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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Memorandum of Understanding with CREST International

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with CREST International, an international not-for-profit certification and accreditation body that supports the global technical information security market and is headquartered in the UK. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the cyber and supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors through an evaluation process intended to validate the capabilities, experience, and integrity of CMMC COE provider partners. The executed MOU establishes a cooperative agreement between CREST International and the CMMC COE, in coordination with the CMMC COE EU ( http://cmmc-eu.com ), to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices for the DIB contractor community and the information and communications technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem to improve security and resilience across the global defense industrial base. CREST ( www.crest-approved.org ) provides internationally recognized accreditations for organizations providing technical security services and also includes professional level certifications for individuals providing vulnerability assessment; penetration testing, cyber incident response; threat intelligence; and security operations center ( SOC ) services. “This is a momentous occasion for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “Our global expansion will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) beyond North America”. “This new partnership between CREST and CMMC COE will play an important role in strengthening the resilience and protection of vital critical national infrastructure through structured testing to validate security defenses and controls, carried out by highly-qualified and certified professionals,” said Tom Brennan, Chairman of CREST USA. “It is vital that the buying communities in both the public and private sectors have the confidence and trust that their employees, contractors or suppliers have the highest levels of knowledge, skill and competence.” With locations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States, the partnership reinforces a foundation of global capability for the validation of CMMC providers in 1) training & education; 2) readiness assessment 3) development and implementation of a tailored plan of action & milestones to advance preparedness, and 4) continuous monitoring to ensure maintenance of certification compliance. The CMMC-COE ( www.cmmc-coe.org ) and the CMMC COE EU ( https://cmmc-eu.com/ ) will continue to focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE partner network will be sharing a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including; cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB market place in the US and abroad (400,000 contractors). For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on the CMMC COE EU, please visit https://cmmc-eu.com/ For more information on CREST, please visit www.crest-approved.org About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

November 10, 2020 05:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Robotic Research Applauded in 2020 GovCon Awards for Both Contractor and Program of the Year

Robotic Research

Robotic Research LLC, a global leader in autonomy and localization technology for government and commercial customers, announced today they received multiple honors during the 18th Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor (GovCon) Awards, the Washington, D.C. region’s premier event honoring leaders in the government contracting community. The company’s financial and operational accomplishments were recognized with their award of Contractor of the Year, and their WarLoc™ product, a wearable localization device for GPS-denied environments, was announced as Program of the Year, an honor reserved for the most exemplary contracted program among all of the applicants. “We are deeply honored to be recognized by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Professional Services Counsel for our success in delivering autonomy and localization technologies that have helped transform defense and transportation operations around the world,” said Alberto Lacaze, president of Robotic Research. “It’s been an extremely busy and successful few years for us. We have expanded applications for our AutoDrive® autonomy kit with defense customers and have used its past performance to broaden our work in the commercial sector. We introduced new products like Pegasus™, our first-of-its-kind hybrid, transformable drone, to defense and commercial industries. Our WarLoc™ product, the evening’s Program of the Year, was successfully delivered to warfighters, even in the face of a pandemic. It takes an amazing team as well as the support of highly collaborative customers and partners to make this quantity and speed of innovation possible. We thank all of them for supporting our creative process, which has allowed us to solve critical challenges with new thinking and fresh approaches. I am proud of our employees for their endless support and commitment to our customers’ success. Congratulations to the Robotic Research team on this accomplishment.” WarLoc™ is a unique, GPS-denied localization device for dismounts, designed to increase the safety and security of warfighters and first responders. The mobile, boot-mounted device calculates a user’s position in GPS-denied locations, ensuring continued team visibility even within hostile and degraded environments challenged by GPS jamming and communications dropouts. WarLoc™ is powered by Robotic Research’s Prometheus AI, a collaborative system framework that dramatically improves accuracy and reliability of the full system by sharing and combining localization solutions on the edge. Prometheus AI is central to Robotic Research’s comprehensive autonomous vehicle solutions, all of which are helping U.S. military forces better coordinate safe and effective operations, helping to save soldiers’ lives in the most challenging environments. “Thank you so much for the award,” said Kyle Smith, Director of Advanced Technologies and WarLoc™ Project Manager at Robotic Research. “I’m humbled by the role we’re allowed to play in serving the country’s warfighters and first responders. It’s been amazing to see this technology mature over the past 14 years, and none of it would be possible without our extremely skilled team, from engineers to technicians, administrative staff to trainers – and everything in between. I’d also like to thank all of our government team members, with special gratitude to Armaments Center.” In 2019, Robotic Research received orders for 700 WarLoc™ units from the U.S. Army, which was the first commercialized order for product. The order marked a historic achievement in the long history and development of this innovative technology, which was born out of a Small Business Innovative Research contract with the U.S. Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Center Armaments Center in 2006. WarLoc™ has since been deployed to active troops in various U.S. and overseas locations. Founded in 2002, the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards honors the leaders and legends of an industry that is vital to society and its citizens. View images of WarLoc™ here https://bit.ly/2I7T0Bh. Learn more about Robotic Research here www.roboticresearch.com About Robotic Research Robotic Research, LLC, is a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technology driving the transformation of commercial and government autonomous operations through innovative and intelligent systems. Whether providing autonomous vehicles to the military to keep the warfighter safe; delivering unmanned, transformable robots to extend the reach of Special Forces units; or making commercial transportation safer and more efficient, Robotic Research is leading this dynamic revolution in technology. To learn more about Robotic Research, visit www.roboticresearch.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contacts: Kristina Messner ( Focused Image for Robotic Research) 703-678-6023 press@rr.ai Robotic Research, LLC, is a leading provider of autonomy and robotic technology driving the transformation of commercial and government autonomous operations through innovative and intelligent systems. Whether providing autonomous vehicles to the military to keep the warfighter safe; delivering unmanned, transformable robots to extend the reach of Special Forces units; or making commercial transportation safer and more efficient, Robotic Research is leading this dynamic revolution in technology. Contact Details Kristina Messner +1 703-678-6023 press@rr.ai Company Website https://www.roboticresearch.com/

