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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with TechnoGen & TechnoGen Cybersecurity

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 excited to announce a partnership with TechnoGen, Inc., an ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000-1:2011, ISO 27001:2013 and CMMI Level 3 Global IT Services and Consulting Company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia and Offshore Development Center in Hyderabad, India. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. In addition, the partnership with TechnoGen and TechnoGen Cybersecurity establishes a presence for the CMMC COE in India with a future plan for a Center of Excellence- India in collaboration with the CMMC COE APAC. With over 16 years of experience providing end to end IT Services and Solutions to the Public and Private sectors, TGI provides highly skilled and certiﬁed professionals committed to helping clients solve complex problems and achieve their goals, on time and under budget. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. Mr. Lax Chepuri, CEO of TechnoGen, Inc. expressed confidence and delight in the newly formed relationship with the CMMC COE saying, “Both TechnoGen, Inc. and TechnoGen Cybersecurity and will bring enthusiastic support for the goals and standards of the CMMC COE in both the U.S. and India Defense sectors.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between TechnoGen and the 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, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally 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. 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 ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and TechnoGen partnership 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 establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. 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 TechnoGen, please visit https://www.technogeninc.com/ 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

March 22, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Tips on Making (and Sharing) Instagram-Worthy Smoothie Bowls

YourUpdateTV

If you scroll through Instagram, you’ll find over 2.6 million posts with the hashtag #smoothiebowl. There are entire accounts dedicated to this fresh food trend, because not only do they taste great – they look like a piece of art. From Instagram feeds to home kitchens, colorful smoothie bowls are becoming a breakfast staple in the U.S. Recently, Ninja’s first-ever Smoothie Bowl Sommelier, Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RDN, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss this new breakfast trend and to provide some great tips and recipes. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/pUFS1i2uVG8 In comparison to a typical smoothie, smoothie bowls have a thick, spoonable texture. The base goes into a bowl and then the fun happens – you can artfully decorate your bowl with a variety of toppings. With the Ninja® Foodi® Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor*, which is designed specifically with smoothie bowls in mind, even novice home chefs can create spoonable smoothie bowls right in their very own kitchens. The Ninja® Foodi® Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor* with smartTORQUE™ technology is designed to power through heavy loads at high speed without stalling or the need to stir or shake, making the creation of a smoothie bowl quick and easy from the comfort of your own home. The 14-oz. Smoothie Bowl Maker with built-in tamper blends and powers through frozen foods with less liquid for perfectly thick smoothie bowls. This blender has 4 preset Auto-iQ® programs which allow for one-touch smoothies, extractions, bowls, and spreads. For more information, visit NinjaKitchen.com and follow @NinjaKitchen on Instagram. About Gillean Barkyoumb: In addition to her title as Ninja’s Smoothie Bowl Sommelier, Gillean Barkyoumb, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian, speaker and writer from Phoenix, Arizona who is committed to making nutrition doable for everyone. Gillean’s food philosophy focuses on simplicity and convenience to build balanced meals, including thick, spoonable smoothie bowls. Gillean has contributed to publications such as Shape, Women’s Health, Well + Good, MyFitnessPal, and Daily Burn and frequently shares nutrition tips on various networks including ABC, NBC, and FOX. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 18, 2021 12:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Clearbanc and Pencil partner to help ecommerce businesses grow using creative AI

