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U.S. Sentencing Guideline Recommendations Submitted to Congress

Here is an announcement from Victoria Espinel, the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, in the Executive Office of the President

I’m pleased to report that the United States Sentencing Commission submitted to Congress amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines to add new sentencing enhancements for intellectual property-related crimes. Three of these amendments reflect changes called for by the Administration’s March 2011 White Paper on Intellectual Property Enforcement Legislative Recommendations and the Administration’s letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission can be found here. The proposed Sentencing Guidelines provide for:

Enhancements to offense levels for trade secret and economic espionage crimes by individuals who steal trade secrets knowing they will be transferred outside of the United States, or who intend the theft to benefit a foreign government;
Enhancements for trafficking in counterfeit drugs, which can result harm to public health and safety; and
Enhancements for offenses involving counterfeit military goods and services that jeopardize the safety of United States troops and compromise mission effectiveness.

The amendments will go into effect on November 1, 2013, unless Congress acts to modify or disapprove them. More information on the amendments promulgated may be found on the Commission’s website at www.ussc.gov.

June 6: Market Solutions Series: Focus on Joint Ventures

The current Federal environment requires creativity, drive and passion to succeed. Part of this creativity manifests itself in the strategies your company employs to continue its growth or maintain its current position. A number of CEOs have asked GTSC about joint ventures — why you would choose to form one, how they are formed, the different types and the legal considerations.

Join GTSC on Thursday, June 6 to hear from several small businesses that formed joint ventures and engage with them to learn how they did it, why, and whether or not they would do it again. Also, hear from some of the leading industry experts on the legal and operational considerations to consider in setting up your joint venture.

About the GTSC Market Solutions Series

The Market Solutions Series provides an inside look at creative successful interactions in the Federal homeland and national security market. These intimate roundtables take members inside the “story” and allow them to understand the market components and forces that resulted in success. The Market Solution Series was developed in response to members who were interested in creative ways to partner and team to win business with the Federal government.

Miss the session? Check out the slides here!

About our speakers:

Lisa Martin

CEO, LeapFrog Solutions

Areas of Focus: creative impact, brand and identity, digital, public engagement, program management and recruitment campaigns

As founder and CEO of LeapFrog Solutions, Ms. Martin wears many hats. Her vision for starting LeapFrog Solutions was to help her clients “leapfrog” their competition by making their message matter online and offline to improve their bottom line. Her collaborative nature permeates throughout the company and is demonstrated by her team’s innovative approach to integrating traditional marketing communications with emerging technologies.

Beyond running a successful marketing communications management firm, Lisa is a certified yoga instructor and scuba diver – although she’s never tried to combine both activities at the same time. She wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up until she realized she was afraid of dark water. Lisa and her husband Jean-Paul, an accomplished triathlete, and their two daughters, Charlotte and Dominique, enjoy their annual trips to France to visit family. >>Read More

Brian Nault

President, BlueWater Federal Solutions, Inc.

Areas of Focus: program management, IT service delivery, software development and cybersecurity

Mr. Nault is a proven executive with over 27 years of experience in the fields of financial services, technology and Federal Government contracting. He has a strong background in corporate operations, information technology, and finance that is now being applied to National Security and Civilian Programs.

Prior to his tenure at BlueWater, Mr. Nault worked at American Operations Corporation (AOC) as a Senior Vice President, providing strategic planning and technical and business solutions. Preceding that Mr. Nault spent over 17 years at Ford Motor Company where he held a number of positions in operations, finance and executive management at the Ford Credit subsidiary.

