March 25, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, C4ISR, Security
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, is being awarded a $932,836,737 modification (P00026) to previously-awarded contract HQ0147-17-C-0032 to exercise an option for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support the U.S. government (USG) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case requirements. The THAAD interceptors and associated one-shot devices will be procured under fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The value of this contract is increased from $5,366,947,800 to $6,299,784,537. The work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; Huntsville, Alabama; Camden, Arkansas; and Troy, Alabama, with an expected completion date of April 1, 2026. Fiscal 2020 USG procurement funds in the amount of $327,498,097; and KSA FMS funds in the amount of $605,338,640 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
NAVY
CACI Inc. - Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded $180,336,750 for a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, performance based, cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort contract (N65236-20-D-8003) to provide special operations communications systems, satellite communications (SATCOM) and network support services. Work will be performed in Fayetteville, North Carolina (65%); continental U.S. (20%); outside continental U.S. (10%); and Tampa, Florida (5%). This contract will require command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to exercise planning and evaluation, systems integration, operational systems, fielding, training, certification, maintenance, logistics, configuration management, systems engineering, network engineering, documentation and graphics support, program management, quality assurance and life-cycle sustainment management and support of deployable tactical SATCOM systems and military information, support operations and equipment for various joint warfighting customers at multiple locations within the global area of responsibility. Work is expected to be complete by March 2025. If the option is exercised, work may continue until September 2025. The contract includes a five-year ordering period and one six-month option with the cumulative value (ceiling) of this contract being $199,486,199. Fiscal 2019 procurement defense agency funding in the amount of $10,000 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured by full and open competition via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website and two offers were received. The Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, Charleston, South Carolina, is the contracting activity.
VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $39,906,609 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2230 to exercise an option for the detail design and construction of an Auxiliary Personnel Lighter – Small (APL(S)). Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (58%); Boca Raton, Florida (25%); Mandeville, Louisiana (5%); Metairie, Louisiana (5%); Gautier, Mississippi (4%); and Billerica, Massachusetts (3%), and is expected to be complete by May 2021. The initial contract was for the detail design and construction of the lead and second craft in the APL(S) 67 class; this option exercise is for the fourth craft. Construction of all APL(S) craft is firm-fixed-price. The contract also includes options for associated support efforts related to the craft design and construction for deployment spare parts, crew familiarization, international delivery and production-level technical data package and rights. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $39,906,609 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
Honeywell International Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded a $10,340,614 cost-plus-fixed-fee job order under basic ordering agreement N00164-18-G-GM66 for engineering sustainment support services of the strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics facility and production capability. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota, and is expected to be complete by March 2022. The sustainment services under the job order cover engineering efforts to sustain Honeywell International's strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics capability through researching extensions of existing products and technology, radiation testing and analysis, and sustaining existing application specific integrated circuit product support and multi-project wafer test/modeling capability. The services are required to maintain a domestic, trusted source for strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics to meet the Department of Defense certification to Congress, as stipulated by the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act Section 1670. Defense Production Act Title III funding in the amount of $10,340,614 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3), and was awarded to a particular source in order to maintain a facility, producer, manufacturer or other supplier available for furnishing property or services to achieve industrial mobilization. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-20-F-G001).
Pratt and Whitney - United Technologies Corp., Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $7,681,734 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00019-20-F-0658) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-17-G-8008). This order provides for the production and delivery of seven Lift Fan Inter Stage Vane (LF ISV) kits for the Marine Corps in support of the Joint Strike Fighter program. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana. The new LF ISV will provide lift fan operations over an increased temperature range, improved trailing edge angle conformance and will address vibration and flutter concerns. Work is expected to be complete by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,681,734 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Ceradyne Inc., Irvine, California, has been awarded a maximum $111,100,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for enhanced small arms protective inserts. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is an 18-month base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is California, with a Dec. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-20-D-1242).
SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $75,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a Sept. 24, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-20-D-0008).
TW Metals Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $62,000,000 firm-fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for commercial metal products. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is an 18-month bridge contract. Locations of performance are Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Illinois and West Virginia, with a Sept. 24, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E5-20-D-0001).
AIR FORCE
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $85,000,005 firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract for engineering, procurement and fabrication which will result in Phase One modification to the mission aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. This contract involves 100% foreign military sales and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $41,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-20-F-4837).
JW Clark Enterprises Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, has been awarded a $16,000,000 modification (P00006) to previously awarded contract FA4800-16-D-0001 to exercise Option Year Four. This modification provides simplified acquisition of Base Civil Engineer Requirements support for Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The contract provides all labor, tools, equipment, transportation, materials, supervision and all other necessary supplies and services required to perform a broad range of maintenance, repair, minor and new construction work on real property on Joint Base Langley-Eustis. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds will be used to fund individual task orders awarded. Zero funds will be obligated at time of exercising this option year modification. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $75,000,000. Work will be performed on Fort Eustis and Langley Air Force Base, and is expected to be complete by March 24, 2021. The 633 Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
The Boeing Co., Layton, Utah, has been awarded an $8,330,128 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00011) to previously award contract FA8204-19-C-0001 for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Cryptography Upgrade Increment II production. This modification exercises production Lot 3, Options 2, 4, 8 and 9, and provides the government 176 A-4 drawers. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama; Huntington Beach, California; and Layton, Utah, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 17, 2023. The total cumulative face value is $112,543,853. Fiscal 2019 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $1,639,817; and fiscal 2020 missiles procurement funds in the amount of $6,690,311 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) Contracting Division, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 23, 2020)
ARMY
Vali Cooper International LLC,* Covington, Louisiana, was awarded a $30,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineer technical support services for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Bids were solicited via the internet with received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 23, 2030. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (W9128F-20-D-0027).
