Can an Agile mindset save you from the LPTA trap?

At Optimos, we’re pretty keen on Agile methodologies, whose iterative and incremental nature align with our smaller, smarter, faster, cheaper philosophy and approach to government services and solutions. Particularly in constrained budget environments, and when definitive requirements may be elusive, Agile’s component methodologies and practices increase the likelihood of success and return on investment on software-based development, integration and configuration projects.

McLean Group expands government team with two new hires

The McLean Group has named Greg Woodford senior managing director and Greg Nossaman managing director of the company’s aerospace, defense and government services team.

Woodford and Nossaman join the company from similar roles at BB&T Capital Markets|The Windsor Group, where they advised on more than 100 middle market mergers and acquisitions transactions. Among the companies they worked with are BAE Systems, Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI International, Honeywell International, ICF International, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, ManTech International and SAIC.

NetCents protests keep rolling in

Another five companies have filed protests against the Air Force’s NetCents 2 Products contract awards. That brings the total to 10 and the window for more protests is still open.

Sources tell me tat there were 24 bidders considered technically acceptable for the contract. Eight companies were picked as winners by the Air Force in the second round of the troubled $6.9 billion IT contract. Ten have filed protests, so there are potentially six more unhappy contractors that could file protests with the Government Accountability Office.

SAIC wins $56M NASA service contract for compliance services

Science Applications International Corp. has won a $56 million contract with NASA to provide safety, health, environmental and mission assurance services at two of NASA’s Ohio stations.

Under the contract, which has a 19-month base, three options years, and one five-month option, SAIC will provide services to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and to the Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio.

Logos Technologies wins $50M data analytics contract

Logos Technologies has won a $49.8 million contract with the Air Force to develop and evolve advanced techniques and capabilities for efficient collection, advanced analytics and analysis of multiple sources of large data stores.

Work will take place in Arlington, Va., and is expected to be completed in April 2018.

Funding in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at the time of the award, but it was not announced if that funding will expire at the end of fiscal 2013.

IntelliDyne wins $21M IT support contract with Justice division

IntelliDyne has won a five-year $21 million information technology support contract with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

Under the contract, IntelliDyne will support the division through project management, administrative services, end-user support services, systems operations administration, systems engineering and development, security and remote trial support, the company said in a release.

Booz, InnovaSystems to compete for Navy readiness work

Booz Allen Hamilton and InnovaSystems International will square off over tens of millions in potential task orders under a pair of contracts they have won to support the Navy’s Defense Readiness Support System-Navy.

The two companies will compete for task orders under the contract. The contract ceiling for Booz Allen Hamilton is $65.6 million, and InnovaSystems International has a ceiling of $58.7 million

2014 budget request points to new opportunities

More shared services, consolidation and cloud computing -- that’s where the Office of Management and Budget expects to find IT savings in 2014. More citizen-facing innovative applications, more mobility for the government, and more cybersecurity -- that’s where the White House will support higher spending.

Northrop Grumman wins $14M option to finalize IED protection system

Northrop Grumman has won a $14.1 million option with the Navy to complete the development of the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Electronic Warfare system, or JCREW.

Specifically, the company will develop the system’s Increment 1, Block 1 system of systems.

JCREW is a next-generation system to protect warfighters, vehicles, watercraft and permanent structures from remote-controlled improvised explosive devices, the company said in a release.

Is HR your hidden strategic asset?

Is HR your untapped strategic strength?

Over the last couple years I’ve noticed a change in how senior executives talk about people. For years, I felt like a lot of lip service was paid to this topic but not much else.

But that might be changing. More executives are talking to me about people and culture as a business imperative because the market is so tight and competitive.