Stockwood Strategy

Creative AI company Pencil has partnered with the world’s largest e-commerce investor Clearbanc to provide their customers with the latest innovation in online video advertising, Machine Generated Creative (MGC). These ads can be created in minutes and consistently double return on ad spend for brands. It is anticipated that companies using the Pencil platform will be able to unlock new audiences on Facebook and Instagram and grow revenue faster. MGC online video ads are generated by artificial intelligence (AI), while learning what resonates with audiences, in order to systematically deliver better results for brands. Using historic ad performance data, Pencil is able to understand what in the ad is resonating with customers. It can then generate new batches of ad ideas which are new and distinct, but which share winning characteristics with past winners. In this way Pencil learns what works while continuously exploring new ideas that could resonate with audiences. Pencil analysed over 100 campaigns that used MGC video ads and found the best MGC ads delivered an average return on ad spend (ROAS) 2x that of other ads the brands were running. One brand’s MGC campaign delivered 7x higher ROAS. Will Hanschell, CEO and co-founder of Pencil commented: “This partnership with Clearbanc underlines the success we’ve had with our Machine Generated Creative ads for brands around the world. These ads are helping ecommerce brands and agencies grow, and I am confident we can help them scale further.” This partnership announcement comes hot o n the heels of Pencil joining as a creative partner in Facebook Marketing Partners, a program that connects businesses to an ecosystem of specialists. More than 200 million businesses worldwide use Facebook’s apps to connect with customers and grow, and over 10 million of them run advertising campaigns each month. Pencil customer James Harding, Head of Growth at Lyka Pet Food commented: "Pencil gives us the ability to generate ads quickly and more importantly, come up with ideas we might not have otherwise. It's been a massive win for us essentially." Pencil leverages proprietary technology to generate ad video, derive insights and make predictions, as well as integrating the OpenAI API to generate ad copy. The OpenAI API provides access to GPT-3, one of the world’s most powerful language models. Pencil is among the first companies approved to use it commercially. This approval requires strict criteria in AI safety and ethics. Daniel Rodic, Head of Market Development commented: “Clearbanc was created to help Founders grow their businesses by using our non-dilutive capital to invest in predictable and repeatable expenses like marketing spend. Pencil’s technology offers a simple solution for brands in our portfolio to improve their return on ad spend and ultimately maximize the effectiveness of the capital they deploy.” Clearbanc has deployed over US$1.6b to more than 4,000 ecommerce and SaaS businesses. EndS Notes to the editor About Pencil Pencil is a Creative AI company on a mission to generate unexpected ideas that get results. Pencil generates ads that learn to perform, delivering the return on ad spend that helps brands scale their businesses. Pencil invented Machine Generated Creative (MGC), a new way of making ads that algorithmically optimises for creative novelty, brand relevance and return on advertising spend. It always starts from a human brief and it always involves total human editorial control. Pencil’s MGC platform generates ads in minutes and has been shown to generate ads that double returns for brands. Pencil was founded in 2018 with a team from Google, Facebook and Uber and is backed by Sequoia Capital India, Wavemaker Partners, Singapore Innovate and Entrepreneur First. About Clearbanc Founded in 2015 by Michele Romanow (Canada’s Shark Tank), Andrew D’Souza, Ivan Gritsiniak, Charlie Feng, and Tanay Delima, Clearbanc is changing the way companies raise money by providing fast, affordable capital to online brands and B2B SaaS companies. Clearbanc’s data-driven algorithm has invested in 4,000+ companies across 50 states and backed 8x more female-founders than traditional VC. Clearbanc customers span small businesses across the United States, Canada, and the UK to some of the fastest-growing consumer brands today, like Le Tote, Leesa Sleep, Farmgirl Flowers, and Public Goods. For more information visit Clearbanc.com Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@trypencil.com Company Website https://www.trypencil.com/

March 17, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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TeamSnap Announces New Technology Partnership with NFL FLAG

