Technical Communities, Inc.

All Technical Communities’ revenue categories achieved record results, including test, laboratory, medical, information technology and direct marketing. This is the eighth of the past nine years where the company showed year over year sales growth.

The privately held company also now has a record number of partnerships with 120+ technical companies. In addition to service offerings, the company holds and manages multiple federal, state and local government contracts. It is owner and operator of industry leading online marketplaces that focus on the U.S. government agencies, military organizations and prime federal contractors. They include ecommerce sites gsamart.com and testmart.com and the govcontractsmagazine.com government-focused content network.

“We are very excited to announce these results for 2011. It was Technical Communities’ focus on our partners’ needs, expertise in reaching government customers and successful management of multiple GSA Schedules that helped us achieve record sales and partnerships,” said Peter Ostrow, Technical Communities, Inc. President and CEO.

Technical Communities continues to add partners, product lines and services that solve problems and focuses on government customers. The company regularly sells to more than 1,400+ U.S. government, military and prime federal contractor buying organizations and has reach into the 1+ million prospects in its proprietary database.

For the fourth year in a row, Technical Communities was named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the fastest growing private companies in America.

Speaking at a news conference at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III acknowledged that the connection of cyberspace to the military’s mission to protect the security of the nation is ambiguous.

“We do not know the exact way in which cyber will figure in the execution of this mission, or the precise scenarios that will arise,” he said in a prepared statement. “But the centrality of information technology to our military operations and our society virtually guarantees that future adversaries will target our dependence on it.”

“Our assessment is that cyber attacks will be a significant component of any future conflict, whether it involves major nations, rogue states or terrorist groups,” he added.

“[W]e stand at an important juncture in the development of the cyber threat,” he warned. “More destructive tools are being developed, but have not yet been widely used. And the most malicious actors have not yet obtained the most harmful capabilities.”

“But this situation will not hold forever,” he continued. “There will eventually be a marriage of capability and intent, where those who mean us harm will gain the ability to launch damaging cyber attacks.  We need to develop stronger defenses before this occurs.  We have a window of opportunity — of uncertain length — in which to protect our networks against more perilous threats.”

Lynn reiterated the Pentagon’s position aired in recent weeks about kinetic retaliation for virtual acts. “Just as our military organizes to defend against hostile acts from land, air and sea, we must also be prepared to respond to hostile acts in cyberspace,” he declared. “Accordingly, the United States reserves the right, under the laws of armed conflict, to respond to serious cyber attacks with a proportional and justified military response at the time and place of our choosing.”

Five “pillars” underlie the department’s cyberspace strategy.

• Cyberspace will be treated as an operational domain — like land, air, sea and space. Treating cyberspace as a domain means that the military needs to operate and defend its networks, and to organize, train and equip our forces to perform cyber missions.
• New operating concepts will be introduced on the department’s networks, including active cyber defenses.  These active defenses use sensors, software and signatures to detect and stop malicious code before it affects our operations—thereby denying the benefit of an attack.
• Cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and the private sector to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure.
• Build collective cyber defenses with allies and international partners. Collective cyber defenses will help expand our awareness of malicious activity and speed our ability to defend against ongoing attacks.
• Enhance network security to reduce the advantages the attacker presently enjoys relative to the defender on the Internet.  Leveraging the nation’s technological and human resources to increase the security of network technology is not only in our best interest, Lynn said.  A more secure and resilient internet is in everyone’s interest.

Full article by John P. Mello, Jr., GSN

The group said it had targeted the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) “because we are against SB1070 and the racial profiling anti-immigration police state that is Arizona.” The release was posted June 3 under the epithet laced heading “Chinga la Migra.” AZDPS’ Website appeared to be down on the morning of June 24.

The group breached an FBI-related Website on June 3 and uploaded some confidential information to the Internet. The group proclaimed the attack on the site affiliated with the FBI’s InfraGard program was in retaliation for the United States threatening to respond to severe cyber attacks with military force.

In the breach at AZDPS, the group said it was releasing hundreds of internal intelligence bulletins, training manuals, personal email correspondence, names, phone numbers, addresses and passwords that belong to Arizona law enforcement. 

It said the documents are classified as “law enforcement sensitive”, “not for public distribution”, and “for official use only” are primarily related to border  patrol and counter-terrorism operations and describe the use of informants to infiltrate various gangs, cartels, motorcycle clubs, Nazi groups, and protest movements.

The documents listed on the group’s website purport to include personal addresses for highway patrol officers, email passwords and security briefings. Some documents appear to be security briefings and alerts that would go out to many law enforcement agencies, including advisories about particular weapons threats, gang infiltration of police and mundane security advisories on local entertainment events, and borderland hunting season notifications.

