WASHINGTON, March 23 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R41909) on March 21, 2025, entitled "Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary Multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC) are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limi  more

WASHINGTON, March 23 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R41909) on March 21, 2025, entitled "Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition - Background and Issues for Congress:" (Continued from Part 1 of 2) * * * Issues for Congress Potential issues for Congress concerning MYP and BBC include whether to use MYP and BBC in the future more frequently, less frequently, or about as frequently as they are currently used;   more

WASHINGTON, March 23 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. RL32109) on March 21, 2025, entitled "Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress" by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Summary The Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyer program is one of the longest-running shipbuilding programs in Navy history. The Navy began procuring DDG-51s, also known as Aegis destroyers, in FY1985, a  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service has released the following public communication dated March 12, 2025, from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Arlington, Virginia: * * * To: The Honorable Doug Burgum Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior C/O Public Comments Processing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Attn: FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137 MS: PRB/3W 5275 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 Re: Comments on Endangered and  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- MicroTechnologies LLC, of Delray Beach, Florida, has filed a protest with the General Accountability Office (GAO) challenging the Air Force's decision to award a task order to Trace Systems Inc., of Vienna, Virginia. The contract involves communications support for the Combined Air and Space Center Operations Center (CAOC). MicroTechnologies alleges that the Air Force's evaluation process was flawed, particularly concerning the analysis of professional employee compensat  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released the following public communication dated March 7, 2025, from John Hunt, chief information security officer at Centra Health, Lynchburg, Virginia: * * * To: Office for Civil Rights (OCR) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 509F 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20201 Subject: Public Comment on Proposed HIPAA Security Rule Amendments * * * To Whom It   more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released the following public communication on March 14, 2025, from Donoma Software, Blacksburg, Virginia: * * * Proposed Additions to HHS HIPAA Security Rule for Database Protection and Encryption of Data In Use RIN Number 0945-AA22 * * * Executive Summary The proposed amendments to the HIPAA Security Rule represent a significant step forward in protecting electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). However,   more

WASHINGTON, March 23 (TNSrep) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following In Focus white paper (No. IF11826) on March 21, 2025, by naval affairs specialist Ronald O'Rourke. Here are excerpts: * * * Navy Next-Generation Attack Submarine (SSN[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress Introduction The Navy has been procuring Virginia-class nuclear powered attack submarines (SSNs) since FY1998. The Navy's envisaged successor to the Virginia-class design is the Next-Generati  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Coast Guard has released the following public communication on March 13, 2025, from Maersk Line Ltd., Norfolk, Virginia: * * * Maersk Line, Limited, a U.S. flag vessel owner-operator located in Norfolk, Virginia submits the following comments with respect to Notice of Final Rule, Docket No. USCG-2022-0802 ("Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System," Jan. 17, 2025): In response to the Coast Guard's issuance of a final ru  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The General Accountability Office (GAO) has sustained a protest filed by SMS Data Products Group Inc., of McLean, Virginia, challenging the U.S. Air Force's issuance of a task order to Trace Systems Inc., of Vienna, Virginia. The dispute centers on the Combined Air and Space Center Operations Center (CAOC) communications support for the U.S. Air Forces Central Command. SMS Data Products Group argued that the Air Force's evaluation of professional employee compensation pl  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Horizons Youth Services, a small business based in Rockingham, Virginia, has lost its bid protest against the Department of Labor (DOL) regarding a contract for operating and managing the Cascades Job Corps Center in Sedro Woolley, Washington. The General Accountability Office (GAO) General Counsel denied Horizons' protest, ruling that the company's proposal was correctly rejected for failing to comply with the solicitation's font type and page limitation requirements. T  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The General Accountability Office (GAO) has denied a protest filed by Chase Supply Inc., a small business operating as Chase Defense Partners from Hampton, Virginia. The protest challenged the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) award of a contract to Crushproof Tubing Co., a small business based in McComb, Ohio, for air duct hose assemblies. The dispute arose from Request for Quotations (RFQ) No. SPE7MX-25-24-R-X017, which sought suppliers for specific National Stock Numbe  more