November 05, 2020 09:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

Graphic novel: Disinformation and cyber warfare illustrated in Real Fake

Stockwood Strategy

Deepfakes, bots, and troll farms are just some of the emerging techniques for creating and spreading disinformation. Erly Stage Studios has today published Real Fake , the digital graphic novel, which sheds a light on the disruptive forces at work. This book is the first of the graphic novels that are a part of the Resilience Series commissioned by the US Cyber Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA). Real Fake will inform and educate people on the dangers and risks associated with dis- and mis- information through fictional stories inspired by real-world events. In Real Fake, readers will meet the protagonist Rachel O'Sullivan, a gamer, patriot and member of Symous - a group fighting disinformation and foreign interference in elections as polling day approaches. Farid Haque, founder and CEO of Erly Stage Studios commented: “We’re delighted to have been commissioned by CISA to create a practical and engaging communication tool that highlights the existential threat of disinformation in the context of bad state actors. While the story is fictional many of the approaches shown are very much grounded in the reality of the technology we live with and are exposed to almost daily.” Real Fake provides a unique education for the reader about the world of Deepfakes and their history while helping the reader understand the need to exercise care when it comes to consuming news and information via social media platforms and online sources of information. In the story, racing against the clock a group of citizens set out to shine a spotlight on the source of disinformation. They find it’s coming from across their borders and from the unlikeliest of places set up as farms to perpetuate information that maliciously misleads and influences electoral outcomes. The protagonists of the story have access to unique resources and are able to prove who the sponsors of disinformation are via their puppet farms set up around the world to troll democracy in the land of the free. “Real Fake is the culmination of the wealth of experience that Clint Watts brings in cyber warfare and disinformation and our studio’s creative direction and storytelling style. We spent months researching the real life incidents and then wrapped them into a fictional story” added Farid Haque. The graphic novel is being made available by CISA to the general public online as a free resource ahead of the 2020 US Presidential election at the following URL: https://www.cisa.gov/cfi-resilience-series-graphic-novels . A subsequent title in the series will be released a few weeks afterwards titled Bug Bytes. Watch this space and log back into https://www. publishing.erlystagestudios.com to learn more. Contributing artists to Real Fake include: Annas Dar, Jose Niño Galenzoga, Patricia Beja, Mona Shan and Joel Santiago. Lettering and layouts by Annas Dar, Komal N. and Haroon M. Story by Clint Watts and Farid Haque, supported by the script writing team which includes Michael Gianfrancesco and Kabir Sabharwal. Edited by Tolly M. and Laila Khan. Special thanks to Randall Heather and Max Brooks. ENDS About Erly Stage Studios Erly Stage Studios is an indie publisher, headquartered out of London, United Kingdom, capturing iconic stories in serious graphic novels. We are an expert team of educators, storytellers, and artists working to create awareness about important topics using the graphic novel medium. The team loves shining a spotlight on stories that are yet to see the light of graphic novels. As an expert team of teachers, researchers and designers the team works with innovative organisations and policymakers around the world to deliver soft power through engaging and creative projects. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://publishing.erlystagestudios.com/

