NIST RFC :: Trusted Geolocation in the Cloud

July 15, 2015

NIST IR 7904
DRAFT (Second Draft) Trusted Geolocation in the Cloud: Proof of Concept Implementation

NIST announces the second public comment release of Interagency Report (IR) 7904, Trusted Geolocation in the Cloud: Proof of Concept Implementation. This report describes a proof of concept implementation that was designed by NIST to address challenges with Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud technologies and geolocation. Since the initial public comment release, NIST IR 7904 has been extensively updated to reflect advances and changes in the proof of concept implementation technologies.

Please submit comments by August 24, 2015 to ir7904-comments@nist.gov, with "IR 7904 Comments" in the subject line.

Second Draft NISTIR 7904 (2.7 MB)
Comment Template Form for NISTIR 7904

Bit :: Twenty-Fourth Quarterly Status Report to Congress Regarding BTOP

NTIA

Twenty-Fourth Quarterly Status Report to Congress Regarding BTOP

Topics/Subtopics: 

• Broadband Technology Opportunities Program
 
• Grants
 
• State Broadband Initiative
 
• Broadband
• Grants

July 10, 2015

Pursuant to Section 6001(d)(4) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or Recovery Act) (Public Law No. 111-5), NTIA provides this Quarterly Report on the status of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. This Report focuses on the Program’s activities from October 1 to December 31, 2014.

BTOP 24th Quarterly Report to Congress

Bit :: Testimony of Assistant Secretary Strickling on “Internet Governance Progress After ICANN 53”

Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Eshoo, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for this opportunity to testify on behalf of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding NTIA’s role in the Internet’s domain name system (DNS) and the transition of NTIA’s stewardship over certain DNS technical functions.  I am pleased to appear before you to update you on the current status of the transition planning process as Internet stakeholders work to develop a proposal that will ensure the stability, security, and openness of the Internet.

Continued
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/speechtestimony/2015/testimony-strickling-internet-governance-progress-after-icann-53

RecordOfSuccess Grows with DOTCOM Approval

RecordOfSuccess Grows with DOTCOM Approval (House Commerce Committee)

WASHINGTON, DC – The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 805, the Domain Openness Through Continued Oversight Matters (DOTCOM) Act, bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL). The DOTCOM Act aims to protect the future of the Internet by ensuring that Congressional oversight of the administration’s transition of the Domain Name System to the global Internet community.

“By advancing the DOTCOM Act, we are ensuring that the Internet - the world’s greatest platform of ideas, commerce, and social connection - continues to thrive to the benefit of folks in Michigan and every corner of the country,” said full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). “Once again, our committee’s efforts demonstrate that Congress can work together to achieve meaningful results and build a bipartisan record of success.”

“We have a responsibility to see that the IANA transition is done right, and the DOTCOM Act will help to ensure that it is. This legislation reaffirms our commitment to a transition that protects a free and open Internet with appropriate oversight of NTIA,” added full committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). “The DOTCOM Act also shows what we can accomplish when our work is bipartisan from the start. I want to thank Chairmen Upton and Walden and Representative Shimkus for working with us to craft this thoughtful, bipartisan solution. I look forward to continue working with you all and our colleagues in the Senate to see this bill become law.”

“From the time the administration announced their intent to transition the IANA functions from ICANN to the international multi-stakeholder community, the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Communications and Technology Subcommittee have been committed to thorough oversight of any path forward,” added Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR). “This legislation makes clear that the Administration shall not proceed without first answering to Congress. Our oversight of the transition adds a vital check to this process, and emphasizes that the United States takes this transition seriously.”

“I’ve said time and again that this is far too important to rush and that we must carefully consider all of the potential consequences and outcomes before any transition occurs,” said Shimkus. "We get one bite at the apple on this and we need to make sure it’s done correctly."

