All posts tagged: firm

Outsourcing firm misses out on contract

Outsourcing firm misses out on contract

Published by skeptic

Teach First fended off a challenge from an international outsourcing company to keep its contract to recruit “high potential” graduates into the profession. The Department for Education confirmed last week that the charity – which has run the scheme since its launch in 2003 – was its “preferred supplier” for the contract, worth £89 million plus VAT for up to five years. The National Institute of Teaching will also “partner” with Teach First in running the scheme, which helps place high-achieving graduates in disadvantaged schools. Further details will be in the contract itself, which is yet to be published. But the tender documents reveal outsourcing giant Serco – which is already responsible for a host of government contracts worth billions of pounds – lost out in its bid. An early engagement notice published by the company last summer said it had “actively engaged” on the High Potential Initial Teacher Training (HPITT) programme “for over a year and [was] excited by the opportunity to deliver a transformed service”. ‘Collaborative partner network’ It said it intended to …

Malaysia seeks over US1 million in compensation from Norwegian firm over scrapped missile deal: Minister

Malaysia seeks over US$251 million in compensation from Norwegian firm over scrapped missile deal: Minister

Published by Sam Flores

The minister added that about 30 per cent of the combat ship project components were locally sourced and expressed hope that the percentage could be increased in future naval projects. “This has always been our goal, and this incident involving Norway will push us to further strengthen our focus on ensuring we are not overly dependent on foreign countries,” said Khaled. “In addition, the government must be more cautious in procurement dealings with other countries that could potentially take similar action against Malaysia.”  Khaled reportedly said he hoped that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional bloc that are not close allies of Norway would learn from Malaysia’s experience and avoid dealing with the Scandinavian nation.  “They refused to issue the export licences because their new policy restricts the export of sensitive defence technology only to allies and close strategic partners.” Khaled was quoted as saying by The Edge Malaysia. “Meaning that the export is limited to members of NATO and countries regarded by Norway as strategic partners,” he said, referring to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.  KDA …

Owner of 2 iconic seaside town piers sees firm collapse | UK | News

Owner of 2 iconic seaside town piers sees firm collapse | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

The owner of Eastbourne and Hastings piers is facing fraud charges with the future of the piers remaining uncertain. Sheikh Abid Gulzar appeared at Hove Crown Court to answer the charges. The 79-year-old and another man, Manasdeep Singh, are charged with 10 counts of fraud. Mr Gulzar owns Eastbourne and Hastings piers. He bought Hastings Pier in 2018 and Eastbourne Pier in 2015. A notice has been posted to The Gazette on May 16 which states that a firm directed by Gulzar, Lions Pier Limited, is being wound up – meaning it has officially closed down. It comes after liquidators were appointed at Lions Hastings Pier Limited on August 3, 2023. Mr Gulzar was also listed as the director of this company. Lions Pier Limited, which is registered to 7-9 The Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3YA, has a date of winding-up order of May 12. The date of the filing petition is listed as March 25. Its official receiver is listed as K Jackson PO BOX 16660, Birmingham, B2 2HE. Mr Gulzar will go …

UK whisky firm enters liquidation with £500k debts leaving customers uncertain | UK | News

UK whisky firm enters liquidation with £500k debts leaving customers uncertain | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A British whisky firm has collapsed into liquidation after accumulating debts running into the thousands. The Scottish company, Whisky Merchant Trading Limited, which ran brands including Cask 88 and Braeburn Whisky, was pushed into administration owing to severe financial difficulties. Stephen Hunt, of Griffins, has been appointed as liquidator. The downfall left “thousands of global customers uncertain of their asset ownership” after the Edinburgh-based firm had previously raised roughly £80 million in investment funds. Customers need not despair, however, as administrators confirmed the business was salvaged following the sale of key assets to Edinburgh Cask Management (Resolution) Limited. The new owners are currently working to reunite investors with their casks. Griffins said: “As part of this sale agreement, ECMR has committed to addressing the issues faced by customers who may have purchased casks from the companies but have not yet been located. “They will replace these casks and offer trade-out options for better stock. “Each offer will be tailored to the specific circumstances of individual customers, and ECMR will provide further details in due course. …

UK whisky firm enters liquidation with £500k debts leaving customers uncertain | UK | News

UK whisky firm entered liquidation with £500k debts leaving customers uncertain | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A British whisky firm has collapsed into liquidation after accumulating debts running into the thousands. The Scottish company, Whisky Merchant Trading Limited, which ran brands including Cask 88 and Braeburn Whisky, was pushed into administration owing to severe financial difficulties. Stephen Hunt, of Griffins, has been appointed as liquidator. The downfall left “thousands of global customers uncertain of their asset ownership” after the Edinburgh-based firm had previously raised roughly £80 million in investment funds. Customers need not despair, however, as administrators confirmed the business was salvaged following the sale of key assets to Edinburgh Cask Management (Resolution) Limited. The new owners are currently working to reunite investors with their casks. Griffins said: “As part of this sale agreement, ECMR has committed to addressing the issues faced by customers who may have purchased casks from the companies but have not yet been located. “They will replace these casks and offer trade-out options for better stock. “Each offer will be tailored to the specific circumstances of individual customers, and ECMR will provide further details in due course. …