Mr. Nault has been with BlueWater since its founding in 2005, holds a BS degree from the University of Southern Maine and in addition to his family and BlueWater, Mr. Nault maintains a passion for the “Nation’s future”— our youth. He is involved with several children’s charities, including St. Judes Children’s Hospital and the Redskins Foundation. Additionally, he supports high school scholarships and non-profit scholastic organizations. >>Read More

Devon E. Hewitt

Member, Protorae Law PLLC

Areas of Focus: Government Contracts, Business Litigation, Bid Protests

Devon Hewitt has over 20 years experience in the field of government contracts, representing small, mid-tier and large government contractors. She advises clients on a wide range of government contracting issues including FAR compliance; small business contracting programs; intellectual property and data rights; GSA Schedule; the Service Contract Act; noncompete, nonsolicitation and nondisclosure agreements; subcontracts and teaming arrangements; joint ventures; FOIA; due diligence and novations; contract claims; business ethics and the mandatory disclosure rule; suspension and debarment; terminations and government audits and investigations. Ms. Hewitt also is a litigator and has represented clients in nearly 100 protests before federal agencies, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the Government Accountability Office. She is one of the few attorneys has that argued bid protest appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In addition, Ms. Hewitt represents clients in subcontract and other dispute matters in civil courts and in arbitrations. Prior to joining Protorae Law, Ms. Hewitt was a Partner at Piliero Mazza in DC and a Partner in the Government Contracts practice of Pillsbury, one of the largest law firms in the country.

Ms. Hewitt has been recognized for her work assisting veteran-owned companies in receiving verification from the Department of Veterans Affairs. She has served on the American Legion’s Small Business Task Force, was a featured speaker at the American Legion’s annual convention and was the only attorney that participated in a closed-door meeting with Tom Leney regarding revision of the VA’s verification regulations. Bloomberg News regularly seeks comments from and cites Ms. Hewitt in articles on veteran-owned business matters. >>Read More

T. Malcom Sandilands

Partner, Dickstein Shapiro LLP

Malcolm Sandilands is a partner in Dickstein Shapiro’s Corporate & Finance Group. He represents private and public corporations, hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital operating companies (VCOCs), and business development companies (BDCs) in investments, acquisitions, portfolio management, and sales. Prior to joining Dickstein Shapiro, Mr. Sandilands was a partner at Bingham McCutchen. Mr. Sandilands is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. He is a member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Sandilands graduated from the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1989) and from the University of Oxford, New College (B.A., 1986). >>Read More

May 10: Insight Session with Dr. Daniel Gerstein, Deputy Under Secretary, S&T, DHS

Join the Government Technology & Services Coalition for an Insight Session with Dr. Daniel Gerstein, Deputy Under Secretary for Science & Technology (S&T) at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He will discuss the structure of S&T, how it engages small and emerging companies in the S&T process and share talk about S&T’s priorities for 2013 and 2014.

About Dr. Gerstein

Dr. Daniel M. Gerstein has served as the Deputy Under Secretary for Science & Technology in the Department of Homeland Security since August 2011. He is also an Adjunct Professor at American University in Washington, DC at the School of International Service (SIS) where he teaches graduate level courses on biological warfare and the evolution of military thought.

Dr. Gerstein has extensive experience in the security and defense sectors in a variety of positions while serving as a Senior Executive Service (SES) government civilian, in uniform, and in industry. Before joining DHS, he served as the Principal Director for Countering Weapons of Mass

Destruction (WMD) within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy). He has served on four different continents participating in homeland security and counterterrorism, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, and combat in addition to serving for over a decade in the Pentagon in various high level staff assignments. Following retirement from active duty, Dr. Gerstein joined L-3 Communications as Vice President for Homeland Security Services, leading an organization providing WMD preparedness and response, critical infrastructure security, emergency response capacity, and exercise support to U.S. and international customers.

Dr. Gerstein also has extensive experience in international negotiations having served on the Holbrooke Delegation that negotiated the peace settlement in Bosnia, developed and analyzed negotiating positions for the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) talks, and developed an initiative to improve cross border communications between Colombia and neighboring Andean Ridge nations. Additionally, Dr. Gerstein led an initiative to develop a comprehensive biosurveillance system for the Department of Defense (2010-2011), served on the leadership team for the Project for National Security Reform (PNSR) which was charged with developing a new national security act to reflect the changing security environment (2007-2008), co-led the Secretary of the Army’s Transition Team (2004-2005), and led the Army’s most comprehensive restructuring since World War II (2000-2001).

