VA EASS/CMS PAST/IRS, Navy & NIH Cyber/245M DHA RES II/Army, HUD & HHS Analytics/150M ED IT/50M DLA SHIELD/93M DECA NIS scoop; DOI/NASA/Fed OCIO moves

• ????NextStage: How AI is Changing Government Proposal Development (And What It Can’t Do) – AI is transforming how GovCon attacks proposals. But let’s be clear: AI isn’t replacing proposal leaders. It’s making them faster, more strategic, and able to focus on what wins contracts. Read on here.

????Tick. Tock. 60 days and counting: Advancing Partnerships: Navigating VA Acquisition – This all-day early March event with the TAC, SAC, NAC, VHA, VBA and more, will deliver a comprehensive, mission-focused overview of the VA acquisition landscape, aligned to Mission 2026 priorities. Lock in now before spaces are filled! Sponsorships available. Details here.

???? Nominations are now open for the 2026 FXP (Federal Excellence Program) awards! Is the Federal program you support delivering real results and doing it the right way? FXP recognizes high-performing, enterprise-level Federal programs and offices demonstrating strong leadership, accountability, innovation, and mission impact. If your team stands out, now is the time to ensure they are recognized. Due Jan 31. Submit here.

????The Morning Buzz: Some key items you may have missed over the holiday break

• Treasury Department awards $1B identity verification support BPA contract to ID.me
• Tris Carpenter: AFRL advancing ~$10B IDIQ to support unclassified science & tech R&D
• Kara Sacilotto: DOD/War on FAR overhaul – issues phase 1 of class deviations for DFARS and PGIs
• Eric Blatt: cautiously optimistic SBIR program will be reauthorized by Jan 31. Here’s why…
• Caprice Knapp: The CMS Office of Rural Health is launched
• DoD Platform One: P1 Solutions Marketplace re-opened with extended evaluation period
• Capture 411 launches 8(a) Opportunity Shift field guide that examines what is next
• VA in 2026 looks to get EHR rollout back on track, embark on health care reorg
• DOGE Cancels 55 Contracts Worth $863M
• Nikhil Krishnan: FDA RFI: venture firms made prime contractors who then subcontract to portfolio companies
• War Department to Expand AI Arsenal on GenAI.mil With xAI

???? Two Events to kickstart your 2026! 

• CMMC 2.0 Compliance: What the Defense Industrial Base Needs to Know
• HIMSS NCA hosts VA/HHS/FDA/DHA for the Power of Effective Use of Fed Health Data

Track More Federal GovCon Events on the OS AI Calendar (Sponsored by FHAS)

????⚖ GAO and the Courts:

• CMS Protest Dismissed: Island Peer Review Organization – dba IPRO
• VA Protest Filed: 36C24926Q0036 | Veterans Management Services
• VA Protest Filed: NCO16 Acquisition Support Services
• VA Protest Dismissed: 1779782 | Vizlesan
• NIH Protest Withdrawn: C-121222-SB | TCG
• HHS IHS Protest Dismissed: O&M Training for the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering
• USCIS Protest Dismissed: OCFO Audits contract
• State Dept Protest Dismissed: $75M OIG Professional Support Services BPA
• IRS Protest Filed: 2032H5-25-Q-0059 | FCN
• IRS Fresh Protest Filed: 25PR-SPDIR-0119 | CALNET
• FBI Protest Dismissed: $65M SCOR 28 task to provide OCIO IT Systems Support Services
• FTC Protest Filed: RFQ-1789689 | Minburn Technology Group
• HUD Protest Dismissed: $16M Commercial Capital Assessment Projections support task
• Capitol Police Protest Filed: OISQ202500004 | MSM Technology
• Smithsonian Protest Denied: Natl Museum of African American History Digital Experience Initiative
• CIA Protest Withdrawn: 56000025R0502 | TTG Solutions
• CIA Sustainment Decision Posted: Acquisition & Digital Solutions Services BE IT Support
• Army Protest Dismissed: W912CH-25-R-4523 | Aspetto
• Navy Protest Withdrawn: NAVWAR | N6523624R3003 | Kochur Trummer
• Navy Protest Denial Decision Posted: CEBO and Data Analytics Support
• Navy Protest Denial Decision Posted: Track Management Services
• Navy Protest Sustainment Decision Posted: Naval Sea Systems Command IT Services
• Navy Protest Denied: $417M NMMES IT Modernization contract
• Air Force Protest Sustained: FA8771-25-R-0004| Solutions71
• Air Force Protest Dismissed: FA8051-25-R-0002 | PowerTrain
• Air Force Protest Dismissed: $48M Cybersecurity, IT Governance & Workforce Dev contract
• Air Force Protest Denied: FA489025R0023 | T3i
• NGA Protest Filed: SEQUOIA (Formerly known as AI/ML Data Labeling)
• DHA Protest Dismissed: TOPR 10290 | Compass Arora JV

????OS AI Insiders can Track all the latest protest activity here.