October 28, 2020 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Hankook Tire Gauge Index: COVID-19 Redefines the Rules of the Holiday Road

Hankook Tire America Corp.

Despite anxiety and uncertainty spurred by COVID-19, a majority of Americans still plan to travel this holiday season, according to the Hankook Tire Gauge Index. Three-quarters of Americans (74 percent) plan to travel for the holidays, however they’re changing how and when they venture out. At the same time, apprehension about planning travel far in advance is on the rise as only 16 percent of Americans are willing to commit to personal travel more than six months out. Among those planning to travel for the holidays, 78 percent say they will travel by car with many choosing to drive as a safety precaution. With safety being a high priority, many travelers are also planning around some form of quarantine. The majority of travelers (70 percent) plan to quarantine in some way upon returning home, while 64 percent plan to do so leading up to their trip and then again once they arrive at their destination (61 percent). Americans are also adjusting when they travel, as three-quarters are planning to travel early to avoid typical peak travel times. “As with so much this year, it’s difficult to predict exactly how holiday travel will pan out, but our latest survey finds that the rules of the road are changing for the holidays,” said Peter Jung, SVP and COO, Hankook Tire America Corp. “More people will hit the road this year as a way to see family and friends. To stay safe, they’re modifying plans to beat the traffic and allow time to quarantine. At the same time, home for the holidays is taking on new meaning as more Americans plan to stay closer to home.” On The Road Again While one-in-four (26 percent) will stay home for the holidays, up from 9 percent prior to the onset of COVID-19, overall Americans are feeling more confident about getting behind the wheel. The Gauge revealed that daily driving is returning to more normal levels than reported in the spring. Currently 60 percent of Americans are driving daily, compared to April when only 20 percent hit the road every day, and road trips are a significant part of that. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of those surveyed said they have taken a road trip since the onset of the pandemic, either out of necessity or for leisure. Road trips are also rising in popularity compared to air travel, as Americans are currently two times more comfortable traveling long distances by car (46 percent) than by plane (24 percent). However, Hankook found that while 93 percent of millennials have already taken a road trip this year, the majority of boomers (54 percent) and the Silent Generation (70 percent) said that they are not comfortable traveling long distance, no matter the form of transportation. “The Gauge revealed signs of daily driving returning to a more normal cadence, but even still, there is uncertainty about hitting the road,” Jung added. “No matter when you feel comfortable getting back behind the wheel or where you’re headed once you do, Hankook looks forward to helping you and your family get there safely.” The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a survey of Americans' attitudes and opinions about driving. The latest installment of the survey, conducted September 24-27, 2020, polled 1,044 randomly selected Americans age 18+ who have a valid U.S. driver’s license. About Hankook Tire America Corp. Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hankook America markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook Tire Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea. Contact Details Mollie Holman +1 646-746-5611 mholman@brodeur.com Company Website https://www.hankooktire.com/us/

October 27, 2020 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cyvatar Named Finalist in Computing Security Excellence Awards 2020

