The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive and In Depth radio shows. Our headlines are updated twice per day — once in the morning and once in the afternoon — with the latest news affecting federal employees and contractors.

• United States maritime port authorities are pushing the Department of Homeland Security for guidance on cyber attack reporting. Port authorities also said they are unclear of what agencies to report to in case of a cyber incident. Ports have become increasingly reliant on computers for communication over the years. A Government Accountability Office report said port cyber hackers could misdirect ships and cargo. U.S. ports are responsible for moving $1.3 trillion worth of cargo a year. (Federal News Radio)

• Expect to see more mergers and acquisitions among federal contractors in 2016. A group of investment experts said contractors are feeling more confident about buying and selling because the federal budget outlook is slowly improving after 2013. Defense Under Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Frank Kendall said he’s concerned too many consolidations among large defense contractors will limit competition and innovation in the industry. (Federal News Radio)

• Commerce Department managers need to improve the patent process wait time, among other things, in a new list of goals from the agency’s inspector general. The report outlines the biggest challenges for Commerce management in the next year. The list includes advocating for protection of intellectual property rights and keeping satellite acquisition programs on schedules. The report also called for addressing IT security issues. (Commerce Department OIG)

• Agencies can now buy professional services much differently from the General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service. FAS consolidated eight schedule contracts into one that integrates all professional services categories. The consolidation reduced the number of contractors providing professional services to about 4,000 from more than 5,000. FAS is expecting to save $3.9 million over the next five years due to lower contract administration costs. Agency customers also will find it easier to buy complex or simple services such as management consulting or professional engineering. (GSA)

• Larry Gross is the new chief information officer for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Gross joins the FDIC from the Agriculture Department’s Farm Service Agency, where he has been CIO since April. Gross replaced Barry West, who resigned in August after being put on administrative leave earlier in the summer. Gross previously served as deputy CIO at the Interior Department and associate CIO at the Treasury Department. (FDIC)

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