He has been awarded numerous military and civilian awards including an award from the Government of Colombia, the Department of State’s Distinguished Service Award, and the U.S. Army Soldiers Medal for heroism.

He has published numerous books and articles on national security, biological warfare, and information technology including Bioterror in the 21st Century (Naval Institute Press, October 2009), ICMA Report: Planning for a Pandemic (ICMA Press, Volume 39/Number 3 2007), Securing America’s Future: National Strategy in the Information Age (Praeger Security International, September 2005); Leading at the Speed of Light (Potomac Books, November 2006); Assignment Pentagon (Potomac Books, May 2007). He has also served as a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and is a current member.

Dr. Gerstein graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and has masters degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology in Operations Research, the National Defense University in National Security & Strategic Studies and the Command & General Staff College in National Security Strategy & Policy, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from George Mason University in Biodefense.

He resides in Alexandria, VA with his wife Kathy. They have two daughters.

May 20: Mentor Session with L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems

Join L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems’ Ellen Howe and GTSC for a Mentor Session on May 20, 2013. L3 Communications Security & Detection Systems is wholly owned by L-3 Communications and is the leading supplier of security detection systems. Their solutions focus is on Checkpoint, Checked Baggage, Air Cargo, and Cargo at Airports & Transportation Centers, Ports and Borders, Secure Government and Commercial Facilities, and Events. L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems is also a broad technology innovator and integrator with computed tomography, automated, conventional and high-energy X-ray, active millimeter wave (MMW), energetic materials detection, networking and interconnectivity. They are a market leader with a worldwide installed base of over 50,000 security systems and active systems in 9 of the world’s top 10 airports. They have been globally recognized for outstanding maintenance and service support.

GTSC’s mentor companies work with the small and mid-sized companies in the Coalition to partner and bring the innovation, ideas and agility of small business to the experience, infrastructure and resources of large companies. GTSC mentors join us to provide advice and counsel on the convergence of homeland and national security, find new and innovative teaming partners, address challenges in the prime/subcontractor relationship in a neutral environment and improve mentor/protégé communication and success. Both our large and small companies recognize that the best security for our citizens – both physically and economically – is derived from the ability of our markets to meet the challenges posed by terrorism, natural disasters, and criminal activity.

Ellen Howe
Director of Business Development

L-3 Communications Security & Dectection Systems

Ellen Howe is Director of Business Development for L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems. Ms. Howe is responsible for managing strategic relationships and expanding business in the U.S. Federal Civilian sector including Homeland Security. She also leads efforts expanding the global air cargo security market.

Ms. Howe served the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as Assistant Administrator for Strategic Communications and Public Affairs from 2006 until 2009. She guided the Federal agency as part of the senior leadership team and served as chief communications strategist. Ms. Howe’s was a senior spokesperson and she appeared on many news programs including the Today Show and the Fox Report. Ms. Howe branded TSA’s tagline seen in airports “Your safety is our priority” and shifted the department’s energies from reactive to strategic by highlighting initiatives including workforce improvements, technology innovations and security enhancements. During her tenure TSA launched the groundbreaking TSA blog and a successful public awareness campaign in partnership with the Ad Council.

NOTE DATE CHANGE May 30: Insight Session with John Morton, Director, ICE

Join the Government Technology & Services Coalition for an Insight Session with John Morton, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforecement (ICE) on Monday, May 20, 2013.

Ten years ago in March, the Homeland Security Act set into motion what would be the single-largest government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense. One of the agencies in the new Department of Homeland Security was the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, now known as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE.