The bill the group opposes, SB 1070 has been called the strictest and broadest anti-illegal immigration bill in the country. It would make it a misdemeanor for an alien to be in the state without carrying federal registration documents. It also blocks state or local officials from restricting enforcement of federal immigration laws and cracks down on sheltering and hiring of illegal aliens.

Full article by Mark Rockwell, GSN

The agency is still young and has had trouble in the past because it didn’t have a history of how to do things, said Dr. Thomas Cellucci, chief commercialization officer at DHS, in opening remarks at the Security Industry Association’s 2011 Government Summit in Washington, DC, on June 21. It is now developing an understandable, coherent way to talk to private industry about its technology needs, he said.

In a keynote speech, steps from the US Capitol, Cellucci encouraged private companies in the audience to get involved with DHS in technology development partnerships and explained where to go to get noticed at the department.

“The power and money is in the seven operating components” of DHS, meaning the seven primary agencies that make it up. “Any of the other organizational elements is there to enhance and support the seven operating components,” he said. “There is a vast amount of money in the organization” that the department is looking to connect with private industry to develop the technology that it needs, he added.

In the era of deep budget cuts, the government needs private industry more than ever to shoulder development of technologies it can incorporate quickly and easily instead of developing on it’s own. The era of government procurement through huge acquisitions is over, or at least fading. “The big acquisition model doesn’t fit completely. We need commercialization,” he said, explaining that while the government still makes huge “one-off” acquisitions, like aircraft carriers, the future of commercialized contracts with vendors that develop technology with the government is bright. “Government doesn’t need a huge acquisition to develop devices like hand-held radiation detectors,” he said. Those kinds of devices can be developed  by private companies using specific government technological guidelines and sold across a number of government and even private markets, said Cellucci.

Cellucci said DHS has made dealing with the agency easy and efficient in the last several years. Streamlined processes, forms and procedures, he said, are jelling at the agency as it enters adulthood. He pointed to the agency’s Secure Program, a public/private partnerships that leverages the experience and resources of the private sector to develop fully deployable products and/or services based on DHS needs.

Full article by Mark Rockwell, GSN

GSA acted after the agency’s own inspector general conducted an audit and recommended that the GSA’s acquisition regulations (GSAR) be tightened when it comes to IT products and services.

The new rule, which became effective on June 15, requires contractors to submit an IT Security Plan to the appropriate contracting officer within 30 days of its contract award. Such a plan must describe the “processes and procedures that will be followed to ensure appropriate security of IT resources…” says the GSA notice. The plans must comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the e-Government Act of 2002 and other applicable federal laws.

GSA has estimated that these tightened IT Security regulations will affect about 150 vendors, of which approximately 80 are small businesses.

Comments from the public can be submitted to GSA by visiting www.regulations.gov and citing the following docket number: GSAR Case 2011-G503.

Further information is available from Deborah Lague, a GSA procurement analyst, at 202-694-8149.

Full article by Jacob Goodwin, GSN

“Mike Leiter’s entire career has been one of service to our nation and I know his decision to leave the National Counterterrorism Center was undoubtedly a difficult one for him,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.

“Serving in two administrations since 2007, Mike led the National Counterterrorism Center with dedication and unwavering determination during challenging and demanding times and our nation is grateful for his many contributions to our safety and security,” he continued. “Mike has been a trusted advisor to me and to the entire national security team, providing us with an in-depth understanding of terrorist activities that affect our nation’s security.”

No reason was given by the White House for Leiter’s departure. According to the National Journal, the Administration is considering several candidates to replace Leiter, including Juan Zarate, a former national advisor for combating terrorism for President George W. Bush and currently a national security analyst for CBS News.

Leiter is a former Navy fighter pilot and graduated from Harvarfd Law School in 2000. He has been a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and a federal prosecutor focusing on terrorism cases.  He also worked on the Robb-Silberman commission on weapons of mass destruction and in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

One of the most notable events during his tenure was the failure of his office to head off an attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to set off a bomb on board Northwest flight 207 over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. After the attempt was foiled, it came to light that the CIA had passed on a tip about the bomber’s terrorist leanings to Leiter’s shop but it failed to use it expose the plot.

Full article by John P. Mello, Jr., GSN

The Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 2017) passed the House late on June 2 by a vote of 231 to 188, with 127 House Republicans voting against the cost-cutting bill. Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) and ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) both voted against it. Thompson lamented arbitrary reductions and partisanship.

King had voted for an additional $75 million for rail security to be included. He has repeatedly said rail security around major urban areas needs shoring up. He also voted to restore $320 million in firefighter grants and questioned further cuts to infrastructure protection given that it is a proven target for Al Qaeda.

