GovCon & Trade

DECEMBER 18, 2023

By: Richard Arnholt On November 8, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) denied an unsuccessful bidder’s protest that asserted the Veteran Administration’s (VA) evaluation of Texas Waste Company’s past performance was unreasonable and reflected the Contracting Officer’s (CO) bias. The GAO decision provides an in-depth look at the high evidentiary bar associated with proving governmental bias in bid protests and the need to have definitive evidence before making such a claim.

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Bidding Contract Evaluation Price 147

FedInsider

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Agencies have matured in their understanding of zero trust. No longer trying to define what it is, focus is now on the affordability within already challenged budgets. In the latest episode of Fed’s At the Edge, we sit down with Brian Dennis, Principal Technologist of the Public Sector for Akamai Technologies. An expert in the deployment of zero trust, Brian will give listeners an overview of the most economical ways agencies can move forward with this crucial cybersecurity strategy.

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Defense Intelligence Agency is set on operationalizing artificial intelligence as part of its recently unveiled strategy for responsibly implementing the technology, Breaking Defense reported Thursday.

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IT 116

ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

GE Aerospace landed a potential five-year, $68.1 million cost-sharing contract to participate in NASA's Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core turbofan engine project. The agency announced Friday that GE Aerospace will cover at least half of the cost of HyTEC's Phase 2 Integrated Core Technology Demonstration program for the duration of the contract, which takes effect Feb. 15, 2024.

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Speaker: Jeff Dickinson - President and CEO of Railgistixs Transport, Supply Chain and Logistics Thought Leader

Despite the ongoing transformation of the supply chain and logistics landscape, the steadfast importance of carrier safety remains a core principle. From prioritizing preventative maintenance to optimizing fleet utilization, the fundamentals persist. If you’re overlooking and neglecting essential safety precautions today, this could result in expensive repairs and potential safety hazards in the future. 🚧 Join Jeff Dickinson for a conversation on how to mitigate risk, enforce compliance,

Logistics

GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The State Department has approved a possible $1.95 billion sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to the government of Greece. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) subsidiary Sikorsky will complete the order as lead contractor, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Friday.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Joe Boeckx has been named chief growth officer of QinetiQ US , where he will lead business development efforts. In his new role, Boeckx will oversee QinetiQ US' growth strategy, which encompasses customer engagement, business development, proposal operations, strategic pricing and mergers and acquisitions, according to the McLean, Virginia-based organization.

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Price 105

USFCR

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The 8(a) Business Development Program, administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is a pivotal pathway for small, disadvantaged businesses to engage in federal contracting. The program has evolved to offer various certifications, each tailored to specific business needs. Here's an updated overview of these certifications and their roles in 2023.

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Contract 105

GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Ed Jopeck, former senior adviser at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, was named director of business consulting at CGI‘s (NYSE: GIB) federal business arm, according to his recent LinkedIn announcement. Jopeck joined CGI Federal in October 2021 as a director and consulting expert.

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GovSpend

DECEMBER 18, 2023

In June 2023, Nate Haskins was named CEO of GovSpend. With an extensive background in data management, Nate brings a unique skillset to the helm and is well-equipped to lead GovSpend into a new chapter of data delivery and AI technology. In the following Q&A, Nate gives us a peek into what’s top of mind for him as we head into 2024. What excites you about GovSpend and the advantage it gives to professionals in the public sector marketplace?

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

U.S. Space Command has achieved full operational capability after demonstrating several capabilities, such as accomplishing the Unified Command Plan mission and having the infrastructure in place to back command and control across mission and business function. Army Gen. James Dickinson, commander of USSPACECOM, declared the FOC during a town hall event on Friday.

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IT 111

ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Mack Defense has selected BAE Systems to provide an alternative propulsion system for use on prototypes for the U.S. Army’s Common Tactical Truck program. “The U.S. Army requested industry to provide solutions to maximize operational efficiency of the Common Tactical Truck in areas such as fuel demand reduction in order to help inform the final requirements for the program,” David Hartzell , president of Mack Defense, said in a statement published Tuesday.

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WashngtonExec

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Serving the government market requires deep knowledge of its mission, ability to provide secure innovative solutions and being a trusted, strategic partner for the nation’s agencies that provide citizen-facing services and programs. As technology and citizen expectations evolve, so do the needs of agencies as they continue to modernize internal IT infrastructure and adopt emerging [.

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SmallGovCon

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Congress has made it pretty tough to file a protest against a task order. For one thing, task order protests can generally only occur at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). For another, if a task order dollar value is too small, it can’t be protested at all. A recent case confirms that the exceptions to the restrictions on task order protests are quite narrow.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The State Department has approved the Japanese government's request to purchase advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles manufactured by RTX from the U.S. government under a potential $224 million foreign military sale agreement. RTX will serve as the principal contractor on the potential FMS deal that covers the procurement of 120 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM and three AMRAAM C8 guidance sections, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Friday.

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Manufacturing Purchasing Procurement Government 116

Whistleblower Network News

DECEMBER 18, 2023

On December 18, Kirkus Reviews announced its Top 100 Indie Books of 2023. Among the titles chosen is Rules for Whistleblowers: A Handbook for Doing What’s Right by whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn. Kirkus additionally awarded Rules for Whistleblowers The Kirkus Star, which recognizes exceptional merit in books. Previously, Kirkus praised Rules for Whistleblowers in a review, calling it “definitive and compulsively readable.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected Microsoft and PsiQuantum to design prototype technologies that could demonstrate how underexplored quantum computing approaches can achieve utility-scale operation. The companies will move forward to the next phase of DARPA's Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program to develop and defend a system design for a fault-tolerant quantum computer prototype, the agency said Thursday.

