FCW Insider: Jan. 13

Defense contractors should be getting ready for the Defense Department's impending cybersecurity standard expected to be released this month. Lauren C. Williams takes a look at what's coming.

Congress required a National Academy of Public Administration study of the proposed merger of the Office of Personnel Management into the General Services Administration in the 2020 defense bill. But there's still no information yet on how the study will be conducted. Lia Russell has more.

A Senate bill would task a panel created by the Department of Commerce with identifying federal regulations and challenges that may inhibit the development or deployment of Internet of Things devices and examine how federal agencies could benefit from greater reliance on connected devices. Derek B. Johnson has the story.

The Treasury Department, along with two universities, is piloting a payment capability that leverages blockchain to track grant money. Mark Rockwell reports.

Quick Hits

*** Data protection and cybersecurity are key parts of the automated vehicle technology principles articulated in the AV 4.0 document released last week and touted in a keynote at the CES Government conference by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in Las Vegas. "The takeaway from AV 4.0 is that the federal government is all in -- for safer, better and more inclusive transportation, aided by automated driving systems," Chao said.

*** Steven Walker, who just exited the directorship of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, was tapped to serve as chief technology officer at Lockheed Martin. Washington Technology has more on this story.

*** The Department of Energy announced plans to establish several multidisciplinary research centers in support of the National Quantum Initiative. Making $625 million available to collaborative research teams, DOE plans to build centers that will "push the current state-of-the-art science and technology toward realizing the full potential of quantum-based applications," the agency said in its Jan. 10 funding opportunity announcement. Read more in GCN.