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Posts Tagged ‘DHS’

7/22 MEMBERS ONLY Tour & Conversation with Col. (Ret.) Lee Wight, Director, WRATC

Colonel (Ret.) Lee T. Wight is detailed as Executive Director, Washington Regional Threat Analysis Center (WRTAC), at Washington, DC’s Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency, while assigned to the Metropolitan DC Police Department. The Center’s mission is to facilitate information sharing and produce high-quality organic intelligence to detect, prevent and respond to all hazards to DC and the National Capital Region. He is also the Vice President of the National Fusion Center Association, representing 78 DHS-regionally recognized fusion centers across the US and its territories.

Col Lee Tip Wight(Ret.) Wight is a Hobbs, New Mexico, native.   Prior to retiring from the USAF after 27 years of service, Col (Ret.) Wight served as the Chief of Air Force Strategy at the Pentagon, where he focused on future threats, alternative force structures, and developed long term strategic policy. He was also Commander, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, where he led over 16,000 military, civilian and dependent personnel who maintained, deployed and employed F-16 and A-10 aircraft, TPS 75 radar systems and $2.5B of U.S. Protection level 1 assets. Prior to joining the AF, Col (R.) Wight served as a Police Officer for the University of Oklahoma and the City of Moore, OK from 1980-1985. Colonel Wight has two children, Taylor (28) and Shanna (22).

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About Fusion Centers:

Primary fusion centers serve as the focal points within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information and have additional responsibilities related to the coordination of critical operational capabilities across the statewide fusion process with other recognized fusion centers. Furthermore, primary centers are the highest priority for the allocation of available federal resources, including the deployment of personnel and connectivity with federal data systems.  Learn more here.

 

Elaine Duke Joins GTSC as Strategic Advisor

Highly respected acquisitions professional and former Under Secretary for Management at DHS, Elaine Duke joined GTSC as a Strategic Advisor.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Ms. Duke to our Board of Advisors.  Her 28 year career in the Federal government, and particularly her exceptional understanding of DHS is a tremendous asset to the Coalition’s work,” said Kristina Tanasichuk, Founder & CEO of GTSC.  “We believe that her commitment to improving acquisition to infuse more agility, mission focus and ultimately, accountability for mission is exactly in-line with the Coalition’s focus.”

“I am excited at the opportunity to engage with GTSC in support of the homeland mission,” said Ms. Duke, “GTSC has proven in just a few years that the organization and its members are committed to the agencies tasked with securing the country.  They recognize that this is a complicated process – from requirements building to acquisition to execution – there are a variety of factors that result in success.  I look forward to contributing to each of these factors with constructive partnerships between industry and the government.”

Learn more about Ms. Duke here.

Read the full release.

Michael P. Jackson joins GTSC as Steering Committee Chair

GTSC today announced that Michael P. Jackson, CEO of Vidsys (www.vidsys.com) and Former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation has joined the Coalition leadership as Chair of the Steering Committee. Jackson, the CEO of a small business working in the homeland and national security space, joins GTSC’s leadership to “share innovative, pragmatic lessons learned from small and mid-sized businesses serving public agencies responsible for essential security missions.” Read the press release here.

GTSC Recognizes Leaders in Homeland & National Security Community: U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Chertoff Group, Dickstein Shapiro, PReSafe Technologies, StrikeForce Consulting, TASC, Inc. recognized

Washington, D.C., February 6, –The Government Technology & Services Coalition (GTSC), the premier organization for small and mid-sized companies in homeland and national security yesterday recognized numerous public and private sector leaders and innovators in homeland and national security at its Annual Awards.

John Morton, former director, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement and John Fantini Porter, Chief of Staff, Management & Administration, were awarded Federal Small Business Champions of the Year; Chad Sweet, co-founder and CEO of the Chertoff Group received the Market Maven award; Robert V. Jones, CEO, PreSafe Technologies for Small Business Member of the Year; Brian Finch, Dickstein Shapiro for Strategic Partner of the Year; Bill Carroll, Managing Partner StrikeForce Consulting, Strategic Advisor of the Year and TASC Inc. for Mentor of the year.  Read the release.

