3/10/2025: Stories on the New White House Office for Shipbuilding, Manufacturing in America, and more!

This Week’s Tech Highlights:

The White House Is Launching a New Office Focused on Shipbuilding
Manufacturing in America – Contributing to Our Economy, Employment, and Innovation
Texas Quickly Becoming Tech Industry Hub

Tech Sector New

Adnaced Energy: Coconino County leading an advanced energy initiative under the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2)
Advanced Communication: DOD is shifting to an integrated SATCOM enterprise, combining military and commercial satellite systems for greater resilience
Unmanned Warships: DARPA launched the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS), a fully autonomous unmanned surface vessel built by SERCO
AI: DIU awarded Scale AI a prototype contract for Thunderforge, an AI-driven military planning system integrating wargaming and decision support
Nuclear Science: Researchers modeled nuclear properties with unprecedented detail, revealing how nuclear forces shape atomic structure

And more!

__________________________________________________________________________

GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Trump to Launch New White House Office Focused on Shipbuilding

A new White House office of shipbuilding will be established to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding and strengthen naval power. The initiative aims to boost both military and commercial ship production, offering tax incentives to support the industry. The plan counters global competition, particularly from China, and addresses delays and budget overruns in shipbuilding programs. Officials emphasize stabilizing programs, adopting commercial best practices, and improving productivity. The Navy seeks to expand its fleet to 381 ships by 2054, requiring significant investment.

Manufacturing in America – Contributing to Our Economy, Employment, and Innovation

NIST recently released a blog outlining how manufacturing is vital to the U.S. economy, contributing $2.93 trillion in Q3 2024 and making up 10% of GDP. Each dollar spent on manufacturing generates $2.69 in economic activity. The sector employs over 13 million people with well-paying jobs, with most manufacturers being small businesses. Manufacturing drives innovation, accounting for 55% of all U.S. patents and 54% of domestic R&D spending. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) supports small manufacturers by providing essential resources for workforce development and technology adoption.

Texas has become the Tech Industry’s Budget-Friendly Alternative to California

Texas is strengthening its status as a tech hub, with Apple’s new 250,000-square-foot AI server facility in Houston marking the latest investment. Companies like Samsung, Tesla, and Meta have expanded in the state, drawn by lower costs and business-friendly policies. High-tech jobs grew 4.7% annually over the past decade, outpacing overall job growth.

OPINION: The Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Process Must Go

In a recent op-ed, Bill Greenwalt argues that the Pentagon’s outdated Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) is hindering military modernization with excessive bureaucracy. Approval of military requirements takes over two years, stalling innovation while adversaries rapidly advance. Attempts to reform JCIDS have failed, and Congress now demands a full overhaul. Experts argue for its abolition, replacing rigid planning with problem-focused experimentation.

The House Committee on Small Business Reports Seven Bills Favorably to the House

The House Committee on Small Business unanimously passed seven bipartisan bills aimed at supporting small businesses. Key measures include improving access to career and technical education graduates (H.R. 1642), increasing transparency in government contracting (H.R. 789), simplifying contract language (H.R. 787), and enhancing support for entrepreneurs with disabilities (H.R. 1621, H.R. 1634). All bills were reported favorably to the House with unanimous support (25-0).

State and local Cyber Personnel should be Treated as the ‘Front Line’ Defending Critical Infrastructure

A recent panel at the Cybersecurity Modernization Summit argued that the government must treat state and local cybersecurity personnel as “front-line” defenders, akin to military forces, providing them with better resources and support. The panel emphasized the need for increased funding to protect critical infrastructure like water treatment and transportation systems, which lack the capital to recover from costly cyberattacks. While DHS’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has helped, they criticized broad budget cuts to CISA, advocating instead for a strategic approach that prioritizes cybersecurity as a national security issue.

GSA Shutters 18F, Possibly Leaving Agencies in the Lurch

The General Services Administration (GSA) has eliminated its 18F program, a team of tech consultants developing open-source digital services, as part of a broader federal workforce reduction. The decision, influenced by recent executive orders and White House guidance, was announced by Thomas Shedd, director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services. 18F employees lost access to government accounts immediately, and the impact on ongoing projects remains uncertain.

Trump Administration Asks Agencies to Cull Consultants

The Trump administration has directed federal agencies to reassess consulting contracts with 10 major firms, including Deloitte, Accenture Federal Services, and IBM, to cut “non-essential consulting contracts.” This aligns with a new executive order requiring centralized tracking of contract payments. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has promoted contract cancellations, though some reported savings have been disputed.

PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS

MI Sprint – A Proven Approach for Innovation & Growth

Public Spend Forum (PSF) is proud to support organizations navigating today’s challenging budget environment with its Market Intelligence Sprints—a rapid, data-driven approach to diving deep into technology markets, strengthening industrial bases, and fostering regional innovation ecosystems.

These sprints have now been deployed across 150+ use cases for innovation teams, regional economic development organizations, venture capital firms, and emerging companies seeking growth.

Our customers include:

Government agencies like CDAO, NavalX, GVSC,
Research institutes and tech scouting firms such as ARI, WBI
Venture capital firms such as Innovsphere and Enduring Planet
Economic Development teams in Indiana, Colorado, Denver, and Montana

Click here to learn more.

Customize Insights for Your NeedsLooking for tailored data? Our Rapid Market Intelligence Sprints can customize critical tech datasets for your specific use case. Contact us at support@publicspendforum.net for more details.

__________________________________________________________________________

Subscribe to the Critical Tech Market Insider to get important market insights on critical tech markets and to become part of our 20,000+ community

__________________________________________________________________________

TECHNOLOGY SECTOR-SPECIFIC NEWS

Advanced Energy: Making Innovation Happen – New IN² Cohort Focuses on Advanced Energy Implementation

Ponderosa High School in Coconino County, AZ, is leading an advanced energy initiative under the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), managed by NREL. Coconino aims to reduce district energy use by 40% through HVAC, lighting, and air quality improvements. Five of IN2’s 10 participating organizations received funding, with Coconino awarded $55K. The program helps organizations implement clean energy tech, with NREL providing technical guidance. Projects must be completed in six months.

Advanced Communication: GAO Report on DoD Satellite Communications

The DOD is shifting to an integrated SATCOM enterprise, combining military and commercial satellite systems for greater resilience. This approach moves away from isolated, high-cost satellites to networked architectures with multiple communication pathways. Challenges include automating resource allocation and acquiring interoperable user terminals, hindered by slow acquisition processes.

Unmanned Warship: No Sailors in Sight – DARPA Launches Warship Designed ‘From the Ground Up’ to be Truly Unmanned

DARPA has successfully launched the No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) prototype, Defiant (USX-1), a fully autonomous 180-foot unmanned surface vessel built by SERCO. Unlike existing USVs, Defiant is designed without any accommodations for human life, reducing size, cost, and increasing efficiency and survivability. Sea trials are set for spring 2025. The ship employs innovative solutions, such as gas-based fire suppression, to enhance operational resilience in contested environments.

Energy: Leaders Search for Solutions to Critical U.S. Electricity Challenges

Over 80 U.S. energy experts met at Stanford University on Feb. 12 to discuss modernizing the aging U.S. electric grid amid surging electricity demand. Hosted by Stanford’s Precourt Institute for Energy, the closed-door roundtable aimed to produce a report for policymakers later this year. Experts highlighted challenges such as regulatory fragmentation, transmission bottlenecks, and supply chain constraints. Key solutions include improving grid connectivity, streamlining permitting, and investing in domestic transformer and battery production.

Workforce: New Bills Would Add Computer Science to Ohio High School Graduation Requirements

Ohio lawmakers are introducing bills to mandate computer science education in public high schools. The proposed legislation requires schools to offer at least one computer science course by the 2027-28 school year and mandates a unit in the subject for graduation starting with the class of 2032. Currently, 61% of Ohio public high schools offer computer science, lagging behind neighboring states. Proponents argue the measure is critical for workforce readiness in an increasingly tech-driven economy.

Nuclear Energy: ORNL Supercomputer Illuminates Detailed Nuclear Structure

Using the Frontier supercomputer, researchers at Oak Ridge modeled nuclear properties with unprecedented detail, revealing how nuclear forces shape atomic structure. Their study found that the rare 30-neon nucleus can exist in both round and deformed shapes. The breakthrough, published in Physical Review X, advances nuclear physics and enables future studies using simplified models on standard computers.

AI: DIU’s Thunderforge Project to Integrate Commercial AI-Powered Decision-Making for Operational and Theater-Level Planning

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded Scale AI a prototype contract for Thunderforge, an AI-driven military planning system integrating wargaming and decision support. Initially deployed with INDOPACOM and EUCOM, it enhances strategic assessments and resource allocation. Using advanced AI models and automation, Thunderforge accelerates planning, adapts to threats, and modernizes command systems, ensuring rapid decision-making across combatant commands.