ICE was granted a unique combination of civil and criminal authorities to better protect national security and public safety in answer to the tragic events on 9/11. Leveraging those authorities, ICE has become a powerful and sophisticated federal law enforcement agency. Click here to learn more about ICE’s 10 year anniversary.

About Mr. Morton

John Morton was unanimously confirmed as the Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by the U.S. Senate on May 12, 2009. ICE is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the second largest investigative agency in the federal government. Created in 2003, the agency has a budget of $5.7 billion dollars and more than 20,000 employees in offices in all 50 states and 47 foreign countries. The agency’s primary mission is to promote homeland security and public safety through the criminal and civil enforcement of federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration.

Prior to his appointment by the President, Mr. Morton spent 15 years at the Department of Justice. At the Department, Mr. Morton served in several positions including Assistant United States Attorney, Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division.

During his tenure at ICE, Mr. Morton has strengthened ICE’s investigative efforts, with a particular emphasis on border crimes, export controls, intellectual property enforcement and child exploitation. Mr. Morton has also sought to prioritize ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts around the removal of criminal offenders, recent border violators, and those who ignore orders of removal or obtain immigration status by fraud.

Promise of Tomorrow Radio show features GTSC’s Partnership with IEEE

The Promise of Tomorrow radio show today featured the partnership between the Government Technology & Services Coalition (GTSC) and the IEE Homeland Security conference held in Boston each year. Hear the interview and read the press release below.

Terrorists Security Focus of Conference

Boston to host new organizations with international homeland security interests meeting in November

DALLAS (April 22, 2013) – The Government Technology & Services Coalition (GTSC) has now joined as a media partner the 2013 IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security scheduled for Boston in November.

The GTSC represents a growing list gathering at this year’s most important terrorist conference since first established shortly after 9/11. This annual symposium continues to gain prominent recognition for bringing together science and technology leaders from around the world. One of the highlights of last year’s conference was rapid DNA analysis revolutionizing forensics with profiles generated in ±80 minutes outside of a laboratory by non-experts, a tool police wished they had during the recent Boston Marathon bombing investigation.

This year the GTSC will be part of the Business Panel to bring market solutions. “What we really hope to accomplish is to make sure that our nation receives the best possible cutting edge technologies and innovations to protect the homeland,” said Kristina Tanasichuk, CEO of GTSC, located outside of Washington, D.C.

Tanasichuk spoke by phone from her home in northern Virginia on the ScienceNews Radio Network program aired today, the Promise of Tomorrow with Colonel Mason. The program originates in Dallas, Texas, and is now archived and Webcast for its world audience. On the program Tanasichuk said we must solve the challenges “to make sure that technology isn’t hampered, or companies aren’t hampered from bringing their technologies forward.” A photo of Tanasichuk can be seen at the related Examiner cover story here.

Vital to US and world security, the 2013 IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security will be held at the Westin Waltham hotel in Waltham, Mass., USA, 12-14 November, 2013. For more information and to register, visit www.ieee-hst.org.

Last year’s conference saw representatives from nine countries including Israel, Germany, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Canada, in addition to robust American participation. In all, over 184 difference companies, universities and government agencies were represented in Boston. Sponsors included Battelle and other major organizations such as IBM Rational Software Group, L3 Systems; and the Massachusetts Port Authority where their security administration was considered as vital in protecting Boston during this month’s recent attack.

GTSC Steering Committee Meets

GTSC’s Steering committee met April 18th to discuss the latest partnerships, engagement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the launch of GTSC’s Small Business Collaboration Group — an online virtual collaboration network for members. Robert Namejko, Industry Liaison for the DHS Office of Procurement Operations, joined the Committee to discuss opportunities with the Department, how to engage and the impact of sequestration on the contracting community for 2013.

Members also heard from GTSC’s latest strategic partner, Linden Resources, about their VETSREADY2WORK program. The Vets Ready2Work^TM program honors service disabled veterans by helping them to find and keep community jobs.

