Former DefSec Mattis Joins The Cohen Group
Retired general and defense secretary, James Mattis, is joining business advisory firm The Cohen Group as a senior counselor, according to Sept 9. announcement from the organization. Mattis served as the 26th defense secretary from January 2017 to December 2018. During his 43-year career as an infantry Marine, he commanded troops at all levels
Metis Solutions Buys Pluribus International Corp.
Metis Solutions, LLC, a private equity-backed government services provider, has finalized the acquisition of Pluribus International Corp., a specialized intelligence services provider. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. For the last 15 years, Pluribus has been providing counterintelligence, allsource analysis, critical infrastructure protection, and other mission-focused services to clients across the intelligence
Charlie Phalen to Serve as Acting Director of Security Clearance Agency
The Defense Department this week marked a milestone assuming the responsibility for the federal government’s background investigations and naming a new acting leader. A June 24 memo from Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Joseph Kernan said this action brings together the missions and workforce of the National Background Investigations Bureau and the Defense Security Service
Peraton’s Reggie Brothers Discusses Changes in FY20 NDAA Proposal
New changes are on the way for how the Defense Department operates with small businesses, allowing for more competition and better access to commercial technology for the Pentagon, according to one industry expert. In a “Government Matters” episode posted May 28, Peraton Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Reggie Brothers discussed the changes proposed by Rep.
Robert Cardillo Joins Space Dynamics Lab’s Guidance Council
Former National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo has been appointed to Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory Guidance Council. The announcement was made during the U.S. Geospatial-Intelligence Foundations’ GEOINT Symposium held June 2-5 in San Antonio, Texas. The Space Dynamic Lab’s guidance council helps direct the organization strategically and tactically, supports customer relationships and provides industry
Atlas Research’s Robin Portman’s Zigzagged, Indirect and Unconventional Journey to CEO
Robin Portman is the president and CEO of Atlas Research, but one look at her resume and it’s clear: the path she took to a top leadership position hasn’t been the most traditional one. “My mantra has been, if it looks like a great opportunity that’s going to bring me joy and be fun, let’s
Integrity Applications Launches New Brand Centauri
Integrity Applications Inc. has combined with Xebec Global and Dependable Global Solutions to form new company Centauri, which will focus on cutting-edge space, cyber, defense and intelligence solutions. This three-company integration will position Centauri as a prime contractor in the national security arena with new capabilities to deliver solutions to intelligence community and Defense Department customers.
Save the Date: Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce’s B2G Matchmaking, May 7
The Northern Virginia B2G Matchmaking Conference on May 7 provides over 350 small business attendees the opportunity to meet in person with more than 40 prime contractors and local, state and federal agencies. In its seventh year, the annual event initiated by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce allows small business to set up one-on-one
GDIT Snags $44M Contract to Continue Supporting Brain Injury Center
General Dynamics Information Technology has won a 18-month contract with the Defense Health Agency’s Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center to continue providing research on traumatic brain injuries. The sole-source contract is worth $44 million and has a 6-month period with four 3-month options. GDIT will conduct research into brain injury diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation
Top 10 DOD Execs to Watch in 2019
Serving the Defense Department requires knowing the agency’s mission, providing secure innovative solutions and being a trusted, strategic partner for the nation’s top line of defense. For WashingtonExec’s inaugural Top 10 DOD Executives to Watch in 2019 list, we identified the best of the best, based not only on their accomplishments but on their impact on
Former NSA Official Teresa Shea Joins Raytheon
Raytheon has picked former National Security Agency official Teresa Shea as its vice president of cyber warfare and mission innovations to lead a newly created area of business for Defense Department and intelligence community customers. The position sits within the company’s Intelligence, Information and Services business, and Shea will report to Vice President of Cybersecurity
Pentagon Needs to Adopt Space-as-a-Service, Says Report
While the U.S. has a thriving commercial space industry and relies on space for national security and economic strength, Russia and China are upping their counterspace capabilities and space assets — and now U.S. policymakers must act, a new report concludes. Titled “Securing the Highest Ground,” the new report from the Center for the Study
Perspecta Lands $155M Contract to Continue Supporting Veterans Affairs’ EHR System