- See more at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/recordofsuccess-grows-dotcom-approval#sthash.Cp3csPnn.dpuf

Human history -Triumph Of The Nerds, History Of Personal Computers

Inside The Dark Web - Documentary - Video Documentary

Event June 11 The Internet Age: Founders to Future

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June 11, 2015 2:30 - 4:00 PM Warner Bros. Theater at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Register Now! The Internet is among the most powerful and influential "inventions" ever created. But where did it come from? Who were the people who first imagined it, and what are the inventive technologies that enable the Internet to exist? The evolution of the Internet continues as new innovations propel this global network of networks into seemingly impossible realities. Please join the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, the Internet Society, Internet pioneers, and digital natives for a lively conversation about the continuum of the Internet, from how it was imagined to where the Internet is taking us in the future. This event will be webast live from the Warner Bros Theater at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. PANELISTS Vint Cerf Internet Hall of Fame Pioneer and Chief Internet Evangelist,Google Vint Cerf, widely known as one of the "Fathers of the Internet," is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and the architecture of the Internet. He has served as vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google since October 2005. Mr. Cerf was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012.       Mitchell Baker Internet Hall of Fame Innovator and Executive Chairwoman,Mozilla Foundation Mitchell Baker is Executive Chairwoman of the Mozilla Foundation and the leader of the Mozilla Project. She is responsible for organizing and motivating a massive, worldwide, collective of employees and volunteers who are breathing new life into the Internet with the Firefox Web browser and other products. Ms. Baker was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012.     David Farber David Farber played a key role in many systems that converged into today's Internet. He is an Internet Hall of Fame inductee and the Alfred Fitler Moore Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania and Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University.   Sebastian Thrun Founder and CEO, Udacity Sebastian Thrun is a scientist, educator, researcher, inventor, and entrepreneur. Today, he is the founder and CEO of Udacity, a company dedicated to democratizing learning for everyone. Udacity has almost 4 million students in over 190 countries.     MODERATOR Eric Hintz Historian, Smithsonian Institution Eric Hintz is a historian and fellowship coordinator for the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. He currently serves as curator for two exhibitions Places of Invention and American Enterprise. His research interests lie in science and technology and US business history and economic history: he specializes in the history of invention and R&D.     Watch the webcast: Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

NSF RFP Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC)

Program Title:

Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) 

Synopsis of Program:

Cyberspace has transformed the daily lives of people for the better. The rush to adopt cyberspace, however, has exposed its fragility and vulnerabilities: corporations, agencies, national infrastructure and individuals have been victims of cyber-attacks. In December 2011, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) with the cooperation of NSF issued a broad, coordinated Federal strategic plan for cybersecurity research and development to "change the game," minimize the misuses of cyber technology, bolster education and training in cybersecurity, establish a science of cybersecurity, and transition promising cybersecurity research into practice. This challenge requires a dedicated approach to research, development, and education that leverages the disciplines of mathematics and statistics, the social sciences, and engineering together with the computing, communications and information sciences.

The Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program welcomes proposals that address cybersecurity from:

• a Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC) perspective and/or a Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) perspective;
• the Secure, Trustworthy, Assured and Resilient Semiconductors and Systems (STARSS) perspective; or
• the Transition to Practice (TTP) perspective.

In addition, we welcome proposals that integrate research addressing all of these perspectives (see the Program Description below). Proposals may be submitted in one of the following three project classes (plus Cybersecurity Education; see below):

• Small projects: up to $500,000 in total budget, with durations of up to three years;
• Medium projects: $500,001 to $1,200,000 in total budget, with durations of up to four years; or
• Large projects: $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 in total budget, with durations of up to five years.

For Small hardware security proposals, the Secure, Trustworthy, Assured and Resilient Semiconductors and Systems (STARSS) perspective is focused specifically on hardware research innovation that addresses SaTC goals, and includes the opportunity to collaborate closely with industry. STARSS proposals may not include the TWC, SBE, or TTP perspectives. The STARSS perspective may not be used for Medium or Large proposals.

The Transition to Practice (TTP) perspective is focused exclusively on transitioning existing research to practice. TTP proposals may not include the TWC, SBE, or STARSS perspective. The TTP perspective may be used for Small and Medium proposals, but may not be used for Large proposals.

In addition, the SaTC program seeks proposals focusing entirely on Cybersecurity Education with total budgets limited to $300,000 and durations of up to two years. These cybersecurity education projects may not include any of the perspectives named above.

