Sat.May 04, 2024 - Fri.May 10, 2024

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House bill calls on EPA to update IT systems that store air quality data

FedScoop

The Environmental Protection Agency would be required to update the legacy IT platform it uses to store air quality data systems under new legislation in the House. The “ Clean Air in the Cloud Act ,” introduced Tuesday by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., pushes the EPA to update the IT system for storing AirNow and the Air Quality System (AQS). The bill’s requirements come directly from recommendations in a September 2023 Government Accountability Office study that Connolly requested.

Quality 132
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A gentle introduction to applying AI in procurement

Open Contracting Partnership

Thanks to a small grant from Schmidt Futures , we had the opportunity to experiment with applying artificial intelligence technologies to green public procurement. With so many actors in our field talking about AI more generally, this blog post is meant as a gentle introduction to getting started on applying AI in practice. The goal is to increase the understanding of AI in public procurement – by discussing the key decisions we had to make about our approach.

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AML Whistleblower Program has Received Tips “Highly Relevant to Many of Treasury’s Top Priorities”

Whistleblower Network News

The recently established Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Whistleblower Program has “received over 270 unique tips” and “many of the tips received have been highly relevant to many of Treasury’s top priorities” according to Andrea Gacki , Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). On May 6, Andrea Gacki gave prepared remarks at the SIFMA AML Conference where she spoke about the new whistleblower program, which was reformed into a best-practice whistleblower program by the passage

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Amentum CEO John Heller Presented With 2024 Wash100 Award

GovCon Wire

Amentum CEO John Heller accepted his 2024 Wash100 Award during a recent meeting with Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the recognition. Each year, Wash100 highlights the most esteemed leaders in the government contracting industry.

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How to Create a Blueprint for Fleet Resilience

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,

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Federal cyber leaders proceed with caution on AI as a defensive tool

FedScoop

Three years ago, chief information security officers couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about zero trust. Today, artificial intelligence is the defensive measure du jour for those same government IT leaders. With a healthy dose of skepticism formed through years of protecting digital infrastructure from advanced threats, many federal cybersecurity practitioners have significant concerns about AI, viewing it as a technology that needs corralling.

Data 132
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Lawmakers troubled by data dearth of USPS trucking contractors’ accidents, fatalities

Federal News Network

Nearly 80 people in the past three years have been killed in crashes involving trucks hired by the Postal Service. Lawmakers contend that is an incomplete picture of the data. The House passed the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act., which would require USPS to collect, track and publicly report all deaths from vehicles transporting mail. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) introduced the bill.

Data 119

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3 Ways 5G Can Benefit the DOD

GovCon Wire

The ever-increasing pace of technological advancement has put pressure on the Department of Defense to ramp up its exploration of 5G, a technology that plays a major role in today’s digitally-driven battlefield.

IT 119
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MITRE announces AI sandbox for federal agency use

FedScoop

By the end of the year, an artificial intelligence sandbox built by MITRE is expected to be operational for federal agency use, according to a Tuesday announcement from the nonprofit. MITRE, which operates federally funded R&D centers on behalf of agencies, announced during the AI Expo for National Competitiveness that it anticipates applying the sandbox to “national security, healthcare, transportation and climate” according to the press release.

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Make Mental Health Awareness a Priority

GovLoop

In May, we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. The observance began in — hold onto your hats — 1949! While that makes it 75 years old, many people and organizations might just be recognizing it for the first time. That’s an important step to take, because healthy employees are productive and happy, and mental health matters. The National Alliance on Mental Illness ( NAMI ) reports that one in five adults will experience a mental health challenge each year, but only half of that group will r

Import 116
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SPECIAL ALERT: Stephen Kohn on the New DOJ Whistleblower Program

Whistleblower Network News

[link] In this special episode of of the Whistleblower of the Week podcast , host Jane Turner speaks with leading whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn , founding partner of Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto and Chairman of the Board of National Whistleblower Center , about the Department of Justice’s ongoing development of a new whistleblower award program.

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For contractors, the next few months are all about numbers.

Federal News Network

It is that most magical time of the year. Appropriations arriving six months late for the current fiscal year and Congress futzing over next year’s budget, which will also arrive late. For an expert’s take on what contractors need to do, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Interview Transcript: Tom Temin And this is becoming routine.

