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November 13, 2020 By cs

Army awards 10 prototyping contracts under small business pilot program

The U.S. Army is using a special topics pilot program to shorten the life cycle of military technology development.

The U.S. Army selected 10 projects addressing military technology gaps for prototyping under a small business pilot program meant to speed the development life cycle, according to a press release.

The awards were made using an Army Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR, pilot program, according to the Nov. 5 announcement. The 10 projects from nine small businesses and partner research institutions were selected from a pool of 22 proposals.

Most of the projects address the Army’s network modernization priority and cover seven special topic areas including position navigation and timing, or PNT, without GPS, edge sensor processing, and interference and jamming of high frequency radios.

The prototyping is the second phase in a three-step pilot program for identifying and addressing warfighter technology gaps that requires small businesses to partner with research institutions like universities or nonprofits, according to the statement. The pilot is meant to get new technology solutions in the hands of warfighters faster, according to a broad agency announcement outlining the program.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2020/11/army-awards-10-prototyping-contracts-under-small-business-pilot-program/169898/

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: advanced technology, Army, DoD, pilot, prototype, prototyping, rapid prototyping, SBIR/STTR, small business, STTR, technology

August 19, 2020 By cs

Georgia Tech to lead technology coalition to advance inclusive innovation across the state

Announced by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan on Aug. 17, Georgia Tech will take a lead role in the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a public-private partnership created to foster technology access, growth, entrepreneurship, and evolution across the state of Georgia. The organization is the first of its kind — a statewide, public-private partnership built from the ground up entirely in a virtual environment.

The new organization follows the foundational work of the Georgia Innovates Task Force, established by Lt. Gov. Duncan in January 2020. The task force, under the chairmanship of G.P. “Bud” Peterson, president emeritus of Georgia Tech, and former U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, made recommendations last month to formalize efforts that will establish the state as a national leader in technology research, development, and implementation.  Peterson will continue as board chair.  Debra Lam, current managing director of Smart Cities and Inclusive Innovation at Georgia Tech, has been named executive director of the new organization.

“Through collaboration between industry and education, the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation has the potential to transform our entire state and the lives of its citizens,” said Ángel Cabrera, president, Georgia Tech. “ We are very grateful to Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan for creating the Georgia Innovates Task Force earlier this year, and for the thousands of volunteer hours that my predecessor, co-chair G.P. “Bud” Peterson, and other civic and community leaders and supporting organizations invested in creating this exciting vision.  We at Georgia Tech are honored to help Georgia maximize inclusive innovation throughout our state.”

Following the recommendations of the task force and building on the state’s existing infrastructure and leadership, the organization’s focus will center on “foundational, transformational, and sustaining” work throughout the state of Georgia that is guided by principles of connectedness, talent, diversity, sustainability, and identity.  Pilot programs will focus on providing access to digital resources and education; advancing agriculture, food system innovation, venture capital growth, and lab-to-market tech transfer; and ensuring resources, access, and opportunities are sustained via public-private partnerships.

Advancement efforts will include a series of high-impact, low-cost pilot programs, including K-12 Digital Readiness, Advanced Food Supply Innovation, and Regional Industry/Education Collaboratives. The first set of pilots, including Civic Data Science for Equitable Development in Savannah and a Traffic Monitoring and Communication System in Valdosta, were recently announced by the Georgia Smart Communities Challenge.

Georgia Tech research across a broad range of disciplines, including optical technology, will help define Georgia’s identity as a national leader in technology research, development and implementation. (Credit: Christa Ernst, Georgia Tech)

“Georgia Tech’s leadership role in the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation is an ongoing testament to its strategic mission of advancing technology to improve the human condition,” said Lam. “The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation’s establishment also reflects the level and depth of statewide commitment to improve access and opportunities for all Georgians.  It was an honor to work with the full Georgia Innovates Task Force, and I look forward to working with the esteemed board of advisors and the greater innovation ecosystem to deliver real impact.”