 

Capacity Building: Best Practices in Federal Contracting Focus on DHS & DOD

Join GTSC for a Capacity Building session focused on assuring you don’t learn the hard lessons on your own skin!
Repeated project delays and cost overruns in Government contracts have turned the spotlight onto core issues of supplier selection, supplier integrity and supplier competence. Increasingly, Government agencies will test for a supplier’s capability to define and meet their contracted commitments – and this will include the need to demonstrate a robust commercial assurance and contract management process. For suppliers, this represents an opportunity to pro-actively demonstrate capability. This session will discuss the steps your organization could take to establish competitive advantage.

After years of practice and experience, the IACCM has brought together best practices in government contracting from around the globe. Paired with the former procurement officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, this session will combine what best practices can be applied toward contracting with DHS and the Defense Department.

Guest Speakers:

timcumminsTim Cummins
President & CEO
IACCM
Strategic Partner, GTSC

 

 

 

tomessigTom Essig
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Former Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Homeland Security
Owner, TWE, LLC
Strategic Advisor, GTSC

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Strategic Sourcing Initiatives at DHS

Jose Arrietta, Procurement Ombudsman at DHS discussed the agency’s procurement strategy and the agencies prioritization of Strategic Sourcing at the Department at GTSC’s recent annual meeting.

As a follow-up, Mr. Arrietta provided the following exceptions to Strategic Sourcing:

a.  Emergency operations – Specify the emergency operation, including the name, date, location, and description. Document how using a strategic sourcing contract vehicle would negatively impact the mission.
b.  National security – Include a written description of how using a strategic sourcing contract vehicle compromises national security.
c.  Remote locations – Specify the remote delivery location and include written analysis that quantifies the higher cost or delay that would result from using a strategic sourcing vendor.
d.  Greater savings – Purchases where the savings from using a non-strategic sourcing vehicle exceeds the savings from the strategic sourcing vehicle – Include a written analysis that shows the savings comparison. Documentation shall be signed by the official approving the exception (include name and title of official).
e.  Required by statute – Specify the statute that requires the use of a non-strategic sourcing vehicle.
f.  Priorities for Use of Government Supply Sources – Specify the supply source indicated as a higher priority in FAR Part 8.002 and the contract vehicle to be used. These sources may include Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled and mandatory Federal Supply Schedules. These sources may not include optional use Federal Supply Schedules because strategic sourcing contract vehicles have higher priority than optional use Federal Supply Schedules.

Strategic Sourcing Initiatives at DHS

 

Luke J. McCormack to serve as the DHS CIO

The following message is from DHS Acting Under Secretary for Management Chris Cummiskey:

I am pleased to announce that President Obama has appointed Luke J. McCormack to serve as the Department’s Chief Information Officer.  Mr. McCormack currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Information Resources Management/Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department of Justice, a position he has held since 2012.

Luke-McCormackPrior to this position, Mr. McCormack served in a variety of positions at DHS.  From 2005 to 2012, he served as the CIO for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  He served at Customs and Border Protection as Acting Director of Infrastructure Services Division from 2004 to 2005, Director of Architecture and Engineering from 2002 to 2003, and Director of Systems Engineering from 1999 to 2002.  Before joining the federal government, he served at various private sector companies including MCI and Ford Aerospace.  He received an M.B.A. from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Mr. McCormack will oversee the Department’s continuing efforts to implement information technology (IT) enhancements and enhance IT security.

Mr. McCormack’s bio:

Luke J. McCormack will serve as the chief information officer (CIO) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Prior to joining DHS, Mr. McCormack served as the ICE CIO since 2005 and was named CIO of the Department of Justice in February 2012. As the agency’s top technology administrator, Mr. McCormack brings significant management expertise from a career in both government and the private sector.

Mr. McCormack has more than 18 years of service in the federal government. Before joining ICE, Mr. McCormack served as acting executive director of the Infrastructure Services Division in the Office of Information Technology at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In addition, he gained diverse experience in the private sector with MCI, Ford Aerospace and smaller minority-owned firms.

Since joining ICE, he has restructured the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to ensure that it is aligned with the overall ICE mission, current operational priorities, core business processes and emerging information technology needs. He continually seeks opportunities to partner with other organizations within ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement agencies to provide support to operations and strategic initiatives.

Mr. McCormack holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, along with key certifications from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, Customs Leadership Institute and the National Defense University.

