when the Secret Service is expanding the use of technology to advance protective security and counter financial crimes.

Who Is Chris Kraft?

According to his LinkedIn profile, Kraft previously served as deputy CTO for AI and emerging technology at DHS.

Prior to this position, he was assistant administrator for financial systems and program manager for financial systems modernization at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The George Mason University graduate served as a program manager at the Department of the Interior and assistant director of financial systems at the Department of Justice.

His industry career included time as senior director of business process and systems at K12; vice president of corporate solutions at SiriusXM; and senior consultant at BearingPoint.

Kraft holds a juris doctorate from the George Washington University Law School.

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GAO Offers Framework for Responsible AI Use at VA
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Carol Harris. The GAO official discusses in a prepared testimony a framework on responsible AI use.

The Government Accountability Office has developed a framework that can help the Department of Veterans Affairs, along with other agencies, ensure responsibility and accountability when designing, developing, deploying and monitoring AI systems, according to Carol Harris, the director of IT and cybersecurity at GAO.

GAO Offers Framework for Responsible AI Use at VA

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GAO AI Framework

The framework is organized around the principles of data reliability and quality and AI system governance. It also covers the assessment of AI system performance and the monitoring of AI system reliability over time, Harris said in a prepared testimony for an upcoming hearing with the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization.

Each principle is accompanied by key practices, whose elements, if taken into consideration, “can help VA guide the performance of assessments and audits of agency AI implementation,” Harris goes on to say.

VA Challenges With Generative AI

The GAO official also reports the challenges VA faces in using and managing generative AI—challenges that it shares with many other agencies. These issues include compliance with existing federal guidance and policies, the insufficiency of technical and financial resources, AI workforce hiring and development, data security and the acquisition of the AI tools themselves.

Harris noted that VA is in the process of addressing its difficulties with generative AI, in particular by implementing the new AI requirements listed in the April 2025 memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget.

“As the AI policy landscape evolves, agencies—including VA—are developing and updating their own guidance intended to govern their use and management of generative AI,” Harris said.

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Leidos VP Rob Linger Highlights Data Silos, Adversarial AI as Challenges to National Security
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Rob Linger of Leidos on AI and cybersecurity driving the federal information advantage

Data silos, misinformation and adversarial AI are among the greatest threats to federal agencies’ ability to achieve information superiority, said Rob Linger, vice president of Leidos’ information advantage practice, in a new video interview with Executive Mosaic.

Linger, who has served in the Marine Corps and held leadership roles across technology and public service, said these barriers can only be overcome through strong data stewardship and a clear mission focus.

“We have to work through data silos. Every agency has been collecting data for a very long time, but there are organizational challenges to sharing it,” Linger said. “The only way to overcome all of these challenges is to truly be stewards of our data, understand what our data is and what it’s supposed to be, and turn it into knowledge to achieve outcomes,” Linger told Executive Mosaic Senior Content Specialist Charles Lyons-Burt.

Risks of Large Language Models and Adversarial AI

While AI is often central to information advantage strategies, Linger cautioned against relying exclusively on the technology. Large language models in particular pose risks if not carefully managed. “They’re very good at confidently lying to you,” he said, stressing the importance of human oversight and vetting.

Data Stewardship and Automation for Faster Federal Decisions

For Linger, accelerating decision cycles requires a disciplined, data-first approach. “If we can make the decision better by adding additional information, then let’s bring that in,” he said. “We work that way to build data products that accelerate the ability to make informed decisions.”

Dive into the full conversation here and triple check that you’re subscribed to Executive Mosaic’s YouTube channel, a hub for vital federal contracting content.

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OMB Board Seeks to Streamline Accounting Requirements for Contractors
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Office of Management and Budget logo. The OMB CAS Board is working to streamline accounting requirements for contractors.

The Office of Management and Budget’s Cost Accounting Standards, or CAS, Board has published two proposed rules that aim to streamline accounting requirements for federal contractors by eliminating over 60 requirements.

“Holding contractors responsible for properly and transparently accounting for their costs is good stewardship, but forcing contractors to maintain overlapping books and records is wasteful and creates barriers that discourage talented companies from working with the Government to meet the needs of our taxpayers,” Kevin Rhodes, senior adviser to OMB Director Russell Vought, said in a statement published Wednesday.

Relying on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

Under the rules proposed by the CAS Board within the OMB Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the U.S. government will now rely on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP, to protect its interests. 

The government expects the deregulatory actions in the CAS Board’s rulemaking to result in fewer processes and records that federal contractors must maintain and lead to reduced government oversight activities as required by CAS requirements.

According to a document posted for public inspection, the final rule requires the CAS Board to ensure that cost accounting standards used by federal contractors rely on commercial standards and accounting systems and practices and conform CAS requirements to GAAP.

The rule seeks to clarify CAS definitions to make clear that GAAP changes on lease accounting are not recognized for CAS purposes, preventing unnecessary friction, ambiguity and disputes between parties.

The proposed changes in the rule are expected to simplify CAS administration, reduce barriers to entry for nontraditional contractors and promote competition in federal contracting.

According to the White House, the CAS Board expects to finalize rulemaking on the proposed elimination of standards by early 2026 and plans to advance work on additional conformance of CAS to GAAP.

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Navy Conducts Threat Assessment of 5G Tactical Network
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5G network connectivity. The Navy began a threat assessment of a 5G tactical training network.

DVIDSHub reported that the Naval Information Warfare Center, or NIWC, Pacific and Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command, or NCDOC, started a threat assessment of a 5G tactical training network on Sept. 3 at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego as part of Operation Shoehorn.