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15575/nsf15575.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

NTIA RFC Request for Comment on Stakeholder Engagement on Cybersecurity in the Digital Ecosystem

Request for Comment on Stakeholder Engagement on Cybersecurity in the Digital Ecosystem

Topics: 

• Internet Policy Task Force
 
• Cybersecurity
 
• Internet Policy

Date: 

March 19, 2015

Docket Number: 

150312253-5253-01

The Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force (IPTF) is requesting comment to identify substantive cybersecurity issues that affect the digital ecosystem and digital economic growth where broad consensus, coordinated action, and the development of best practices could substantially improve security for organizations and consumers.  The IPTF invites public comment on these issues from all stakeholders with an interest in cybersecurity, including the commercial, academic and civil society sectors, and from relevant federal, state, local, and tribal entities.

UPDATE: Comments are now due on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time, May 27, 2015.

Request for Public Comment on Stakeholder Engagement on Cybersecurity in the Digital Ecosystem

NIST Privacy RFC DRAFT Privacy Risk Management for Federal Information Systems

May 28, 2015

NIST IR 8062

DRAFT Privacy Risk Management for Federal Information Systems

NIST requests comments on the draft report NISTIR 8062, Privacy Risk Management for Federal Information Systems, which describes a privacy risk management framework for federal information systems. The framework provides the basis for establishing a common vocabulary to facilitate better understanding of - and communication about - privacy risks and the effective implementation of privacy principles in federal information systems. 
 
Please send comments to privacyeng@nist.gov by July 13, 2015 at 5:00pm EDT using the comment matrix provided (link provided below). 
 
Background:
Expanding opportunities in cloud computing, big data, and cyber-physical systems are bringing dramatic changes to how we use information technology. While these technologies bring advancements to U.S. national and economic security and our quality of life, they also pose risks to individuals' privacy. 
 
Privacy Risk Management for Federal Information Systems (NISTIR 8062) introduces a privacy risk management framework for anticipating and addressing risks to individuals' privacy. In particular, it focuses on three privacy engineering objectives and a privacy risk model. To develop this document, NIST conducted significant public outreach and research. We are soliciting public comments on this draft to obtain further input on the proposed privacy risk management framework, and we expect to publish a final report based on this additional feedback. 
 
Note to Reviewers:
To facilitate public review, we have compiled a number of topics of interest to which we would like reviewers to respond. Please keep in mind that it is not necessary to respond to all topics listed below, Reviewers should also feel free to suggest other areas of revision or enhancement to the document. 
 
   • Privacy Risk Management Framework: Does the framework provide a process that will help organizations make more informed system development decisions with respect to privacy? Does the framework seem likely to help bridge the communication gap between technical and non-technical personnel? Are there any gaps in the framework?
   • Privacy Engineering Objectives: Do these objectives seem likely to assist system designers and engineers in building information systems that are capable of supporting agencies' privacy goals and requirements? Are there properties or capabilities that systems should have that these objectives do not cover?
   • Privacy Risk Model:
     o Does the equation seem likely to be effective in helping agencies to distinguish between cybersecurity and privacy risks?
     o Can data actions be evaluated as the document proposes? Is the approach of identifying and assessing problematic data actions usable and actionable?
     o Should context be a key input to the privacy risk model? If not, why not? If so, does this model incorporate context appropriately? Would more guidance on the consideration of context be helpful? 
     o The NISTIR describes the difficulty of assessing the impact of problematic data actions on individuals alone, and incorporates organizational impact into the risk assessment. Is this appropriate or should impact be assessed for individuals alone? If so, what would be the factors in such an assessment

Draft NISTIR 8062 
Comment Matrix Form for Draft NISTIR 8062

Statement from FCC Ch Tom Wheeler on the Comcast / TWC Merger

 STATEMENT FROM FCC CHAIRMAN TOM WHEELER ON THE COMCAST-TIME WARNER CABLE MERGER.   FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler issued the following statement today after Comcast announced its decision to abandon its $45 billion dollar bid to acquire Time Warner Cable.  STMT. OCHTW  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-333175A1.docx
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-333175A1.pdf

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler issued the following statement today after Comcast announced its decision to abandon its $45 billion dollar bid to acquire Time Warner Cable. Comcast's announcement comes after the Federal Communications Commission staff informed the companies of their serious concerns that the merger risks outweighed the benefits to the public interest.

"Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s decision to end Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable is in the best interests of consumers. The proposed transaction would have created a company with the most broadband and video subscribers in the nation alongside the ownership of significant programming interests.

 "Today, an online video market is emerging that offers new business models and greater consumer choice. The proposed merger would have posed an unacceptable risk to competition and innovation especially given the growing importance of high-speed broadband to online video and innovative new services.

I am proud of our close working relationship throughout the review process with the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. Our collaboration provided both agencies with a deeper understanding of the important issues of innovation and competition that the proposed transaction raised.”

John Oliver :: Patent Trolls

Panel Discussion: Government Surveillance & The Future of the Internet

You are invited to attend:

Government Surveillance & The Future of the Internet

Eventbrite Registration Required: http://internet-surveillance.eventbrite.com<http://isoc-dc.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=358411e27b5e6aa5e77bfc9f2&id=bc23781eb6&e=e27ba18ccd>

Monday, May 18, 2015 from 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

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Governments have a special responsibility among stakeholders to make the Internet secure.  However, the Snowden revelations revealed that many governments, including the US, use the Internet to monitor, spy on and attack other governments, organizations, individuals and businesses. In March, we also learned that China is using the Great Cannon, a new malware tool to censor information.  These revelations have stimulated a global backlash against pervasive Government data collection, Internet surveillance, and government use of malware and netizens are increasingly worried about Internet stability and security.

On May 18, 12:30-2, The Institute for International Economic Policy at The George Washington University (IIEP) and the Greater Washington DC Chapter of the Internet Society (ISOC-DC) will jointly host a moderated discussion between Bruce Schneier, noted authority on cybersecurity and Chris Riley, Vice President and Head of Public Policy at Mozilla.

Our panel will discuss how increasing surveillance and use of malware could impact the future of the Internet, including:

  *   Increased pressure from law enforcement for backdoors to encryption;
  *   Increased calls for data localization (as in France);
  *   International pressure influencing the IANA transfer;
  *   Less legal emphasis/protections on privacy at national levels;
  *   Less trust in government policies and strategies to maintain Internet stability;
  *   The threat of Internet fragmentation.


Panelists:

Bruce Schneier, Security Technologist and Author

Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist, called a "security guru" by The Economist He is the author of 12 books – including his latest best-seller Liars and Outliers: Enabling the Trust Society Needs to Survive – as well as hundreds of articles and essays, and many more academic papers. His influential newsletter "Crypto-Gram," and his blog "Schneier on Security," are read by over 250,000 people. He has testified before Congress, is a frequent guest on television and radio, served on several government technical committees, and is regularly quoted in the press.

Chris Riley, Senior Policy Engineer, Mozilla

M. Chris Riley is a Senior Policy Engineer at Mozilla, working to advance the open Internet and Web through public policy analysis and advocacy, strategic planning, coalition building, and community engagement. Prior to joining Mozilla, Chris worked as a program manager at the U.S. Department of State on Internet freedom, a policy counsel with the non-profit public interest organization Free Press, and an attorney-advisor at the Federal Communications Commission. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from Yale Law School. He has published scholarship on topics including innovation policy, cognitive framing, graph drawing, and distributed load balancing.

This panel is organized by Dr. Susan Aaronson and Kyle Renner of IIEP and David Vyorst of the Greater Washington DC Chapter of the Internet Society and is part of a larger seminar series. We are grateful to an anonymous donor for their support of these seminars.


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Elliott School of International Affairs GWU
"The Commons," 6th Floor
1957 E Street, NW
Washington , DC


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BITAG Announces Technical Review Focused on Prioritization and Differentiated Treatment of Internet Traffic

BITAG Announces Technical Review Focused on 

Prioritization and Differentiated Treatment of Internet Traffic

Technical report will explore the technical aspects and uses of prioritization and differentiation

Denver, CO (April 14, 2015):   The Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (BITAG) is pleased to announce a technical review focused on the topic of prioritization and differentiated treatment of Internet traffic. This topic was submitted to BITAG’s technical working group by DISH, a founding member of BITAG. The review will result in a report with an anticipated publication date in August 2015. 

