LTC (R) Mark Owens, MBA

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, organizations in the defense industry need to implement key strategies that align with government agency requirements. With the Department of Defense and other agencies striving to fully obligate their budgets, we anticipate an increase in contract awards. Teams must prepare to act quickly on these opportunities. Additionally, completing all deliverables under current contracts is crucial to avoid payment delays and future issues. This period often brings audits and reviews, highlighting the importance of accurate documentation. Now is the time to engage with stakeholders and align your offerings with the projected needs of the government. By meeting milestones and securing payments before the fiscal year concludes, you can achieve financial targets and ensure precise year-end reporting. Successfully navigating this critical period will not only help maintain compliance with FAR and DFARS regulations but also provide a competitive edge as we transition into the next fiscal year. #Defense #GovernmentContracts #FiscalYearEnd #Compliance #StrategicPlanning

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What is the best type of data analysis needed by a Colombian Marine Corps battalion? First, the commander must define what the battalion's objective is and what tools are available to achieve it. Data analysis allows you to know how the battalion is performing on a day-to-day basis, to identify problems, focus effort, make decisions and evaluate results. The Military Commander, nowadays, must permanently analyze the unit, generally we only give them orders and expect positive results but we do not analyze the process. Times have changed, and command processes must innovate as well.

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Challenges facing security cooperation efforts include differing national interests, resource constraints, political instability, and technological disparities. Effective collaboration and mutual understanding are essential for overcoming these obstacles.

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Fantastic article on Space.com by Meredith Garofalo on the GOES-U. Check out the link below. If you are interested to learn how the GOES sats complement our Hurricane Hunter Sats, let me know and I’ll send you our data spec. The GOES are a great example of how government weather sats can enable and enhance commercial weather satellites. For instance, our RAMOS bus, the predecessor to our current sats, weighed 2000kg and costs over $25M per bus as we needed accurate temperature measurements. The GOES collect this measurement so we were able to reduce our sat bus size to a 12U and the costs down to just $2M or so per sat. Not too shabby. “GOES provides our hurricane forecasters with faster, more accurate and detailed data that is critical for estimating a storm's intensity, including cloud top cooling, convective structures, specific features of a hurricane's eye, upper-level wind speeds, and lightning activity," Ken Graham, director of NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) https://lnkd.in/e9BSEwGD NOAA Satellite and Information Service National Weather Service NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration www.weathersats.com #hurricaneseason #smallsat #commercialweather #GOES #space

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If #DOGE is looking for easy ways to save on the industry side, that scale, here’s a simple formula: 1. Look at the market, and make a list of all the areas where GovCon consultants multiply the most: - CMMC/ATO/FedRamp - DCAA compliance - GSA vehicle management - Capture, bid and proposal - Government relations - ITAR - The list goes on 2. Automate as much of it as humanly possible You see, the consultant-heavy areas have a negative money multiplier effect, in that everyone needs help with them, so you multiply the cost across EVERY industry participant, and they’re all allowable costs, so who pays? USG 100%. AND The government folks are actually disincentivized to fix the broken processes because the system’s brokenness is what creates their second career as a consultant. Kill two birds with one stone.

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📣 Potential for some good changes in Army procurement. [Industry Article] Young Bang Details Army Efforts to Modernize Acquisition Processes To take advantage of the capabilities industry has to offer, the Army is embracing more flexible acquisition methods and moving away from strict adherence to traditional approaches. The Army recently released a directive calling for the adoption of a hybrid model, which he said “encourages all different types of things, encourages creativity, but doesn’t want us to default to firm-fixed-price.” https://lnkd.in/e_HQDZy6 #GovCon #SmallBusiness #Accounting #GovernmentContracting #GovernmentContractor #FederalContracting #FederalGovernment #DoD #Army #Procurement #Acquisition

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Appreciate the great collaboration between PEO IEW&S , Army Futures Command (ACM-IS), Mass Virtual and the ISR Task Force to discuss virtualized training options that will enhance human performance in an affordable and scalable way. The Intelligence enterprise is faced with a unique challenge in support of the US Army. We employ low density systems, we maintain them with low density military specialties, and we are expected to integrate cutting edge technology faster than our institutional training processes can keep pace. So how do we conduct relevant training quickly, effectively and affordably in the 21st century? We virtualize the training. Yesterday I asked the team to get a little uncomfortable and find a way to demonstrate this capability during our flagship intelligence experiment in September. I want our senior leaders to immerse themselves in a virtual world to see how a 35-series Soldier will interact with component-level parts without ever touching the system. Imagine the possibilities we create if we can certify our back-shop support without ever pulling capital assets out of the fight.