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Utilities 107

GovLoop

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an amazing tool for improving operations. But agencies are rightly concerned about how best to implement it. Getting value out of any new technology requires expertise from multiple domains, said Siddhartha Chaturvedi, Director of Product Management at Microsoft. You need experts in the technology itself and experts in the data, processes and goals of the agency, working together.

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

TRAX International has won a potential five-year, $692.9 million contract from the U.S. Army to provide testing support services for the military branch. Army Contracting Command conducted an online solicitation and received three bids for the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, the Department of Defense said Friday.

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Contract Bidding 69

FedTech Magazine

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Department of Defense needs to require the shutdown of applications that can’t be updated in any formal guidance it issues on reducing technical debt to mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Some of the thousands of apps DOD manages live on hardware or software that is no longer supported by its manufacturers, meaning the only way to bring them up to speed is to rewrite or replace them.

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Department of Energy has issued a draft request for proposals for a small business set-aside contract to provide technical support services to a project office overseeing cleanup efforts at the gaseous diffusion plant sites in Ohio and Kentucky.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has awarded 8(a) certified, woman-owned small business Changeis a contract to assist the AO Space and Facilities Division by supporting the Performance Metrics Program. The management consulting and technology services provider said Thursday the contract covers the sustainment and enhancement of existing visualizations and dashboards used for judiciary operations and the development of new dashboards and various tools.

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

General Atomics‘ aeronautical systems business has secured a potential $200 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from U.S. Special Operations Command to integrate and test modified medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Parsons has developed artificial intelligence-based software designed to provide combat advantage to warfighters deployed at the tactical edge by allowing them to simulate the cyber and electromagnetic activities operational environment. The company said Thursday its TEMPO software has been integrated into the U.S. Army’s live events. Register here to attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21 and hear federal leaders and industry experts discuss the

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GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

A Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) subsidiary has received a $168.2 million contract from the U.S. Navy to cover long-lead materials needed to manufacture Lot 9 CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters. Under the advance acquisition award, Sikorsky will provide parts and components needed to manufacture 21 CH-53K aircraft for the Marine Corps, the Department of Defense said Friday.

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Manufacturing Contract 64

ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected Microsoft and PsiQuantum to design prototype technologies that could demonstrate how underexplored quantum computing approaches can achieve utility-scale operation. The companies will move forward to the next phase of DARPA's Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program to develop and defend a system design for a fault-tolerant quantum computer prototype, the agency said Thursday.

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Utilities 59

GovCon Wire

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Department of Homeland Security plans to recompete a multiple-award, blanket purchase agreement for internal control assessment support services.

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Internal Control Purchasing Contract Finance 69

ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

HII ’s Ingalls shipbuilding division has laid the keel of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer named after George Neal , a Korean war veteran and a U.S. Navy Cross awardee. The namesake’s daughter, Kelley Neal Gray, sponsored the vessel's keel authentication ceremony in Pascagoula, Mississippi, HII said Friday.

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GovLoop

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Workforce challenges in the public sector are not just an “HR problem.” Every one of us interacts with our government in some way — and these experiences shape our perception of public sector organizations as potential employers. “We interact with our government all the time, as customers, constituents, residents, visitors — and that develops for us a certain … brand perception of what it’s like to be an employee,” said Sydney Heimbrock, Chief Industry Advisor for Government, with Qualtrics, a s

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Aerojet Rocketdyne has opened a modernized facility in support of the LGM-35A Sentinel Program. The L3Harris Technologies company said Thursday that with Aerojet’s capital investment and the facility’s opening, the Sentinel hardware fabrication facility is now available for the final assembly of the Sentinel Post Boost Propulsion System.

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Finance 59

Kluwer Arbitration

DECEMBER 18, 2023

On October 31, Paris Arbitration hosted a conference on the choice of Paris as the seat in international arbitration, and its far-reaching implications. The conference, taking place in the heart of Paris, featured a star-studded line-up of distinguished experts including a keynote address delivered by Claudia Salomon , President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, followed by a panel featuring Samaa Haridi (King & Spalding LLP, New York), Philippe Pinsolle (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Electrosoft Services has secured a spot on the Department of Health and Human Services' potential five-year, $400 million blanket purchase agreement for identity, credential and access management systems integration support. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 ICAM SiS award calls for the modernization, operation and maintenance of identity and access management systems at the department.

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Government Contracts

DECEMBER 18, 2023

A Court of Federal Claims judge ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unreasonably excluded a company from consideration for construction contracts after submitting copied bid bonds, saying the Corps relied on an "irrational" U.S. Government Accountability Office decision.

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Public Contracting Institute

DECEMBER 18, 2023

Introduction: A Strategic Advantage for Veterans Veteran-owned businesses offer a wealth of knowledge, resilience, and leadership to the American economy. To bolster this sector, it is crucial to understand the power of set-aside programs. These federal initiatives give veterans a strategic advantage in the competitive arena of government contracting.

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Government Contracts

DECEMBER 18, 2023

A Colorado federal judge has turned down requests by rancher groups to put a preliminary stop to wildlife officials reintroducing gray wolves into the state as part of a voter-mandated program.

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ExecutiveBiz

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected Microsoft and PsiQuantum to design prototype technologies that could demonstrate how underexplored quantum computing approaches can achieve utility-scale operation. The companies will move forward to the next phase of DARPA's Underexplored Systems for Utility-Scale Quantum Computing program to develop and defend a system design for a fault-tolerant quantum computer prototype, the agency said Thursday.

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Utilities 52

Government Contracts

DECEMBER 18, 2023

The federal judge who told the skiing destination of Vail, Colorado, that it can't enforce an ordinance requiring commercial deliveries be routed through a town contractor to avoid pedestrian traffic has upgraded her temporary restraining order to a preliminary injunction.

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IT 52