Month: November 2022

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Defense News: NRSE Works to Strengthen Women’s Ability to Combat Sexual Assaults

Source: United States Navy

“We actively practice and role play what assertiveness can look like within the realm of their comfort, so it becomes very personalized,” said Tina Vaughn-Wardle, NRSE’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.  “In recognizing risk, we explore this both for situational and environmental risk, but also behavior risk in coercive men.”
The individualized aspect of the training hits at the heart of how this program differs from previous Navy training efforts.  Bystander intervention training is taught fleet-wide, and while it has shown to help change attitudes, intentions and behaviors to a small degree, they have not altered outcomes.  Sexual assaults and victimization of women still occur at persistent and concerning rates.
The Department of Defense 2021 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military showed that over 8% of active-duty women indicated some form of unwanted sexual contact in the year before the survey was conducted.  Additionally, the number of sexual assault reports increased by 13 percent (the Navy increase was 9.2%), while the rate of people experiencing a sexual assault and reporting it has decreased.
“Statistically, the most vulnerable Sailors and the ones who are most often the victims of sexual assault in the Navy are first-tour females,” said Matt Straughan, the Region Family Support Program Director. “The EAAA program is different in that the program is targeted at a specific demographic.  Rather than a one size fits all, it is designed to teach young women how to be more assertive and gives them the skills to recognize risky situations and the confidence to take actions to reduce their risk.” 
 The EAAA program has previously been used in the U.S. Air Force Academy as well as at a number of colleges and universities and has an evidence-based record of success.  This is the first effort to adapt the program for the Navy, and NAS Pensacola was chosen because of the large number of women within the targeted age group (17-24) going through A-schools at Naval Air Technical Training Command, and the presence of Naval Aviation Schools Command where junior officers awaiting flight training might be available to serve as facilitators.  Both commands were enthusiastic in their support for the program.
The 12 hours of classroom instruction is currently broken down into two six hour sessions held every other weekend to a class of no more than 20 Sailors.  The junior officers serving as facilitators were trained by Vaughn-Wardle and the NAS Pensacola Civilian Victim Advocate Lauren Portal.
The training seeks to empower the women to:  recognize risk clues (Assess); identify and overcome personal obstacles to prioritizing their own sexual rights in acquaintance situations (Acknowledge); develop a toolbox of strategies to defend their bodies and boundaries (Act).  The strategies are both verbal as well as physical.
Given that the program focuses on helping women avoid and defend against sexual assaults, ensuring that blame is never ascribed to the victim is a concern.  The training diligently works to ensure that the Sailors refute internal and external victim-blaming.
“It could be all too easy to blame themselves for what happened to them,” Vaughn-Wardle said.  “It is something we see all too often in this field, so we reinforce that anyone who is sexually assaulted did the best they could with the resources they had at the time. The only person who can ever really, with 100% consistency, stop a sexual assault, is the person sexually assaulting. We can role play and practice and have an arsenal of tools, but when all of that is not enough to stop someone committed to using violence against us, we have to remember where the true responsibility lies—with the person committed to using violence.”
 
As a pilot program, there is not a timeline for expansion to other installations currently.  Vaughn-Wardle and Portal oversee the program and will eventually collect data from participants as well as a control group to ultimately generate statements of effectiveness on incidence of sexual assault, reduction of internalized victim blaming, and increased levels of confidence.  If the region team can validate the effectiveness of the program, then it might be implemented at other CNRSE installations with A-schools, however, that is a long-term goal.
 
For the time being, though, the goals are more individualized.
 
“I want to see women, especially young women, move more confidently through the world, embodying strength beyond their wildest imagination – physical, emotional, and mental – who are also empowered to talk about sex openly and honestly with their partners,” Vaughn-Wardle said.
 
 

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Awards at Three Texas Land Ports

Source: United States General Services Administration

November 10, 2022

Contracts awarded for project studies at Bridge of the Americas and Brownsville-Gateway LPOEs and paving design at Ysleta LPOE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded three contracts for projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects at land ports of entry in Texas. These projects will help modernize our land ports of entry to enhance safety and security, strengthen our supply chains, and lower costs for American families.

At the Brownsville-Gateway Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Brownsville, Jacobs Technology, Inc. was awarded a $4.6 million contract to conduct a program development study. The study is a technical analysis of the proposed modernization and expansion project for the port to define existing conditions, identify program requirements, and implement a plan and schedule to meet project goals and objectives.

At the Bridge of the Americas LPOE in El Paso, Richter Associates was awarded a contract to complete an enhanced feasibility study. GSA awarded the $820,000 contract for the study under the 8(a) program for small businesses to determine future workplace needs based on projected requirements and to identify viable alternatives for future selection. GSA also awarded Richter Associates a $115,000 design contract for the Ysleta Land Port of Entry Paving project. This project will improve port daily operations by repairing deteriorated roads.

“America’s land ports are vital to our economy and our security, with billions of dollars in goods and services crossing our borders each and every day,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “As we approach the first anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are more committed than ever to modernizing our land ports in ways that will create good-paying jobs and strengthen supply chains, while enhancing safety and security.”

“Investing in our land ports of entry helps GSA support the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,” said Acting Regional Administrator Giancarlo Brizzi. “These projects will enable us to better support CBP’s mission to secure our borders while also strengthening the U.S. economy.”

Bridge of the Americas and Brownsville-Gateway are two of 26 major construction and modernization projects at LPOEs funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Ysleta LPOE is one of 21 paving projects also funded through the BIL. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide funds to modernize and improve LPOEs at the northern and southern borders. The upgrades to these facilities will provide considerable capacity for pedestrians and cross border travelers, while supporting the ability of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure a safe and secure border.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people.