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff recommends AI framework, identifies potential use cases

FedScoop

Nuclear Regulatory Commission staffers identified 36 potential artificial intelligence use cases — including some involving generative AI — as part of a series of recommendations to the commissioners and an agency-wide enterprise strategy detailed in a report released Thursday. In the report, NRC staff recommended an AI framework for the agency to follow, which outlines approaches for AI governance, hiring new talent, upskilling existing workers, maturing the commission’s data management program

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Johns Hopkins APL Books $515M DARPA R&D, Engineering Services Contract Modification

GovCon Wire

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has received a $515 million contract modification to continue providing the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with research, development and engineering services.

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Procurement 6 – May 10th, 2024

Art of Procurement

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday. The post Procurement 6 – May 10th, 2024 appeared first on Art of Procurement.

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Agencies Continue to Build Toward Their 5G Future

FedTech Magazine

Agencies continue to work toward the goal of connecting all employees through the same network, no matter their location, to boost efficiency and security. The Census Bureau envisions more than 600,000 enumerators for the 2030 census connecting to a private 5G network — whether from a regional office or at someone’s doorstep — in lieu of the cloud. However, the timing for that shift is likely six years away.

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NSF is piloting an AI chatbot to connect people with grants

FedScoop

The National Science Foundation is piloting a public-facing AI chatbot for grant opportunities, while simultaneously using that process to shape future implementations of the technology, the agency’s top AI official said. The chatbot is aimed at making the process of looking for NSF grants easier, Dorothy Aronson, the agency’s chief AI officer told FedScoop.

Inventory 130
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Apparent Conflict: Appearance of Impropriety Enough to Exclude a Contractor from Federal Contract

SmallGovCon

When a government employee moves from a federal agency to a private contractor, this sort of revolving door can lead to concerns that contractor hiring the ex-agency employee is getting special treatment. To avoid this concern, the ex-agency will sometimes bar the contractor from competing. In a recent case, the Navy did just that and a court had to review if the Navy made a reasonable decision.

Contract 111
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AML Whistleblowers Can Play a Key Role in Exposing the Illicit Side of Sports

Whistleblower Network News

Without the hurdle of centralized legislation governing the industry, the sports domain has attracted sophisticated money laundering schemes to achieve lucrative business transactions. The need to effectively police economic misconduct has become imperative for sports enterprises and online sports gambling platforms as there remains no regulatory federal oversight within this industry.

Balance 110
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Prioritizing Animal Welfare, Research & Community Services

USFCR

Explore grants prioritizing animal welfare, research, and community services. Support initiatives empowering animals, research, and community well-being. Learn more!

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USDS impact report showcases ‘a year of launching things’

FedScoop

With requests for help on projects from more than 100 agencies in fiscal year 2023, the United States Digital Service is one of the most sought-after units in the federal government. Dealing with that level of demand often means tough choices for leadership with the White House-based IT consultancy service. “Frankly, there aren’t enough places for agencies to go across government when they have technical questions or need technical help, so we get a huge array of requests,” USDS Administrator Mi

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Hector Collazo Takes on New CTO Role at IPTA

ExecutiveBiz

Hector Collazo, former Sev1Tech and Agile Defense executive, has assumed the newly created chief technology officer post at IPTA, a federal information technology and professional services firm.

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DOJ Intervenes in Qui Tam Case Against International Student Recruiting Firm

Whistleblower Network News

On May 7, the Department of Justice announced it filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA), against Study Across the Pond LLC (SATP) and its principal, John Borhaug. SATP is an organization that recruits American students to attend foreign schools in the U.K. and other countries. The government claims that SATP and Borhaug intentionally caused UK schools to make false claims to the Department of Education for federal student aid.

Education 106
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Lockheed Books $861M Army Contract Modification for HIMARS Launcher Production

GovCon Wire

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has secured an $861.3 million contract modification to produce and deliver additional high mobility artillery rocket system launchers and provide support services for the U.S. Army.

Contract 105
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CBP document of alleged trade violations reveals claims about forced labor, national security issues

FedScoop

Trade violation allegations about electronic products filed with Customs and Border Protection include references to “child surveillance video” associated with a national security issue and two claims regarding Apple and forced labor, according to a document obtained by FedScoop through a public records request. The document from CBP’s online portal also references smuggling and the use of electronics alleged to have broken rules on intellectual property rights, among other instances of trade vi

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VTG Secures $130M NAVSEA Contract for Warfare Systems Engineering Services

ExecutiveBiz

VTG has booked a five-year, $130 million contract from the Naval Sea Systems Command’s Integrated Warfare Systems Engineering Group to deliver a range of warfare systems engineering services. The prime contract covers end-to-end engineering services, spectrum management and test and evaluation support for Navy warfare, control and C5I systems, VTG said Tuesday.

