This week marks the 8th Anniversary of the incorporation of NSTXL. As any true start-up would, we dove in headfirst to develop a new platform to deliver transformative technology to the marketplace at the speed of mission and relevance. And as any true start-up does, we quickly learned that success was not a straight line.
The importance of seeing a project successfully completed from ideation to prototype cannot be understated. Advancing critical government technology, connecting with leading innovators, and improving the future of national security are vital. But it’s not always easy.
OTAs offer an alternative to the lengthier contracting process governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) by removing onerous requirements that small businesses advancing dual-use technologies have trouble fulfilling.
The technology industry is advancing faster than ever before, pulling in the brightest minds from across the nation to solve the greatest challenges to date. One of the most pressing concerns? Space innovation. That challenge is exactly what NSTXL member TransAstra is in the business of solving.
Want to know more about our exceptional Acquisition Manager? Cathy Jordan joined NSTXL in June of 2019 and has been working on the acquisition side of our innovation network ever since. When Cathy isn’t spending her time helping NSTXL grow, she also enjoys building things at home, going on cruises, and trying local IPA’s from wherever she’s found herself.
The S2MARTS OTA, managed by NSTXL, has been awarded authority allowing the consortium to carry out basic, applied, and advanced research projects in accordance with 10 U.S.C. §4021– (formerly 2371), in addition to their existing agreement for prototype projects under 10 U.S.C. §4022– (formerly 2371b). This award marks a huge milestone for the S2MARTS OTA and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, as now both research and prototype projects can be accomplished under one OTA framework.
We are excited to welcome the 600th member to the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC)! The exponential growth of the SpEC network continues to pioneer the next generation of space technology and capabilities to support modern-day missions. Designed as an alternative to traditional contracting vehicles, the SpEC OTA helps fast-track research initiatives and prototype development, increasing speed to award by nearly 40%.
This September, we wanted to showcase our Membership Success Marketing Manager, Tranisha Harris. Tranisha brings with her powerful ideas and plans to improve both NSTXL and how the industry looks at membership overall. As the Membership Marketing Manager, she takes on a multitude of tasks to improve the membership experience.
For August’s Get to Know NSTXL series, we are highlighting S2MARTS Deputy Director Tony Kestranek. Tony joined NSTXL in November of 2020 and brought with him an undying passion for supporting the Warfighter, which he exemplifies every day through his tireless efforts to ensure that we are getting the most effective technology to those on the frontlines- as quickly as possible.
The conversation around cybersecurity has become increasingly important for the DoD as they face an ever-growing need for proactivity in security regulations with industry partners. CMMC was designed to provide increased insurance to the DoD for controlled unclassified information.
