GovConJudicata Weekly Debrief (2/5–2/9)
This week's Weekly Debrief covers data rights in defense contracting, the federal government's artificial intelligence efforts, False Claims Act trends, and the FAR Council's recent regulatory agenda.
Defense
"Congress should require all Pentagon contracts to secure data rights from the vendor, the Defense Innovation Board says. 'The current state of data access within DOD vendor agreements is fragmented and inconsistent,' the advisory board wrote in its most recent report, which includes suggested legislative text for the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act that would 'enshrine DOD data access and rights in all vendor agreements.'"
AI
"The Department of Homeland Security is launching a “hiring sprint” to build a team of 50 artificial intelligence experts for its new 'AI Corps.' 'Now is the time for tech experts to make a real difference for our country and join the federal government,' the agency’s Chief Information Officer Eric Hysen said in a news release announcing the sprint Tuesday."
"The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) today announced a call for project proposals to help federal agencies implement President Biden’s Executive Order on the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the federal government. To support AI implementation, the TMF is offering multiple paths to funding to help agencies better operate across organizational boundaries, improve coordination between existing programs to advance delivery of the agency mission, and modernize legacy systems. Agency proposals seeking $6 million or less and having a project timeline of no more than 1.5 years will receive an expedited review process for investment in an effort to help agencies achieve positive outcomes and impact quickly.
False Claims Act
"Less than two months into the new calendar year, and the Department of Justice is hard at work cracking down on false claims and continuing to save Uncle Same some of his hard-earned money. After noticing a defense contractor settle a false claims act with the DOJ just last week, a quick search in the database reveals 10 examples of companies pleading guilty to false claims in dealings with the U.S. Government this fiscal year alone."
FAR Council
"Today, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council ("FAR Council") – Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration – published its Semiannual Regulatory Agenda. As the document states, the agenda provides interested parties (e.g., government contractors, industry stakeholders, etc.) an opportunity to participate in the federal rulemaking process."
. . .
