The future of contracting looks like an oasis, or rather an OASIS+ contract. Government contractors and companies in the defense industrial base just have one catch: They are on the hook to help secure the nation’s supply chains.
The Government Accountability Office published a series of reports recently that outlined the highest cybersecurity risks to the government, including those that need to be addressed urgently. The reports highlight the need to protect the nation’s critical infrastructures, the technology systems used to carry out fundamental operations and maintain these infrastructures, and the need for cybersecurity and supply chain risk management (C-SCRM) to address significant supply chain vulnerabilities.
The GAO reports have led to cybersecurity requirements for those wishing to bid on new contracts and a warning: The Government may perform a cyber-supply chain risk assessment of the awarded contractor at any time during the period of performance.
That might not sound impressive until you consider the impact.
Nearly every business in America will feel the effects—not just primes and subs. Any company that is a vendor to a prime or sub or that sells a…