In a statement on June 2 after the bill’s passage, Thompson said he had grave concerns about the cuts and overall approach by the House to homeland security issues. Homeland security has largely been left untouched in the past as Congress sought to expand protections and budget for programs. However, as the federal budget tightened this past winter and spring, homeland security became a target for big reductions.

“This bill is simply an assault against the progress we’ve made protecting the homeland over the past ten years,” said Thompson in a statement. King hadn’t issued a statement on his reaction to the passage by the morning of June 3.

“I voted against this bill because not only did it arbitrarily cut the DHS budget, but it ignores gaps in preparedness grants for first responders and counterterrorism initiatives,” said Thompson.

Thompson further criticized the measure for preventing collective bargaining at the Transportation Security Administration, something TSA employees have been seeking. TSA Administrator John Pistole agreed to allow collective bargaining last February and two labor organizations are jockeying to represent TSA employees.

“Furthering the Republican anti-worker political agenda, this bill prevents TSA screeners from collective bargaining rights and calls for the elimination of up to 8,000 critical jobs,” said Thompson.

Full article by Mark Rockwell, GSN

Phil Reitinger, deputy undersecretary in DHS’s National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), has resigned and will depart the agency June 3, according to an email he sent to DHS NPPD employees that was obtained by InformationWeek.

He did not mention whether the cybersecurity policy proposal the White House released last Friday influenced his departure, but said the delivery of that plan to Capitol Hill marked a good time for his exit.

The plan to overhaul the nation’s cybersecurity laws includes new provisions to solidify privacy protection, data breach reporting, critical infrastructure protection, and the security of federal government systems. It’s an attempt by the Obama administration to get comprehensive cybersecurity legislation through Congress, an effort that–although there are numerous bills before both chambers–has so far been unsuccessful.

“With significant progress having been made in activities across NPPD, with growing recognition of DHS’s roles and authorities, and the cybersecurity legislative proposal now delivered to the Hill, it’s a logical point for me to leave the Department of Homeland Security and allow the team that we have developed together to carry our initiatives forward,” Reitinger wrote in the email.

Reitinger does not have plans for his next move yet, but said he will spend more time with his family, including his young children, before deciding future plans for “how I can best play a role in advancing infrastructure protection and cybersecurity.”

One of Reitinger’s chief responsibilities at the DHS is to act as a liaison with other federal agencies also charged with providing cybersecurity protection for U.S. critical infrastructure and federal networks, such as the Department of Defense (DOD). The DHS and DOD are at the frontlines of federal cybersecurity efforts. He and his team also are responsible for centralizing how cybersecurity is handled across federal agencies.

Full article by Elizabeth Montalbano, InformationWeek

The event will include speakers from CBP and S&T who will offer “an assessment of the maturity of technology and its solutions to meet the needs of the end-users,” according to an announcement posted online by DHS on May 13.

The sessions will run from 8 am to 5 pm on each day in the Junior Ballroom of the Washington Marriott Hotel at Metro Center at 775 12^th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Participants can register by May 20 by clicking here.

“Participants will be able to register for one-on-one break-out sessions with CBP,” says the announcement.

Further information is available from Lisa Louison, a contract specialist at lisa.louison@dhs.gov.

Full article by Jacob Goodwin, GSN

The bills, H.R. 1690, H.R. 1801 and H.R. 1165 will streamline and expedite security screening processes for truckers and military personnel, as well as establish a workplace ombudsman for Transportation Security Administration employees, according to Transportation Security Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL).

The bills now go to the full Homeland Security Committee for consideration.

H.R. 1690, or the “Modernizing of Documentation and Elimination of Redundant Identification and Security Credentials Act” (The MODERN Security Credentials Act), eliminates redundancies in the transportation security credentialing process administered by the TSA, said Rogers. 

The measure would reduce costs for some commercial motor vehicle operators by streamlining the credentialing process so that they will no longer be required to undergo multiple, duplicative threat assessments and by eliminating redundancies and overlap between the federal credentialing process and those at the state and local levels, he said. “This bill would reduce costs for hard-working folks in the transportation industry,” he said in remarks during a subcommittee May 12 mark-up session. The bill also establishes a task force of industry, labor and government stakeholders to provide recommendations for further modernizing the threat assessment process, he said.

The subcommittee also approved H.R. 1801, the “Risk-Based Security Screening for Members of the Armed Forces Act,” which would expedite airport security screenings for members of the U.S. military and their accompanying family members. The bill was introduced by Subcommittee Member Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN) and co-sponsored by Rogers.

The subcommittee also passed H.R. 1165, The “Transportation Security Administration Ombudsman Act of 2011,” which officially establishes an Ombudsman Office within the TSA to provide help for TSA employees in addressing workplace-related issues. The bill was introduced by Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).

Full article by Mark Rockwell, GSN