Air Force | The Contracting Education Academy

February 12, 2019 By cs

Air Force rethinking how acquisition and software fit together

The Air Force’s top acquisition official wants to train some program managers to better understand the world of software, and he’ll soon work with the service’s Education and Training Command to make it happen.

At the same time, Will Roper, the Air Force’s assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, wants software experts in the service to act as coding ambassadors to oversee some aspects of a program as systems are procured and developed.

Not all procurement managers are versed in coding and tech. But unless the Air Force is buying something as simple as a shoe, it’s likely software is going to be involved. Even helmets used by fighter pilots on F-35s use software to integrate sensors that make enemies easier to spot.

Roper said he wants to bridge the gap between program managers and “nerdy” tech by certifying some procurement experts in the ins-and-outs of software development.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/air-force/2019/02/air-force-rethinking-how-acquisition-and-software-fit-together/

January 21, 2019 By cs

Air Force Academy’s CyberWorx wants partners to help with outreach, tech transfer

The Air Force Academy’s cyber research and innovation arm is looking for a private-sector partner to help invigorate its outreach and technology transfer efforts.

The academy’s CyberWorx released a request for information Thursday seeking a partner that can boost the center’s efforts to engage industry—particularly small businesses—and academia in development of innovative cyber tools and improve the technology transfer process between the academy and private sector, in both directions.

CyberWorx was stood up in late 2016 to act as “a public-private design center focused on cyber capability that melds AF, academic and industry expertise with state of the art technology and innovative thinking to solve wicked operational problems,” according to the academy.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2019/01/air-force-academys-cyberworx-wants-partners-help-outreach-tech-transfer/154257/

January 11, 2019 By cs

Air Force turns to nontraditional contracting for space technology projects

The Air Force just over a year ago formed a Space Enterprise Consortium to expedite the development and prototyping of satellites, ground systems, space sensors and other technologies that U.S. adversaries are advancing at a rapid pace.

Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson hailed the SpPEC as a successful business model that cuts red tape considerably compared to traditional defense contracting. The consortium so far has started 34 projects worth about $110 million and has been authorized to fund nearly $400 million in additional projects over the next four years.

“The initial ceiling for SpEC was $100 million but was increased to $500 million in order to address the emphasis and demand for other transactions agreements to support prototyping efforts,” Air Force Capt. Benjamin Leaf, the SpEC program manager, told SpaceNews in a recent interview.

Keep reading this article at: https://spacenews.com/air-force-turns-to-nontraditional-contracting-for-space-technology-projects/

December 28, 2018 By cs

$110,000 settlement reached with tech company and CEO to resolve allegations of false claims on Defense contract

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, has announced that Progressive Technology Federal Systems, Inc. and its Chief Executive Officer have paid a combined $110,000 to settle allegations that the corporation and its CEO made false statements concerning a consultant’s security clearance and failed to disclose an organizational conflict of interest when bidding on a defense procurement contract.

One way federal government agencies can buy information technology services is by working with the National Institutes of Health’s Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC). NITAAC is a government-wide program that enables agencies to contract for information technology. Other federal agencies, including the military, regularly work with NITAAC.

The United States’ allegations relate to a project in which NITAAC was used by the Army and the Air Force for a contract that was awarded to Progressive Technology Federal Systems, Inc. (PTFS). The United States contends that in 2014, PTFS’s President and CEO, John Yokley, participated in preparing project specifications for a contract to be issued by NITAAC. The project then was offered by NITAAC for contract bids. PTFS then submitted its own proposal to take on the contract. In doing so, however, PTFS stated that it had no conflict of interest relating to the contract. This statement was false because PTFS had a conflict in that Mr. Yokley had provided input on project specifications that were included in the contract, thereby gaining a competitive advantage for PTFS. In addition, the project required security clearances, and PTFS falsely stated in its proposal that an individual who would participate in the project as a key “Subject Matter Expert” had an active Top Secret clearance. PTFS was awarded the contract. Funding for the contract was later terminated before PTFS could invoice more than $30,000. The United States claimed that this conduct violated the False Claims Act.

The claims settled by this agreement are allegations. In entering into this civil settlement, PTFS and Mr. Yokley did not admit liability. Under the agreement, PTFS paid $65,000, and Mr. Yokley paid $45,000, to resolve the allegations.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/us-attorney-announces-110000-settlement-tech-company-and-its-ceo-resolve-allegations

November 12, 2018 By cs

Northrop Grumman pays $27.5 million under False Claims Act

Nothrop Grumman Corp. on has agreed to forfeit $27.5 million under the False Claims Act while acknowledging that some employees inflated their work hours on bills for two battlefield communications contracts with the Air Force.

“Contractors that knowingly inflate their bills to the government will face serious consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Joseph Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, in an announcement. “This settlement demonstrates, once again, that we will not tolerate those who falsely charge the armed forces or any agency of the United States to illegally profit at the expense of the American taxpayer.”

The Falls Church, Va.-based Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. agreed to settle over charges on the Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node contract and the Dynamic Re-tasking Capability contract awarded during July 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2013. That action resolves allegations that the firm “billed the Air Force for labor hours purportedly incurred by individuals stationed in the Middle East who had not actually worked the hours claimed,” Justice said.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.govexec.com/contracting/2018/11/northrop-grumman-pays-2745-million-under-false-claims-act/152572

See Dept. of Justice announcement here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/northrop-grumman-subsidiary-agrees-pay-3165-million-overbilling-us-air-force-civil-and

The Air Force’s top acquisition official wants to train some program managers to better understand the world of software, and he’ll soon work with the service’s Education and Training Command to make it happen.

The Air Force just over a year ago formed a Space Enterprise Consortium to expedite the development and prototyping of satellites, ground systems, space sensors and other technologies that U.S. adversaries are advancing at a rapid pace.

Nothrop Grumman Corp. on has agreed to forfeit $27.5 million under the False Claims Act while acknowledging that some employees inflated their work hours on bills for two battlefield communications contracts with the Air Force.

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