TeamSnap

TeamSnap, the industry-leading sports management platform provider for youth sports, today announced a new technology partnership with NFL FLAG, the official flag football league of the National Football League (NFL) and the largest youth flag football organization in the United States. With a multi-year agreement, TeamSnap Tournaments will serve as the official tournament app of NFL FLAG. NFL FLAG organizes and operates 12 marquee tournaments in partnership with NFL clubs and eight expanded tournaments, NFL FLAG Opens, each year. This includes the NFL FLAG Bowl and NFL FLAG Championships at Pro Bowl which attract hundreds of teams from across the country. NFL FLAG is operated by Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX). TeamSnap is a long-time partner of Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), sister company to RCX. Both businesses are owned by Reigning Champs. “As the NFL FLAG Tournament Series continues to expand, we need the best technology partners to support our growing event infrastructure,” said Garland Cooper, Vice President of Event Operations for Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX). “TeamSnap’s customizable platform allows us the flexibility to create exactly what we need to help NFL FLAG provide a world class flag football experience.” “NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible way to get kids across the country involved in football. TeamSnap is thrilled to provide a comprehensive management solution to support NFL FLAG’s tournaments and scheduling needs,” said Dave DuPont, TeamSnap co-founder and CEO. “Reigning Champs has been a leader in the youth sports industry. We look forward to expanding our relationship by working with RCX and supporting the iconic NFL FLAG brand.” NFL FLAG is a NFL-licensed property of more than 1,600 leagues and 500,000 youth athletes across 50 states. TeamSnap supports more than 24 million users, 3 million unique teams and 19,000 clubs across 100 different sports. ABOUT TEAMSNAP Since its formation in 2009, TeamSnap has been single-mindedly focused on taking the work out of play. 24 million coaches, administrators, players and parents rely on TeamSnap’s powerful and easy-to-use tools for communication, scheduling, payment collection and registration, organizing every sport and group activity in the world. For more information, visit https://www.teamsnap.com/. About NFL FLAG NFL FLAG is an NFL-licensed property of more than 1,600 locally operated leagues and over 500,000 youth athletes across all 50 states. NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the official operator of NFL FLAG. About Reigning Champs Experiences Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the premier youth-sports experiences business, running and operating leagues, camps, combines, tournaments and events. Part of Reigning Champs LLC, RCX works with professional leagues, national governing bodies, sports-centric businesses and brands to reimagine youth sports experiences. RCX produces events with world-class partners including the NFL, Jr. NBA, NAIA, Rivals.com and the 2022 World Games. RCX is committed to improving the accessibility and inclusivity of sports by enhancing the youth sports experience and creating opportunities for all athletes to play. We believe sports have the power to transform lives and that every athlete should have the opportunity to experience the value of sports. For more information, visit www.rcxexperiences.com. Contact Details TeamSnap Greg McIsaac +1 416-458-3591 greg.mcisaac@teamsnap.com Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) Lauren Pulte 248-885-2607 lpulte@reigningchamps.com Company Website https://www.teamsnap.com/

March 16, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Alternative Ways Investors Can Reach Higher Interest Potential by Jennifer Lang Financial Services

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC. Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

March 16, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Vingroup is about to officially launch the region's leading "Sleepless City" model