Additional pilots are planned, with the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation working closely with local governments, startups, nonprofits, and other collaborators, increasing access to educational, entrepreneurial, and technological opportunities for Georgians as well as attracting new talent to the state’s workforce. Program funding will be provided through a combination of state, industry, and philanthropic support.

Joining Peterson and Lam, the board for the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation will include members representing government, industry, and higher education organizations.

Source: http://news.gatech.edu/2020/08/17/georgia-tech-lead-technology-coalition-advance-inclusive-innovation-across-state

Filed Under: Georgia Tech News Tagged With: diversity, entrepreneurship, Georgia Innovates Task Force, Georgia Tech, innovation, optical technology, Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, pilot, research, Smart Cities, sustainability, technology

August 11, 2020 By cs

DHS seeks permanent flexible acquisition authorities

Temporary acquisition authorities that aid the Department of Homeland Security in getting innovative commercial technologies and goods in response to the COVID-19 crisis should be lasting tools in the department’s acquisition toolbox, the agency’s top acquisition official told a Senate panel.

The DHS other transaction authority (OTA) that allows the agency to conduct pilot projects outside of the traditional competitive bidding regulations expires at the end of each fiscal year.

Soraya Correa, the agency’s chief procurement officer, told lawmakers at a recent hearing of the Senate Finance Committee that she’d like permanent authorization for OTAs.

Similarly, the Commercial Solutions Opening Pilot Program (CSOP) expires at the end of 2022. Correa would like to see that become a permanent fixture of agency acquisition.

Keep reading this article at: https://fcw.com/articles/2020/07/29/rockwell-covid-acquisition-dhs.aspx

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition strategy, acquisition workforce, Commercial Solutions Opening Pilot Program, competitive bid, coronavirus, COVID-19, CSOP, DHS, flexibility, OTA, other transaction agreements, other transaction authorities, pandemic, pilot, Senate

July 3, 2020 By cs

GSA still must answer supply chain risk questions with e-commerce platforms

The General Services Administration has awarded proof-of-concepts to Amazon Business, Overstock.com, and Fischer Scientific to provide agencies access to their commercial e-commerce platforms for purchases below the micro-purchase threshold of $10,000.

The test of online marketplaces was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.  It was protested at least twice after the solicitation came out in November.  The White House contradicted it with a January executive order, and it remains controversial among contractors.

But the General Services Administration’s e-marketplace platform initiative finally reached the end of the beginning.

Two of the three winners — Amazon and Overstock — submitted agency level protests about the solicitation over the last six months forcing GSA to amend it at least twice.

The goal for these pilots, which could last up to three years, is to test out the use of commerce platforms that hopefully will give agencies more granular data into what GSA estimates is a $6 billion annual market through the government purchase cards.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/reporters-notebook-jason-miller/2020/06/gsa-still-must-answer-supply-chain-risk-questions-with-e-commerce-platforms/

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition workforce, Amazon, e-marketplace, FAS, Fischer Scientific, GSA, micropurchase, micropurchasing, online marketplace, Overstock.com, pilot, purchase card

June 23, 2020 By cs

GSA awards $7.5 million contract-writing system pilot as procurement modernization continues

The General Services Administration (GSA) took its first step toward launching a modernized agency-wide contract-writing system by awarding Sevatec a $7.5 million pilot phase task order.

Dubbed the Contract Acquisition Life-cycle Management (CALM) system, it will consolidate and standardize the Federal Acquisition Service‘s many internal processes and systems accounting for $60 billion in goods and services procured governmentwide annually.

CALM will also streamline suppliers’ ability to submit offers and manage contracts they’re awarded.

“CALM marks the beginning of a new era in agency-wide, end-to-end contract management and administration,” said Judith Zawatsky, assistant commissioner of the Office of Systems Management within FAS, in the announcement. “Our goal with CALM is to provide a comprehensive, flexible, scalable and highly configurable solution for all types of contract actions, from the simplest to the most complex.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.fedscoop.com/gsa-contract-writing-system-pilot/

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition modernization, acquisition reform, CALM, contract reform, contract writing system, FAS, GSA, pilot, procurement reform, task order

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