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DoD stands up ‘SWAT team’ to help speed software acquisition

Federal News Network

It’s been four years since the Defense Department created six new acquisition pathways — including one specifically intended to speed up software acquisition. But as often happens with policy reforms, implementation is off to a slow start, so officials are building a cadre of software experts at the Pentagon to help speed up adoption. DoD created the software acquisition pathway as part of a broader overhaul to make its acquisition system more “adaptive” to the particular products or services th

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Richard Montoni Built a Career on Foundational Values, Teamwork and Integrity

WashngtonExec

Richard Montoni’s life, both at home and in the office, is built on hard work, education and family. These values shaped his upbringing and early decisions, leading to his C-suite success. Montoni is a director on Maximus’ board of directors and was the company’s CEO from 2006-2018, and chief financial officer and treasurer from 2002-2006. [.

Integrity 105
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USAID requested delay on wiping device of agency employee killed in Israel by off-duty cop

FedScoop

Several days after a longtime USAID employee was killed in Jaffa by an off-duty Israeli police officer, a staff member in the region reported his government device “confiscated” to the development agency’s information technology office, stating that the iPhone was with local law enforcement. But an official within the agency’s Israel/West Bank Mission also requested that the team delay wiping the device amid an ongoing police investigation, according to an exchange viewed by FedScoop.

Media 122
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Rebellion Defense Books Navy Contract to Provide Target Recognition Software

ExecutiveBiz

Rebellion Defense has received a contract from the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems X unit to equip sailors with its proprietary software designed to better recognize and track targets during missions.

Contract 105
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Even Rules have their Limits, Says SBA OHA about the Nonmanufacturer Rule

SmallGovCon

In a recent size appeal, the SBA OHA made it clear that the nonmanufacturer rule has it limits, and will not apply depending on the dollar value of the acquisition. OHA reminded contractors that the nonmanufacturer rule applies only to acquisitions over the simplified acquisition threshold. As avid readers of our blog know, some things that can be quite confusing in small business federal contracting are the limitations on subcontracting, and its counterpart, the nonmanufacturer rule.

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How to Determine Whether HCI or Cloud Is the Best Solution

FedTech Magazine

Hyperconverged infrastructure remains the gold standard for federal agencies looking for simpler ways to manage their data centers. About 80 percent of enterprises in general say they’ve expanded HCI deployments at the edge to help connect disparate tools and technologies. But is this approach a viable cloud alternative? Hyperconverged infrastructure is a software-defined approach that unifies key components, including storage, computing, networking and management.

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Department of Education begins market research for cloud capabilities

FedScoop

The Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office is looking to advance cloud capabilities through its Next Generation Data Center, a follow-on contract for the office’s Next Generation Cloud. The agency said Friday in a request for information that it is conducting market research to identify a service provider to modernize and “continuously improve” the existing cloud environment provided by Amazon Web Services.

Education 122
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EnerSys to Acquire Bren-Tronics for $208M

ExecutiveBiz

Stored energy technologies provider EnerSys has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire for $208 million Bren-Tronics, a manufacturer of portable power products for defense customers. EnerSys said Thursday it expects to close the all-cash transaction by the second quarter of 2024. Following the acquisition, Bren-Tronics will be integrated into EnerSys’ Specialty business.

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Whistleblower Receives $499K for Alleging Cybersecurity Failings in COVID Contact Tracing

Whistleblower Network News

On May 1, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Insight Global LLC, a company hired by the Pennsylvania Department of Health to provide staffing for COVID-19 contact tracing, agreed to pay $2.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by failing to institute adequate cybersecurity measures. The case stems from a qui tam lawsuit filed against Insight Global by Terralyn Williams Seilkop, a former staff member who worked on contact tracing initiative.

Demand 103
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Navy Selects 7 Vendors for $2.7B Follow-On Wireless Mobility Services Contract

GovCon Wire

The U.S. Navy has awarded seven companies spots on a potential 10-year, $2.67 billion recompete contract to provide wireless mobility devices and related services for military personnel and federal civilian employees stationed within the country and U.S. territories.

Contract 102
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Cost Accounting for The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)

Redstone Government Consulting

If you want to provide cloud-based services to Federal Agencies, you will need to get your service approved through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) managed by the FedRAMP Program Management Office.