Media Outreach

With a total investment of over 2.8 Billion USD (~VND 66,000 billion), Phu Quoc United Center is developed under the "all-in-one" model. Phu Quoc United Center will be the first sleepless super complex in Vietnam, making Phu Quoc a "new international destination" in Asia. The "Sleepless City" is connected the "boredom-free land" VinWonders Phu Quoc which was opened from April 2020. HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 16 March 2021 - On April 21st, 2021, Vingroup Group will officially open Phu Quoc United Center in the North of Pearl Island (Đảo Ngọc). With a scale of over 1,000 hectares and thousands of record entertainment items in addition to a 24/7 resort and shopping ecosystem, Phu Quoc United Center will be the first sleepless super complex in Vietnam, making Phu Quoc a "new international destination" in Asia. With a total investment of over 2.8 Billion USD (~VND 66,000 billion), Phu Quoc United Center is developed under the "all-in-one" model. It includes a system of hotel brands from Mini Hotel to 5-star hotel brands such as Vinpearl, VinOasis, VinHoliday and Radison Blue, etc., with more than 10,000 rooms. It also has VinWonders Phu Quoc – the largest theme park in Vietnam; Vinpearl Safari- one of the largest semi-wild animal conservation park in Asia; 18-hole Vinpearl Golf Course; Corona 5-star Casino, Grand World sleepless shopping and entertainment city and Vinmec Hospital, etc. With an ecosystem of thousands of facilities and record entertainment items, Phu Quoc United Center not only satisfies the needs of enjoying - playing - resting - exploring for all visitors, but also providing unprecedented experiences in Vietnam. In which, Grand World - "the Sleepless City" is an unrivaled experience which is only available at Phu Quoc United Center. With an area of 85 hectares and a central location, Grand World owns a splendid and magnificent architecture, busy and trendy commercial streets, exciting festivals and parties in addition to bustling entertainment centers of Venice, Shanghai, Night Market, Kstreet and Vietnam, etc. All are operated non-stop 24 hours a day and 365 days a year for a bustling atmosphere and endless and dynamic festival space like famous sleepless cities in the world. Particularly, only in Grand World Phu Quoc will visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the ultimate entertainment technology with the most magnificent multimedia scene show named "The Elite of Vietnam", discover the largest Bamboo Legend in the country made from 32,000 bamboo tops, visit Teddy Bear museum - a destination that attracts millions of young tourists. Moreover, visitors can also travel on the magnificent Venice-modeled canal, see the ancient Venice Clock Tower and immerse themselves in the 19,500m2-wide Marine Square or admire the unique contemporary artworks at Urban Park, etc. Besides the iconic check-in spots, Grand World is also a city of colorful parties and festivals, from local festivals such as Nghinh Ong Festival, Nguyen Trung Truc Festival, Boat Racing Festival to vibrant carnivals from Thailand, India, America, Germany and Mexico, etc. This is also the only place in Vietnam where visitors can spend all night long at the first 5-star casino open to Vietnamese people. With 1,000 slot machines and 100 game tables and integrated with a 600-seat theater - Corona Casino is comparable to famous casinos in the world. The "Sleepless City" is connected the "boredom-free land" VinWonders Phu Quoc which was opened from April 2020. The largest theme park in Southeast Asia covering 55 hectares with more than 100 exciting games and stunning shows will need several days to fully explore. Another important component of Phu Quoc United Center is Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc, the largest semi-wild animal conservation park in Southeast Asia. As the home for more than 4,000 animals from nearly 200 species in all geo-biological regions of the world and the unique "free animals, captive people" model, Vinpearl Safari Phu Quoc has become a "must-visit destination" on Phu Quoc tourist map right after its opening in 2015 with animal welfare conditions rated as the best in the region and approach to world standards by the South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA). Meeting diverse accommodation needs for a new "international destination", Phu Quoc United Center has a system of hotel brands from Mini Hotel to 5-star hotel brands such as Vinpearl, VinOasis, VinHoliday and Radison Blue, etc., with more than 10,000 rooms. In addition, the super complex also owns a 5-star Meeting Incentive Conference Event (MICE) system - Vinpearl Convention Center; 18-hole Vinpearl Golf course; Vinmec International Hospital and Vinschool Inter-level School in the near future. With a diverse ecosystem to meet high-quality life in addition to a large-scale and world-class entertainment industry, when putting into operation, "Phu Quoc United Center" will not be merely an entertainment complex but a top resort - business - investment luxury product in Vietnam. Particularly, the "Sleepless City" model in Phu Quoc United Center not only lays the foundation for night-time economic development of Vietnam but also marks a step forward, turning Vietnam into a new international destination on the world tourist map. Contact Details Vingroup Media Contact +84 24 3974 9999 v.chidqd@vingroup.net

March 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Tabletop Tunes Introduces New App That Gives Gamers An Interactive Musical Soundtrack