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🎖️ 𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗩𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝟮 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 Very informative article by GSA ITC’s Assistant Commissioner, Laura Stanton that highlights the VETS 2 GWAC program, designed to provide federal agencies with access to highly qualified SDVOSBs for IT services, promoting both technological excellence and veteran entrepreneurship. GSA’s VETS 2 GWAC increased its ceiling to $6.1 billion.  https://lnkd.in/edNDJ48n We are proud to announce that our firm, The Ventura Group, Inc. is one of the GSA VETS 2 GWAC prime contract holders. This prestigious contract supports federal agencies with top-tier IT solutions while promoting opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). Our dedication to excellence in Enterprise IT, Cybersecurity, and Cloud Services ensures mission success and compliance with the highest standards. Learn more about our capabilities and how we can support your Enterprise IT and Cybersecurity needs. #GSA #SDVOSB #governmentcontracting #Cybersecurity #govcon

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🗣🚨 Another "sharing is caring" courtesy post! Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Headquarters Office is seeking #smallbusinesses with interest and capabilities to further develop and enhance the Global Reconstruction and Measurement System (GRAMS) product. ***This is NOT a NAWCTSD Opportunity - if interested, please reply to the POC included in the notice linked below*** #navysmallbusiness #smallbusinessopportunities #acousticanalysis #acousticintelligence #innovation #acoustics

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Eureka Naval Craft Lynx is an exceptional asset for maritime border patrol and immigration enforcement, combining cutting-edge technology with operational efficiency. Its remarkable speed and agility enable patrol units to effectively monitor extensive coastlines and open waters, ensuring a swift response to potential threats. Equipped with advanced surveillance systems like radar and thermal imaging, the Lynx allows personnel to accurately identify suspicious activities or unauthorized vessels, crucial for safeguarding national security and enforcing immigration laws. This craft empowers border enforcement patrols to detect and address risks proactively, ensuring a safer maritime environment. Built for durability and resilience, the Lynx is designed to perform under the toughest maritime conditions, guaranteeing reliable operation in all scenarios. Its adaptability makes it suitable for a variety of missions, from search and rescue to law enforcement, positioning it as an invaluable tool for agencies focused on maintaining maritime law and safety. By equipping themselves with the Eureka Naval Craft Lynx, agencies can significantly elevate their operational effectiveness, optimize response times, and take a bold stance in the fight against human trafficking and smuggling, confidently securing safety and security on the seas. #Eureka #USBP #BorderPatrol #ThinGreenLine #Immigration #MaritimeSecurity #LawEnforcement #FirstResponders #Smuggling #HumanTrafficing #BorderSecurity #DrugEnforcement #Fentanyl #StopFentanyl #California #Texas #Louisiana #Missippippi #Offshore #Alabama #Florida #GulfCoast #USA #WhiteHouse #Congress #USCongress #Senate #USSenate

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The Joint C-sUAS Office, established in 2020 to tackle this threat, has hosted industry demonstrations of the latest C-sUAS technology at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) for the past three years. Their most recent event, the fifth held here, took place over four weeks in June, and was the most ambitious yet, focusing on demonstrating systems capable of detecting and defeating swarms of sUAS. Of nearly 60 proposals, 12 systems were selected for demonstration by the JCO, and nine participated here. “We have up to 50 targets in the air simultaneously,” said Hi-Sing Silen, test integration manager for the JCO. “Those include rotary-wing, fixed-wing, fast-mover jet engines and propeller-driven group threes, all coming at you from almost 360 degrees. It is as hard as it can be for a system trying to defend itself.” The event is believed to be among the largest demonstrations using a mass sUAS attack scenario conducted to date.

