Government contractors were part of the audience watching events unfold last week over the substantial breach in intelligence information.  There are important lessons contractors can learn here, even for those that don’t work in the intelligence community.

1.  Good Systems Are No Match For Human Error:  For all of the billions invested in cybersecurity, “Zero Trust”, and other solutions meant to keep information safe, there is absolutely no way to anticipate human error.  Systems only work if people use them properly and it’s easy to let your guard down when you’re comfortable among colleagues.  Contractors Read more

While there is still time for Congress and the President to reach an agreement on increasing the federal debt ceiling, time is running out with only about two months to go before the anticipated default date.  Federal contractors should understand, though, that the lack of a deal will trigger automatic executive branch actions much sooner than that, potentially disrupting business in the very near future.  Federal offices are required to take certain continuity of operations actions in anticipation of partial, or total, agency shut-downs.  These Read more

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in government continues to soar.  The federal AI market now exceeds $1 billion.  At the same time, however, important ethical and use questions are arising.  While the technology has many possible positive applications throughout government, contractors should consider exercising caution in where and how they propose to use AI.  Regardless of the technology, the bottom line remains the same:  Contractors are the most likely scapegoat if the latest HAL 9000 goes rogue.  Another issue surrounding AI use is how to Read more

Companies selling to the government already have an array of oversight and compliance agencies that enforce an ever-growing number of procurement regulations.  Contractors should add the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to that list as the agency becomes an increasingly activist organization.  Two specific areas where the FTC is, or soon will be, turning its attention to issues involving government contractors are the use of noncompete agreements (NCA’s) and the weaponization of the False Claims Act to punish contractors that over-hype the capabilities of their solutions.  Earlier this year the FTC issued a broad Notice of Proposed Read more