Tabletop Tunes

Tabletop Tunes, the mobile application that is transforming the traditional tabletop gaming experience by providing players with beautifully-composed audio tracks to accompany their gaming experience, today announced its launch. Available for iOS and being developed for Android, the first-of-its kind adaptive music app is designed to enhance the board game renaissance the world has witnessed throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The app was created by the well-known film and game composer Anthony Sabatino to help immerse gamers deeper into the world of whatever tabletop game they are playing. Tabletop Tunes features four categories and three subcategories to take gamers through magical forests, quaint villages, glorious kingdoms, the darkest of dungeons – and ultimately a dragon-slaying battlefield. Users looking for an even more lifelike experience can easily adjust the app’s intensity to match their mood and the vehemence of their particular game. For example, increasing the battle music intensity with the slider may bring in more horns or strings, while decreasing it will minimize the overall musical arrangement. The end result is a captivating new level of enchantment for gamers of all ages and experience levels. The app was built by musician and programmer Jacob Johnson and designed by artist and software developer Christie Xu. “With so many people still spending most of their time at home, I wanted to give both new and longtime tabletop gamers a much-deserved, long overdue soundtrack of their own,” said Tabletop Tunes founder Anthony Sabatino, a Los Angeles-based film composer, conductor and music producer. He has worked on nearly 100 gaming, film and television projects. “Much like accompanying music enhances the power of a great TV show or movie, Tabletop Tunes can turn any Saturday night board game into an exciting and more meaningful adventure.” Gamers who use the app can control which tune they prefer to personalize in each gaming experience. To use the app, gamers first choose a category: Explore, Town, Battle, or Miscellaneous. Next, it’s time to pick a subcategory, including Explore, Fantasy Forest, Cavernous Cave, or Dark Dungeon. From there, users can select a track, and ultimately pick from three Battle levels: Mild, Tense or Epic. An Intensity Slider allows gamers to adjust how bombastic they want their personalized game soundtrack to be, as the game continues and culminates with music that rings either victory or defeat. The Boss Battle track cannot be adjusted, however, as it is the most intense level and designed for fantasy dragon-slayers. Tabletop Tunes is free to download here: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1554758193. Premium music packs are available for $3.99 per pack, or $9.99 for all three products. About Tabletop Tunes Tabletop Tunes is the first-of-its kind interactive mobile app specifically created to enhance the tabletop gaming experience. Created by the well-known film and game composer, conductor and music producer Anthony Sabatino, Tabletop Tunes allows gamers to choose the right soundtrack to amplify the mood and feel of whatever tabletop game or board game they are playing. With different levels of intensity to choose from, Tabletop Tunes can turn any Saturday night board game into an exciting and unforgettable adventure. The app is available on iOS and Android. Learn more at https://www.tabletoptunes.com Contact Details Trust Relations Noe Sacoco +1 408-340-8130 tabletoptunes@trustrelations.agency

March 15, 2021 04:25 PM Pacific Daylight Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with DRAGOS

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 excited to announce a partnership with Dragos, Inc., the global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Far too often, the cybersecurity protection and resilience discussion fails to include any true focus on industrial control systems or operational technology. Dragos has a deep bench of expert ICS/OT cybersecurity practitioners committed to helping its customers detect, prevent, investigate and respond to attacks from threat actors. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “Dragos believes the adoption of the CMMC model for ICS / OT cybersecurity is a critical step in our mission to safeguard civilization,” said Steve Applegate, Chief Information Security Officer, Dragos, Inc. “We are excited to join the CMMC COE Global Cyber Policy & Governance Working Group and lend our expertise to this vital initiative.” The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Dragos and the 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, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: 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. Work across industry, government, and academia to build on CMMC requirements to include and focus on attention to security and resilience of industrial control systems and operational technology. The CMMC-COE and Dragos partnership 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 establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 About Dragos, Inc Dragos has a global mission: to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The practitioners who founded Dragos were drawn to this mission through decades of government and private sector experience. Dragos codifies the knowledge of our cybersecurity experts into an integrated software platform that provides customers critical visibility into ICS and OT networks so that threats are identified and can be addressed before they become significant events. Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including electric and water utilities, energy, and manufacturing, and are optimized for emerging applications like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, DC area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information on Dragos, please visit https://www.dragos.com/ 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

March 15, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

M+ museum building completed - The first global museum of contemporary visual culture in Asia set to open at the end of 2021 in Hong Kong

