Himes Celebrates $1.8M Contract Award for Westport-Based Company Manifest

Westport, CT - Today, Representative Jim Himes (CT-04) announced that Westport-based Manifest was awarded a $1.8 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory, the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. Founded in 2022 by former Pentagon and Palantir employees, Manifest is a cybersecurity company that aims to help others secure their software through increased transparency.

"This well-deserved SBIR funding will empower Manifest to keep the United States on the cutting edge of cybersecurity defense at a time when such measures are crucial to our national security," said Congressman Jim Himes. "Manifest's mission reflects the best of American ingenuity, and earning this SBIR contract means that they will have increased capabilities to combat foreign actors seeking to exploit supply chain vulnerabilities. I was happy to support such a strong application from a Connecticut-based company and am thrilled to see them receive this invaluable growth opportunity."

Manifest co-founder and CEO Marc Frankel said, "near-peer competitors such as China and Russia have been exponentially ramping up software supply chain attacks such as Log4shell for years. There has never been a more pressing moment for software supply chain security solutions, particularly software bills of materials (SBOMs). Manifest is honored to have the opportunity through this SBIR award to support the United States Air Force's SBOM management efforts and to help secure their critical missions. We truly appreciate the support of Congressman Himes and his staff in support of our proposal and of cybersecurity and national security issues writ large."

In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order to improve national cybersecurity infrastructure by establishing baseline security standards for the development of software sold to the government. Since then, Department of Defense (DoD) and Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies have begun requiring SBOMs from software vendors so they can evaluate vulnerabilities and risks of cyberattacks in available software products.

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Congressman Jim Himes represents Connecticut's 4th District, which includes the communities of Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Oxford, Redding, Ridgefield, Shelton, Stamford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

Permalink: https://himes.house.gov/2024/3/himes-celebrates-1-8m-contract-award-for-westport-based-company-manifest