Differentiation of Internet network traffic on both wireline and wireless networks is a topic of continued interest among policymakers and the public alike. Significantly, the public discourse reflects a lack of clarity as to how traffic differentiation can be accomplished from both a technical perspective and as part of network management practices. To help inform the policy debate surrounding the technical aspects of prioritization and differentiation, BITAG’s technical working group will issue a report that describes the various methods and techniques used by network operators to differentiate Internet data traffic — as well as the impact these methods may have on different types of applications. The group will also explore the distinction between prioritized and differential treatment of traffic. Finally, the report will describe appropriate best practices as identified by the group.

Fred Baker, a Fellow at Cisco, and Ken Ko, Senior Staff Scientist at ADTRAN, will be the lead editors of the report on this topic. Douglas Sicker, Executive Director of BITAG, Chair of BITAG’s Technical Working Group, Department Head of Engineering and Public Policy and a professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, will chair the review itself. 

This will be BITAG’s eighth technical review and report. BITAG’s previous reports have focused on: Internet interconnection; VoIP impairment, failure, and restrictions; Real-time network management of Internet congestion; Port blocking; SNMP DDOS attack mitigation; Large scale network address translation; and IPv6 whitelisting. Copies of these technical reports can be on the BITAG website at www.bitag.org. 

Microsoft withdraws Skype petition

PETITION OF SKYPE COMMUNICATIONS S.A.R.L. TO CONFIRM A CONSUMER'S RIGHT TO USE INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE AND ATTACH DEVICES TO WIRELESS NETWORKS.   Granted the request for withdrawal filed by Microsoft. Dismissed Skype's Petition for rulemaking without prejudice and terminated the docket for this proceeding. (Dkt No.  RM-11361 ). Action by:  Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Adopted:  04/16/2015 by ORDER. (DA No. 15-471).  WTB  https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-471A1.docx
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-471A1.pdf

Public Knowledge Hiring

Public Knowledge Job Opening: Policy Advocate

Position Summary: The Policy Advocate will play a key role in the development of Public Knowledge's approach to promoting innovation, consumer rights, and the free flow of information. The Policy Advocate position presents a rare opportunity for a hard-working, creative advocate to work in a cutting-edge issue area and to become a public figure in the field.

Position Status: Full-time

Location: Washington, D.C.

Reports to: Public Knowledge President and Vice President

Application Deadline: January 16th, 2015

Essential Duties:

• Represent the organization before policy making bodies, such as Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Copyright Office
• Prepare and/or assist with preparation of filings for submission in administrative proceedings and before courts
• Write articles and blog posts about current communications and technology policy issues
• Represent Public Knowledge before audiences at conferences, meetings and press events
• Maintain contact with a diverse array of constituencies aligned with the goals of PK
• Work with reporters, bloggers and other media outlets as needed

Qualifications:

• Either a law degree and at least two years of experience in communications, technology or copyright law and/or policy OR a bachelor's degree and more substantial experience in communications, technology, or copyright law and policy
• Experience with economics, antitrust and competition law, or other facets of technology law
• Familiarity with Congress and the administrative rulemaking processes
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Knowledge and interest in evolving technologies
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to produce high‐quality results on tight deadlines and with little oversight

Compensation: Public Knowledge provides competitive compensation, excellent benefits and opportunities for professional growth.

To Apply: Send a resume including salary history; cover letter stating your interest in Public Knowledge, and two writing samples (max. 5 pages each) to: jobs@publicknowledge.org, with the subject line "Policy Advocate."  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning December 4, 2014; open until filled.