Media Outreach

The M+ building, viewed from Victoria Harbour. Photo: Virgile Simon Bertrand. © Virgile Simon Bertrand Courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron HONG KONG - Media OutReach - 12 March 2021 - M+ has reached the important milestone marking the completion of construction of the museum building. With the Occupation Permit for the museum building obtained on 24 December 2020, M+ is set to open to the public at the end of 2021. Designed by a global team of the world-renowned architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, the M+ building is set to become a new addition to the global arts and cultural landscape and a new international architectural icon. Located in Hong Kong's West Kowloon Cultural District on the Victoria Harbour waterfront, it provides a permanent space for M+, the first global museum of contemporary visual culture in Asia dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries. The commanding architectural form consists of monumental horizontal and vertical volumes–an expansive podium and a strikingly slender tower–reflecting the architects' reading of the unique typologies of Hong Kong's architectural landscape and their sensitivity to local urban conditions. Beneath the building site lie the MTR Airport Express and Tung Chung Line. While the pre-existing site condition presents a challenge to design and construction, it has also become a point of departure for the M+ building. The excavation around the railway tunnels produces a 'found space' that provides an anchor for the building for hosting dynamic and rotating installations. The 65,000 square-metre M+ building houses 17,000 square metres of exhibition space across thirty-three galleries. It also includes three cinemas, a Mediatheque, a Learning Hub, a Research Centre, museum shops, restaurants, a tea and coffee bar, a Members Lounge, and office spaces, with a Roof Garden that commands spectacular views of Victoria Harbour. Most galleries are arranged on a large podium level on the second floor offering visitors a fluid, interconnected experience of the exhibitions. The tower defines a visual dialogue with the urban landscape of Hong Kong. The podium and tower are united as concrete structures clad in ceramic tiles that reflect the changing conditions of light and weather while standing out from nearby glass and steel skyscrapers. Museum staff have moved into and started to activate the M+ building and the Conservation and Storage Facility (CSF). Preparations including environmental stabilisation, space fit-outs, the move of permanent collections, and the installation of collection works and objects have commenced with a view to opening the M+ to the public at the end of 2021. Betty Fung, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, underscores the significance of the M+ building for both the West Kowloon Cultural District and Hong Kong. 'I believe that M+ will become one of the most iconic architectural landmarks in Hong Kong and a must-visit cultural landmark for local residents and tourists in the future. The completion of M+, together with that of the Xiqu Centre, Freespace and the Art Park in 2019, marks an important milestone of the West Kowloon Cultural District project which is moving into an exciting new phase of development.' Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, emphasises the importance of the completion of M+'s construction journey. 'This is a major milestone for the museum. As we mark the building completion, our opening preparations are in full swing. We have moved into our permanent home, and I am thrilled to be able to say we can soon welcome visitors from Hong Kong and beyond to M+.' Jacques Herzog, Founding Partner, Herzog & de Meuron, articulates the ambition for the design and realisation of the M+ building. 'M+ certainly has the potential to become the major visual culture museum in Asia. It best expresses where we should go as a world culture, where diversity, equality, and access to art of all kinds are expressed from the very beginning. This kind of diversity and broadness is part of the DNA of M+. This makes it a museum that is very much locally inspired, but at the same time universal and open; it is for the people and visitors across the world.' Notable architectural features 1. Found Space The MTR Airport Express and Tung Chung Line tunnels lie beneath the site of the M+ building. Excavations around the tunnels reveal a 'found space' that provides an anchor inside the building and can host dynamic rotating installations. In a remarkable feat of engineering, five mega-trusses–large steel elements encased in concrete frameworks–help support the massive structure and prevent it from bearing down on the tunnels. 2. Glazed ceramic facade Glass-clad skyscrapers are ubiquitous in Hong Kong. Departing from this visual language but remaining in dialogue with it, the M+ building features ceramic components as a modular facade system. The dark green ceramic facade reflects conditions of light and weather in many different facets and shades –an ever-changing skin with a crafted and rich surface quality. Ceramics also provide a localised environmental solution for the M+ building, to protect it from the long-term corrosive effects of heat, humidity, and wind. 3. Fully integrated tower facade The south facade of the tower is a dynamic, evolving media display screen. It is a visual amplification of M+ programmes and accentuates the museum's connection with the urban landscape facing Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island. 