Many veterans with hidden service connected disabilities like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) require significant support to find and sustain jobs in the community, especially when they are struggling to readjust to civilian life, find and retain housing and reconnect with their families. Linden’s Vets Ready2Work^TM program offers a compassionate response to the enormous unmet need for specialized employment services for this population at no cost to the veteran.

Dedicated Linden staff work individually with each veteran to identify areas of strength and career interests that will translate into sustainable, meaningful employment. Linden also engages employers in the community to develop exciting opportunities that target the veteran’s skills and talents. Additional services can include: resume development, vocational assessments, specialized accommodations supports, and job retention supports.

GTSC’s members committed to hiring disabled veterans will have direct access to qualified, trained individuals ready to reintegrate after duty. GTSC members will also work with Linden to develop requirements and identify hiring needs among their companies. Read more about this partnership here.

GTSC & IEEE partner for homeland security innovation

IEEE and the GTSC have partnered to promote and encourage innovative small businesses to submit their innovations and present at the 13th annual IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security held November 12-14 in Boston, Ma. We encourage our members and other innovative companies to attend and bring their latest technological innovations to this important conference. More information on the Call for Papers — extended until April 30, 2013 — is below.

Call For Papers, Posters & Tutorials

The 13th annual IEEE Conference on Technologies for Homeland Security (HST ’13), will be held 12 – 14 November in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. This conference brings together innovators from leading academic, industry, business, Homeland Security Centers of Excellence and government programs to provide a forum to discuss ideas, concepts, and experimental results.

Produced by IEEE with technical support from DHS S&T, IEEE Boston Section, and IEEE-USA and organizational support from MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Raytheon, Battelle, and MITRE, this year’s event will once again showcase selected technical paper and posters highlighting emerging technologies in the areas of:

We are currently seeking technical paper, poster, and tutorial session submissions in each area noted above.
Submissions should focus on technologies with applications available for implementation within five years. All areas will cover the following common topics:

Strategy and threat characterization, CONOPs, risk analysis,
Modeling, simulation, experimentation, and training, and
Testbeds, standards, and evaluations

Contact Information

For more detailed information on the Call for Papers, Posters & Tutorials, as well as Sponsorship and Exhibit opportunities, visit the website:http://ieee-hst.org or email: [email protected] . Submissions should be made at the following website:https://cmt.research.microsoft.com/HST2013/Default.aspx

Important Dates Revised

Paper Abstract Deadline: Submit Abstract Here	March 15, 2013 (Extended to April 30, 2013)
Paper Submission Invitation Issued:	April 1, 2013 (Extended to May 8, 2013)
Final Paper Submission and Tutorial Proposal Deadline:	June 3, 2013 (Extended to June 19, 2013)
Paper, Poster and Tutorial Acceptance Notification:	July 1, 2013 (Extended to July 15, 2013)
All deadlines are by midnight Eastern Time

NIST Cyber Framework Update

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Wednesday launched its series of stakeholder workshops to assist the agency in the development of a cybersecurity framework for the private sector. The voluntary framework, required by the Executive Order President Obama issued in February, is expected to provide guidelines to industry with critical infrastructure on best practices to protect their assets from cyber-attacks.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: Technology innovators can play an important role in “framing the framework” on how to address the rising number of cybersecurity intrusions within the nation’s businesses and networks. The building of the framework is a key opportunity to influence the final guidelines that the private sector, from utilities to banks, will be encouraged to use.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE: — NIST issued a Request for Information (RFI) and comments from stakeholders that are due April 8. Anyone can comment. NIST will publish those comments and an analysis of those comments in the coming weeks.http://www.nist.gov/itl/cyberframework.cfm — NIST will hold a series of private sector engagement workshops throughout the year to meet a year-end deadline for a preliminary version of these voluntary baseline standards. The next workshop will be held in late May at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, PA. More details to come.

Questions? Contact GTSC Strategic Strategic Advisor Chani Wiggins at [email protected]