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced that it has been chosen as a finalist for the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Security Solution Award in Computing’s 2020 Security Excellence Awards . Computing celebrates the achievements of the IT industry's leading security companies, solutions, products, and personalities that keep every other part of the industry operating. Award categories include product-and project-related recognition, organizational achievements, and accolades for outstanding individual success. Computing selected Cyvatar for its cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) solution for SMEs , an all-in-one subscription-based offering that builds bespoke solutions for customers who are not large enough to invest in in-house security teams, do not have the runway to experiment with multiple security tools as they scale, or cannot compete against larger firms for the scarce number of skilled resources available. By pairing skilled security experts with market-leading technologies across the security spectrum and pricing based on consumption, Cyvatar can deliver guaranteed business outcomes and demystify the complexities inherent in cyber defense. “Every organization is different, but most vendors don’t treat them that way,” said Cyvatar Founder Corey White . “We work side by side with our customers--not across the table from them--to break down barriers that impede a strong protective posture and create a flexible, affordable environment that fosters positive security experiences. No other services provider matches the quality of our technology partners, the deep skills of our security experts, or the business outcomes we guarantee.” Cyvatar believes in the democratization of cybersecurity, ensuring that protection from breaches is accessible and affordable to SMEs--not just to enterprises with deep pockets and dedicated security teams. It also believes in teaching and training SMEs to get the most from every dollar they spend on cybersecurity without the shrouded black-box approach that requires vendor-specific support to operationalize. And Cyvatar lives its values. Its promise to SMEs states that it will never tell customers to buy unnecessary products or hire unneeded resources; will ensure customers make the best security investments for functionality and value; and will consistently deliver maintainable and sustainable business, compliance, and technology outcomes. What security challenges are you trying to solve? What barriers do you face? Visit https://start.cyvatar.ai/ to explore the ways Cyvatar can help. About Cyvatar Cyvatar.ai is a transformative cybersecurity company that operates at the intersection of our customers and technology to define what a cybersecurity solution should be: guaranteed business outcomes that are measurable. We break down barriers to create positive experiences for passionate companies globally. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California. Learn more at https://cyvatar.ai/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . Contact Details KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

October 20, 2020 08:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Global Maritime Information Coalition formed in response to SHIPPINGInsight 20/20 Call for Collaboration Amongst Stakeholders

SHIPPINGInsight

In response to last week’s repeated calls for industry collaboration at SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization and Innovation Conference and Exhibition , its Chief Evolution Officer, Carleen Lyden Walker, announced the formation of the Global Maritime Information Coalition (GMIC) designed to address the lack of unified messaging to the public about the maritime industry. “The recent crew change crisis has illuminated the maritime’s low awareness in the public’s consciousness”, stated Walker. “Despite the importance of the maritime industry to global society, seafarers were not deemed ‘essential workers’ alongside firemen, policemen, medical personnel, and other worthy groups. Much of this is due to the lack of understanding how dependent the world’s community is on shipping, providing it with food, energy, medical supplies and more.” “Since its inception, the maritime industry has been in the forefront of globalization as the literal ‘engine of global trade’, carrying more than 90% of the world’s goods and energy” stated Walker. “Because of its siloed roots, however, this essential service remains nearly invisible to the public. The Global Maritime Information Coalition intends to be a global resource to benefit the industry and communicate its value proposition to the public.” While this lack of awareness has been identified for decades, there has been little achieved to overcome it. “Individual groups have attempted to reach the public, but there has been no global, unified organization chartered to create awareness of the maritime sector and deliver key messages to the public about its role and importance” observed Walker. “Leveraging today’s communication tools along with a unification of the global maritime community, the Global Maritime Information Coalition will enable our industry to increase our visibility, communicate our value proposition, improve the public’s perception of our activities, and deliver targeted messages to global society.” The objective of the GMIC is to develop a unified platform for the global maritime community to raise the awareness of the global maritime industry and its value amongst the public, improve society’s image of the sector, provide unified messaging about the industry, be a resource for governments to learn about the industry, act as a portal for groups to communicate with the maritime industry, inform students and the public about career opportunities available in the industry. The next steps in the formation of the Coalition is to recruit global, national and regional industry organizations, government agencies, corporations and NGOs to join the GMIC and establish a work program for the organization. It is anticipated there will be four major areas of engagement: value proposition of the industry, its commitment to decreasing maritime’s environmental impact, industry’s technological advances, and maritime as a career opportunity. For more information, contact Carleen Lyden Walker, c.walker@shippinginsight.com . Originally established in 2012, SHIPPINGInsight has grown steadily each year. Focusing on fleet optimization and innovation, the event provides a forum for fleet managers and solution providers to exchange ideas and discuss challenges in facing the transformation of the industry. More than 300 delegates from 19 countries attended the 2019 event, including 76 shipping company executives. With the virtual platform, this year’s event will reach globally. For more information, please visit www.shippinginsight.com . Contact Details Carleen Lyden Walker +1 203-260-0480 c.walker@shippinginsight.com