4. Lightwell A lightwell inside the building, created by massive cutaways in the floor plates and the skylights, connects basement floors, the ground floor, and the podium level, while offering visitors an immersive experience of the architecture and the museum from above and below. 5. Multi-purpose spaces Multi-purpose spaces of various sizes in the building offer curators and artists a range of possibilities for realising projects. The sweeping Grand Stair auditorium is a place for gathering, a flexible venue for lectures, screenings, and other events. 6. Learning Hub The Learning Hub is a space for learning, interpretation, and inspiration set against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour. It houses a Forum, workshops, and seminar rooms hosting programmes for all ages and interest groups. The pitched roof of the Learning Hub also provides access to the Roof Garden. 7. Outdoor gathering spaces The Roof Garden is located atop the podium. It is an outdoor space that directly connects with the Art Park of the West Kowloon Cultural District and offers sweeping vistas of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Island, and outlying islands. 8. Locally inspired bamboo furniture Furniture such as benches, reception desks, and ticketing counters are made from bamboo, recalling the informal structures found throughout Hong Kong. 9. A campus of buildings The M+ building is part of a campus that also includes the CSF and the WKCDA Tower. The CSF is devoted to the conservation, restoration, archiving, and storage of the growing M+ Collections. The WKCDA Tower is a sixteen-storey building that will house the new head office of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority as well as retail, dining, and entertainment facilities. Download appendix, high-resolution images and captions: https://bit.ly/3cp1gb6 About M+ M+ is a museum dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In Hong Kong's West Kowloon Cultural District, we are building one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world, with a bold ambition to establish ourselves as one of the world's leading cultural institutions. Our aim is to create a new kind of museum that reflects our unique time and place, a museum that builds on Hong Kong's historic balance of the local and the international to define a distinctive and innovative voice for Asia's twenty-first century. About the West Kowloon Cultural District The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on forty hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, providing twenty-three hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade. About Herzog & de Meuron Established in Basel in 1978, Herzog & de Meuron is a partnership led by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron together with Senior Partners Christine Binswanger, Ascan Mergenthaler, Stefan Marbach, Esther Zumsteg, and Jason Frantzen. An international team of nearly 500 collaborators including the two Founders, five Senior Partners, ten Partners, and 41 Associates work on projects across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The main office is in Basel with additional offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Berlin and Copenhagen. The practice has designed a wide range of projects from the small scale of a private home to the large scale of urban design. Many projects are highly recognized public facilities, such as museums, stadiums, and hospitals, and they have completed distinguished private projects including offices, laboratories and apartment buildings. Awards received include the Pritzker Architecture Prize (USA) in 2001, the RIBA Royal Gold Medal (UK), the Praemium Imperiale (Japan), both in 2007, and the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (USA) in 2014. About Arup Arup is a global firm of more than 15,000 designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants and technical specialists, working across over 90 disciplines, with projects in more than 140 countries. We opened our Hong Kong office in 1976, and today our influence can be seen everywhere in the city, from its tallest building to its longest bridge, at the airport gateway and through a large share of its sophisticated railway networks, to designing sustainable buildings and planning the next-generation towns. From the Sydney Opera House and the Centre Pompidou to our more recent work like the V&A Museum Shenzhen and Taipei Performing Arts Centre, Arup has played a defining role in the design and development of some of the world's favourite cultural buildings. Our multidisciplinary team offered total design services for M+ including civil, structural, geotechnical, MEP, facade and fire engineering with lighting, acoustics, landscape, security and transportation design and consultancy. Contact Details Edelman Public Relations Worldwide (HK) Limited Isis Wong +852 3996 9730 isis.wong@edelman.com Edelman Public Relations Worldwide (HK) Limited Tiffany Lau tiffany.lau@edelman.com Communications and Public Affairs Department West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Patricia Wong patricia.wong@wkcda.hk Communications and Public Affairs Department West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Frankie Leong frankie.leong@wkcda.hk Company Website https://www.media-outreach.com/

March 12, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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