Most Viewed Comment:

• Five Dozen USAF Expiring Tasks Expected to Draw a Crowd in 2026 – O-Astra ISR supports DoW as a sub … are a SDVOSB with a TS Facility Clearance … interested in partnering. More here.

The Juice????: 2026 is almost here and these firms and agencies are gearing up

• Red Team Consulting Announces Leadership Transition – Blake Harvey promoted to President
• Jay Teitelbaum tapped as Acting Deputy Federal CIO, Office of Management and Budget
• VA EHRM Integration Office taps Crystal Jones as Chief Administrative Officer
• VA taps Tina Minor Kleiber to be Acting Chief Learning Officer
• CMS recruits Healthcare, AI, and Technology Leader Michael Sisti
• DHS taps Steven Willoughby as acting Exec Director for PEO UAS and C-UAS S&T Directorate
• DHA names new Chief Experience Officer
• DHA taps PEO DHMS contracting SME as Contracting Officer Lead
• Ryan Perry tapped by IRS as Chief IT Acquisition Planning & Oversight
• EPA names Ana Greene as Chief of the IT Project Management Branch
• Census Bureau taps new Statistical Computing Chief
• HUD taps familiar face as acting CTO
• GSA Managing Dir AAS/FEDSIM – Innovation Sector Alexandra Rouse takes new challenge
• Katie McGuiness named acting CFO at OPM
• DOJ IT leader named Office of Naval Intelligence Chief Data Scientist
• New SES leader Ralph Ferguson to serve as ICE ERO Fiscal Management Division DASD
• T. March Bell sworn in as 7^th HHS Inspector General
• Michael Powers named Dep Under Secretary of War Comptroller
• DOD Digital and AI lead Bonnie Evangelista now a Sr Acquisition Manager with Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy
• Army Future Command leader Julia McAdams now Dep Director CDAO AC2A Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering
• James Mazol now Dep Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering at Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering
• Jennifer Augustine now DISA Sr Advisor, J6 | C4 Enterprise Directorate
• ODNI taps National Counterintelligence Officer for Emerging & Disruptive Technology
• NASA Acting Deputy CIO for Strategy John Evans announces departure
• DOI Deputy CIO Ken Klinner exits, launches consultancy
• CMS Deputy Director OIT, Lee Ann Crochunis, departs
• CMS IT Program Manager exits
• Longtime VA Contracts lead/Acquisition Svcs leader Richelle Wright exits federal service
• VA Senior Product Manager Hugo Padilla exits, launches Prime Federal Solutions
• VA Deputy CTO for Innovations and Emerging Technologies now CEO of ThinkAGC
• NIH NCI CIO Jeff Shilling exits, takes new challenge
• Recent EPA CIO Vaughn Noga departs Federal Service; seeking new opportunities
• FDA Program Manager, Digital Solution Partners Ripujeet Madan exits, now consulting
• EPA Director and former DHA CTO Sonja Lemott departs Federal Service
• SEC Cybersecurity Program Office leader exits
• IRS Procurement Lead Guy Torres exits, launches consultancy
• DOL Zero Trust Program Director Julie DeNiro now retired
• Tria Federal recruits DHA Lifecycle Management Services Chief Troy Ibarra
• Constellation welcomes DOJ ATF Special Agent Toni Crosby to Executive Leadership Team
• FERC Deputy CDO Spencer Cummings recruited to join Google Public Sector
• USAID CFO Reginald Mitchell announces retirement
• Longtime DoD DFAS IT leader Mats Persson open to consulting
• MIL Corporation recruits longtime DHS Finance SME Jose Fabre
• Reingold recruits former VA Data Analytics & Innovation leader Liz Floto

and several Growth-Minded Execs take on new challenges: Scott Semple now Managing Partner with Sales Native | Matthew Hostutler tapped as CGO at Blue Sky Innovators | ThinkTek announces leadership promotions to include multiple VPs and new CFO | Axon recruits Claudia Davidson from Palantir to serve as SVP Federal |Blue Origin recruits Tony Bruno to be President, National Security | Sharon Jimenez tapped to be President and COO at QuantumThreat Labs | Steven Schliesman takes role at Leidos as Sr VP, Health Mission Systems | Joel Abrahams takes position as SVP, Homeland Sector CFO at Leidos | Masood Ahmed now VP, Government Solutions at Leidos | Ask Sage Founder Nicolas Chaillan takes role as CTO with BigBear.ai as $250M Acquisition finalized | Lavar Mcdowell joins TekSynap as VP of Army Strategy/Programs | Martina Wood promoted to be President of FEI Systems | LMI promotes Eve Meek | Black Cape recruits Defense Intel Growth leader Jeff Bazydlo | Spry Methods announces appointment of Nichole Gohman as COO

Missed OS AI industry moves? ????Insiders can see the full report here. Did we miss highlighting your key hire? Message us at support@orangeslices.ai