A native of Long Island, N.Y., Mr. McCormack has two sons and resides in Virginia.

 

Nov. 7: Ask the Expert with IACCM

Join IACCM for its Ask the Expert – Trends in Homeland and National Security Funding on Thursday, November 7, 2013 – 4:00 PM London, 11:00 AM New York, 11:00 PM Singapore.

Are you wondering how to obtain funding for national security projects during these days of strife on Capitol Hill? Kristina Tanasichuk, CEO of the Government Technology & Services Coalition, will share her insights on the federal homeland security market along with other trends affecting the financing of important homeland security programs.

Register: http://www.iaccm.com/events/register/?id=1744

IACCM LogoThe International Association for Contract & Commercial Management enables both public and private sector organizations and professionals to achieve world-class standards in their contracting and relationship management process and skills. It provides executives and practitioners with advisory, research and benchmarking services, and worldwide training and certification for contracts, commercial and relationship management professionals. IACCM is a non-profit membership organization that supports innovation and collaboration in meeting the demands of today’s global trading relationships and practices.  Through our worldwide presence and networked technology, IACCM members gain access to the thought leadership and practical tools that are essential for competitiveness in today’s fiercely contested global markets. We provide insight to the leading-edge contracting and commercial skills, policies, procedures and methods that are fundamental to managing enterprise and individual risks. This insight equips professionals and their leaders to implement best practice governance of contractual commitments and trading relationships. >>Learn more

Pentagon Attorney Jeh Johnson nominated as next DHS Secretary

News leaked Thursday that the Obama Administration would put forward Jeh Johnson, a top Pentagon lawyer, for the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Assessed by many as one who does not stray from the “tough” issues, Jeh Charles Johnson was appointed General Counsel of the Department of Defense on February 10, 2009, following nomination and confirmation by the U. S. Senate.  In this capacity, he serves as the chief legal officer of the Department of Defense and the legal adviser to the Secretary of Defense.  Mr. Johnson’s legal career has been a mixture of private practice and distinguished public service.  Mr. Johnson began his career in public service as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he prosecuted public corruption cases.  From, 1989-1991, as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Johnson tried 12 cases and argued 11 appeals.

Mr. Johnson built upon his early career as an Assistant United States Attorney to become a successful trial lawyer in private practice at the New York City-based law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP.  While at Paul Weiss, he personally tried some of the highest stakes commercial cases of modern times, for corporate clients such as Armstrong World Industries, Citigroup and Salomon Smith Barney.  In 2004,  Mr. Johnson was elected a Fellow in the prestigiousAmerican College of Trial Lawyers.  In October 1998, President Clinton appointed Mr. Johnson to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force following nomination and confirmation by the Senate.  He served in that position for 27 months and returned to private law practice at Paul Weiss in January 2001.  While in private practice, Mr. Johnson was active in numerous civil and professional activities.  From 2001-2004, he chaired the Judiciary Committee of the New York City Bar Association, which rates and approves all the federal, state and local judges in New York City.  Mr. Johnson is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and was a director or trustee of Adelphi University, the Federal Bar Council, the New York Community Trust, the Fund for Modern Courts, the Legal Aid Society, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the New York City Bar Fund, Inc., the Vera Institute, the New York Hall of Science and the Film Society of Lincoln Theater.  He was also on the Board of Governors of the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.

Following the 2008 election, Mr. Johnson served on President-Elect Obama’s transition team, and was then publicly designated by the President-Elect for nomination to the position of General Counsel of the Department of Defense on January 8, 2009, followed by formal nomination on January 20, 2009, and confirmation by the Senate on February 9, 2009.  Mr. Johnson is a member in good standing of the Bars of New York State and the District of Columbia.  (Bio information from the DOD website:  http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=173

Useful commentary and links:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeh_Johnson

Fun facts:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/wp/2013/10/18/eight-facts-you-didnt-know-about-jeh-johnson/

GTSC Member insight:  David Olive   http://securitydebrief.com/2013/10/18/johnson-nominated-for-dhs-secretary-what-does-that-tell-us/#axzz2i6lpmq3D

Who is Jeh Johnson:  http://securitydebrief.com/2013/10/18/who-is-jeh-johnson/#axzz2i6lpmq3D