The U.S. Air Force can continue its program to develop a new ground-based command system for the military branch’s GPS satellite constellation after Defense Department acquisition chief Frank Kendall certified the project to Congress, DoD News reported Friday. Karen Parrish writes Raytheon, the prime contractor on the $5.46 billion GPS Advanced Control Segment, works with DoD procurement officials to address challenges […] More

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall met with three defense trade associations in an effort to understand and address issues that affect the aerospace and defense industry. CEOs and senior executives from the National Defense Industrial Association, Aerospace Industries Association and the Professional Services Council discussed acquisition and budget challenges within the […] More

A contractor team of Summit Consulting and BlueLabs will provide data science support to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under a new five-year blanket purchase agreement. Summit said Thursday it created multiple economic models to analyze the significance of race on lending decisions based on bank underwriting and pricing criteria in an effort to identify banks that employ lending […] More

United Launch Alliance has submitted a bid to compete on a contract to launch the U.S. Air Force’s third GPS III satellite in 2019 and reiterated its concern about price as a deciding factor in contract competition, Florida Today reported Tuesday. “As recent launch failures have shown, rockets are not commodities,” the Boeing–Lockheed Martin joint venture […] More

A General Dynamics subsidiary has granted the “Approved Forging Supplier” designation to IBC Advanced Alloys. IBC secured the status after General Dynamics Electric Boat performed audits on the former company’s metal forging facility in Franklin, Indiana, IBC said in a Sept. 13 news release. “We are very pleased to be named an approved forging supplier […] More

Raytheon has unveiled a battle management platform the company built to integrate cyber and electromagnetic spectrum awareness features into the defense contractor’s Electronic Warfare Program Management Tool. The company said Monday it showcased the Cyber and Electromagnetic Battle Management platform at the U.S. Army‘s Cyber Quest event. CEMBM is designed to provide a shared situational understanding of electronic warfare, EMS and cyber domains […] More

The Small Business Administration has awarded $325,000 in grant funds to 21 organizations to assist the agency in efforts to help entrepreneurs get more involved in the government’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs. SBA said Thursday it chose 16 state and local economic development agencies, business development centers, colleges and universities to receive a combined $125,000 under the […] More

Orbital ATK‘s Cygnus spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time after it performed three in-orbit scientific missions and delivered approximately 7,900 pounds of scientific experiments and crew supplies to the International Space Station. The atmospheric re-entry of the space vehicle, also known as S.S. Rick Husband, loaded with 4,087 pounds of items for disposal marks the company’s […] More

Orbital ATK‘s cargo ship Cygnus is set to proceed with three in-orbit scientific missions after the spacecraft completed its mission to deliver around 7,900 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. Cygnus, nicknamed S.S. Rick Husband, departed from the orbiting laboratory Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time after an 81-day stay there, Orbital ATK said Tuesday. The OA-6 mission represents the company’s fifth mission under […] More

  The government contracting industry experienced a robust period of mergers and acquisitions that reshaped its composition in 2015 and continued executive transitions between companies. As companies merge and new identities enter the market, some businesses face a challenge to fill vacant leadership positions. From time to time, GovCon firms of all shape and sizes […] More

An Orbital ATK-built spacecraft lifted off Sunday onboard a United Launch Alliance-made Atlas V rocket to deliver over 7,000 pounds of crew supplies and scientific instruments to the International Space Station. NASA said Sunday the Cygnus OA-4 space vehicle’s launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station marks Orbital ATK’s fourth cargo delivery mission to the […] More

Jim Lawler started the latest chapter of his three-decade human resources career in late 2014 when he joined Fairfax, Va.-based ICF International as senior vice president of HR. Lawler previously served as chief HR officer at TASC for four years and designed that company’s HR organization, compensation and benefits programs and HR leadership team. ExecutiveBiz recently […] More