This Week’s Tech Highlights:
- Defense Secretary Discusses Emerging Tech Priorities: The Secretary outlines Pentagon priorities revitalizing military rebuild, AI investments, and strengthening deterrence
- SBA’s Prime Contracting Goals FY25: Small Business Administration adjusts small business contracting goals FY 2025
- DARPA’s INSPIRED Program: Program pushes optical detection beyond quantum noise limits
Tech Sector News:
- AI: Agencies to deliver a new plan within 180 days to enhance AI leadership
- Hypersonics: The U.S. must rapidly develop and test hypersonic and counter-hypersonic weapons to maintain military dominance (Opinion)
- Advanced Materials: Oak Ridge National Laboratory chemists developed a process to upcycle discarded plastics into more valuable macromolecules
- Batteries: LLNL researchers have developed microstructures in advanced battery materials
- Clean Tech: NREL is leading a project to integrate Cold Underground Thermal Energy Storage (Cold UTES) for data center cooling
- National Security Tech: DARPA’s A3ML program aims to revolutionize anti-money laundering by replacing manual analysis with AI-driven algorithms
- Modeling & Simulation: Penn State ARL has secured a DARPA contract for modeling & simulation
And more!
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GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS
SBA Resets Prime Contracting Goals for Small Businesses for FY25
Federal agencies’ small business contracting goals for 2025 have been reset, with at least 5% awarded to small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs). This removes individual agency SDB targets, potentially shifting focus to other programs like HUBZone. The overall small business contracting goal remains 23%.
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Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration’s Freeze on Federal Spending
On Monday, a U.S. judge ordered the Trump administration to lift its broad freeze on federal spending after a lawsuit filed by 23 state attorneys general last week. The judge ruled that all funding must be restored until a hearing can be held on a longer-term order.
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Commerce Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Supply Chain Disruptions, Protect American Producers & Pocketbooks
The Senate Commerce Committee has passed the bipartisan Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, authorizing the Department of Commerce to strengthen supply chains for critical industries. The bill establishes a Supply Chain Resilience Working Group to monitor risks, boost manufacturing, and prevent disruptions. It aims to enhance economic stability, job growth, and U.S. competitiveness through public-private collaboration.
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Defense Secretary Hegseth Discusses Emerging Tech Priorities
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has outlined a strategic vision emphasizing the rapid deployment of emerging technologies to strengthen U.S. military capabilities. His approach focuses on revitalizing the defense industrial base, reforming acquisition processes, and prioritizing investments in artificial intelligence and drone systems. Hegseth aims to restore the warrior ethos, rebuild the military, and reestablish deterrence, particularly against adversaries like China. He underscores the importance of defending the homeland and collaborating with allies to maintain global stability.
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DARPA Launches INSPIRED Program to Enhance Signal Detection
DARPA’s newly launched INSPIRED program aims to develop ultra-sensitive optical detectors by leveraging squeezed light, reducing quantum noise for precision measurements. Building on past success, INSPIRED seeks to miniaturize squeezed-light technology using chip-scale photonics. Over three years, teams from top institutions will create a compact, high-sensitivity detector, unlocking advancements in sensing, communication, and quantum computing.
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EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin Announces EPA’s “Powering the Great American Comeback” Initiative
The EPA has launched the Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative, outlining five key priorities: ensuring clean air, land, and water; restoring U.S. energy dominance; reforming permitting to spur investment; leading in AI development; and revitalizing American auto jobs. The initiative aims to balance environmental protection with economic growth through streamlined regulations and industry partnerships.
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Sandia’s Economic Impact Soars to $5.2B in 2024
Sandia National Laboratories achieved a record-breaking $5.2 billion economic impact in 2024, marking its 75th anniversary. Key highlights include $1.08 billion spent on small businesses, $133 million in state tax contributions, and 123 new patents. Sandia also expanded small business outreach, supporting 381 new suppliers and aiding 133 businesses through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program. Community contributions included 1,167 volunteer hours and $4 million in charitable donations.
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Trump Administration to Sign Traiff Order Monday or Tuesday to Target Steel and Aluminum
President Donald Trump is planning to sign new tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. The new tariffs would impose a 25% increase on top of existing duties and have drawn warnings of retaliation from trade partners. The largest sources of steel imports are Brazil, Canada, and Mexico while Canada largely dominates the aluminum imports.