October 19, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Memorandum of Understanding with Parava Security Solutions LTD

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with Parava Security Solutions Ltd in the UK, and the establishment of the CMMC COE EU. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the cyber and supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors. The executed MOU establishes a cooperative agreement between Parava Security Solutions Ltd. and CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices for the DIB contractor community and the information and communications technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Source qualified CMMC/ cyber professionals to serve as cyber advocates. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( www.cmmc-coe.org ) and the CMMC COE EU ( https://cmmc-eu.com/ ) will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE partner network will share a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including; cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB market place in the US and abroad (approximately 400,000 contractors). The CMMC-COE is establishing both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that includes resources supporting the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more.. to help reduce the cost and burden on small/medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. “This is a momentous occasion for us” , said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence , “Our European center will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) beyond North America”. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit Americas: http://cmmc-coe.org email info@CMMC-COE.org or call +1-703-863-3766 Europe: https://cmmc-eu.com/ email andy@cmmc-eu.com or call +44 (0) 7734 113952 For more information on Parava Security Solutions, Ltd., please visit https://www.parava.org/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Parava is a cyber security advisory firm, with experience in providing strategic, tactical, and operational cyber security, risk oversight, and assurance services to Government agencies and private companies in Europe. For more information on Parava Security Solutions, Ltd., please visit https://www.parava.org/ For more information on the CMMC COE EU, please visit https://cmmc-eu.com/ Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

October 19, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

UK SMEs lose £2.2bn as customers fall into administration during lockdown

Stockwood Strategy

SMEs across the UK are counting the cost of the lockdown as they prepare for a testing final quarter of 2020. Risktech business Nimbla , surveyed* 2,000 UK SMEs and found that £2.2bn in revenue (for goods and services provided during lockdown) has been lost because those customers fell into administration. A number that is set to increase dramatically over the course of the next year. More than a third (38%) of SMEs are still waiting to be paid an average of £59,013, for work they completed before the lockdown. Worryingly, a fifth (21%) of these companies believe they will never recover the full amount, losing on average £24,903 because those customers have gone into administration. Looking at the bigger picture, this is worth £2.2bn in revenue across all SMEs (with outstanding payments) that will not be realised. Lost time and revenue Businesses reported, on average, 6 invoices go unpaid every year with half of these worth £41,193 written off due to their customers becoming insolvent. Yet, surprisingly, only 4% of business owners take out trade credit or invoice insurance, which protects the supplier against their customers’ insolvency. Business owners do spend time thinking about a potential insolvency event with their customers. In the event that happened, most of them (83%) would continue trading but the impact on cash flow would lead to changes in asking customers for deposits, requesting shorter payment terms, declining larger projects and fear their credit scores falling. Business owners spend, on average, two weeks chasing an invoice payment which eventually was never paid because the customer became insolvent. Flemming Bengtsen, CEO at Nimbla commented: “The impact the lockdown has had on SMEs, who are the heart and soul of the UK economy, is astonishing. Many have survived several attacks during the pandemic and, now, knowing they won’t get paid for the work they did is another huge body blow. There could be more bad news on the horizon for smaller businesses as high street chains face difficulties and potential insolvencies.” Looking ahead Businesses anticipate making, on average, £263,000 revenue between now and the end of the year. However, as customers seek longer payment terms from 30 to 60 days to settle invoices, three in five (60%) business owners are nervous about not getting paid at all with expectations that one in six customers will become insolvent before the end of the year. This is a major issue as more than a third (36%) of businesses were heavily concentrated, reporting that more than two-thirds of their revenues came from a handful of customers. Overall, business owners reported 61% of their customers said they were doing well in terms of their revenue, going steady with sales and generally content with the business environment. Yet, business owners were sceptical about their buoyant spirit, with only a quarter (26%) believing what they say. Flemming Bengtsen added: “The current uncertain economic environment means doing business isn’t easy, it’s made all the more difficult with SMEs anxious about getting paid. Trading on trust and confidence has deteriorated. It is time, as a collective, to bring this back. Business owners cannot afford to bury their heads in the sand; they should protect themselves and insure against the potential insolvency of their customers.” ENDS Notes to the Editor *Research findings based on a survey of 2,000 UK companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £250,000) conducted for Nimbla in September 2020 by LM Research & Marketing Consultancy (Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About Nimbla Nimbla makes sure businesses get paid for their hard work, even if a customer becomes insolvent. Founded in 2016, the risktech company is on a mission to give SMEs the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance. Nimbla’s digital insurance platform backed by expert risk analysts, allows businesses to check a buyer’s ability to pay and insure individual invoices against non-payment in a fast and affordable way. This will enable business owners to safeguard against insolvent customers, expand into new and existing markets and secure better borrowing terms. The platform can be accessed directly ( www.nimbla.com ) and through partnerships with Barclays and Starling Bank. Based in London, Nimbla aims to bring the trade credit industry into the 21st century. Challenging traditional insurance models, the cover is flexible and adapts to fit your business — whether it’s a one-off invoice or multiple transactions. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal.mahmood@nimbla.com Company Website https://www.nimbla.com/