Operation Shoehorn

Operation Shoehorn is a comprehensive effort that seeks to develop and test a secure 5G tactical network for the fleet.

“5G, to this point, has not been useable because it’s proprietary, meaning we don’t have the visibility needed to detect cyber threats,” said Mike Anderson, NIWC Pacific Joint Tactical Communications branch head. “By using open-source 5G, we are able to solve that proprietary issue and create a defensible tactical 5G network.”

The project aims to develop an open-source 5G tactical network for defensive cyber operations and deployment by the service’s 10th Fleet Cyber Command in alignment with the Pentagon’s effort to establish an enterprise-grade 5G platform in fiscal year 2026.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s FutureG Directorate funds the project.

“Adequate 5G defense capabilities are necessary for the Navy to confidently deploy tactical 5G solutions required to maintain technological superiority,” Anderson said.

Testing NIWC Pacific 5G Network’s Security Through NCDOC’s Red Team

NCDOC deployed its Red Team to NIWC to assess the 5G network’s security and help detect and address vulnerabilities.

“Red Team’s role here is to evaluate the 5G tech stack from an adversarial perspective to hopefully uncover security vulnerabilities in the early stages of development,” said Lt. Erik Faulk, the NCDOC Advanced Capabilities Engineering officer in charge.

“We can use our findings as a training tool that enables defenders to recognize when or if those vulnerabilities are being exploited, so that they can employ their appropriate response actions to secure the network,” Faulk added.

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GAO Urges Air Force to Address Risks in Sentinel ICBM Transition
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Government Accountability Office logo. GAO published a report on Sentinel ICBM transition risks.

The U.S. Air Force faces mounting risks in its effort to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile with the new Sentinel system, and has yet to create a risk management plan to guide the transition, the Government Accountability Office said in a report published Wednesday.

Transition Strategy Lacks Risk Management

GAO said the Air Force has created an overarching transition strategy and a site-specific plan for F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, the first installation slated to convert to Sentinel; however, it has not developed a transition risk management plan, which is a leading project planning practice. Such a plan would help the service systematically identify, assess and respond to the wide range of risks associated with moving from Minuteman III to Sentinel, the government watchdog noted.

The Sentinel program, originally set to begin transition work in fiscal year 2025, is currently being restructured by the Department of Defense. GAO warned that without a detailed risk management plan, the Air Force is not well-positioned for a successful transition.

Challenges in Testing and Personnel Preparation

The watchdog also found gaps in preparations for operators, maintainers and security forces for the transition. While the Air Force has begun some training initiatives, it has not established a schedule for building a Sentinel test facility, which will be critical to validating new policies and instructions. The absence of a construction timeline could complicate efforts to prepare the force for concurrent operations of both missile systems, GAO said.

Prolonged Reliance on Minuteman III

Delays in Sentinel development mean the Air Force may need to operate Minuteman III through 2050, according to officials interviewed by GAO. Continued reliance on the Cold War-era system creates sustainment challenges, such as parts availability. GAO stressed that these risks must be specifically addressed in a transition risk management plan to ensure strategic deterrence requirements are met.

GAO made six recommendations to the Air Force:

  • Developing a comprehensive transition risk management plan with a risk register and risk report.
  • Establishing a sequenced schedule for completion of the Sentinel test facility.
  • Assessing personnel needs, including potential Reserve Component support.
  • Creating a post-2030 Minuteman III operational test launch plan aligned with Sentinel fielding.
  • Explicitly addressing Minuteman III sustainment risks.
  • Analyzing personnel and materiel implications if intercontinental missiles are re-MIRVed or modified to once again carry multiple warheads.

The Department of Defense concurred with all six recommendations.

Background on the Sentinel Study

The Minuteman III, originally intended to serve for 10 years, has been in operation for over five decades and includes more than 600 facilities across five states. Congress directed GAO to review Air Force transition planning as part of the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.

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House Approves FY26 NDAA, SPEED Act to Modernize Military, Streamline Defense Acquisitions
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The Pentagon. The House of Representatives voted on the NDAA for fiscal year 2026

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., is celebrating the passage of the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery, or SPEED, Act and National Defense Authorization Act, also known as NDAA, for fiscal year 2026 at the House of Representatives.

“Today’s vote to advance the FY26 NDAA is a vote to modernize our military, support our troops and restore American deterrence,” the House Armed Services Committee chairperson said Wednesday.

“Along with the One Big, Beautiful Bill, the FY26 NDAA makes a generational investment in our national defense and implements President Trump’s Peace Through Strength agenda,” the legislator added.

SPEED and NDAA FY26 secured a bipartisan vote of 231-196.

Accelerated Defense Acquisitions

SPEED was proposed by Rogers and Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who serves as a ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. The legislation streamlines the defense acquisition process and ensures the rapid delivery of new capabilities to warfighters.

SPEED intends to shorten the Department of Defense’s process of developing requirements from the current average of 800 days to just about five months.

FY26 NDAA Provisions

The NDAA authorizes $848 billion to modernize the U.S. military, give service members a 3.8 percent pay raise and strengthen border security efforts.

It also codifies over 45 of the administration’s executive orders and legislative proposals and supports the implementation of the Peace Through Strength Agenda.

“The FY26 National Defense Authorization Act ensures our military forces remain the most lethal in the world and can deter any adversary,” commented Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La.

“Under President Trump, the U.S. is rebuilding strength, restoring deterrence, and proving America will not back down,” the House speaker added.

The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the FY26 NDAA in the coming days.

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