As Public Service Recognition Week finishes, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) are shedding light on how recent changes in federal recruitment strategies benefit both job candidates and agency managers. With simplified processes like pooled hiring and updates to the Pathways Program, federal job applicants can now apply for multiple jobs with a single application, making it easier to grow their careers in government. Additionally, these changes are not only aimed at attracting top talent but also at helping agency managers connect with qualified candidates more effectively.
Loren DeJonge Schulman, OMB’s associate director of performance and personnel management, emphasized during a webinar that government agencies offer opportunities for innovation and experimentation throughout a federal career. This approach aims to attract candidates interested in diverse career paths within the public sector.
Contract Opportunities to Watch: Anduril
Anduril Industries, a rapidly growing defense technology company, has been selected by the United States Air Force as one of two vendors to move forward on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. This selection positions Anduril to design, manufacture, and test production-representative CCAs.
Commenting on the selection, Brian Schimpf, CEO and Co-Founder of Anduril, stated, “There is no time to waste on business as usual. With the CCA program, Secretary Kendall and the Air Force have embraced a fast-moving, forward-looking approach to field autonomous systems at speed and scale.”
The CCA program is part of the Air Force’s broader initiative, Next Generation Air Dominance, aimed at modernizing the entire fleet of flying systems, including piloted aircraft. The CCA program seeks to deliver at least 1,000 combat aircraft that will fly alongside manned platforms like the F-35, delivering their own weapons.
Anduril and General Atomics, the other awardee, will design, manufacture, and test production representative test articles. Eventually, the Air Force plans to make a final multibillion-dollar production decision in fiscal year 2026, with fully operational aircraft from suppliers before the end of the decade.
The selection of Anduril is significant not only for the company but also for the defense industrial base. It marks a shift toward non-traditional defense companies and emphasizes the Air Force’s commitment to innovation and agility in defense technology.
Key Employer in the Cleared Industry: Booz Allen
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Cleared Opportunities
Axon, a leader in public safety technology, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Dedrone, the global leader in airspace security. Together, Axon and Dedrone aim to deliver more powerful end-to-end solutions to protect against rising drone threats and advance the use of drones as first responders (DFR).
The acquisition comes at a time when public safety agencies are increasingly grappling with the dangers posed by unauthorized drones. Dedrone’s smart airspace security solution, powered by AI/ML-driven algorithms, provides a new layer of protection against these threats. Meanwhile, the integration of DFR programs is showing tremendous value in enhancing situational awareness and response strategies for first responders. Axon’s Founder and CEO, Rick Smith, emphasized the importance of the acquisition, stating, “Together, we can further our mission to Protect Life by enabling the good drones to fly and ensuring the bad ones don’t.”
