Thursday, April 25, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on COVID-19's impact on defense contractors, plus coverage of missile defense and cybersecurity.
We start off with recent guidance from Kim Herrington, the acting principal director of defense pricing and contracting:
Pentagon issues guidance to contract officers to assess COVID-19 costs and impacts
The Pentagon's chief pricing official has issued new guidance to acquisition program managers on how to assess the costs and impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on defense contractors, noting that additional funding has not yet been appropriated by Congress to reimburse companies for pandemic-related hardships or delays.
Document: DOD's guidance on assessing COVID-19 impacts and costs
On to missile defense, specifically the Next Generation Interceptor program as well as a follow-on effort to the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA system:
MDA allowing industry to propose key developmental milestone dates for NGI
The Missile Defense Agency is mandating a single specific milestone only for the Next Generation Interceptor program -- emplacement of a new ballistic missile defense interceptor in the ground at Ft. Greely, AK, in 2028 -- and is otherwise allowing bidders to propose developmental milestones on the way to initial fielding.
House panel wants DOD to consider new anti-ship cruise missile project with Japan
The House Armed Services Committee last week adopted a provision that would direct the Defense Department to explore co-development with Japan of a new guided missile, a follow-on to the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA ballistic missile interceptor developed by the two nations.
Finally, coverage of DOD's latest cybersecurity efforts:
House authorizers seek DOD plan for avoiding conflicts of interest in new cyber certification program
The House Armed Services Committee’s fiscal year 2021 defense policy bill includes a reporting requirement for the Pentagon to brief lawmakers on its plan for avoiding conflicts of interest in the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.
Air Force implementing new cybersecurity process across weapon programs
Air Force operational testers are starting to execute a new, iterative cybersecurity process that, once transitioned to the acquisition community next year, will enable program managers to evaluate vulnerabilities throughout the lifecycle of their weapon systems.
NIST releases final draft of data standards foundational to Pentagon cyber certification program
The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released a new draft to guide the Defense Department on how to define controlled unclassified information requirements for industry, in line with the maturity levels of the Pentagon's cyber certification program.