AI: DOE Secretary Wright Leads AI Collaboration Event from Oak Ridge National Lab

The Department of Energy (DOE) and OpenAI have launched a collaboration involving 1,000 scientists and AI experts to accelerate scientific discovery. Hosted at Oak Ridge National Lab, the session explored AI applications in energy and national security. Secretary Chris Wright, Senator Bill Hagerty, and OpenAI’s Greg Brockman emphasized AI’s role in maintaining U.S. leadership, with nine national labs participating in research and development efforts.

AI: Senators Propose Bipartisan Bill Prohibiting DeepSeek Use

U.S. senators have introduced bipartisan legislation to ban China’s DeepSeek AI platform from all government devices due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The bill aims to protect sensitive government data and national security. DeepSeek is already banned in several U.S. states and allied countries over data privacy concerns.

National Security: Senators Hold Hearing on Mobilizing the Defense Industrial Base

The Senate Armed Services Committee recently held a hearing on mobilizing the defense industrial base to rapidly respond to warfighter needs and modern battlefield issues. Experts testified about lessons learned from recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as lessons from the past such as the rapid development of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protective Vehicles (MRAPs) to respond to the thread of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Watch Here…

__________________________________________________________________________

WORK WITH US

“Mindblowing”, “Immensely valuable”, “A Home Run” – See and experience what all the craze is about- Run a Market Intelligence Sprint

National Science Foundation, NASA, DLA, Veteran Ventures, OSD (R&E) Microelectronics Commons. These are just some of our customers who have used PSF’s Rapid Market Intelligence Sprints to run a market intelligence sprint for their use cases. Through old-fashioned analysis, powered by our award-winning data and AI, the Use Cases we are addressing include:

Rapidly understanding supply/demand ecosystem and vendor landscape to support recruiting for upcoming challenges/SBIRs or expanding local ecosystems
Understanding emerging tech trends and vendor capabilities to inform tech roadmaps and requirements definition
Conducting Industrial Base, Supplier Risk, and Investment Due Diligence– Commercialization, Supplier Risk, and Vendor due diligence sprints

Please reach out to us at support@publicspendforum.net to get started with a sprint or a subscription

Leave us your info and we’ll reach out to you to conduct a demo

Follow us

3/10/2025: Stories on the New White House Office for Shipbuilding, Manufacturing in America, and more!

GENERAL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Trump to Launch New White House Office Focused on Shipbuilding

Manufacturing in America – Contributing to Our Economy, Employment, and Innovation

Texas has become the Tech Industry’s Budget-Friendly Alternative to California

OPINION: The Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Process Must Go

The House Committee on Small Business Reports Seven Bills Favorably to the House

State and local Cyber Personnel should be Treated as the ‘Front Line’ Defending Critical Infrastructure

GSA Shutters 18F, Possibly Leaving Agencies in the Lurch

Trump Administration Asks Agencies to Cull Consultants

PSF ANALYSIS & INSIGHTS

MI Sprint – A Proven Approach for Innovation & Growth

TECHNOLOGY SECTOR-SPECIFIC NEWS

Advanced Energy: Making Innovation Happen – New IN² Cohort Focuses on Advanced Energy Implementation

Advanced Communication: GAO Report on DoD Satellite Communications

Unmanned Warship: No Sailors in Sight – DARPA Launches Warship Designed ‘From the Ground Up’ to be Truly Unmanned

Energy: Leaders Search for Solutions to Critical U.S. Electricity Challenges

Workforce: New Bills Would Add Computer Science to Ohio High School Graduation Requirements

Nuclear Energy: ORNL Supercomputer Illuminates Detailed Nuclear Structure

AI: DIU’s Thunderforge Project to Integrate Commercial AI-Powered Decision-Making for Operational and Theater-Level Planning

AI: DOE Secretary Wright Leads AI Collaboration Event from Oak Ridge National Lab

AI: Senators Propose Bipartisan Bill Prohibiting DeepSeek Use

National Security: Senators Hold Hearing on Mobilizing the Defense Industrial Base

WORK WITH US

“Mindblowing”, “Immensely valuable”, “A Home Run” – See and experience what all the craze is about- Run a Market Intelligence Sprint

Follow us