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GSA to Test Solar Tracking and Off-grid Mobile Charging at Bean Federal Center

Source: United States General Services Administration

November 10, 2022

CHICAGO – Today, the U.S. General Services Administration’s Center for Emerging Building Technology kicked off an Applied Innovation Learning Laboratory project at the Bean Federal Center in Indianapolis to test both off-grid mobile charging and solar tracking technology. GSA was joined by the Sandia National Laboratories, BEAM Global and Rocking Solar to plan the pilots, which support electric vehicle supply equipment and solar energy production, respectively.

GSA partnered with the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories to plan a detailed analysis of the pilots. These pilots aim to support GSA’s ability to deliver on the commitments in Executive Order 14057 “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability” to work towards a net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045 and accelerate the transition to an all-electric federal fleet by 2035.

Announced by GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan earlier this year, AILL sites will serve as hubs for Center for Emerging Building Technologies programs (Green Proving Ground and Pilot to Portfolio) and encourage federal partners, industry and local utilities to work together to test new kinds of clean energy technologies.

GSA Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service Nina Albert attended the kickoff meeting and did a walkthrough of both project areas to learn more about the technologies.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with innovative companies to test new clean energy technologies that support net-zero emission buildings and vehicle charging infrastructure at federal properties,” said Albert. “Providing the space for practical testing of sustainable technologies is vital to accelerating the transition to an all-electric fleet and building a cleaner, healthier future for the country.”

Specifically, the technologies being piloted are:

  • A renewable, transportable EV charging station (from BEAM Global) that combines solar, battery storage, and emergency power and can be independent or grid-tied.
  • A single-axis, low-cost solar tracker (from Rocking Solar) that increases energy yield of commercial rooftop photovoltaic production by adapting a proven utility tracking technology.

“The Inflation Reduction Act will provide even more opportunities for GSA’s Green Proving Ground program to drive data-driven investment in new technologies,” said Kevin Powell, Director of the Center for Emerging Building Technology. “Building and fleet electrification is at a transformational moment, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Bean Federal Center to understand how we can best derive optimum value for rooftop solar and all-electric fleets.”

Reference above to any specific company, product, technology or service does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by GSA. More information on the above technologies and other ongoing evaluations can be found at GPG’s Ongoing Assessments webpage.

Bean Federal Center rooftop photos are available for downloading.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA

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Security News: Ohio State University Pays Over $875,000 to Resolve Allegations that It Failed to Disclose Professor’s Foreign Government Support

Source: United States Department of Justice 2

The Ohio State University (OSU), a public university in Columbus, Ohio, has paid $875,689 to resolve civil allegations that it failed to disclose an OSU professor’s affiliations with and support from a foreign government in connection with federal research funding.

This settlement relates to Army, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Science Foundation (NSF) grants and research support agreements that provided funding to OSU from November 2012 to August 2020. In the funding application process, the Army, NASA the NSF require disclosures of, among other things, foreign government support received by any principal investigator (PI) or co-PI on the grant or agreement. The settlement resolves allegations that an OSU professor failed to disclose funding that he was receiving from a foreign government in connection with: (1) employment at a foreign public university; (2) participation in a foreign talent plan, a program established by the foreign government to recruit individuals with knowledge or access to foreign technology intellectual property; and (3) a grant from the foreign government’s natural science foundation. As part of its settlement, OSU has agreed to cooperate with the United States government’s investigation of others involved in the alleged violations of law.

“Universities, institutions and researchers are required to make certain disclosures when applying for federal grants so that the government can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.”

“Failing to comply with federal disclosure obligations is not tolerable. Period,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Institutions, agencies, and researchers who do so will be held accountable.”

“The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division uses all available resources to see that those who attempt to bypass full disclosure rules when working with foreign governments are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Moreland of the Major Procurement Fraud Field Office.

“This settlement demonstrates NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG)’s commitment to identifying and holding accountable those who conceal affiliations with foreign entities to obtain research funding,” said Assistant Inspector General Robert Steinau of Investigations for NASA-OIG. “I am proud of the exceptional teamwork of our law enforcement partners, the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, that resulted in securing this settlement and ensuring aggressive oversight of taxpayer funds awarded for academic research.”

The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, with assistance from the FBI, Army, NASA-OIG and NSF.

This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J.T. Downey for the Southern District of Ohio.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

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Security News: Chief Information Officer of Publicly Traded Pharmaceutical Company Charged for Insider Trading Scheme

Source: United States Department of Justice News

An indictment was unsealed today charging a Pennsylvania man for his alleged role in an insider trading scheme involving the securities of Mylan N.V. (Mylan), a publicly traded pharmaceutical company.

According to court documents, Ramkumar Rayapureddy, 54, of Upper Saint Clair, conspired with his former colleague, Dayakar Mallu, to fraudulently trade in Mylan securities based on material nonpublic inside information Rayapureddy obtained through his position at Mylan in advance of market-moving corporate announcements for their own financial gain. At the time of the alleged scheme, Rayapureddy was Mylan’s chief information officer.

From 2017 through 2019, Rayapureddy allegedly tipped Mallu on multiple occasions with material nonpublic inside information about Mylan concerning, among other things, FDA drug approvals, financial earnings, and a merger with a division of Pfizer, Inc. Mallu allegedly used the inside information to execute trades in the company’s securities and in return Rayapureddy or his designee received cash payments.

Rayapureddy is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and three counts of securities fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the securities fraud charges and five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

In September 2021, Mallu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and aiding in the preparation of a false tax return and is awaiting sentencing.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Amanda Fretto Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov.

 An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.