CORRECTION: A $19,940,157 firm-fixed-price contract announced yesterday, March 23, 2020, to SGS LLC,* Yukon, Oklahoma (W912BV-20-C-0005), for design-build construction of a fire rescue center, was actually awarded today, March 24, 2020.
*Small business
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2123763/source/GovDelivery/
January 5, 2023 | International, Aerospace
Experts say it may only a matter of time before either Russia or Ukraine, or both, deploy drones programmed to find and attack targets without humans.
May 6, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
NAVY Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, McKinney, Texas, is awarded $325,000,000 for a firm-fixed-price contract for the repair of the Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared System used in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (59%); and Jacksonville, Florida (41%). Work is expected to be complete by May 2025. This is a five-year base period with no option periods. Annual working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $54,507,477 will be obligated at time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One company was solicited for this sole-sourced requirement under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), and one offer was received. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00383-20-D-WC01). Flightline Electronics Inc., Victor, New York, is awarded an $18,588,079 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the manufacture and delivery of 543 TTU-597/E engineering change proposal kits to address parts obsolescence and availability issues on the fuel control test set for Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. Additionally, this contract provides logistics support documents to include technical manual updates, provisioning data and the interim support items list. Work will be performed in Victor, New York (60%); and Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (40%), and is expected to be complete by May 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-20-D-0008). Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $10,178,059 modification (P00029) to a previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0015). This modification provides for additional repairs in support of the V-22 Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization program. Additionally, this modification provides non-recurring engineering for a drive tube engineering change proposal in support of V-22 (Osprey multirole combat aircraft) production. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (15%); Amarillo, Texas (13%); Red Oak, Texas (3%); East Aurora, New York (3%); Park City, Utah (2%); McKinney, Texas (1%); Endicott, New York (1%); various locations within the continental U.S. (28%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (4%). Work is expected to be complete by September 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,804,019; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,119,758; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $240,500; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,108 will be obligated at time of award, $5,044,519 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE StandardAero Inc., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a $237,395,588 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract action for the J85 engine repair. The contractor will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul repairs of the J85 engine. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by May 2028. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which one bid was received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,135,844 is being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8124-20-D-0005). L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, Texas, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $76,000,028 cost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized contract modification (P00008) to contract FA8620-19-F-4872 for procurement of Group B materials, ground systems integration lab and subcontracts. Work will be performed in Greenville, Texas, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2024. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $37,240,021 are being obligated at the time of award. The 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. DMS Contracting Inc., Mascoutah, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0001); C. Rallo Contracting Co. Inc., St. Louis, Missouri (FA4407-20-D-0002); Davinroy Mechanical Contractor Inc., Belleville, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0003); Hank's Excavating & Landscaping Inc., Belleville, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0004); J&B Builders Inc., St. Charles, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0005); Mantle-Plocher JV, Worden, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0006); Surmeier & Surmeier, Mascoutah, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0007); and Pugsley Byrne JV LLC, Brighton, Illinois (FA4407-20-D-0008), have been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum estimated aggregate value of $45,000,000 under a multiple award task order contract. The awards are in support of the multiple award paving contract program to support the Scott Air Force Base construction program, including paving and civil categories. Work will be performed on Scott AFB, Illinois, and is expected to be completed May 4, 2021. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition and nine offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $500 are being obligated to each contractor at the time of award. The 375th Contracting Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY SupplyCore Inc.,* Rockford, Illinois, has been awarded a maximum $60,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for facilities maintenance, repair and operations items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is an 18-month bridge contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois and Alaska, with a Nov. 5, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8E3-20-D-0011). Raytheon Co., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $36,688,190 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRRA2-20-F-0077) against a seven-year basic ordering agreement (SPRRA2-19-R-0046) for radio frequency exciters. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year, 11-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a March 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Leading Technology Composites Inc., doing business as LTC Inc., Wichita, Kansas, has been awarded a maximum $26,752,704 modification (P00010) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-18-D-1073) with three one-year option periods for enhanced side ballistic inserts. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Kansas, with a May 4, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. American Water Enterprises LLC, Camden, New Jersey, has been awarded a $21,810,972 modification (P00251) to a 50‐year contract (SP0600‐03‐C‐8268), with no option periods for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the water and wastewater utility systems at Fort Rucker, Alabama. This is a fixed-price with prospective-price-redetermination contract. Locations of performance are New Jersey and Alabama with an April 15, 2054, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2054 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Raytheon Co., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a maximum $8,362,088 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRRA2-20-F-0079) against a seven-year basic ordering agreement (SPRRA2-19-R-0046) for radio frequency exciters. