Milsatcom

Who We Serve

Through a Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Technical Services (STS) task order, Quantech provides Acquisition Security Support services to the Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) Systems Directorate (MC). This Air Force Program Office coordinates system development and sustainment activities across a portfolio of communication satellites, ground controls and user terminals to provide war-fighters with assured space-based communication. The SMC/MC $41B portfolio consists of mission-oriented product-lines providing protected, wideband and polar communication capabilities, together with cross-program systems (i.e., Command and Control System – Consolidated (CCS-C)) and functions (e.g., configuration management).

What We Do

STS provides SMC/MC with technical support expertise that complements the Government’s organic capabilities. Under this task order, Quantech provides a 20-member trained and certified team who provide expert support to the MILSATCOM Information Assurance (IA) Manager, Program Office Protection Lead and Acquisition System Protection Manager. They are integrated into the Government teams for acquisition, test, sustainment and operations to provide hands-on and strategic support to 16 programs.

Our Results

Our employees are key contributors and have direct impact on mission success. Here are a few examples of what our team has accomplished:

• Certification & Accreditation (C&A): The team is truly a great ambassador for Quantech as they were recognized as the 1QCY10 SMC/MC Team of the Quarter, 1QCY10 Space and Missiles Systems Center Team of the Quarter and the 2010 Government Information Security Leadership Award (GISLA) winner as Federal Contractor of the Year. The GISLA recognizes the federal contractor who has significantly contributed to the enhancement of the information security workforce, information security policy/process, information security technology and security awareness within the federal workforce.
  • Expanded Cybersecurity Awareness for SMC/MC personnel by creating training material and teaching 6 classes, received 3-year ATO for Global Broadcast Service Receive Broadcast Manager (GBS RBM) with no significant liens to support 160+ fielded systems world-wide, received the first-ever 3-year Authority to Operate (ATO) for CCS-C with no significant liens and continued a string of successes with C&A of SMC/MC systems.
  • Authored the first Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) plan for SMC/MC which created a schedule for 1/3 validation & identifies bad actors for additional focus, created validation and testing framework which standardized processes resulting in more secure mission systems, and integrated security baselines into configuration management processes which inserts IA at front-end to reduce security re-engineering efforts.
  • Authored the IA Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) and checklists, which has been signed and is now implemented by the Government as the “cradle-to-grave” approach to incorporate robust IA capabilities into acquisition baselines. The checklists provide a standardized security baseline for evaluating the compliance, noncompliance, or non-applicability of assigned IA controls.
  • Established a MILSATCOM Testing Center (MTC) utilized to develop system security baseline processes, procedures and test plans. These processes are used to provide key system stakeholders and developers with security mitigation processes prior to implementation on critical space mission system assets. The MTC security analysis elements are used to analyze and develop Detailed Testing Procedures for common system security baseline requirements early in the configuration management and integrated master scheduling timelines to save budget and execution resources.
• Program Protection: The Quantech Program Protection team has established System Security Working Groups to coordinate and authenticate Security Classification, Program Protection Plan, Technology Assessments and identification of Critical Program Information. Quantech also authored the MILSATCOM Executive Security Council (MCESC) charter which focuses on high-level threat, program protection and IA challenges and solutions to ensure MILSATCOM capabilities and goals are achieved. Notable achievements of the Protection team are:
  • Created and staffed Enhance Polar System (EPS) Program Protection Plan (PPP) including coordinating with Office of the Secretary of Defense to incorporate upcoming requirements for Milestone Decision Authority approval; most comprehensive PPP created within the Directorate to include Supply Chain Management and protection of Critical Program Information (CPI) by threat and location.
  • Co-chaired the Protected SATCOM Security Classification Guide (SCG) IPT which performed analysis and coordination for 8 challenges to the Advanced EHF Security Engineering Working Group for disposition. Supports appropriate classification of information.
  • Provided technical guidance and support through several potential classified message incidents within the Directorate. Expert SCG and system knowledge expedites this process.
  • Authored and coordinated the Project Security Instruction (PSI) concerning joint production, operations and support of WGS with Australian International Partners and AEHF with Canadian, Australian and United Kingdom International Partners.
  • Created a repository of CPI for all MILSATCOM Systems Directorate programs and processes for future determination and documentation; ensures future reviews have the necessary foundation of information on rationale for inclusion and exclusion of products as CPI.
• Acquisition Security: The Quantech Acquisition Security team manages the security program to include Personnel Security, Industrial Security, Information Security, Operations Security, Physical Security, Program Protection Planning, Communications Security and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) Operations. The team has developed and maintained a tracking system of key administrative security elements which is reported weekly to the Government. The team has had the following notable accomplishments:
  • Supported the 21st SW COMSEC manager’s inspection of largest sub-account on Peterson AFB and achieved a rating of “Outstanding”.
  • Provided SCI support to include verifying clearances, tracking Government and contractor billets, and scheduling meeting resources. Currently updating the facility to support video teleconferencing capability.
  • Coordinates SMC/MCO Antiterrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) responsibilities and Random Antiterrorism Measures (RAMs) monthly reporting.