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 Home»Event News»Sea Air Space 2024»Concept Turns Oil Rigs Into Mobile Missile Defense and Supply Bases - Concept Turns Oil Rigs Into Mobile Missile Defense And Supply Bases - Gibbs & Cox (a Leidos company) wants to convert oil rigs into mobile missile defense and resupply bases in a concept shown at Sea Air Space 2024. - “MODEP is a large floating island base designed to bolster the layered defense of national interest. It can linger at an ideal distance from shore and is capable of independent operation for over 12 months,” -  The company claims that both the ballistic missile defense and depot variants could travel at a speed of 5-8 knots to cover around 200 nautical miles a day. “Stability in all sea states, including waves up to 60 feet tall,” was claimed by the company. Total endurance for MODEP is expected to be 150 days and a total range of 4000 nautical miles without refueling. The concept also offers 6-20 MW of extra mission power, a maintenance and repair shop for warships, a 2.3 million gallon fuel capacity, and an initial payload capacity of 8000 metric tons. - According to Gibbs & Cox, a converted platform could support air defense or strike missions at a capacity five times that of an existing U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Concepts claim that the conversion could hold up to 512 vertical launch system cells or 100 large missile launchers, the latter of which refers to a requirement set forth by the Navy’s DDG(X) program for a more capable launching system that could support larger missiles such as hypersonics. In this air and ballistic missile defense configuration, the company highlights that the platform’s height of 45-90 meters above the waterline will provide “optimal visibility and surveillance” to the associated sensors. Leidos Gibbs & Cox also noted that its concept for ballistic missile defense at sea “reduces risks and costs associated with land-based defense systems.” It should be noted that Japan was considering an oil rig conversation similar to MODEP as an alternative to its canceled Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system. https://lnkd.in/eEqVmivC

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Matt and Pete nail the analysis of Congress-DoD budgeting activity again. But they might have under-examined one key trend... This budget markup shows serious concern about #ContestedLogistics. Although the Navy took serious cuts to many programs, budget lines for logistics platforms tell a different story. Logistics platforms that received plus ups: - CH-53 (Heavy Lift Helo) - KC-130J (Tanker) - V-22 Osprey (Troop Transport) - Fleet Oiler - Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship - Ship to Shore Connector Non-Logistics platforms that received plus ups: - F-35 Missiles and surface combat capabilities received severe cuts. To me, the essence of how we do logistics is very important. Our proficiency, culture, and experience will serve us well. But there is no substitute for sheer mass. The House Appropriations Committee clearly recognizes that we need more ships. #Logistics #Congress #DoD #Budget #Defense #DefenseTech #DefenseTechnology #Acquisitions #Shipbuilding #Ships

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Exciting news from Capitol Hill! The FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is making significant strides. Recently, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved the bill, which is now headed to the upper chamber for further consideration. The House of Representatives has also passed the NDAA, including innovative blockchain amendments, with a close vote of 217-199. This year's NDAA includes major updates, such as mandatory selective service and potential sole source opportunities for SDVOSBs and VOSBs. These developments could have a substantial impact on defense contracting and military budget allocations. Stay tuned for more updates as the bill progresses! #NDAA2025 #DefenseAuthorization #Blockchain #MilitaryBudget #SDVOSB #VOSB

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Enabling change in large organizations takes persistence and patience. Extremely proud of the Materiel Readiness team members both past and present who provided input to DODI 3110.5. Establishing Ao, Am, and Cost per Day of Availability (C/DA) as superordinate measures is but one step in creating the data framework necessary to better link sustainment investments to operational outcomes. Over the last two years the services have established Ao and Am goals for all major platforms and are reporting actual performance to ADVANA. Over the next 60 days the MR team and Service reps will complete the linkages necessary for automated data pulls to complete the remaining 15%. Enormous amount of work completed by a really small team of dedicated professionals. #SustainmentHealthMeasures Defense Acquisition University Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment #LifecycleSustainmentStrategy

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