October 06, 2020 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Construction industry rallies in rebuilding Britain, finds Skrap survey

Stockwood Strategy

The construction industry is rallying from the aftermath of the lockdown as builders report steady workflow and recovering revenues, finds a survey* of 2,000 UK construction companies by Skrap , the on-demand construction hire specialist . Almost half of construction businesses (44%) reported that workflow has reached pre-lockdown levels. The bounce is such that almost a quarter (23%) of businesses felt they would hit at least 2019 revenue levels and possibly see a 20% increase. This is despite nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses still waiting to be paid, on average, £47,784 for work they did pre-lock down. However, this is an improvement from June 2020 when they were waiting for £157,642. Of the work that is being done, building contractors are seeing the greatest demand from residential projects (48%) and public sector work (30%) such as roadworks and in schools. However, of those businesses seeing a partial slowdown in work, they pointed to the uncertain state of the economy which is delaying investment decisions. Construction industry business owner Jamie Herd, MD of Lords builders’ merchants commented: “We’ve seen sales of supplies increase steadily over the past 3 months and orders to the end of 2020 look good especially in London and the home counties. The government’s favourable loan schemes have boosted the cash flow of construction businesses to enable them continue their work and overall, there is a bullish mood that work is returning to normal in the industry”. Hussain Hilli, co-founder at Skrap commented: “Although building activity shrunk during the lockdown, this survey provides a cautious note of optimism for the construction industry. It’s not surprising this wave of optimism comes from residential work as people continue to work from home and consider their new needs. The decision to scrap stamp duty on homes below £500,000 has also got home owners active. Government policies are taking effect and builders are benefiting but a lot will rest on how investors see Brexit playing out on the UK economy”. 2020 expectations Boris Johnson’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ initiative is making a difference. Almost half of builders (46%) said they had benefited from the policy announcement and were expecting more contracts from this in the next few months. However, they do feel that investment in house building developments is being held back. This is chiefly down to investors being vary of valuations given the impact Brexit could have on the economy coupled with the lack of urgency from the government to support this crucial infrastructure need. Looking ahead to the end of the year, builders fear the biggest disruption to business will be a second wave of COVID19 cases leading to another mass lockdown impacting delivery and demand of projects. Brexit The majority of construction businesses are confident that there will be little fallout from a no-deal Brexit. They felt the Government would negotiate a good trade deal in time and it will be business as usual. However, they do feel the greatest concern in the run up to Brexit centres on workforce availability. This is understandable as up to a quarter (25%) of their workforce are non-UK nationals. Ends Notes to the editor * Research findings based on a survey of 2,000 UK construction companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £250,000) conducted in September 2020 by LM Research & Marketing Consultancy (Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About Skrap Founded in 2017, Skrap offers on-demand services for skip and construction hire resources. Every year almost 100m tonnes of construction waste is collected in the UK and construction businesses spend £5b in collecting this waste, and a further £15b on other hire services. Skrap intends to remove the hassle from ordering a skip and other construction hire needs to make this experience simple and user friendly. Skrap’s strategic ambition is to automate the entire construction hire supply chain across major cities globally over the coming years. Founders Marwan Field, Hussain Hilli and Ahmed Rao came across the problem while running a construction business where logistics were unorganised and fragmented; prices were asymmetric, and the marketplace of suppliers and brokers were doing everything manually. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal@skrap.xyz Company Website https://www.skrap.xyz

October 06, 2020 03:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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