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two-year, nine-month contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Massachusetts, with a Jan. 31, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. ARMY ASM Research LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $40,284,199 firm-fixed-price contract to provide comprehensive credentialing and privileging program support for the Army National Guard or Air National Guard. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 4, 2025. The National Guard Bureau Operational Contracting Division, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W9133L-20-D-1000). Miller Electric Co. Inc., Reno, Nevada, was awarded a $12,000,000 modification (P00004) to contract W911SA-17-D-2006 for sustainment, modernization and improvement projects for the 88th Army Reserve Centers throughout the states of Kansas and Nebraska. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2021. The 419th Contract Support Brigade, Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, is the contracting activity. CAE USA Inc., Tampa, Florida, was awarded an $11,157,134 firm-fixed-price contract for advanced helicopter flight training support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will be performed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of May 15, 2027. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $11,157,134 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W9124G-20-C-0008). Manhattan Construction Co., Tulsa, Oklahoma, was awarded an $8,300,000 modification (PZ0001) to contract W912BV-20-C-0008 for alternate care facilities in Oklahoma. Work will be performed in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with an estimated completion date of May 10, 2020. Fiscal 2020 civil construction funds in the amount of $8,300,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY Perspecta Labs Inc., Basking Ridge, New Jersey, was awarded a $29,917,092 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a research project under the Fast Network Interface Cards (FastNICs) program. The FastNICs program will speed up applications such as the distributed training of machine learning classifiers by 100x through the development, implementation, integration and validation of novel, clean-slate network subsystems. Work will be performed in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with an expected completion date of May 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funding in the amount of $1,110,000; and fiscal 2020 RDT&E funding in the amount of $2,925,000 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition under an open broad agency announcement and eight offers were received. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0090). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2177362/source/GovDelivery/
February 5, 2019 | International, C4ISR
By: Jessie Bur A recent Department of Defense memorandum indicates that the agency wants to pursue multiple commercial cloud vendors as it attempts to modernize its IT and data infrastructure, though a single provider will still have singular influence over the agency's “general purpose cloud.” “DoD is driving toward an enterprise cloud environment that is composed of a general purpose cloud and multiple fit-for-purpose clouds,” the memorandum to Congress, released Feb. 4, said. “In addition, it should be recognized that the Department will still need non-cloud data center capability for applications that are not suited for the cloud. Over time, with the adoption of an enduring enterprise cloud strategy, the non-cloud environment should become smaller.” That general purpose slot will be filled by the awardee of the $10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract, which has been criticized for its single-award intent as giving the winner an outsized control of the defense cloud market. Many companies vying to support the Pentagon's cloud requirements claimed that the odds were stacked in Amazon's favor. The approach spurred protests and a lawsuit in fact. According to the memorandum, the fit-for-purpose environment will be made up of the Defense Information Systems Agency's milCloud suite, as well as other unnamed vendors. Throughout the cloud migration process, DoD will stick to four guiding principles: War-fighter First — any cloud solution must at all times address the needs of improving lethality while not jeopardizing the safety and mission of American war fighters. Cloud-Smart, Data-Smart — cloud solutions must streamline transformation and embrace modern capabilities while enhancing data transparency and visibility. Leverage Commercial Industry Best Practices — the cloud strategy should promote competition and innovation while preventing lock-in of one particular solution or technology. Create a Culture Better Suited for Modern Technology Evolution — the strategy will need to create a culture of learning and innovation while discouraging custom, federated approaches. This approach to commercial cloud is not entirely unexpected, as DoD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasey said during an October 2018 press event for the Defense Enterprise Office Solution cloud contractthat the agency would be delineating between general purpose and fit for purpose contracts. "This marks a milestone in our efforts to adopt the cloud and also in our larger efforts to modernize information technology across the DOD enterprise," Deasy said in a statement on the memo to Congress. “A modern digital infrastructure is critical to support the war fighter, defend against cyberattacks and enable the department to leverage emerging technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence.” The new strategy also means that DoD will move away from a cybersecurity posture that focuses on perimeter defense and instead prioritize the protection of data and systems. “DoD will produce a unified cybersecurity architecture that addresses cloud and the needs of classified and unclassified missions and data. The capabilities will be tested and assessed independently and frequently to ensure that cybersecurity attributes remain effective against developing threats,” the memo said, adding that the CIO will determine the command and control requirements between the agency and the cloud service providers. Cloud contracts will also likely include requirements for training and workforce development to ensure that DoD can develop the expertise necessary to use and protect their new cloud environments. And any potential migrations to cloud will have to come with thorough evaluations of legacy DoD applications. “It is imperative that DoD has a cloud strategy to ensure that legacy applications are not moved to cloud without properly re-architecting them to make use of the data, security, resiliency and application advantages that cloud provides,” the memo said. “Additionally, DoD should independently test and assess cloud network security to verify security compliance and incident response and review all contractor and third-party testing results to ensure that performance and security monitoring are sufficient.” https://www.federaltimes.com/it-networks/cloud/2019/02/04/dod-to-officially-pursue-a-multi-vendor-cloud-strategy