Vacancy Announcement - Attorney Advisor (Technology Programs Law Division) - Closes: Thursday, 12/25/14

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/388510500

Job Title:Attorney Advisor

Department:Department Of Homeland Security

Agency:DHS Headquarters

Job Announcement Number:DHSHQ15-1261359-OGC

SALARY RANGE:	$106,263.00 to $138,136.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:	Friday, December 5, 2014 to Thursday, December 25, 2014
SERIES & GRADE:	GS-0905-14
POSITION INFORMATION:	Full Time - Excepted Service Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 15
DUTY LOCATIONS:	1 vacancy in the following location: Washington DC, DC View Map
WHO MAY APPLY:	United States Citizens
SECURITY CLEARANCE:	Secret
SUPERVISORY STATUS:	No

JOB SUMMARY:

Do you desire to protect American interests and secure our Nation while building a meaningful and rewarding career? If so, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling. DHS components work collectively to prevent terrorism, secure borders, enforce and administer immigration laws, safeguard cyberspace and ensure resilience to disasters. The vitality and magnitude of this mission is achieved by a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS. 

The primary purpose of this position is to serve the Office of the General Counsel as a legal advisor. The individual selected for this position will be responsible for providing legal advice for government contracts, inter-agency agreements, licensing agreements, and international agreements entered into by DHS's Science and Technology Directorate ("S&T") in the areas of research, development, test, and evaluation.  S&T's contracts are issued in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation ("FAR") or DHS's Other Transaction Agreement authority and relate to a broad portfolio of S&T programs, including cyber security and biosecurity.  The individual selected for this position will also be responsible for providing legal advice for intellectual property issues related to S&T's programs, including intellectual property issues in government contracts, international agreements, and licenses.

S&T is the primary research, development, test, and evaluation component of the Department. The work carried out in S&T, in partnership with the private sector, national laboratories, universities, international partners, and other government agencies, helps push the innovation envelope and drives development and use of high technology in support of the Department's operational units. 

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Technology Programs Law Division.

 

This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis.  Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period.  Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent.

TRAVEL REQUIRED

• Not Required

RELOCATION AUTHORIZED

• No

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must be able to obtain/maintain a Secret security clearance.

---

DUTIES:

Back to top

As an Attorney Advisor you will:

• Provide legal advice to contracting officers, program managers, and senior officials concerning the laws applicable to all phases of the research and development contracting process, including solicitation and award, contract administration, and the resolution of disputes.
• Provide legal advice for the full range of issues arising in the fields of research and development contracting, acquisition, and procurement, including intellectual property, technical data, claims, disputes, fiscal law, information security, protection of governmental rights and property, privacy, and other related areas which arise in furtherance of and in connection with the mission of S&T.
• Research, render, and generate authoritative written and oral legal opinions; opinions involve complex and difficult legal problems resulting from the formation and management of government contracts, including related intellectual property law issues.
• Research, render and generate authoritative written and oral legal opinions with respect to S&T's cybersecurity research and development portfolio.
• Provide legal advice for intellectual property and technology transfer issues related to S&T's programs and laboratories, including: advising and assisting S&T and contractor employees on rights in inventions, technical data and computer software; and negotiating and preparing licenses, assignments, cooperative research and development agreements, commercial test agreements, nondisclosure agreements and other instrument for the transfer of S&T technology.
  

 

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QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

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The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) will evaluate eligible candidates based on the following criteria:

OGC will rate qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to those pertinent to the position. OGC will consider relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance, and awards. The skills and experience listed immediately below are of particular importance to the position, and applicants should provide specific detailed information in these areas, where applicable, as part of their application.

For this position, specialized experience is providing legal advice and support on matters related to government contracts and intellectual property law issues in the Federal Government.  
At least three years of experience as a practicing attorney is desired.  
Applicants with less than five years of practice experience must submit a law school transcript and grade point average or class ranking with the application materials.
Please visit OPM's web site at https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-II/s2-e4.htm#e4a for additional information on this topic.

Application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Homeland Security considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD form 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions.

Freedom on the Net 2014 (Video)

Freedom on the Net is Freedom House’s annual assessment of internet access, censorship, and internet user rights in 65 countries around the world. This year’s event will highlight the advances and setbacks in internet freedom over the past year, emerging threats to digital media, and the challenges these trends pose to U.S. foreign policy.