Germany’s spy agency picks French AI firm over Palantir – POLITICO

Germany’s spy agency picks French AI firm over Palantir – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“By choosing ArgonOS, the BfV is sending a clear signal for European digital sovereignty,” Marc Henrichmann, chair of the parliamentary oversight committee for the German intelligence services, told POLITICO. “Whether ArgonOS can keep up in the long run will have to be demonstrated by its operational use. Performance must remain the primary criterion, not just the origin.” The decision comes amid a broader German debate over Palantir’s role in the country’s security infrastructure. Some German police forces already use the company’s software, and the German interior ministry is considering using it for federal forces. Critics have warned of risks to data protection, fundamental rights and dependence on a U.S. provider. Palantir CEO Alex Karp recently pushed back against German skepticism, arguing in an interview with BILD — which, like POLITICO, is part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network — that his company’s software is already used on “every serious battlefield in the world.” He said he understood countries’ desire for independent systems, but questioned whether Germany could afford to reject Palantir’s technology. ArgonOS cannot …

Pentagon deploys Anthropic’s Mythos to patch cyber gaps while planning to ditch firm

Pentagon deploys Anthropic’s Mythos to patch cyber gaps while planning to ditch firm

Published by Sam Flores

WASHINGTON, May 12 : The Pentagon is deploying Anthropic’s Mythos cybersecurity model to find and patch software vulnerabilities across the U.S. government even as it races to complete a transition away from the AI company, the Defense Department’s top technology official said on Tuesday. Announced on April 7, Mythos is being deployed as part of Anthropic’s “Project Glasswing,” a controlled initiative under which select organizations are permitted to use ​the unreleased Claude Mythos Preview model for defensive cybersecurity purposes. Mythos, according to Anthropic, is capable of detecting decades-old vulnerabilities in web browsers, infrastructure and software. Emil Michael, the Defense Department’s chief technology officer and under secretary for research and engineering, said the Pentagon continues to execute on its plan to remove Anthropic’s products from its work in the coming months. However, he said the Mythos issue “is a national security moment” where the government has hardened up networks, because that model has capabilities that are particular to finding cyber vulnerabilities and patching them. Michael told attendees at a conference in Washington, D.C., that while those …

DOJ Reaches Settlement With Data Firm Over Meat Industry Competition Concerns

DOJ Reaches Settlement With Data Firm Over Meat Industry Competition Concerns

Published by Jenni Sidey

Authored by Kimberley Hayek via The Epoch Times, The Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a proposed settlement with Agri Stats Inc., requiring the data and consulting company to stop distributing competitively sensitive information among the nation’s major meat processors, officials announced on May 7. The agreement, which was filed in federal court in Minnesota, seeks to address longstanding government concerns that the firm’s practices allowed processors to coordinate production and pricing, increasing costs for consumers nationwide. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and antitrust division leaders said the proposed settlement was an effort to foster competition and ease pressures on household budgets. “A stable and affordable food supply is critical to our country’s well-being,” Blanche said in a statement. “This Department of Justice is laser-focused on making everyday life affordable for all Americans.” Agri Stats, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, gathers detailed data on prices, output, costs, and other metrics from processors’ systems. It then standardizes and redistributes the information to participating companies through reports and meetings, according to the DOJ. Meat buyers such as grocers, restaurants, …

Space analytics firm HawkEye raises 6 million in US IPO

Space analytics firm HawkEye raises $416 million in US IPO

Published by Sam Flores

May 6 : Space analytics firm HawkEye 360 has raised $416 million in its U.S. initial public offering, the company said on Wednesday. The Herndon, Virginia-based firm sold 16 million shares priced at $26 apiece in the IPO, giving it a valuation of roughly $2.42 billion. It had targeted a price range of $24 to $26 per share.  After a strong April, IPO activity is expected to pick up in the coming months, with HawkEye 360 and Suja Life set to test investor demand for defense technology and consumer brands, respectively. HawkEye will also gauge appetite for space-technology offerings, as investors await a public filing from SpaceX that could bolster confidence among peers to pursue listings and tap equity markets.   Founded in 2015, HawkEye provides signal-intelligence data to defense, intelligence and national security agencies, using satellites to detect, locate and analyze radio frequency emissions worldwide. HawkEye operates more than 30 satellites, with the U.S. government and allied nations accounting for a bulk of its revenue. In December, the company acquired ISA, expanding its capabilities in …