DOD looks for extension on Huawei ban

The 2021 must-pass defense policy bill could be a prime vehicle to give the Defense Department and its contractors more time to comply with a governmentwide ban on Huawei and other China-made telecommunications equipment.

DOD's acquisition head, Ellen Lord, said DOD needed more time and worried about "unintended consequences" in implementing the ban on contracts with companies that use products or services like Huawei in August.

"The thought that somebody in six or seven levels down in the supply chain could have one camera in a parking lot, and that would invalidate one of our major primes being able to do business with us gives us a bit of pause," Lord testified at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the defense industry base June 10.

Lord said that while she thinks a "majority" of compliance could be achieved, "it is a heavy lift to find all of this equipment everywhere" within two years, and potentially "shutting down major portions of our defense industrial base because of one infraction of a Hikvision camera in a parking lot somewhere, at a level-four supplier."

The issue comes as the Defense Department, and government agencies broadly, have become more reliant on information systems and telecommunications services amid the coronavirus pandemic -- an issue that's sure to be included in the National Defense Authorization Act, making the bill a suitable avenue for deadline modification.

Wesley Hallman, the National Defense Industry Association's senior vice president for strategy and policy, told FCW that as is, Section 889, which was passed in the 2019 NDAA, was basically unimplementable, approaching crisis-level concerns.

"The bottom line is, we don't even have a draft rule to comment on and it's supposed to be implemented on Aug. 13," Hallman said. "As written, it's very near impossible to certify that you are free of this in your supply chain."

Supply chain concerns will likely be a mainstay in the NDAA. The COVID-19 pandemic "exposed and exacerbated supply chain deficiencies across the government, and the FY21 NDAA takes numerous steps to secure the supply chain -- both from over-reliance on foreign nations and from infiltration by our adversaries," the Senate Armed Services Committee indicated in its summary of its version of the 2021 NDAA.

Moreover, it requires DOD to "report on the risk to DOD personnel, equipment, and operations due to Huawei 5G architecture in host countries and possible steps for mitigation." DOD also has to consider security risks with 5G and 6G when using vendors like Huawei and ZTE.

David Berteau, the president and CEO for the Professional Services Council, said Lord's testimony was DOD's "strongest" support of an extension, which has "huge dollar implications" for a requirement that doesn't have a rule and is less than two months away from an implementation date.

PSC and the NDIA are pushing for an extension to February 2021 "to allow contractors time to recover from the effects of COVID-19 and effectively comply," according to a March 31 letter to House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders.

"Postponement of the deadline will provide the government with better assurance of achieving its supply chain security objectives with the least disruption and harm to the vendor and supplier base," the letter states.

Without it, Berteau said it could be problematic for DOD's thousands of contracts, potentially leaving compliance up to individual companies, which could make it harder for contract officers to verify that banned equipment and services are removed.

"Because we don't know what the procurement rules are, businesses can't begin to budget or prepare," he said. "The government regulation needs to set precise standards and give companies time to plan for and build compliance.”

About the Author

Lauren C. Williams is a staff writer at FCW covering defense and cybersecurity.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.