Perspecta, Inc was awarded a prime contract with the Veterans Affairs Department to continue supporting its electronic health records system known as VistA. The contract can reach a potential value of $155 million, has a 1-year base and four 1-year options if all options are exercised, according to the company. Officially named the Veterans Health Information
1901 Group Hires Bob Beck, Zack Orchant for DOD, DHS Business Development
The 1901 Group has appointed Bob Beck as its senior director of business development for the defense market, and Zack Orchant as its director of business development for the homeland security market. Beck and Orchant both have years of experience in government business development. They will help 1901 group grow its cloud, managed services and cybersecurity
Missile Defense Agency Launches Raytheon’s Ballistic Missile Destroyers in Back-to-Back Test
The Missile Defense Agency launched two of Raytheon’s Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicles, which are built to destroy long-range ballistic missiles in space, in back-to-back tests as part of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system. The agency worked with a Boeing-led team to pull off what is called a “two-shot salvo” engagement from the Vandenberg Air Force Base
Perspecta Snags $129M in New Defense Operational Support Work
Perspecta Inc. has won a deal worth a maximum of $129 million to provide operational support to the Defense Department. The work has a 1-year base with four 1-year options and a single 6-month extension if all options are exercised. Though this is new work, the company has been helping solve national security and
DOD’s AI Strategy Aims to Preserve America’s Strategic Edge
Key Takeaways for Executives The Pentagon has released new details on its AI strategy. A concerted effort is needed to develop and deploy AI-enabled capabilities to preserve America’s strategic military advantage and protect national security, the department says. The AI strategy involves a five-pronged approach, including scaling AI’s impact across DOD and cultivating a world-class
Contractors Face More Stringent Cybersecurity Requirements
Key Takeaways for Executives Defense contractors are facing ever more-stringent cybersecurity requirements. Many of these are found in NIST (SP) 800-171. To cope, contractors should focus on training, shoring up network infrastructure, and protecting CUI. Defense contractors are facing more stringent federal requirements when it comes to cybersecurity, according to contracting attorneys. These requirements stem
Military Cyber Defenses Have Advanced But More Effort Needed, DOD and Industry Officials Say
Key Takeaways for Executives The military services have made significant strides in upgrading their cybersecurity systems and defending against cyberattacks, officials say. In particular, DOD is working to better train cybersecurity professionals and share cyber best practices across the services. However, several ongoing cybersecurity efforts need more work, and there needs to be additional progress
2019 NDAA Helps Small Business Contractors in Several Key Ways
Key Takeaways for Executives The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act contains several provisions to help small business contractors, including extending the prompt payment requirement to small primes. The bill also calls on DOD to establish a small business strategy to identify contracting opportunities for small firms. In addition, it extends the SBIR and STTR programs
Long-Term Funding Agreement Critical for Contractors, Industry Groups Say
Key Takeaways for Executives The three-week agreement to reopen the government is an “important first step” toward longer-term funding stability. Contractors should promptly submit, and the government should promptly pay, outstanding invoices for work already performed. Contractor employees should receive back pay along with their federal counterparts. The Professional Services Council said the agreement to
Enlighten IT Consulting Teams Up on Air Force Contract for Cyber Analytics
MacAulay-Brown, Inc. subsidiary Enlighten IT Consulting has partnered with Business Enabled Acquisition & Technology on a U.S. Air Force contract aimed at bolstering cyber operations for the defense of critical networks. Enlighten will use its proprietary Rapid Analytic Deployment and Management Framework, or RADMF, to deploy a big data architecture in the commercial cloud in order to ingest critical cyber data
CALIBRE Named Prime on $500M DOD Deal
CALIBRE Systems, Inc. has won a prime contract from the Defense Department’s Joint Forces Development contracting vehicle supporting U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff J7. Under this deal, CALIBRE will deliver an array of training support services and solutions in four key domains: Joint Training Concepts, Joint Training Environment, Exercises and Events, and Joint Lessons Learned and
DOD Procurement Overhaul Report Recommendations Draw Both Praise, Critique from Industry Groups
Key Takeaways for Executives The Section 809 Panel’s third report on acquisition reform contains a variety of useful recommendations, industry groups say. Some of the most important include enacting regular appropriations bills, providing advance payments to small businesses and improving DOD-industry communication. One group questioned the panel’s approach to commercial item acquisition reform. The most
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