FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
Cleared travel in style. “Long lines at airport security can really crush a person’s spirit, especially if you’re looking at a long day of travel. Fortunately, there are a couple of options to ease the pain. With the TSA Pre-Check program, qualified individuals are routed into special security screening lines . . . .”
Self-reporting requirements. “If you are worried about whether or not you should self-report your own situation, here is a compilation of several agency publications that may prove helpful. . . . You MUST self-report to your agency’s security office if you . . . .”
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
Muqtada al-Sadr’s return. “After more than a decade of dipping in and out of Iraqi politics, Muqtada al-Sadr, the young Shiite cleric who first made his name fighting U.S. forces in post-2003 Iraq, is leveraging his enduring popular appeal to again roil Iraq’s political order. . . . In Sadr City — the Shiite dominated neighborhood renamed after the cleric’s family in 2003 — al-Sadr’s support doesn’t stem from how he’s played his political hand but from his lineage.” (The New York Times)
Abu Wahib confirmed kill in Rutba, Iraq. “An airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State killed a top commander of the extremist group in Iraq late last week, the Pentagon announced Monday, describing the death as a ‘step forward’ that will further degrade the group’s ability to operate. The May 6 strike near the city of Rutba killed Islamic State’s military emir in Anbar province, who went by the nom de guerre Abu Wahib . . . .” (Wall Street Journal)
Dangerous dancing in the South China Sea. “A U.S. navy warship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea on Tuesday . . . prompting anger in Beijing which denounced the patrol as illegal and a threat to peace and stability. Guided missile destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence traveled within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef . . . . The so-called freedom of navigation operation was undertaken to ‘challenge excessive maritime claims’ by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam which were seeking to restrict navigation rights in the South China Sea . . . .” (Reuters)
Chairman Kim and byungjin. “On the last day of the historic meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Monday, the ruling party of North Korea conferred the title of chairman on its leader Kim Jong Un. . . . Kim made a closing speech in which he thanked the party for electing him chairman and reaffirmed his commitment to his policy of ‘byungjin,’ which calls for a parallel development of nuclear capabilities as well as economic development. Kim also said that North Korea would push for a world free of nuclear weapons and fulfill its obligations responsibly as a nuclear state” (International Business Times)
CONTRACT WATCH
Past performance contracting competition. “Sometime in June, $65 billion in federal IT business will be up for grabs under the Alliant 2 governmentwide acquisition contracts. . . . Building on the approach GSA used in 2013’s One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services contracts, companies will self-score relevant experience and various certifications in a points-based system set by GSA.” (Nextgov)
Sole-source cybersecurity training proposal. “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is planning to award a sole-source contract for evaluating and training its cybersecurity staff, however the commission is giving other prospective vendors a chance to show they can meet the requirements. The NRC posted a notice on FedBizOps stating that contract officers intend to make a sole-source award to iSIGHT Partners in the coming months.” (Federal Times)
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee heading for Silicon Valley. “On May 11, the top cyber leaders in the U.S. government will convene in Silicon Valley at a committee meeting, where they will update the panel on agency projects and hear the advisers debate the recommendations.” (Nextgov)
Hutmacher hungry for high-tech ISR. “US Army Special Operations has a big appetite for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and is just scratching the surface on what is possible . . . . Gen. Raymond ‘Tony’ Thomas, the new leader of US Special Operations Command, who replaced Gen. Joseph Votel, the new US Central Command commander, provided his guidance to the special operations force ‘a few weeks ago,’ Hutmacher said, ‘and his number one priority was increasing our ISR capacity and capability, so we have to pay attention to that.’” (Defense News)
