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Opportunity alert: GSA CAMEO Recompete
Lisa Pafe Civil & GovernmentGet ready for the General Services Administration’s (GSA) CIO Application Maintenance, Enhancements, and Operations (CAMEO) Recompete effort. GSA held an Industry Day Aug. 7 to introduce the procurement, which as they reiterated, is early in the process and industry feedback is welcome. The program is generating a lot of attention, with more than 230 companies attending Industry Day.
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Federal policy challenges continue with opioid epidemic
Joan Spitrey Medical & Allied HealthcareOn Aug. 16, a mass overdose taxed the EMS services of New Haven, Connecticut. Within 24 hours, 70 people had overdosed on synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or spice, which was suspected to be laced with the potent opioid fentanyl. Again, this highlighted the continued opioid crisis that continues to plague the United States. However, federal and local authorities, despite their best efforts, continue to make little headway in this new war on drugs.
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North American prisoner strike begins in 17 states and Canada
Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityRegardless of where you stand on mass incarceration, the number of Americans locked up — 2.3 million — is large enough that divergent forces are paying attention as a National Prisoner Strike, which began Aug. 21 and will end Sept. 9, unfolds. Why now? Some inmates would answer, "Because it’s August." The phrase "Black August" may not have been included in your high school history course, but anyone following U.S. prison reform has heard of it, and more specifically of a man named George Jackson.
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Court rules against EPA’s stalling of new chemical safety regulations
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a lot of negative coverage lately due to the antics of the agency’s former head, Scott Pruitt, and the EPA’s historic role in reversing decades of environmental regulations, such as car emissions standards and the Endangered Species Act. While it’s not the most ecologically enlightened time period, there’s good news out there for people who fight for cleaner environmental standards. For example, last week the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the EPA’s efforts to block implementation of new chemical plant safety rules by 20 months.
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Common Core creator’s breach-of-contract case continues
Seth Sandronsky EducationWho knew that parties involved in the business of school assessment could end up in federal court? Consider a U.S. magistrate who ruled against an education entrepreneur and plaintiff in a breach-of-contract case with a global education and information firm over the amount of bonus payments tied to an employment agreement. Dr. Judy Codding is the plaintiff, and there is a history here. She took part in the writing of the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and math that California, the U.S.' most populous state with over 6 million K-12 public school pupils, has adopted along with 41 other states.
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Nebraska conducts first execution in the US to use fentanyl
Michelle R. Matisons PharmaceuticalThe death penalty is a very divisive political issue. Recently, even Pope Francis condemned the practice as "inadmissable." Acquiring the drugs used for lethal injection is a huge problem, and some suggest this is leading to some very problematic developments — like the use of the popular opioid fentanyl in executions. Nebraska recently used fentanyl to execute Carey Dean Moore. This is the first time ever in the U.S. that fentanyl has been used in an inmate’s execution, and the move has caused much controversy.
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Set your sights on USDA Centers of Excellence bids for Q4 and beyond
Lisa Pafe Civil & GovernmentIn December, the White House announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would serve as the first of GSA’s Center of Excellence (CoE) for IT Modernization. USDA is at the forefront for implementing the Trump administration’s IT Modernization Plan with a series of acquisitions covering multiple skill sets, technology stacks, and application portfolios. USDA plans to make an award by the end of Q4 FY 2018.
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Modern crime fighting needs deeper tech utilization
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityA recent report stated that the size of the global law enforcement software market will grow to $18.13 billion by 2023. This should not come as a surprise, since criminals have been quick to adopt the latest technologies, which means police must as well. The pervasive influence of social media and Internet of Things-enabled devices demand mobile-based law enforcement software. But law enforcement officers are still facing questions about regulations.
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The politics of bringing bullet trains to the US
Lucy Wallwork Transportation Technology & AutomotiveThe Shinkansen "bullet trains" in Japan and France’s extensive TGV network are testament to the commitment of some countries to high-speed rail. The U.K. has recently realized it is falling behind and is trying to catch up, but is causing a furor in the process. Even Uzbekistan is in on the game. The U.S., meanwhile, is still making baby steps. Now, investors who have built on experience on other international projects are now rushing into the U.S. to try their changes. But who is willing to pay for these pricey projects?
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Puerto Rico’s recovery faces ongoing privatization challenges
Michelle R. Matisons Civil & GovernmentOn July 9, Puerto Rican officials submitted a 411-page draft recovery plan to the U.S. Congress that outlines Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s vision for the island’s future as it acknowledges that the death toll from Hurricane Maria may be much larger than originally admitted. This plan states that prior to September’s storm, the island already struggled "with an economic crisis spanning more than a decade." That crisis led a federal oversight board to take over Puerto Rico’s finances in 2016.
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