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Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration’s Deferred Resignation Program
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s “deferred resignation” program, which offered federal employees eight months of pay to voluntarily resign. Labor unions challenged the plan, arguing it lacked congressional authorization and could destabilize government operations. The court’s decision delays the program’s implementation, providing time for further legal review.
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Who is Part of DOGE, and What are They Doing?
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk under the Trump administration, aims to streamline federal operations and reduce waste. Recent actions, including gaining access to Treasury payment systems and efforts to dismantle USAID, have sparked controversy. Some of these moves have faced legal challenges and pushback from government officials, raising concerns about the department’s reach and impact.
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PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS
PSF Analysis: Microelectronics Ecosystem Overview
The Microelectronics manufacturing ecosystem is the backbone of national security and economic resilience. But how we are doing enough to strengthen domestic manufacturing and scale U.S. capabilities? Our latest analysis breaks down key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping this critical sector. Here are some interesting findings:
- Cutting-Edge Technologies – Advancing AI, quantum computing, autonomous systems, and next-gen communications.
- Key Industries Impacted – Supporting defense, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and space manufacturing
- Federal R&D Investment – Over $7.1 billion was allocated to 2,171 organizations, accelerating breakthroughs in microelectronics.
- Dual-Use Innovation – 368 organizations bridging government and commercial markets, scaling solutions for both sectors.
Click here to download the latest ecosystem analysis on microelectronics and all other emerging tech categories.
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TECHNOLOGY SECTOR-SPECIFIC NEWS
AI: Administration Requests Input on AI ‘Action Plan’
The U.S. government is seeking public input on a new AI action plan following a recent executive order. Agencies are reviewing past AI policies and must deliver a new plan within 180 days to enhance AI leadership, economic competitiveness, and national security. Feedback is requested on AI priorities, including chips, data centers, energy use, safety, and innovation.
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Hypersonics: Opinion – Why the U.S. Must Aggressively Step Up Testing of Hypersonic Weapons
The U.S. must rapidly develop and test hypersonic and counter-hypersonic weapons to maintain military dominance. Adversaries are aggressively fielding these systems, while U.S. testing remains limited. A risk-averse culture delays progress, risking strategic disadvantage. Frequent testing is essential for overcoming engineering challenges. The next three defense budgets will be crucial for advancing these technologies.
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Advanced Materials: Polymer Editing Can Upcycle Waste Into Higher-Performance Plastics
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) chemists have developed a process to upcycle discarded plastics into more valuable macromolecules. Using metathesis reactions, they rearrange polymer building blocks to enhance material properties. This method efficiently integrates waste, reduces emissions, and could enable broader recycling of industrial polymers, advancing a circular economy with high-performance thermoset materials.
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Batteries: LLNL Identifying Material Properties for More Efficient Solid-State Batteries
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers developed a machine learning-assisted modeling framework to analyze microstructures in advanced battery materials. Their method improves understanding of ion transport in solid-state batteries, enhancing design efficiency. By generating digital microstructures and identifying key interface features, the study advances materials engineering for energy storage applications. The research was supported by the Department of Energy.
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Clean Tech: Reducing Data Center Peak Cooling Demand and Energy Costs With Underground Thermal Energy Storage
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is leading a project to integrate Cold Underground Thermal Energy Storage (Cold UTES) for data center cooling. This geothermal-based system stores cold energy underground for use during peak grid demand, reducing cooling loads, improving efficiency, and enhancing grid resilience. The DOE-backed initiative aims to lower data center costs and strengthen U.S. energy storage leadership.
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National Security Tech: DARPA to Hold Proposers Day for Technologies that Tackle Illicit Finance
DARPA’s Anticipatory and Adaptive Anti-Money Laundering (A3ML) program aims to revolutionize anti-money laundering by replacing manual analysis with AI-driven algorithms. The initiative seeks to develop privacy-preserving, rapid-search algorithms to detect and anticipate illicit financial transactions. By improving collaboration between financial institutions and law enforcement, A3ML aims to disrupt adversaries’ financial networks while safeguarding Americans’ privacy.
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Modeling and Simulation: Penn State Advanced Research Lab Awarded by DARPA for Advanced Modeling and Simulation Research
Penn State ARL has secured a $25.6M DARPA contract for the AIMS II program, enhancing classified hybrid cloud modeling and simulation environments. The project will support the Secure Advanced Framework for Simulation and Modeling, with work split between State College, PA (20%) and Reston, VA (80%), completing by February 2027. DARPA obligated $5M in FY25 RDT&E funds at award.
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